Brooks Brothers New York for Men

Bergamot, Verbana, Petitgrain, Mandarin, Carnation, Orris Root, Basil, Thyme, Oakmoss, Vetiver, Musk.

In 2010, I became interested enough in New York for Gentlemen to ask numerous hobbyist what they thought about it. I had never sampled it and a nice bottle isn't enough to really pique my interest. I did however like the aesthetics.

The responses to my queries were expected.Some liked it while others considered it mundane and ordinary. I pursued it further and came across NIB 30ml for a terrific priced shipped, so I pulled the trigger.

It was a blind buy and what I got in return was a likable masculine. I can understand those who were indifferent to New York. What needs to be accepted about this fragrance is the obvious. It is meant for polite wear. The word Gentlemen is in the name for a reason.

What I have come to appreciate most about it is the balance between citrus and herbal. They both manifest themselves equally on my skin and stay at that same ratio. The volume is that of a Gentleman and I can only assume that is the point.

The verbana, petitgrain and orris have a nice integration with the citrus accord. It's like this from the initial spray, but the citrus is a blurred rendition. It's still recognizable as such and is pleasant, so no harm no foul.

The carnation, basil and thyme never materialize conventionally on me in any of the wearings. The carnation is conspicuously absent, but the other spices are merged into the herbal tones and are difficult to discern. These aren't drawbacks by any means. The totality of New York is soothing and becomes more comfortable in the drydown with the appearance of a soft, earthy moss.

Sillage is moderate and longevity is a few hours before morphing into a close scent. New York for Gentlemen is understated and rightly so. This fragrance is extremely appropriate for venues that lean formal. Thumbs up from Aromi for New York.

Comments

Oriental Lounge by The Different Company

Bergamot, Curry Leaf, Pepper, Red Rose, Tonka Bean, Labdanum, Satinwood. I suppose the first thing I noticed about Oriental Lounge is that as a man, this is a bit of a stretch to pull off. Since the core of Oriental Lounge is a powdery tonka and amber duo, it really does lean a bit too far feminine for me to wear. However, it would smell just as lovely on a woman and more appropriate as well. I bring this up simply because it's marketed as shared. I was wondering about the curry leaf. Actually, this "note" brought nothing to the table with the exception of possibly enhancing the pepper note just a bit. Even so, the pepper note itself was low key ( at least on me ) and both blended nicely with the citrus opening. From the onset of Oriental Lounge, it's unmistakable that this fragrance is.......well.....an oriental. From other opinions, I read some gripes about longevity, but it lasts on me quite awhile. This fragrance is uncomplicated and without much movemen...

Black Suede by Avon

Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...

Paco Rabanne Pour Homme

I am reviewing the original Paco Rabanne Pour Homme ( circa 1973 ) thanks to a generous basenoter who sent it to me recently in a swap. He also sent me the current formulation in order for me to do a side by side comparison. The side by side resulted in what I had already imagined would be the case. Not that the newer formula is terrible by any means. The original version simply is better by being deeper and a bit more masculine. No......you shouldn't go to ebay searching for the vintage formula and paying stupid prices. It's simply a notch or two better than the current and noticeable by comparing the two in real time. Rabanne Pour Homme opens with a slight shimmer in conjunction with lavender, spices and a subtle woodiness. It's an old school introduction, however a good one. The lavender takes about 5 minutes to raise its volume and evolve into a soapy rendition. I dislike when a boatload of soapy lavender takes over a composition, but here it doesn't go over t...

Il Mondo di Odore

Search This Blog