No.136 l'eau d'issey

No.136 is Eden Perfumes' version of L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme, the 1994 Issey Miyake release still regarded as a benchmark for clean, understated masculine fragrances. It opens with a very fresh citrus burst led by yuzu alongside mandarin, bergamot, lemon verbena and a touch of cypress and tarragon - crisp and slightly metallic rather than sweet, exactly the character reviewers still describe as 'a Zen garden made of glass and cold mountain water'. The heart softens things considerably with nutmeg, cinnamon, geranium, saffron, lily of the valley and blue lotus, adding a delicate floral-spicy warmth that keeps the composition from feeling one-dimensional. It settles into a woody, faintly aquatic base of cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, musk, amber and tobacco that grounds the whole thing without weighing it down. This is a genuinely versatile fragrance - fresh enough for daytime office wear, distinctive enough not to smell generic, and true to reviews of the original, projection is pleasant rather than overwhelming with moderate longevity that suits reapplication over a long day. A solid, accessible way to try that 90s Japanese-minimalist masculine style without the full retail price.