Kenzo Power Cologne

11/06/09 23:04:21

By: Mark Behnke

One of my favorite releases of 2008 was Olivier Polge’s Kenzo Power. His second take on making a masculine floral, after Dior Homme, was a bright fresh creation which unabashedly wore its flowers on its scented lapel. One other aspect of Kenzo Power was the eye catching modern chrome bottle designed by Kenya Hara. This was a fragrant package that was appealing to the eye as well as the nose.

A year later the same design team, has created a flanker called Kenzo Power Cologne and instead of the chrome bottle of the original this one is in clear glass with the same Kenya Hara lines as before. This clarity of design is carried through to the fragrance contained within as M. Polge was aiming for a 21st century take on the first colognes which appeared in the early 18th century.

That first cologne was created in 1709 by Gian Paolo Feminis and it was called Aqua Admiribilis. It contained notes of neroli, bergamot, lavender and rosemary. His nephew Giovanni Maria Farina would go on to set up shop in Paris and it is said the original recipe is still in use in Roger & Gallet Jean-Marie Farina Extra Vielle Eau de Cologne. I am a big fan of this eau de cologne and looked forward to seeing what M. Polge’s interpretation, of this men’s classic would bring. His choice is to keep to the tradition in the top and the heart but in the base to return to some of the themes from the original Kenzo Power.

The top of Kenzo Power Cologne contains the bergamot along with verbena and cardamom. The verbena is an excellent substitute for the neroli as it also carries the citrus aspect along with a slightly floral aspect. The cardamom imparts a cool soft spiciness which also lends itself towards a citrus feel. M. Polge used the combination of bergamot and cardamom in the original Kenzo Power and so at the beginning he nods towards the past and to the present, at the same time. This combination also carries surprising power for a fragrance trying to emulate an eau de cologne.

The heart starts with a geranium note which is green and floral at the same time which shares that similarity to the lavender in Aqua Admiribilis. From this point onward M. Polge is intent on taking this old-fashioned olfactory architecture and adding in some new lines. That starts as pepper and coriander take the geranium and add a spicy feel to the middle of this. Both of these notes add a bite to the floral character that takes this away from the clean and fresh and more towards the spicy and floral. The base is a woody mix of cedar and balsam with a touch of vetiver thrown in. This gives Kenzo Power Cologne the feel of Kenzo Power in the woodiness. Where the original went for amber to warm things up, in this fragrance vetiver keeps the woods on the clean side of the fragrance line, which is appropriate for a modern cologne.

Kenzo Power Cologne has outstanding longevity and sillage. This is remarkable because most eau de colognes are made to last only a short while. It takes twice the amount of normal sprays of R&G Jean-Marie Farina Extra Vielle for it to persist on me. That is not the case with Kenzo Power Cologne as it is this longevity and power that truly make this stand out as a modern cologne. I am not the biggest fan of flankers but in this case M. Polge has done an excellent job of marrying the qualities of a traditional eau de cologne and the original Kenzo Power. In doing so he has created a fragrance that is recognizably made up of those fragrant genetics but can stand on its own, deservedly so.

Images: Kenzo Parfums

Author: Mark Behnke (Somervill Metro Man)
Fragrantica Writer

Mark Behnke is based in Somerville, MA, a suburb of Boston, and is the writer for Fragrantica. By day, he works as a research chemist in a pharmaceutical company. By night, he has been a consistent poster on the forums at Basenotes.net under his nom de blog, Somerville Metro Man. You can also follow Mark on Twitter @SomMetroMan if you're curious to find out what he wears on a day-to-day basis.

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