Issey Miyake
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Clary sage arrives with peppery assertiveness, rosemary following in sharp, slightly camphoraceous waves. The aquatic base immediately dampens any warmth, creating an impression of fresh linen caught in sea spray—intensely herbal, almost medicinal.
As the herbs recede, cashmeran and amberwood emerge with woody dryness, but black salt intercepts them, creating an unexpectedly salty, mineral character. Patchouli adds dark earthiness without heaviness, the composition settling into something austere and vaguely aromatic—reminiscent of driftwood and sage bundles.
Tonka and vanilla appear subdued and restrained, barely sweetening the woody-saline foundation. The synthetic accord becomes more apparent, lending a clean, slightly detached character. The fragrance fades to a whisper of salt-tinged woods and subtle almond cream, barely present after four hours.
L'Eau Super Majeure d'Issey arrives as a fragrance caught between restraint and ambition—a composition that privileges architectural clarity over conventional beauty. Aurélien Guichard has constructed something deliberately austere: clary sage and rosemary open with a herbaceous sharpness that immediately signals this won't be a comfort scent. The aquatic accord (dominating at 100%) runs beneath like a cold stream, preventing the composition from ever settling into warmth.
The heart reveals the fragrance's most intriguing contradiction. Cashmeran and amberwood should soften what precedes them, yet instead they collide with patchouli and black salt—a pairing that feels almost confrontational. The black salt is the crucial element here, injecting a mineral, slightly iodine-tinged sharpness that keeps the woody notes from becoming creamy. Tonka bean and vanilla appear in the base, but they're constrained, never allowed the indulgent sweetness their presence might suggest. They function more as a stabiliser than a reward.
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3.6/5 (145)