SHISEIDO

Comments about ZEN for MEN Eau de Toilette:

The more I wear Zen for Men, the more soothing and relaxing I find it to be.

Longevity is great and sillage just right.

The opening is fruity and fresh. The unique nashi note is clearly there. The fragrance become louder afterwards with the heart notes. The combination of the violet and the musk is apparent from the beginning, which reminds me of other compositions also by one of the authors (i.e., Mr. Kurkdjian who collaborated with Ms. Caron on this one). The nutmeg gives it a soft and warm feel and for this reason, I enjoy that spice in fragrances. I'm not sure what rhododendron is supposed to smell like, however, and can't identify it.

There is a slight smokiness that develops midway and I suspect it's part of the otherwise muted leather note that rises up slowly but what's more noticeable to me is the musk again. It is of a sweet/fruity nature--not too clean but not animalic. The patchouli is part of the profile but takes a back seat here. It only shines more in warmer temperatures.

I also get a slight vanillic sweetness in the base (or maybe the nutmeg is still at work). It could also be Shiseido's "calming" signature note here. Whatever it is, it gives the scent a particular Japanese feel. One of the most interesting aspects of this scent is that the sweetness sort of oozes all of a sudden and comes out in bursts and spurts out of nowhere.

I recommend taking your time with this one. It may seem mainstream at first but I did a 180 on it because of the strange and soothing sweetness.