4711 Echt Kölnisch Wasser

This fragrance is a unisex eu de toilette that has a citrusy smell. After searching for this product at retail stores and not finding it I got it at West Coast Shaving for $25 for a 10 oz. bottle. I decided to try this as an aftershave splash because it didn't come with a sprayer. I think the small bottles come with a sprayer but not the one I got. Also, because I heard a lot of other fellow shavers use it as an aftershave.

After opening the bottle I got a strong smell of citrus and flowery notes. Then it dried down which also smelled nice but was not that strong. I think this fragrance is one you can use at work, church or some place where it won't offend people. I think I'm going to try this more on hot days where the sweat and heat will cause the fragrance to stand out more. This definitely feels and smells like a summer fragrance. I think women will enjoy this as well. Check it out.

I give 4711 a 7/10

Decent as a aftershave splash I would not recommend this as a cologne as it does not have the staying power I look for but the scent I personally really enjoy a nice citric but smooth sweet like scent and very short lasting. I use it as a AS because if the alcohol content is so high and it acts well as a astringent and has never caused any irritation for me and because it fades so quick it won't clash with my edt if I wear one...... Also it pairs well with neutral or citric soaps and creams ...... Not the best choice out there but by far you could do worse I enjoy it and would recommend it but as a AS not a cologne.

I ran across this at walmart and thought "Hey what a kick *** bottle!"

I opened it up and my initial whiff reminded me of lemon and linen. Smelled very fresh.. and for 15 bucks I decided to get it.

As soon as I applied it, the lemon and linen scent flooded the air, then the dry-down came. "Ah what is the familiar smell.... oh $h!t!! It is citronella!!! I can't believe it, but this stuff made me smell like bug repellent.

I gave it a 10 in staying power. I sure could not wash this stuff off very easily...

I am sure this stuff is equally as good at repelling a would-be date.

I will not buy again. I am thinking of pouring the rest of the bottle out and using it for display purposes only, lol.

the above comment from 2007 posted by the-good-life is very interesting...4711 is one of the very first I ever used in the 1960's...I would love to try the real farina splash !!

I've officially converted over from Pinaud to Mäurer & Wirtz. Where Pinaud products have fallen short, 4711 has picked up the slack.

Love the bottle - I know that's not of high importance, but can't help it. This thing is just gorgeous. From a designer's perspective, the heavy glass, the massive label, the shape of the bottle, even the cap - they spared no expense. I have a 27 oz so I can really take it in. At $1 an oz, why not?

This is one of the original eau de colognes (water of Cologne). now I've read here and elsewhere that in Europe this is reserved for the elderly, particularly women, but from my experience, more eastern Europeans should consider using this stuff. Seriously. Hint. Hint.

Although laden with synthetics, the execution of the fragrance is good. Nowhere near great, but then again I have yet to hear of a mind-numbingly great eau de cologne. This doesn't try too hard. Just a bracing citrus, herbal splash with a vague suggestion of florals. It lasts maybe five minutes. Then it leaves the skin feeling and smelling really clean. My nose is telling me that the citrus is at least a bit genuine. This passes the Pledge test. Seems there's an authentic lemon note in there. Maybe I just want it to be there. But whatever, it's nice.

There's no atomizer on this. It's meant to be very fleeting, that's what cologne is. For the money, I think I'll always have a big bottle of this hanging around. Unlike Lilac Vegetal, this actually works as an all-over body splash. And it clears the way for whatever eau de toilette I want to wear for the day.




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me too I love it, above all during summer time, it's fresh and - in Italy - not common. Just a small nigle: it's not too much persisten.

I have read the story and I believed that it would be nice for a newbie like me to have such a legendary and an original product in its collection.I payed a lot of money for it, mostly because the shipping to Bulgaria is always a robbery, but I remained somewhat disappointed from the quality.It contains alcohol, I guess, as it is so fierce and it has no mercy for sensitive skin, it made my face almost shining red.The Scent is undoubted, it is old school, classic and vintage, but smells cheap, like a lemon drink...It stays fairly long, which suits me.I guess I had too high expectations for this product, and I used it only once so far and will keep it for the collection, exactly as I planned.

No marking on price because I received this as a gift. This seems to be a love-it or hate-it cologne based on reading some of the other reviews. I had no expectations for it and was pleasantly surprised. It smells of lemons and grapefruit, mineral water, and lightly of linen. It also stays on me all day, which does not seem to be the norm. Packaged in a nice simple curved shaker bottle with a retro label and a two-tone metal cap. I do not find the scent complex, but it is light and refreshing and I find myself using it on days when I need a little pick-me-up to get me out the door.

In Germany old women besides 65 years use this scent for getting fresh on a hot summer day.

for all of you wondering the what is the smell is, it is orange blossom, a calming sent just like Lavender, I am using a bottle that my wife bought in the 90's in Paris, it is great.

Available now at Wal-Mart for around twelve dollars or so.

"Citronella Candle" does come to mind while attempting to describe its lemon-lime formula.

Not obtrusive, it fades within twenty minutes or so. Does mix well with other scents.

