Polo Explorer

I got this by accident, confusing it with Modern Reserve when I placed the order. I didn't really take it seriously at first because I don't normally like fruit fragrances, but I later discovered it to be pretty nice in spite of myself. It's kind of quiet at first, with banana and either mango or passion fruit I'd say, and a bit of the Ralph Lauren / Calvin Klein synthetic sweetness. This of all things should be too sweet and in-your-face for me, which is why I'm normally averse to this type. Yet for some reason I totally buy it, and I'm completely convinced that it's a tropical fruit salad sitting on a wooden table. The sparkle of the more exotic fruits dissipates leaving a metallic banana, almost like a summer version of Acier Aluminium, with other fruits added instead of spices...maybe strawberry? It doesn't evolve a whole lot, but in the base the fruit backs off a little, leaving a light blonde wood underneath, akin to Canali, my next subject. A little fruit remains, but it's thankfully devoid of that synthetic leather/musk monster that dominates the base notes of cheap fruit fragrances like Curve or Lucky You. So for better or for worse, I ended up with a fruity fragrance by mistake, but at least it restored some of my faith in the genre.

I've liked Explorer for years, inspire of the mixed reviews it seems to get, and the fact that now it seems mostly forgotten. One of the few Polos I ever really cared for, I've spent some effort and $$ looking for a reasonable in-production replacement. At first I latched onto Banana Republic Black Walnut (another Harry Fremont scent), similar in character, though I found it lacks even Explorer's midling longevity. Recently I've settled on Mancera Wind Wood as giving me a similar vibe. On comparing Polo Explorer, BR Black Walnut and Mancera Wind Wood, I find Wind Wood to open a bit drier with more emphasis on a peppery note; while Black Walnut and Explorer open a bit sweeter. Explorer seems to me to have a bit more of a spicy sparkle (sorry I cant seem to put a finer point on it) than the other two for the first half hour. The Black Walnut dies off quickly, but after an hour all three exhibit to my nose a strong similarity. At dry down Wind Wood is still a bit drier, and personally I still prefer the slightly fuller and sweeter Explorer, but they are nevertheless quite similar. Wind Wood seems to somewhat improve on Explorer's longevity, giving me myabe 5-6 hours to Explorer's 3-4. Explorer still gets my nod for its scent, though.

This was my signature scent throughout my 20s for fall, winter, and spring nights. Has the perfect amount of citrus/green top notes with a masculine smoky/woody base and a distinct pine note that ties everything together. Very well balanced and unique. Probably my favorite scent of all time. Bummed that this has been discontinued and is only available at crazy prices on eBay. Been trying to find something like it ever since. Thought Polo Green would be similar but Polo Green is much heavier and more harsh to where it drowns out the fresh green and pine notes, whereas they shine through in Polo Explorer. If anyone knows of anything that smells like this PM me. The closest I've found is Kuro by Ajmal, believe it or not. Although that one doesn't have the same smoky pine note as this, which is what put this one over the top.

Polo Explorer is one of my favourites. Though it's got an undeniable Polo DNA I can't help thinking of it as an "eau fraiche" version of John Varvatos EDT, with the similar fruity-smoky leather vibe but considerably less powdery and more breezy thanks to the huge sandalwood note; less noir, more air. Drydown is not without glitches (leading to some reviewers here finding it unpleasant, perhaps not without a reason, but that depends on the nose) and longevity is just so-so. Still, an extremely versatile scent that clearly stands out.

The most misunderstood and under rated fragrance ever to be prematurely discontinued. This was never given a fair chance to really take off. The branding was too outdoorsy and safari-ish. This would be a perfect alternative to the blues and freshies that absolutely dominate the market. It was distinguished and masculine with woody, musky and great sandalwood notes that are reminiscent of a hunting lodge. Whoever decided to discontinue this should be fired.