Browsing my local Ulta, I spied a bottle of New West by Aramis and decided to give it a whirl, remembering AltoDiva's mystery scent thread raving about the spicy, powdery, wonderful frag she'd found at Macy's a while back. I had never tried New West before and was too young when it first came out to remember anyone wearing it. So I spritzed it on my arm and went my merry way to try on some shoes while it dried down...and oh boy, what a dry down! I rushed back to the store and bought their last bottle and have worn it for the past three days running.

The Diva was right - New West is simply fantastic. I do get the groundbreaking aquatic, watermelon top notes, but they are not at all fruity. Rather it has a refreshing, airy oceanic quality that reminds me of a cross between Andree Putman Preparation Parfumee and Hermes Un Jardin Apres La Mousson. This top fades, leaving a salty-feel behind, making me feel like I had swum in the ocean that morning. Now the base emerges - glorious oakmoss! It is spicy, woody, and grassy, reminiscent of the drydown of Parfum de Nicolai's Le Temps D'Une Fete with less galbanum. The drydown as it wears throughout the day is fantastically evocative of a fall day to me on the New England coast: the smell of fallen leaves, crisp grass, the faint sweetness of fallen fruit, and a subtle trace of salty skin; while also retaining a feeling of classic perfumery (probably from the oakmoss). New West makes me feel centered and very much in the moment and seems perfect for the transition from summer to fall. In short, I'm in love. Thank you, AltoDiva, for your post which inspired me to take the plunge! I would have otherwise missed this wonderful creation!

Are there other New West lovers on the board? Anyone who wore it when it was in its heyday? I understand New West ushered in the aquatic era - was it once as ubiquitous as Coco Mademoiselle or Angel? AD, are you still enamored with NW? What is the male version of New West like? Is the oakmoss why New West was discontinued?

Raisinred, please don't give me a lemming for yet another hard-to-find, expensive scent!!
I am very easily tempted......

Raisinred, your review took me on a virtual walk along the New England coast right along with you! Sounds like a lovely perfume. Thanks!

I was at an U3 the other day (Atlanta suburbs) and noticed that they had a bottle of New West -- it was in the men's section. So the U3's must have it.

Also have a sample of the vintage New West, ("New West Skin Scent for Her") given to me when it was released in the 80's -- a neighbor worked at Saks. I opened and sniffed it recently. It's still good, strong, melon-y. I do remember wearing some once, but it wasn't my style. (However, the sample is up for trade on MUA, as I'm not yet eligible for swaps here, sorry if this isn't quite kosher -- I know somebody out there would appreciate it!)

I still have quite a few of those 80's samples and am very glad to have them now!

Just caught this thread. You're welcome, RR! Ah, the joys of enabling.

Yes, I still love New West! I just wore it a couple of weeks ago. And isn't it funny how different people pick up different things in a perfume! I get a spicy, soapy drydown. I get no discernible oakmoss--it's a note I really hate when it's at the forefront--and no grass, either (hate that too). I just get soap, soap, soap. I also don't mind the aquatic aspect of his at all, and I've finally figured out why. It's because that note is balanced on a very substantial base, not on some weak, simpering little collection of base notes. The drydown of this is sizable and equal to the challenge of the opening.

BTW, I don't think it's discontinued. Last I checked at the Short Hills Mall, Macy's still had it, although they are the only one of the five Macy's near me that carries it. Iffen you're lovin' it, I would check around online. I have one bottle in reserve beyond the one that's open, but I really think it's still available.

I just LOVE it when I lead another POLer down the path of sin and perdition.

I know it's for women, this version which came out quite a few years after the men's version in the late 1980's.

But I do love the salty air/beachy note of this scent when it finally dries down. It's truly an underrated gem to behold. I have a bottle of it. I haven't truly worn it yet. But I do love to sniff it on my upper left palm when I feel the need to smell a scent that takes be back to the beach. This and Aqua Motu Comptoir Sud Pacifique really sum up the smell and feel of the beach, having lived at the beach myself for a few years, these two scents really make me long for living again at the beach again in So.California. Or just to be near it again like we have gone to San Diego the past two years since I just love the beach.

I bought my most recent bottle - about 2 years ago - from 'The Perfume Shop' which can be found on the high streets in many British towns. I believe they are the only licenced outlets in the UK for this reissued fragrance. I loved this scent first time around - wanted to have it again and was *almost* tempted to buy it online at extraordinarily inflated prices. I think my 100mls bottle was under £30. Some sites wanted £70+. Cheek!

I remember the scent being groundbreaking when it first came out - theres an oceanic element that really does capture the sea/beach/low tide detritus! Its not 100% pleasant but it is real. I was working as low ranking oceanographer at the time and I liked the symmetry of my scent reflecting my job. Unfortunately my boyfriend HATED it, sulked whenever I wore it, so it went into a drawer unused. Eventually it turn dark yellow and gloopy and I threw the bottle out.

Frankie

New West (for men) is the only scent that I keep at the office. Of course I have a big bottle at home, as well. Love this one!

I love the men's version as well. It reminds me of pine for some reason but it's not obviously. It's the calone note which I read was used in high proportion for this scent. It was the first time that the note of calone was used commercially in a scent for anyone. New West Skinscent for Him predates Cool Water Davidoff, if my memory serves me well.

I'll never forget Phil's comment that he thought it smelled like surgical alcohol when I wore it out one time when I was living back in So.California. I then didn't wear it again for a long time thereafter after that comment. I then did buy it again when I moved here to Henderson, NV.

It's a really good summer scent.

I'm glad you all enjoyed my post. Thanks again to Diva for being my enabler.

Kewart- good news! Look what I found on-line at Boscov's! New West!

I think a back-up bottle may be in order, as I just love this stuff!

Rufus, I tried out the New West for Men at Ulta - it's pretty good, though I get more herbal-spicy than aquatic from it. Maybe an old tester, but I liked it. Think a girl could get away with it or will I just smell like I just snogged my SoCal boytoy?

Here is some interesting info: The women's scent was actually to be the men's version but Aramis/Estee Lauder shelved the idea and recreated another version. Most likely because it was too out there for a men's scent at that time in the 80's.

The first men's scent was then reworked to make it more feminine and became New West Skin Scent for Her.

Paul John, that is quite interesting! Might explain why I didn't get many aquatic notes from the men's version and why the feminine is not overly sweet. Thank you for the information.

I'm heading off to Ulta tomorrow, will have to sample this, thanks!