The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The North Atlantic is not a gentle body of water. It doesn't pose for photographs. Agua de Surf wanted a fragrance that knew it too. Their brief wasn't about marine freshness or synthetic ocean accords. They wanted the feeling of being inside a wave. Monegal translated that ambition into 23NAO, a composition built to capture something most aquatics avoid: the mineral coldness, the rawness, the actual weight of North Atlantic air on skin. The result opens with a sharp, almost bracing quality, clean but not clean, something that carries weight and texture rather than the usual aquatic brightness. There's minerality here that reads like wet stone and cold salt, a briny edge that feels organic rather than engineered. The 23NAO name grounds the fragrance in a real place, not a concept of one.
What makes this composition unusual is how it handles the aquatic question. Instead of defaulting to the standard marine accord that fills most ocean fragrances, Monegal layers ozonic molecules with Cypriol oil, a dark, earthy material that adds unexpected depth. The result reads as maritime without smelling like shower gel. The cedar, present throughout but most legible in the drydown, provides the structure that keeps the ozonic notes from floating away. Oud appears in measured doses, structural, not shouty.
The evolution
The opening arrives measured. Atlantic ozone meets bergamot's brief citrus brightness, and then something shifts. Plankton and ozonic notes don't burst, they creep. The maritime character fills out over time, less sea-spray and more atmospheric pressure, like clouds moving in over open water. The heart belongs to seaweed and Cypriol. Here the fragrance earns its character: this is not a clean aquatic. The Cypriol adds a faintly smoky, tar-like earthiness that grounds the marine notes and prevents them from going flat. Cedar enters mid-drydown, not as an afterthought but as an anchor. Sandalwood, oud, and ambergris settle beneath it. The cedar doesn't leave. It's the last thing there when everything else has faded, that dry, almost pencil-shaving warmth on skin hours later. Some fragrances vanish quietly. This one leaves a trace.
Cultural impact
23NAO arrived in a fragrance landscape where aquatics often default to familiar marine accords. It didn't follow that script. Wearers describe discovering it as a genuine surprise, something that reads as oceanic without relying on conventional marine notes, leaning instead into cedar, Cypriol, and oud for structure. This approach has earned it a devoted following among those who want the idea of the ocean without smelling like everyone else. Comparisons to Creed Royal Oud and Hermès Terre d'Hermès reflect the woody seriousness beneath the ozonic surface, a composition that holds together as something more than a single mood.
The House
Agua De SurfAgua de Surf occupies a distinctive niche at the intersection of olfactory art and ocean culture. The brand emerged with a singular mission: translating the sensory experience of riding waves into wearable fragrance. Their debut release, 23NAO North Atlantic Ocean, arrived in 2018 as what the founders describe as the first author's perfume inspired by surfing. Rather than simply evoking aquatic freshness through synthetic marine notes, the collection attempts something more ambitious, capturing the raw energy and elemental force that surfers experience in the water. The brand operates from a commitment to marine conservation, directing a portion of profits toward the CRAM foundation, which focuses on the protection and rehabilitation of marine animals. Co-founders Idil Bazán and Marc Conca built the project around the belief that the ocean holds untapped olfactory territory worth exploring with seriousness and artistry.
The Creator
Ramón Monegal MasoRamón’s signature technique hinges on precise accord construction. He often begins with a clear heart—citrus, lavender or rosemary—then builds a supporting base of amber, cedar or sandalwood that grounds the composition.
