Fragrance comparison

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme vs River

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 24 Oct 2026 17,741 ratings analysed

4 wins

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme

Issey Miyake

4.1717,720 votes

Rank #24,207 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

54%scent match

Some overlap

River

Denim

4.0021 votes

Rank #55,534 CitrusAromatic

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme takes 4 of 5 categories.

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring.
River
Choose it for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme4/5

River1/5

Ratings & consensus: L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme
Sillage & projection: L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme
Value for money: River
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

L'Eau d'Issey Pour HommeIssey Miyake

RiverDenim

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

4.17/ 5 · 17,720 votes

Have 70%Had 30%Want 0%

4.00/ 5 · 21 votes

Have 41%Had 38%Want 21%

Category winnerL'Eau d'Issey Pour HommeRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

46%Love

37%Like

6%Ok

10%Dislike

1%Hate

17,720 votes

33%Love

43%Like

19%Ok

0%Dislike

5%Hate

21 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity66

〰 Sillage55

♥ Love / hate79

⏱ Longevity49

〰 Sillage52

♥ Love / hate75

Category winners

LongevityL'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme

SillageL'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value66

¤ Price value92

Category winnerRiverBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

citrus100%

aromatic86%

fresh spicy72%

woody58%

floral44%

green30%

citrus100%

aromatic88%

woody77%

herbal65%

earthy53%

lavender42%

Scent match54%Some overlap · both citrus, aromatic and woody

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top

YuzuLemonBergamotLemon VerbenaMandarin OrangeCypressCaloneCoriander

Heart

Blue LotusNutmegLily-of-the-ValleyBourbon GeraniumSaffronCeylon CinnamonMignonette

Base

Tahitian VetiverMuskCedarSandalwoodAmberTobacco

Top15-30 mins

LemonLemon VerbenaBergamot

Heart2-3 hrs

LavenderSageNutmeg

Base4-6 hrs

VetiverCedar

InformationalShared notesLemon, Bergamot, Lemon Verbena and Nutmeg. Durations are only published for River, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring100

Summer0

Fall0

Winter15

Day–

Night–

Spring100

Summer75

Fall75

Winter38

Day100

Night24

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men76

Unisex23

Women1

Men100

Unisex0

Women0

Casual 45%Work 35%Date 12%Party 9%

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#24,207

PerfumerJacques Cavallier Belletrud

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#55,534

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerL'Eau d'Issey Pour HommeHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme opens with a sharp burst of tart yuzu citrus and crushed lemon verbena before relaxing into a wet floral heart of blue lotus and nutmeg. Base notes of Tahitian vetiver, cedar, and dry tobacco leaves give this 1994 release a clean, grounding backbone. It suits warm summer mornings, humid office…

Reviews →

Denim River kicks off with an unapologetic splash of sharp lemon, crisp bergamot, and crushed lemon verbena. The citrus hits hard. It does not disguise its vintage barbershop roots. Within fifteen minutes, the bracing alcohol lift clears, letting clean lavender and herbal sage step forward. A pinch of dry nutmeg adds …

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme or River?

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme takes 4 of 5 categories. L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme is rated 4.17/5 from 17,720 votes; River is rated 4.00/5 from 21 votes. Choose L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on ratings & consensus, longevity and sillage & projection. Best in spring. Choose River for a citrus and aromatic character. Wins on value for money. Best in spring, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme or River?

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme lasts longest (L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme 66/100, River 49/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme or River?

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme projects furthest (L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme 55/100, River 52/100), based on community performance votes.

Do L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme and River smell similar?

Some overlap: a 54% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share citrus, aromatic and woody accords. Common notes include Lemon, Bergamot, Lemon Verbena and Nutmeg.

Is L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme or River better for summer or winter?

River suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme and River?

L'Eau d'Issey Pour Homme has top notes of Yuzu, Lemon, Bergamot and Lemon Verbena, heart notes of Blue Lotus, Nutmeg, Lily-of-the-Valley and Bourbon Geranium, a base of Tahitian Vetiver, Musk, Cedar and Sandalwood. River has top notes of Lemon, Lemon Verbena and Bergamot, heart notes of Lavender, Sage and Nutmeg, a base of Vetiver and Cedar.