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Original 1975 Eau de Toilette

7.6 / 10 127 Ratings
A popular perfume by Denim for men, released in 1975. The scent is spicy-woody. It is being marketed by CODAA.
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Main accords

Spicy
Woody
Earthy
Fresh
Green

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
BasilBasil BergamotBergamot LemonLemon Orange blossomOrange blossom
Heart Notes Heart Notes
SageSage Bay leafBay leaf CedarCedar VermouthVermouth PatchouliPatchouli
Base Notes Base Notes
OakmossOakmoss LeatherLeather CardamomCardamom CinnamonCinnamon AmberAmber PepperPepper Tonka beanTonka bean
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Ratings
Scent
7.6127 Ratings
Longevity
7.2100 Ratings
Sillage
6.997 Ratings
Bottle
6.3104 Ratings
Value for money
9.352 Ratings
Submitted by Steffel13589, last update on 10/13/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
Original (After Shave) by Denim
Original After Shave
Aramis (Eau de Toilette) by Aramis
Aramis Eau de Toilette
Zara Exclusive N°04 - Leather Jardin by Zara
Zara Exclusive N°04 - Leather Jardin
Arrogance pour Homme (Eau de Toilette) by Arrogance
Arrogance pour Homme Eau de Toilette
Sergio Tacchini (Eau de Toilette) by Sergio Tacchini
Sergio Tacchini Eau de Toilette
Mazzolari by Mazzolari
Mazzolari

Reviews

6 in-depth fragrance descriptions
GothicHeart

85 Reviews
GothicHeart
GothicHeart
Very helpful Review 6  
Always blue but never moody...
An evocative music is playing in the background. A woman's hand with blood red nails, is slowly coming down a man's chest, caressing prepensely his jeans shirt. She wantonly opens one of its buttons, clearly showing what her intentions are, and then moves to the next one. Before unbuttoning it too, the man's hand falls abruptly on hers, stopping it. A gruff male voice says: "Denim. For the man who doesn't have to try too hard..."
It's 1976. I'm sitting mesmerised in front of the TV, trying to decipher in my juvenile mind what this commercial is about. Words like sex and lust mean nothing to me, and girls are just for scaring them, or chasing them down to empty a glass of water on their heads.
It's 1982. Girls now mean a lot more than they used to, and I know what sex is and what the commercial was talking about. Theoretically at least. One of my uncles, a not handsome but charming as hell man, has the frozen glass bottle, which some years ago took my breath away, in his bathroom. Without thinking twice, I pour a good deal on my hands and splash it on my face. And I'm mesmerised again. My cheeks become red with excitement. This is the real thing! This is... sex! Or at least how sex must smell like. I exit the bathroom and wait for a while, trying to come up with an excuse for the way I smell. In less than 5 seconds, my uncle raises his head from 5 metres away and with a broad smile on his face he asks "Do you like it?"...
It's 2014. Nearly 40 years after it hit the ground running, Denim is still the smell of my night-time fantasies, and it evokes the same excitement which I felt when I was trying to understand what was it that a man didn't have to try too hard about back in 1976. I don't know of any other product, perfume or not, that goes on with the same slogan for 40 years, which means that the bloody thing works. And how could it be any different? This is one of the most honest and downright fragrances I know, if it doesn't top them all. It's raw, it's unpretentious, it's easygoing, it's as masculine as they come. It's Denim. Simple as that...
1 Comment
manlyscents

96 Reviews
manlyscents
manlyscents
2  
The smell of my youth
This is where it all started for me. Growing up on the island of Malta in the 1980s, there wasn't the culture of cologne. For men of all ages, cologne was reserved for special occasions only (i.e. Aramis Classic). On the daily, men wore aftershave. Old men wore barbershop: mostly Brut (talcy lavender) and Tabac (musky floral). Young men wore Denim (spicy powerhouse) due to a massive advertising campaign from the neighboring Italy. The tagline roughly translated to "for the man who never has to ask for [sex]" ...not very PC by today's standards. As a result, I'm wired to associate barbershop with gentlemanly scents, and powerhouses with manly scents.

Denim is the smell of my youth. I frequently pick it as my SOTD over fragrances that cost over 10 times more. I'll always have a bottle in my collection. With that disclaimer out of the way, on to the review.

The opening of Denim Original is a fresh burst of spicy citrus, musky soap, and to my nose also a honey accord. The dry-down is less citrusy but woodier. Not a modern smell, but given its manly freshness, it might be easy for young men to pull off. As with all my other fragrances, this is not something you wear for external gratification, this is one you wear to please yourself.

I never got the fabled hours and hours of performance from Denim aftershave and the same goes for the EDT. But given its ridiculously low price-tag, I'll forgive the 1 hour of projection, low sillage, and 3-4 hours of longevity.

Masculinity Level: Steve McQueen in Bullitt, effortless cool.
0 Comments
Nofretete

42 Reviews
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Nofretete
Nofretete
Top Review 16  
Attention: Aleppo Soap made in Italy
Oh, always following her nose, Nofretete has gotten lost in the hammam.

A door flies open, and deep dark green basil with a few orange blossoms rushes towards her, almost animalistic and not at all citrusy. A strong statement. Nofretete realizes this must be the men's section. No matter, she can perceive the scent right here at the door, she doesn’t even have to go inside.

