John Varvatos Artisan Blu

by: Sandra Raicevic Petrovic

John Varvatos truly provides something unique and characteristic to the world of perfumes. I really like his fragrances, bottles, and his unconventional but elegant fashion style that he intertwined into his collection of perfumes. It is unique, contemporary and of high quality. Commercial, yet so special. It plays on shades and materials, which is reflected perfectly in his latest composition, Artisan Blu. Last year’s edition, Dark Rebel, garnered excellent critiques and attracted fans of tobacco-leathery fragrances to this brand. This year, Varvatos provides contrast with a marine masculine fragrance, which is wearable, comfortable and sophisticated. This type of fragrance always attracts me because I enjoy salty fragrances that convey the scent of sea air, fresh but not too sweet, full of coastal herbs and pine trees. One of my favorite ‘marine’ fragrances is the memorable Kenzo Pour Homme. However, Varvatos Artisan Blu has a completely different marine character. 

In recent years, the effect of salty sea air and herbs was offered to us by Bentley with their fragrance Azure, which truly conveys a marine chord, but is sweeter and fruitier than Varvatos. Bond No9 mixed salty sea notes with oud in Shelter Island, while marine editions were also marked by Blu di Roma by Laura Biagiotti, Blu Land Trussardi, Mauboussin Pour Lui Time Out, as well as new versions of the Kenzo Homme collection, Verde di Mare by Bois 1920 and the extraordinary Acqua di Gio Profumo. For fans of salty sea editions, I can single out Sail by Acqua di Portofino, a unisex fragrance introduced in 2012.

The new blue Varvatos is different than all the above mentioned. Its composition is dry, salty, woody-herbal, characteristic for its scent which reminds me of dry algae on sea beaches in the evening, after sunset, without additional warmth, when cool evening air fills your nostrils with salt, lavender and pine…. The fragrance is bitter, sharp and fresh at the same time, with a creamy, gentle powdery and woody base. Masculine and with fine manners. Orange blossom acts with its addictive and luminous salty notes and elevates dry herbal chords twinkling over pine and lavender notes.

I had the opportunity to test Varvatos Artisan Blu in Cannes during TFWA 2015, when this year’s promotion was prepared Elizabeth Arden. The fragrance stood out immediately among numerous editions that were tested. Its bottle is gorgeous, blue and made of glass, with dark blue ropes in the same style as the flacon of Artisan Acqua two years ago. In my opinion, Artisan Blu exceeded fragrances by many other houses which were trying to go in this direction. I see it as a masculine, elegant-unconventional and very sophisticated fragrance, wearable in daily and in evening occasions. Its longevity and trail that it leaves are very satisfactory.  

After I had the opportunity to test it, I received the list of notes that unite classic marine and aromatic notes, and provide unusual twist. According to the official announcement, top notes feature bergamot, lavender, basil, bitter orange and chayote (edible fruit from the family of melons and cucumbers). The heart corporate geranium, palmarosa, iris, orange blossom absolute and clary sage, while the base combines cedar, patchouli, pine, resin from pistachio and tamarisk wood. It was characterized as aromatic-citrusy, but I would sooner list it as a woody-aquatic fragrance.  

JOHN VARVATOS ARTISAN BLU

top notes
bergamot, French lavender, basil, bitter orange, chayote

heart
Egyptian geranium, palmarosa, Florentine iris,
orange blossom absolute, French clary sage

base
parasol pine, cedar, patchouli, resin from pistaccio wood, tamarisk

According to the description on the official website, Artisan Blu invites us: " Plunging deep into an azure sea, John Varvatos Artisan Blu is the ultimate embodiment of crystal blue waters under the warmth of the sun. This aromatic citrus fragrance exhales an elegant and refreshing personality, evoking visions of a saturated, vibrant seaside lost in the Mediterranean summer."

John Varvatos Artisan Blu arrived in sales in early 2016, and is available as a 125ml Eau de Toilette priced at $86 on the official website of John Varvatos.