Thoughts on Cool Water and its alternatives?

[Hugh V.]

I'm thinking about Cool Water recently. It was my first fragrance, but by the time I hit college I started to dislike it after discovering Curve and Acqua di Gio. I think the dihydromyrcenol ingredient is what was too harsh for me. I eventually found the scent light weight nauseating when smelling it in the wild.

That said, today, it does evoke some pleasant 90s nostalgia for me. Back then, Cool Water was like the cutting edge of men's perfumery to me, and everything else was "old" smelling. I want to say it somehow smelled "shiny and new", while stuff like Drakkar Noir, Polo, and the rest came across skanky or kinda dirty.

A couple years back I did sample Creed's Green Irish Tweed a couple times. First time it was just Cool Water to me, but maybe slightly more polished. Second time, I got much more of the green vibe, and it felt luxurious and relaxing. I'm thinking that GIT would actually be enjoyable and tolerable to wear, whereas actual Coo Water might give me headaches and itchy skin. CW feels too synthetic to me, whereas GIT was smoother in execution.

What are your thoughts on Cool Water and/or GIT? Memories of them, and what do you think of wearing them/smelling them in 2023?

Are there any good clones or alternatives out there, or do you think its best to just aim for vintage Cool Water or actual GIT?

I've tried Cuba Black Prestige, and it wasn't good. I don't know if at the time I just still detested CW, or it was a really poor interpretation of that scent.

Aqua Quorum I didn't get into, as it was more like a dulled version of Eternity for Men, with the CW-vibe popping up at the heart here and there. It could be the bottle and price was biasing my interpretation, and maybe I should give it another try.

Tres Nuit seems to be popular enough, but how does it stack up to GIT or vintage CW? I feel like it's too easy to mess up the scent profile. It seems like you have to have quality ingredients to make something sharp and potentially synthetic come across as high quality.

 

[StephenFury]

I remember CW being all the rage back in high school, but I never wore it. When I was getting into fragrances around 2010, I heard a lot about GIT and 1) its similarities to CW and 2) it being superior to CW (or at least a more refined, higher quality version.)

Since I never really wore CW, and none of my close friends did, I didn't have any real scent memories associated with it. I fell in love with GIT the first time I smelled it on a card, and more so when I actually wore it. Since I wasn't drawing a mental parallel with CW, I guess in that sense I was able to visit it without really feeling like I was "revisiting" something else. I finally purchased it after a few years in the hobby, and I still love it!

I also own CW now as well, and while they're similar, I do feel like each has a place in my wardrobe. CW is for if I just want an easy reach to smell clean, whereas GIT is something I'll wear specifically to complete my look for the day. So, if you revisit GIT and still like it, I'd say it's absolutely worth picking up. Never smelled Tres Nuit unfortunately, but I'm curious about the Armaf scents in general.

 

[Renato]

If I were you, I'd check out the latest formulation of Cool Water in a shop.
I used to think back then that at times it was a tad too sharp. But I don't get that feeling now.

The new Cool Water Parfum doesn't smell much like Cool Water EDT.

Funny that you mention Curve - we used to have a member here who thought it was almost the same as Green Irish Tweed (to my nose, there's only a slight similarity).

To date, Aspen makes me think of Green Irish Tweed initially, but then changes pretty quickly.
Regards,
Renato

 

[ihxb01]

Are there any good clones or alternatives out there, or do you think its best to just aim for vintage Cool Water or actual GIT?

I’ve tried Blue Depths from Belcam recently and decided that it is a very good $10.40 clone of Cool Water, way better than the current OG on the shelves. Although I didn’t compare it side by side with a vintage version, it seems to me a carbon copy of an actual fragrance from 90s.
As for GIT, I suggest to find a 2.5 or 4 oz bottle of it. Those sizes were discontinued in 2017 when the quality was still good. I have a 4 oz. bottle and it is just impeccable.

 

[Ken_Russell]

So far enjoyed GIT with no contest among most of the Cool Water alternatives (at least among all of the ones tested so far), therefore more subjectively inclined to recommend considering a/another GIT bottle.

 

[Brockie]

I used to wear CW back in the 90s and unfortunately I find that it doesn’t live up to my rose tinted memories of it anymore. I enjoyed GIT after sampling some years back but that was replaced by Rasasi Egra. In my opinion an outstanding option for GIT at CW a price.

 

[hednic]

What are your thoughts on Cool Water and/or GIT?

Own, love, and want to have both in my collection.

 

[ErroneousFact]

Tres Nuit seems to be popular enough, but how does it stack up to GIT or vintage CW? I feel like it's too easy to mess up the scent profile. It seems like you have to have quality ingredients to make something sharp and potentially synthetic come across as high quality.

I like Tres Nuit except for the dihydromyrcenol thing, which is the main thing. I haven't tried genuine GIT or CW, just Blue Depths which I liked a little less than Tres Nuit. My point is if you like the dihydromyrcenol thing in GIT and CW, I bet you'll like Tres Nuit.