In the next moment, she is enveloped in a spicy, powdery, and bittersweet aroma: bay leaf soap with sage oil and wormwood extract. She would love to have such a soap massage right now, even though the masseurs here are quite rough, it goes right through. And it takes a while. But afterwards, in the relaxation room, it is truly relaxing, as it smells of moss, cardamom, and a little incense. Here, one can linger excellently, for hours.

Conclusion: Strong. So watch out with the dosage! Unsuitable for delicate spirits.

Nofretete occasionally enjoys Denim Original alone at home and listens to “Summun Bukmun Umyun” by Pharoah Sanders (album 1970).
4 Comments
Alibert

1 Review
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Alibert
Alibert
Helpful Review 12  
Drugstore Classic
I discovered Denim EdT on vacation in Italy. There, it is a classic drugstore scent similar to Tabac original in Germany. Unfortunately, you can only get it here through shipping or it is being sold off by discount retailers. This is probably due to market trends. In any case, I associate summer and relaxation with Denim. I find the 70s aesthetic of the old commercials and the bottle amusing, but at that time I had no interest in fragrances, so it doesn't evoke any authentic reactions for me.
As for the scent notes, I particularly enjoy the orange notes and the spicy components that create an interesting combination, a fragrance that is rarely found in Germany. It is certainly not a trendy scent, but one with a distinctly unique character that may not appeal to everyone.

Online, you can also find the very nice aftershave, deodorant, and shower gel at really low prices. All products smell intense and very similar. Especially in combination, they should probably be used sparingly. Cheap? More like affordable and definitely worth more than the asking price.
3 Comments
JMR

2 Reviews
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JMR
JMR
Helpful Review 15  
Italianità - classic and fresh!
Let's not talk about the forty-eighth new fragrance release of 2023 - there are probably many more by now (early November). Let's not talk about the question of whether or not the "real man" of today is allowed to wear a unisex fragrance. Let's not talk about whether niche fragrances in the three-digit euro range are worth the money. These are luxury issues that can be discussed among perfumistas in a heated and lengthy manner. Let's talk about the question: What makes a good everyday fragrance? Let's talk about Denim Original! Because it's really good.

Denim Original is good because even the bottle is great. Its design has a clear edge, just like the fragrance. Even in the hands of morning grouches at 05:00 in the morning, it lies securely thanks to the easy-to-grip, octagonal recess in the middle.

Denim Original is good because it works, from 05:00 in the morning. It makes you feel fresh immediately. At this time of day, you don't want to know which evident and mysterious essences will beguile your nose and cling to your chest hair in which artfully arranged pyramidal sequence. Instead of an imaginary list of ingredients, a citrusy, herbal cloud of well-being envelops you immediately. That's enough, and this is simply the wrong time of day for more subtle analysis. After showering (with the denim shower gel, of course!), apply the matching aftershave and deodorant spray alongside the eau de toilette to boost the effect and you're guaranteed to be awake after ten minutes - no matter what your night looked like, I swear.

Denim Original is good because it's still the same today as it used to be. My nose says: this fragrance has successfully avoided reformulations in its almost fifty years of life. Who else can do that? I have loved the EdT for more than 30 years and have not noticed any significant change in the fragrance. The EdT's longevity and sillage are not bombastic, they never have been, but they deliver a good average. The orangey-fresh, initially somewhat pungent top fades over the course of the first hour, leaving behind a pleasant green base. Even at the end of the day, Denim is still easily perceptible, albeit increasingly close to the skin. Yes, it has to be said - there is no complex development in this fragrance. But does it always need that?

Denim Original is good because it costs much less than it is worth. The fragrance sounds a bit like the more massive Aramis Classic, the softer, sweeter Laura Biagotti Roma Uomo and the infinitely more complex, voluminous Versace L' Homme. All three are considerably more expensive. Denim interprets their themes in a fresher and lighter way. The fragrance has character and successfully stands up to more modern mainstream drugstore men's fragrances, which are three shelves higher up.

Denim Original is good because it is timeless. Like the classic denim shirt, a typical subject of the advertising motif. Let's forget the embarrassing macho attitude with which the advertisement used to rumble around. That was simply the spirit of the times, but not the spirit of denim. It's not just for men who want to be macho. Because if it was, sales would have collapsed more than three decades ago. Denim is Italianità in a bottle, affordable, solidly crafted, not over-the-top, suitable for everyday wear all year round. Even for men without denim shirts and chest hair. For you too!
1 Comment
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Statements

5 short views on the fragrance
5
1
It's a masculine, fresh, green scent with some funkiness going on. Reminds me of a business person and takes me back to my childhood. Good.
1 Comment
4
Great chypre of the distant past. Complex and masculine. You can smell heavenly without breaking the bank.
0 Comments
1
Pungent citrus, herbal spice, and a complex base. The sprayer pumps out a lot of juice, boosting performance. Fun to wear.
0 Comments
21
13
Would love to compare it to Aramis Classic: leather chypre with fougère elements and citrusy, spicy green and herbal notes.
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13 Comments
10 years ago
11
Bought it before because it was cheap. Now out of conviction. Sad that it's being sold off at unworthy discount stores.
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0 Comments

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