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Karl Hamburg Alster 2021

6.8 / 10 54 Ratings
A perfume by Karl Lagerfeld for men, released in 2021. The scent is fresh-green. It is being marketed by Interparfums.
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Main accords

Fresh
Green
Woody
Synthetic
Aquatic

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
Aquatic notesAquatic notes Mandarin orangeMandarin orange MintMint
Heart Notes Heart Notes
FreesiaFreesia SageSage LavenderLavender
Base Notes Base Notes
MuskMusk Blond woodsBlond woods MossMoss

Perfumer

Ratings
Scent
6.854 Ratings
Longevity
6.443 Ratings
Sillage
6.544 Ratings
Bottle
7.052 Ratings
Value for money
8.244 Ratings
Submitted by Baeumchen · last update on 11/28/2025.
Source-backed & verified
Interesting Facts
The fragrance is part of the Places by Karl collection.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to
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Zara Men — Day Collection: 03 Floating Around
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Y Eau de Parfum
Wanted (Eau de Toilette) by Azzaro
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Allure Homme Sport (Eau de Toilette) by Chanel
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Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 Jaune by Lacoste
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Reviews

3 in-depth fragrance descriptions
Elysium

898 Reviews
Elysium
Elysium
Helpful Review 4  
A Dawn Walk Along The Cool River Bank
The Inner and Outer Alster lakes are central to Hamburg's city life. In medieval times, a dam transformed the Alster River into a water reservoir to feed the mills operated on its banks. This has shaped the face of central Hamburg, as it now consists of two lakes called Außenalster (Outer Alster) and Binnenalster (Inner Alster). From its source outside Hamburg, the Alster flows into the Elbe just south of the city centre. The Outer Alster is surrounded by mature trees, green parks and beautiful buildings of the districts of Winterhude, St. Georg and Rotherbaum, which give the area a sophisticated and exquisite charm. People come here to leave the stressful city life behind for a moment and relax in the shade of the trees. In summer, the parks surrounding the lake are the perfect place to enjoy the sun's rays or jog around the lake. Sporty types indulge in water sports. Boats, canoes and kayaks can be hired at many locations around the Alster. Stand-up paddling is also a fun and prevalent activity. It is this place that inspired Madame Emilie Bevierre-Coppermann to create this perfume. And I can say that I find many emotions and situations in this perfume, which evokes a dawn walk along the nifty river bank when the city is still sleeping, and the first rays of the sun are reflected on the water.

Hamburg Alster is the second cologne in the Karl City collection released after Karl New York Mercer Street, dedicated to Karl's favourite places and streets scattered in various world capitals. It is plenty of fougére, aromatic, and watery accords. The essence takes off with a fresh and sour blast, greener and less spicy than its predecessor. First, courtesy of the tangerine, there is a sweet and citrus sorbet-like accord that soon merges with the freshness from the cooling mint. It is immediately recognisable: herbal, green, a tad balmy, still a mild quality, more akin to spearmint than peppermint. Indeed, the mint tones down the tangy aspect of the citrus rind, making the cologne a tad less close to classic and citrus eau de cologne.

The flight subsides slightly in the heart but continues with the herbaceous touch, courtesy of subtle and calming clary sage, semi-metallic aromatic lavender, and light floral undertones of freesia. There is a sense of calm as if I stopped walking and sat facing the river and watched the canoes glide one after another along the water. The greenest border of the mint in the opening continues with the silver sage, keeping the cologne on the fresh side.

Interestingly, Hamburg shares the base notes with the other two perfumes of the same line: Karl New York Mercer Street and Karl Vienna Opera. The cologne lands on a deep, robust white wood floor, which presumably features cedar and sandal. A pristine musk binds the woods, maintaining cleanliness and lightness. Still, a moss tinge helps extend the longevity, turn the aroma towards a masculine slant, and keep the white musk away from smelling like a softener. Again, the dry-down keeps the initial greenness thanks to the moss, this time full of dewy and damp nuances. Besides, many hours later, I caught a lot of ISO-E Super and musks, which I don't mind.

