Alcohol, Water (Aqua), Fragrance (Parfum), Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Hydroxycitronellal, Geraniol, Citronellol. The only problem I have with it is that the opening reminds me of laundry bleach when first sprayed on my skin. Despite the great promise of tradition, the famous 4711 fragrance comes in a variety of remix versions, bringing a breath of fresh air to the company’s fragrance shelf. Let's just say if I splashed myself with fruit juice, I would have achieved better sillage and logevity than with 4711. If you were raised in the middle east and ever set foot in a flower distillery, you for sure, know this smell.

What makes 4711 Original Eau de Cologne so special is the careful selection of high-quality ingredients and essential oils. There is a touch of bitterness here that stays light-handed and doesn't go into deeper, oily bitterness (I'm thinking cocktail bitters).I use the pure one rather exceptionally, usually in combination with something stronger or straight some Colonia from AdP. It's such fantastic value you can be lavish with it, lovely at any time of year especially in summer when you can douse yourself in it and keep spritzing as the longevity is minimal. They both had exquisite taste in just about everything, and this makes me think of wonderful Christmases at their house, and their photos from Tahiti and Molokai. Not many cultures have kept alive the cologne splash, but some Mediterraneans still know what to do with such a fragrance.

Top notes are Lemon, Bergamot and Orange; middle notes are Lavender and Rosemary; base notes are Neroli and Petitgrain. You just need to realize that it is not a cologne meant for others; it is a 'me' cologne that is meant for you to enjoy. It’s actually really nice mixed with a basic white musk in the hot weather when you really can’t bear to wear much else. Whenever I see this in my vanity I contemplate carrying around an old fashioned lady’s handkerchief, like my grandma used to do, so I can sniff wherever I feel like it, and look all fancy and ladylike in the process.I couldn't figure out which note it was at first but I did notice immediately it reminded me of Bobby Brown Beach. Val Vigezzo's capital city, Santa Maria Maggiore, hosts a small perfume museum where the story of eau de cologne is explained, and they still sell in the town the original "Acqua di Colonia - Feminis-Farina". They come as a powder that you add to plain water and they create an intensely fizzy, lemon-y, salty drink that's like nothing else.