Review No. 3: Ralph Lauren Polo Explorer EDT, a flopped 2007 released. This came out alongsize their often contoversial Chaps 2007 rerelease, which I AM looking into (I own Chaps and Chaps Musk, both vintage). Both were here today, gone tomorrow by 2008.
Hey, look! Another Polo Flanker! This time it was, I believe, their very first attempt to really try and put out a "modern" Polo Green. Oh, and I do mean MODERN, because there was NOTHING before this... Well, kinda. Originally, Polo Green was a cologne formulaition until cosmair made it a proper edt, which could count if you are a stickler, but the first TECHNICAL flanker was the super rare and vintage "Polo Sport Splash" (pictured below) from the mid-early 80s, which supposedly was released as a gift when you spent a certain amount in their stores, or it was given with the purchase of a full sized bottle of Polo. Accounts vary, some even say it was only in Europe! It came in a huge "Eff You" sized 16oz splash bottle, and apparently just smells like a somewhat fresher, mossier Polo Green with less leather but wasn't very "sporty" in the true sense, until Polo Sport came out like, 10 years after... (Also... Heh, I just bought a good bottle. Review soon...)
Hilariously, one year later in 2008, they actually went out and made a limited release of "Polo Modern Reserve" for their 30th anniversary, which I hear is an actually good attempt at celebrating a modern flanker of the classic, trying to live up to it's name and presence.
Whatever, sorry, off topic. Talking about more interesting things tend to distract me from the main discussion. Back to what we're here for: Polo Explorer! Now, this bugs me. The fragrance and it's presentation sorta gives an identity crisis and mixed ideas of what was intended. It's first and foremost called a Polo, yet there is nothing sporty about it at all. It's intended to look utilitarian, modern, like a flask or canteen. It even lacks any branding apart from the Polo Man on the cap, so it leaves you thinking "What am I looking at?". I mean, the bottle, the box, and the tester bottle look awesome. Seriously, look at it, it catches your eye, but I think this would've been better named as "Ralph Lauren Explorer" or whatever similar. I mean, it makes sense! They made Safari not too long before this so this could've been a flanker to THAT! Another issue is the scent profile. It makes zero sense and has nothing in common or evokes the idea of "Polo" outside of a weak, pathetic leather note. I mean, it's a "Fresh Woody Amber"... Huh? Polo? Polo Green? "Fresh"? "Amber"? Who was making this? That sounds like they're descibing a Polo Black Flanker, eh?
The Scent: How do I describe it... From the cap alone it's sharp and attention grabbing, it really prickles the nose and wakes you up a bit. So it starts really sharp and bright, given the top is pure bergamot and mandarin. There is no fresh or juicy orange, but it has the sweetness and tang somewhat woven into the dank, bittter zest of bergamot, which actually isn't musky or powdery as one expects or associates with Bergamot dominant fragrances. There's also a weird, cardamom-esque woody spice even though it isn't a listed note ofi it being present. Perhaps it's the coriander from the mid mixing with the sandalwood of the base and they're overriding the top. Trekking to the middle there is leather, but it's not that dark, manly, evocative leather from Polo, that rugged and in your face leather. It's now a dry, pale leather that comes from a lady's expensive handbag sorta leather, not aged leather boots and saddle leather. Eventually we find our way to the base, which is a woody sweet amber bomb that is carried by that odd coriander spice, now mixed with mahogany. Not rich, aged, sophisticated mahogany you'd expect Ralph Lauren to slap out, but a cheaper, fresh cut impression that has no real sophistication or character to it. This is the basic b**** idea of Polo Green.
This scent is hollow. It's so... unoriginal and of it's time for sure, following the fresh citrus craze of the early 00s. Lacks any true identity or presence from name to design. You expected a rugged, maybe more musky and leather woods approach to Polo from the name and brash design, and the BRAND, and yet, it smells like something a young, club going "F-Boy" would wear. It's too young and mass appealing for the approach they were hoping for. In fact, if you want this scent, but done right, look into Davidoff Adventure. That thing is definitely a clone, it came out only one year later in 2008 and is nearly identical. Seriously, its got mandarin and bergamot in the top, but now with more spices, lemon, and TEA for sophistcation, then it ends on a sexy, smoky vetiver with sharp cedar and light musk. The only downside is that it's a pretty weak EDT, but you'll get more satisfaction in the 30 minutes it lasts vs the 3 hours you get from Polo Explorer. I mean, hell, it somehow even smells more leathery WITHOUT a leather note!!
So why get it? Well, the thing I can say is, it looks cool, it's a little rare and oddballish, and good for collecting, especially if you're a hard Ralph Lauren/Polo fan, and it smells "nice" in the most broad, mass appealing sense. Really, this is another compliment getter. Dudes thing it's good, and chicks dig it, but again, no depth. It feels like... A Polo Sport sequel. Not a Sporty Polo, I mean Polo Sport, the blue bottle. I can admit it's leagues better than Polo Sport Fresh, but I still wouldn't grab it. What will I do with it? Defintely, I'll keep it and use it. It's only 1.7oz is defintely inoffensive, but I won't be sad when I run out and won't look for another bottle. There are several, way better fragrances that do the same thing and are cheaper, like Versace Eros and such... I mean, they even made a more impressive version of this in Polo 67, and I don't even like 67. Disappointing, but not the worst. Gosh, this damn fragrance.
If you made it this far, thoughts are appreciated, expected even if you read all that! You can tell this one is defintely bugging me.