Karl Lagerfeld Karl Hamburg Alster is a fragrance with a boozy, aromatic, woody, herbal, mossy, and musky facet, which is excellent for the year's warm months and a day's perfume. It is fresh and clean, which makes it ideal for work, so intimately and in no way offensive. I like to reach it during the mornings of the spring and summer seasons. It is different from Karl New York Mercer Street , although they are both in the fresh category.

I am basing my impressions on a bottle I've owned since 2021 (BC 05l05l027, PD 2021-01-27).

-Elysium
0 Comments
Oleo

46 Reviews
Oleo
Oleo
Helpful Review 6  
A Fougere for a Future
*(UPDATED REVIEW): The truth is that I’ve been looking for a good summer office fragrance for quite some time. This isn’t exactly my ideal, although in its own way, it comes close… this is the right fragrance for entrepreneurs determined to take on the world, just as it was in its day - the already old, decidedly vintage - Platinum Egoiste by Chanel; perhaps it isn’t a coincidence that this fragrance was launched in homage to Karl Kagerfeld, who raised Chanel from bankruptcy and led it to absolute success during his time.

In any case, let it be very clear: I’m not saying that Platinum Egoiste users like this fragrance, probably on the contrary… ok?
KL Hamburg Alster is fresh-minty-clean-sweet-woody-musky and expect average duration (for a freshie) with moderate projection. It’s just a modern fresh smell, nothing more and nothing less… but it has that “bold attitude” I’ve looking for.

It smells great on me, it's addictive and most important: It isn’t boring, because I would bathe every morning in it.

if I have to define this fragrance, I’d label it as “a forward-looking aromatic fougere”: The scent of an immaculate future of white buildings and pristine glass walls.

So this is simple like business: adapt and enjoy it.
5 Comments
Minigolf

2534 Reviews
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Minigolf
Minigolf
Very helpful Review 6  
Ice-Cold Herbs!
I had never heard of this great scent before.... never read, heard, seen - let alone smelled - anything about it. Until one of my recent blind swaps.
Which I do not regret again, but rather am very happy about, as I find such an "ice-cold" herbal aquatic really fantastic.
Because besides "aquatic notes," it has other tricks up its sleeve! Mint - green - fresh - cool!
Freesia - floral - fresh - delicately bitter - cool. Lavender - herbal, strong - rough-floral - cool.
Sage - bitter-green - slightly bitter - cool. So much coolness eventually turns into ice-cold - at least for the first hour after spraying. Then some "warmer" accents come in, making the scent reminiscent of a sunny day by the water, near a forest. But in the shade, it makes you shiver slightly.. Very interesting and worthy nuances in an underrated Lagerfeld perfume. Good old "Karl" would really like this :-))
1 Comment

Statements

18 short views on the fragrance
4
Nice spring/summer cologne. Clearly underrated. Not so complex but great scent, last long enough. Can hardly get anything better for 25€.
0 Comments
19
16
Fresh woody synthetic aquatic cramp
Hamburg doesn't deserve this
Neither do you, Karl...
Longevity about 5 hours
What a shame...
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16 Comments
14
10
Hamburg truly deserves a much better scent than this generic freshness. Replaceable. And that's exactly what HH is not!
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10 Comments
8
7
Karl intentionally dumped it in the Alster because it wasn't supposed to hit the market. Symrise still saw potential in it :-/
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7 Comments
8
2
Nice scent for in between, when you want something a bit lighter. Fresh, sweet, relaxed. Great price! The name was a must-buy :-)
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2 Comments
7
2
North-south-east-west - this little water is delicious. Fresh greenery with a hint of sea, beautiful woods, and moss. For the whole year!
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2 Comments
6
Sour freshness. By the murky river with green water, an apple falls from the tree, summer rain, pure relaxation.
The world belongs to you.
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0 Comments
6
Finds the fine line of year-round wearability.
Fresh enough for summer, cozy woods boost winter.
S/C/P super.
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0 Comments
5
1
A light, fresh scent that feels very pleasant thanks to the mint, woods, and musk, and can really shine in the office.
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1 Comment
3
1
Very nice scent progression, I can perceive almost every listed note. Overall aquatic, green, fresh.
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1 Comment
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