Joop is an old tried and trusted aftershave that I have been wearing since I was a teenager. Now I know a LOT of people don't particularly care for this aftershave but myself and a few other discernible gentlemen like it a lot.
Perhaps it is because I am Scottish because I found out today (good old Wikipedia) that Scotland is the biggest customer for the brands aftershaves. Anyway it has been around for years so it must be doing something right.

Joop comes in glass bottle and the liquid inside is a lurid pinky purple colour which does give some indication to how the aftershave will smell.
The aftershave contains top notes of Bergamot and cinnamon, middle notes of Orange blossom, Jasmine and honeysuckle and base notes of sandlewood, vetiver, patchouli, amber, tonka bean, musk and vanilla.

The first spray of Joop is so sweet that it is almost cloying but this soon settles down and although it is still ultra sweet the sandlewood really does help it from becoming sickly. When I wear it other than the candy smell I also pick up the orange blossom and the patchouli along with something heavier which I assume is the amber.

I like a strong smelling aftershave as I am of the opinion if you are going to wear one then you may as well get one that you can smell but Joop is extremely strong smelling to the point that any more than a few sprays and you risk offending every single person you come into contact with. A couple of squirts is more than enough and at this level most people seem to really like it and are shocked when I tell then it is Joop. They must only be used to smelling it when people have went overboard with the application.

Longevity is another strong selling point for Joop and it isn't one of those aftershaves that starts out strong smelling in the morning only to fade by the afternoon. On the contrary you can spray some on your skin in the morning and easily still smell it by evening and even into the next day.

One thing that I have noticed about Joop over the years is that in summer when I spray some on my skin it can become overpowering in the heat so I usually reserve wearing it for the other seasons. In winter it really does help to lift my senses from the mundane grey days and be invigorating.

The cost of a bottle of Joop varies but it is usually around about £28 for a 75ml aftershave spray. You can also get it in an eau de toilette but don't buy thinking it will be a fresher more subtle version of the aftershave as it is just as potent. Another thing is that a lot of discount chemist such as semi chem often have this at much cheaper prices than the department stores so it might pay to have a shop around before buying it.

For me Joop is an old classic. If you remember it being overpowering or it has just been a while since you have smelt it then I recommend you give it a try and rediscover it's unusual and distinctive smell. Just be careful not to overdo the application and you will see just how nice it can actually be.