I can never work out Issey Miyake's marketing strategy: some of their best releases seem to get very limited distribution and disappear without trace. This, on the other hand, seems to be getting a sizeable push. Maybe it's because they have golden boy Quentin Bisch at the helm, or maybe they think they have a sure fire, mass-pleasing scent on their hands.
Which this assuredly is. It's clean and minimal, ozonic and oceanic, which means it has that salty, seaweedy odour at the outset, offset with a mild, astringent note of ginger. At times it almost seems powdery. This settles to oakmoss and wood, along with a hint of vetiver, accompanied by the trademark Bisch metallic tang.
A couple of things surprised me about this. One was its restraint, and the other was how successfully Bisch has managed to integrate his style into the Miyake DNA. A lot of the Miyake fragrances have a sharp, almost bluntly strident note that dominates, especially at the outset. This manages to avoid that, but at the same time, it's unmistakably a house creation. It's well-blended, and although there's nothing particularly original in the composition, it smells really pleasant. There's something very stark and sheer about it all, and you can easily imagine its wearer occupying one of those uncluttered converted warehouse New York lofts that at one time everyone seemed desperate to emulate.
It's resolutely mainstream and there's nothing here that pushes the boundaries, but those sorts of fragrances have their place too. I could see this fitting into almost any sort of setting, and at most times of the year: so in that respect its almost a textbook example of a dumb reach scent. I'm not sure I'd pay full price for this, but might be tempted if a bottle becomes available on the grey market.
My initial reaction is that it smells like a tame Megamare, also seems very generic mens aquatic, and that it smells less like Ganymede than I expected, and more broadly less like a typical Bisch (no prominent akigalawood yet). I feel underwhelmed, and I also note a clear and immediate amberwood, although nowhere near the monstrous level in Megamare. I quickly go noseblind to the amberwood (but with this tendency I'm always worried about those around me who aren't noseblind to it, yikes). Over the next 30 mins, I start compulsively smelling my wrist. I can't deny the addictive hook is there. I think this will be perfect for a mild rainy day, and possibly in summer although it might be a bit strong for hot weather. The only other thing I'd say is that I don't buy for a second that this contains real vetiver, let alone sand vetiver, or anything else natural for that matter. It smells ultra-modern, ultra chemical and almost hyper-real, as if computer generated. I got my 50ml for 50 euros so I'm happy with it.
