I'm reviewing this fragrance not because it's Fragrancenet's house brand, or because it's another "melon-aquatic," but because I actually like it. If you shop at Fragrancenet, you've received samples with your orders, but you've probably ignored them, as there's nothing unique here. It's a citrus top, followed by a watermelon mid, and an ambergris-tinged "sea notes" base. I mean, yeah, we're in this place again.
Except with this fragrance, it's all done surprisingly well. I think it's miles better than any of the known Millesime Imperial clones, stuff like Love & Luck, Unforgivable, Acqua di Gio, Unbound for Men, Perry Ellis 360 Red, etc. Its citrus actually smells like citrus, and not screechy metallic synthetics. The melons smell juicy and green, like overripe fruit dripping juices down your shirt. The "aquatic" element is restrained and balanced, a tasteful saltiness with hints of violet leaf for a floral countermeasure to the edible notes. It's easy to like.
Summer is right around the corner in the northern hemisphere, and if you're looking for that familiar nineties (now retro) melon-aquatic frag to wear to picnics, but want it from somewhere different, look no further. EBYA for Men is a beautiful take on this theme, a very direct, sturdy, fresh interpretation of summer in a bottle. Bear in mind that at twenty dollars an ounce it's a relatively pricey choice, but I'd rather spend the dough on this scent than Acqua di Gio for one reason: no Hedione overload. In my opinion, save for MI, this is the most vibrant and balanced composition I've smelled.