ISSEY MIYAKE
LE SEL D’ISSEY EDT

2024

PERFUMER
Quentin Bisch

sea salt
ginger

seaweed
sand vetiver

cedarwood
oakmoss

‘Le Sel d’Issey by Issey Miyake is the new masculine Eau de Toilette with a striking freshness. The scent of eternal movement, from sea to land, expressed through two olfactory poles. A vibrant salt accord complemented by intense woody notes.’ – Issey Miyake

Sel D’Issey sounds very intriguing, with notes of salt, seaweed and ginger, but it’s not quite as eccentric as they want you to believe. That being said, for fans of the sort-of-aquatic-but-not-really genre, it could be an interesting choice and it adds its own twist, by mixing it with the popular Essential Parfum Bois Imperial DNA (or to lesser extend Ganymede).

Straight from the opening, I’m immediately reminded most of Acqua Di Gio, in particular the scent of Acqua di Gio Profumo, but it’s overall brighter and fresher, like the original Acqua Di Gio EDT. It has that similar musky watery vibe, that unfortunately smells a bit like wet dog hair to my nose, that takes me back to Acqua di Gio Profumo, which I completely fell out of love with after initially liking it some years prior.

The other ‘side’ of the fragrance is a sweeter, spiced, watery woody vibe that seems to be brought over from Bois Imperial. Bisch has used variations on this theme in numerous perfumes by now and this is the most aquatic take that I’ve encountered.

I’m conflicted, because about half of this smells rather pleasant, as I am a fan of that Bois Imperial tinge. It adds an abstract sweeter spiciness that creates a nice take on a marine theme. But the other half of the perfume smells like a cheap Acqua di Gio inspired shampoo.

Essentially, this feels like a solid Acqua di Gio flanker, which ties the now nostalgic DNA with the modern Bisch trend… not bad, but I’d rather go for a good Acqua Di Gio version or for Bois Imperial, than for this combination in Sel D’Issey and there are also nicer Issey Miyake to be had in my opinion.