I'll say this about Kenzo Power: this shit is powerful. One little spritz, and you're good to go for seven, eight hours. Kenzo's fragrances are usually mild-mannered, transparent, unobtrusive, but Power lives up to its name and bucks all those trends in favor of strength, throw, and total presence. It's floral, yes, but it's a powerhouse floral with a solid array of sweet and musky notes that fill a room and linger long after you're gone. If you want to be remembered, I recommend this scent.
Power opens with a crisp cardamom and bergamot arrangement, interlaced with miniature renditions of iris, rose, neroli, and violet. As the heart notes emerge, the floral notes broaden and "bloom," becoming much stronger and more distinct, yet never blobbing into each other. Note separation remains fair for this scent, and I enjoy experiencing each floral facet well into the drydown. Labdanum makes an appearance also, roughly forty-five minutes in, and becomes rather prominent, forming a partnership with a musky amber note in the base. Occasionally the bergamot peeks through the bouquet and freshens things up.
If I ever come across a bottle, I'll buy it, namely for its novelty factor. It's discontinued, and it's from a reputable house, but it's ultimately a blatantly floral perfume for men, and those don't come along very often. This isn't a muted rose chypre that gets passed off as a "floral" like Azzaro Acteur - there are plenty of floral scents for men that exhibit drier, less obvious renditions of flowers in order to appeal to male sensibilities. Power is sweet, rich, green, and literally a bouquet that smells outright femme for an hour or two, and that's a great thing in my book.