 

[Jack103]

I love Cool Water. I don't mind dihydromyrcenol, in fact I actually really enjoy the metallic laundry-esque freshness it provides. To my nose, Tres Nuit contains a huge amount (probably non IFRA compliant) of methyl octine carbonate, which is responsible for the green/ozonic violet leaf in GIT/Fahrenheit. I don't like Tres Nuit nearly as much as Cool Water, I mostly find it to just be useful as a reference for MOC. In my opinion, Belcam Blue Depths is just awful. Having an absolutely nuclear Cool Water is a cool novelty for a few minutes, but the insane strength gives me migraines and I'm not the only person who has reported this. I also agree with this article, and believe that CW is greatly superior to GIT https://frompyrgos.blogspot.com/2014/10/getting-turins-opinion-on-cool-water.html

 

[Marty McFly]

Cool Water was one of my favorite fragrances from my high school days (class of 95,) and I have fairly strong memories attached to the fragrance. (Oddly, my teenage years were a terrible period of my life, and yet the nostalgic associations with the scent are quite positive.)

But by the time I was in college in the late 90s, I considered Cool Water to be a played out scent, and it developed a sort of lower-class association for me, though I've long since shaken that kind of judgmentalism.

I did not think much of Cool Water for some years until in the mid 00s when a colleague in my office was wearing GIT. It smelled somewhat like Cool Water, but it smelled modern (despite its age) and it smelled incredible. It also shared some aspects of the drydown of Hugh Parsons' Blue (now called 'Traditional') which I was quite fond of. I had never heard of GIT or Creed, but I was smitten with the scent and GIT has been my undisputed favorite fragrance ever since. Interestingly, however, I no longer smell the same degree of similarity with Cool Water.

Chez Bond is also another favorite which is quite similar, maybe ever so slightly sweeter, but it lacks some of the colder green depths of the opening of GIT. And while I do own a bottle of Tres Nuit, I really don't think it comes close to GIT, neither in the depth of the notes nor in the longevity. Tres Nuit is more like a caricature of the original. I would sell the bottle if it was even worth the shipping and my time to do so.

Aspen I actually recall liking in high school as well, because I thought it smelled like Cool Water. But I haven't smelled it since and that was almost 30 years ago. I seem to recall that I also had a bottle of something from maybe Bath and Body Works (or maybe it was Structure,) in the mid 90s which also resembled Cool Water. But it's been so long that whatever it was probably no longer exists.

 

[ascotnot]

I remember hearing someone respond to the question of what rock bands they like, and the response kind of stuck with me for its distinctive logic (given the context), "I like Coldplay but I don't like bands that sound like Coldplay." (The irony here is that I have no idea who Coldplay are.) Flip that around for CW. I like a few that smell like CW but don't really like CW that much. The first one that comes to mind is one to which I do not see a lot of comparisons drawn, and that's Faconnable.

Tres Nuit and GIT are also ones that I have and like as well. As for CW, I don't hate it but, it's hard to explain - what's the opposite of a "dumb reach?"

 

[thrilledchilled]

I love vintage Coolwater. I reach for GIT much more often as I think it’s a bit better in some way. I love Aspen as well. And Roudnitska’s final wonderful Ocean Rain by Valentino, while you are at it. I’m not one for marine or bleu frags, but these are different to me, and really worth owning.

 

[Dandydude]

For what it’s worth, here Are my opinions of the ones I own:

-I love and often wear GIT. Class of its own
-I love and sometimes wear Chez Bond
-I really, Really like Rasasi Egra and wear it most often.
-I like but truly never wear Cool water.

I also never wear
Vabrena Fields (not near as good as Egra)
Aspen (this one I quite like and is a bit nostalgic)
Tres nuit (not near as good as Egra)

I would try Egra

 

[ToughCool]

So Cool Water was my 90s juice. When I was in law school 93-96 it made me feel invincible. Honesty it’s been going on 30 yrs and I NEVER have had a scent I’ve worn affect females like that They’d hug, nuzzle etc to smell. Massive scent trail. Back then I found the drydown mire akin to a sweeter version of GiT. More like a musky grape. I did like you and went to others. I had a big Armani kick after. But I’ve purchased CW many times since and always give it away. Seems so harsh now

As for GIT, I own a bottle. It’s fine. I’m not wowed by it at all. It’s not a negative but when I wear it I never feel “this is awesome.” I smell good but it’s just doesn’t do it. I can’t explain it but sometimes I get these great whiffs and other times it’s a little harsh or cheap smelling for a Creed. I’m glad I have it for now but rarely use it. It’s only on those brief whiffs I love do I get the old CW. I have worn it formally etc . It’s classy. Just not something I’d buy again.

 

[DeathArrow]

For me Cool Water doesn't last at all and it doesn't seem powerful enough. So I got something smelling like it (some might say it's a clone) but is far more lasting and powerful - Egra by Rassasi.

 

[Pippin06]

I don't own, but have tried Cool Water, and thought it smelled excellent! Would like to one day try GIT.