Overall, an underwhelming and ho-hum scent. Fans of Pinaud Citrus Musk, Lime Sec, or other citrus based scents may find it useful as a re-freshen splash mid-day.

I use 4711 as a quick afternoon 'pick me up' between meetings or after work. It isn't really what I use as a cologne splash or a scent for the day, it dissapears much too quickly for that, but more as a refresher. Its scent is more nostalgia than fashion, but I can't help liking this one.

I use the 4711 cologne as an after shave splash and it works great. Very refreshing scent that does not linger very long at all, so it won't mess with your colognes... IMO, 4711 works much better as an A/S than a cologne because of it's nearly nonexistent longevity. Superb scent, but I'm guessing it's an acquired taste.

The only thing going for 4711, IMO, is the hardware - package, bottle, and atomizer - were all of reasonable quality.

For me, this is the worst fragrance I have ever tried (and I used some of the Avon after shaves in my youth!). I was looking for something that had a nice citrus scent, but there was absolutely no citrus there at all. It smelled like citronella from beginning to the, merciful, end. I for one am glad the fragrance does not linger (in this case, Staying Power=1 is a benefit). I'm hoping I can get my money back.

The bottle lists these ingredients: alcohol denat., aqua, parfum, limonene, linalool, citral, hydroxycitronellal, geraniol, citronellol

This cologne came to me in a huge 13.5 oz bottle via a purchase from a fellow member. The bottle itself is well made and excellently detailed. It was the only bottle of cologne that my girlfriend ever "noticed" as new in the bathroom, and verbally expressed her pleasure with the look of the bottle.

My first whiff was of a pleasant lemon-lime scent. After a rushed splash, my concern was that it smelled too much like a citronella candle.

Later, when I had time to splash some more on and ponder the scent, I was able to detect a larger dimension to the cologne. Once again my girlfriend found the scent pleasant and refreshing without being overpowering or in the way. It should be noted that the listed ingredients are known as "commodity" scents in the perfume world, with several being main triggers for perfume sensitive people. On the plus side, "Geraniol" is listed as "one of nature's most effective insect repellents1"

I do find, as others, that the scent fades quite rapidly. However, this allows it to work great as a strong (alcohol-based) aftershave, still allowing your normal cologne, if desired, to be placed over it. I found it to be excellent for when I'm in a bracing mood, especially during the summer months. As a collecter of the "old timey" colognes such as Pinaud, Booster, Master, Lucky Tiger, Florida Water, etc., I find 4711 an enjoyable addition to my collection.

4711 has always been an inferior imitation - one of dozens - of Johann Maria Farina's original Eau de Cologne. Farina was an Italian immigrant who joined his brother in Cologne in 1709 and soon became very succesful marketing what he, as the first person, called Eau de Cologne. Muehlens was a con-man who began by selling illegit "Farina" licenses and then set up his own pseudo-Farina cologne operation. With the beginning of trade mark laws in the 1870s Roger&Gallet, who had legally acquired the Jean Marie Farina name from a Farina descendant (via an intermediary firm) who had emigrated to France, sued the Muehlens company over the Farina name, and Farina in Cologne soon did the same. In fact they were one of the prime lobbyists for the establishment of trademark protection in the Germany Reich. Thus around 1881 Muehlens was forced to abandon the Farina name and invented 4711 along with all the marketing fairytales. 4711 is a sharp, thin, heavily synthetic fragrance, while Farina gegenüber dem Jülichsplatz still produces all-natural EdC according to the original recipe (it's also about 5x as expensive). Roger & Gallet's Jean Marie Farina EdC Extra Vieille is also excellent. There are still numerous fake Farinas in circulation on ebay (Farina am Dom, St. Pantaleon, Farina Gegenüber). The only real one is Johann Maria Farina gegenüber dem Jülichsplatz. They have a quaint EdC museum in Cologne as well.

I don't think it's a bad scent - not at all, but over here in the heart of ol' Europe 4711 is considered as an elderly ladies' perfume. You won't find anyone under 50 wearing this. Plus, you can get it everywhere so it's not exclusive at all. A more elitist alternative would be Weleda's all natural near copy of this scent, which I like a little better.

Nice stuff, definitely good to have a drop on a handkerchief, it's very refreshing. Not a "fine" cologne for special occaisions, more an everyday smell to freshen you up. Very pleasant.

It mainly smells citrusy, slightly of grapefruit.

I like this stuff a lot, unfortunately my girlfriend doesn't. It's a scent we both (and everyone else here, apparently) know from childhood and, well, whether we like it seems to depend on our memories. My bottle has no atomizer, hence the 0 rating, although you can get one. You can get mini bottles which are great for refreshment on a plane, train &c., as are the little towlettes. All in all, a great refresher. They used to advertise 4711 saying it wouldn't collide with your main perfume, and it's true: it refreshes you and doesn't stick around.

It is great in the summer and it's a bargain. In Germany you can buy a 1/4 pt. bottle for about $12. They also make a nice little curved ~1oz bottle. Isn't this the stuff that led to the name Cologne for aftershaves, etc.???