Smell the sea: Best aquatic fragrances for every gentleman

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Aqua can conjure different visuals, most of these images eventually lead to the beach and the ocean. Think salt, water splash and your definition of the smell of the sea. Of course, it’s not easy to bottle the smell of the sea or ‘box’ it. But that’s what some of our favourite aquatic scents have done over the decades. We use these scents when we’re on a beach holiday and also on a manic Monday at work when we’d rather be at the beach than the boardroom.

We round up some of our favourite aqua scents that you can buy now and beat the heat:

Giorgio Armani – Acqua di Gio

The Giorgio Armani – Acqua di Gio's strong base notes includemusk, white rose and cedar

If you are allowed only one fragrance for a beach holiday (on a deserted island or otherwise) then it has to be this all-time favourite that continues to inspire clones. Launched in the 1990s, Acqua di Gio continues to scorch the sales charts every summer with its universal appeal and longevity even on a hot summer’s day. Strong marine elements blend seamlessly with jasmine and rosemary to create a fresh aquatic early burst and eventually make way for Aqua di Gio’s strong base notes that include musk, white rose and cedar.

Price: Rs 6,200/100ml

Versace Man Eau Fraiche

The Versace Man Eau Fraiche features lemon, rosewood, star fruit, cedar leaves, sage, musk and amber

It may not be as recognisable as popular scents like Cool Water and that’s the best part unless you want half the office to know what scent you’re wearing. Perfumer Oliver Cresp collaborated with Gianni Versace himself to create Eau Fraiche, a crisp aquatic fragrance that is perfect for a whole day at work. This blue juice is almost reminiscent of the cool Mediterranean Sea and features lemon, rosewood, star fruit, cedar leaves, sage, musk and amber.

Price: Rs 6,900/100 ml

Aqua Kenzo Pour Homme

The Aqua Kenzo Pour Homme is fresh and aquatic one moment and warm and woody the next

The cobalt blue bottle is a clear indication of the bottle’s aquatic creds. Kenzo leaned on one of the most iconic pieces of Japanese art - The Great Wave off Kanagawa, for inspiration. This unabashedly aquatic scent is aimed at water addicts. It’s fresh and aquatic one moment and warm and woody the next. It’s almost like a dive into a contrasted water. Pink berries splash with walnut leaf while a gourmand sandalwood blends with cedar.

Price: Rs 6,350/100ml

Jimmy Choo Man Aqua

The Jimmy Choo Man Aqua is one of the newest aquatic scents to hit the shelves

The icy blue bottle is a giveaway. This is  this is one of the newest aquatic scents to hit the shelves.  Jimmy Choo Man Aqua was created by Paul Guerlain and Julien Rasquinet to evoke images of the ocean. The bold, yet understated scent opens with a spicy cardamom and fresh burst of grapefruit. The middle notes are sea water and Clary Sage and
the scent finishes with patchouli and moss at its base.

Price: Rs 3,850/30ml

Bvlgari Aqva Pour Homme Marine

The aquatic strains of the Bvlgari Aqva Pour Homme Marine include santolina and posidonia, a Mediterranean Sea water plant

It’s not easy to capture marine notes in a flacon. This Bulgari masterpiece crafted by Jacques Cavallier (the perfumer behind Aqua di Gio) captures the elements of the ocean like no other perfume. Cavallier sought inspiration for Aqua in the ocean depths and it shows. Aquatic strains include santolina and posidonia, a Mediterranean Sea water plant. These notes give this fresh, long-lasting aquatic woody fragrance in the instantly recognisable signature pebble-shaped flacon its exceptional character. Aqva Marine
is one of the many interpretations of this classic.

Price: Rs 7,800/100ml

Davidoff Cool Water Reborn for Him

‘Reborn’ is built on two notes – sensual vetiver and aromatic rosemary

Davidoff’s Cool Water first debuted in 1988, a time when heady, old-school scents still occupied most of the space at fragrance counters. Pierre Bourdon’s fragrance packaged some of the freshest aromas in one single bottle; it became one of the most popular men’s scents of all time. Davidoff has resurrected this scent more often than a superhero franchise. ‘Reborn’ is the latest version and built on two notes – sensual vetiver and aromatic rosemary and can transport you to your favourite holiday destination almost as effortlessly as the original.

Price: Rs 5,400/125ml

Allure Homme Sport by Chanel

The Allure Homme Sport by Chanel, a sporty scent, comes in a dense metallicbottle

If you’re a people pleaser, then this pleasing, almost inoffensive scent is just what you need on a hot summer’s day. Envisioned by Chanel’s master perfumer Jacques Polge, Allure Sport seeks inspiration from Chanel’s exceptional collection of J12 watches with their clean lines. This sporty scent comes in a dense metallic bottle and opens with a sparkling blend of crisp water notes and citrus. The citrusy orange and mandarin notes give the scent its rush of energy and are complimented by an intense base
dominated by vanilla.

Price: Rs 12,000/100ml