 

[N.CAL Fragrance Reviewer]

Amongst Cool Water alternatives Green Irish Tweed is what I've always found myself coming back to.

 

[DeathArrow]

While not a Cool Water clone, one that follows the same scent idea is Bogart Story Blue by Jacques Bogart. As an added bonus, it lasts much more than Cool Water.

 

[Diddy]

1. Green Irish Tweed
2. Chez Bond
2. Cool Water (vintage script)
3. Egra
4. Tres Nuit

In that order, for me, on that type of scent. I prefer GIT appreciably more than the others, and mostly because I enjoy the development throughout the wearing. But please keep in mind that I have older bottles of GIT and have not sniffed any formulations from 2016 on.

If you're wanting to save money and be as close as possible to GIT, then I have to second @Dandydude recommending to try Egra. It's very well done and performs admirably. But none of them get it done quite like my old GIT.

 

[Hugh V.]

Thanks for the replies and thoughts on the topic.

Rasasi Egra is something I'm going to look into. I didn't even know it existed. If I do decide to get a GIT/Cool Water-type fragrance to wear, I'll likely be pulling the trigger on that one.

Belcam Blue Depths is one I hadn't considered. It's around $8 so that might be the cheapest bet if I just want a whiff of nostalgia from time to time. I would miss the original Davidoff bottle. It's simple but really elegant looking.

Water was one of my favorite fragrances from my high school days (class of 95,) and I have fairly strong memories attached to the fragrance. (Oddly, my teenage years were a terrible period of my life, and yet the nostalgic associations with the scent are quite positive.)

This stood out, because it's the same for me.

 

[Zenwannabee]

I’ve never worn GIT. And though I smelled Cool Water everywhere in the ‘90s and liked it, I never really wore it much. But now 30+ years on I wear Cool Water and find it fabulous. I get excellent longevity and sillage to spare. Often I savor the dark tobacco drydown, but sometimes it’s too ashy for me. And that’s okay. When that happens I often just switch to Aspen for a bit, as its amber drydown is far mellower. But they’re both great journeyman fragrances in my book and will always have a place on my bathroom counter. Nautica Voyage is also great—and in this price range simply awesome. 🙂

 

[milkbaby]

I really like Aspen... Part of it is psychological because it's so inexpensive and maybe the bar is thus set low for my expectations. I like it as a quick freshen up on those mornings where I might jump straight out of bed to meet friends for breakfast out. It's not powerful enough to ruin others' breakfast and is pleasant enough for most to think I'm just freshly showered. 😅

 

[Ifti]

Surprised the Carven pour Homme and Leau Intense don't get mentioned in the ballpark of CW, GIT.

The carvens are a little more 'meaty' than CW and less so than GIT.

Worth a cursory sniff at least!

 

[slpfrsly]

Surprised the Carven pour Homme and Leau Intense don't get mentioned in the ballpark of CW, GIT.

The carvens are a little more 'meaty' than CW and less so than GIT.

Worth a cursory sniff at least!

I'd agree with that. They smell like sensible, contemporary versions of Cool Water/GIT. I haven't smelled either for a while but I'd tentatively suggest that the Carvens are better fragrances than either GIT or Cool Water.

 

[Opiate]

I prefer vintage Cool Water to GIT.

 

[PrinceRF]

What are your thoughts on Cool Water and/or GIT?

I don't care for Cool Water, but I love GIT.

 

[notspendingamillion]

Carven is good. It has a bit of a dirty aspect to it in the mid like an 80s caraway or something. But the impression is there. Great presentation and blending.

The Belcam Blue Depths is really nice. Smells much better than current CW to me. Rounder, less sharp. Less synthetic.

Tres Nuit is fine, but presentation is terrible. Longevity was middling, More like GIT, but the ambrox base that armag uses has something a little paint thinner like.

GIT was nice, smelled the least synthetic, but was fairly weak on me. And is the most expensive, which I am taking into account.

I've owned a few vintage Cool Water bottles over the years. It's more rounded, less sharp,, and a bit more sandalwood chewy than the new thin stuff.

Aspen is fine, but I just don't care for something. Feels a bit choppy, a bit cheap. I don't know. For some reason it just feels bottom of the heap on these, though, I suppose it doesn't smell a bit off like tres Nuit, so I guess second last.

1. Carven Homme
2. Vintage Cool Water
3. GIT
4. Belcam Blue Depths
5. Current Cool Water
6. Coty Aspen
7. Armaf Tres Nuit

 

[Foamywax]

Current cool water is OK but it's not what it used to be sadly.

 

[woodnotes55]

You might want to try Floris JF.

I'm coming at this backward, I never had Cool Water or GIT. But I did pick up JF and in reading reviews many people said it was very much like (if not a copy of) GIT.

I later had a sample of GIT and remember wearing both at once to compare and they did have common traits but I don't remember details at this point. The GIT didn't jump out so much where I wanted to buy it, but most likely still have the rest of sample and should try it again....