Blend 30

A cellophane sealed bottle of this from well before the barcode era dropped into my hand via ebay. I'm lucky. It's good, it's pleasant, it's lovely, I love it... but it's no unicorn scent. I suspect that if the vintage of this were as available as, say, vintage Dior Eau Fraiche (another scent I love when in cologne form), it'd be discussed in the same way: an interesting historical artefact, rather than 100ml of pure salvation. This, despite the fact that Eau Fraiche is by a far more significant nose. I think its exclusivity is perhaps its most significant note, judging by the reviews below. People get very excited when perfumes contain genuine unobtainium. Regarding the "reminds me of" suggestions, it smells nothing like the ultra soapy Jaguar for men. Nor does it smell like the leathery Bel Ami, so those two comparisons just don't add up. And the notes people are voting for in the pre-prepared Fragrantica list above don't reflect at all the ones they highlight in actual written reviews that cost effort and thought. In terms of what it actually smells like, I think it smells like you sprayed Azzaro Pour Homme yesterday, didn't shower, sprayed Lagerfeld (Classic) this morning, and now you're out at lunch. (Vintage or modern Lagerfeld - it doesn't matter.) Both Azzaro and Lagerfeld are <£20 scents, and far more durable and projecting, so this could be a better way to get this scent profile. (Lagerfeld also has not been mutilated by reformulation.) It doesn't smell like Lapidus Pour Homme or Lapidus Vu directly, but it sits in a similar family - complex, layered, vintage sensibility, and the Vu is mossissimo. It also reminds me of vintage Le 3e Homme de Caron (bought the vintage "grey rainbow box" version as was cheaper; I understand the modern is better). That is to say, with faint Azzaro + faint Lagerfeld, it smells herbal, with a layer of tobacco and powder and amber (though no orange). Several reviewers mention tobacco - and they're right to. There is 0 cherry in it - only one reviewer claims they can find it, and that reviewer is truly obsessed with tincture of unobtainium in many of his reviews. Interestingly (to me), Azzaro was created in 1978. Lagerfeld was created in 1978. Blend 30 was created in 1978. And the perfumer for Blend 30 and Lagerfeld? The same man, Ron Winnegrad. He was working on the two at the same time. This is a commercial, and cheap-in-it's-day mass market, late-70s perfume through and through. So, Sir Percival, put down your lance. It's good, excellent in fact, but if you're familiar with Winnegrad and/or the late 70s perfume landscape, only buy it if it falls in your lap. Lovely, it is. The grail, it ain't.

A king of Oakmoss, if there ever was one. One of the last greats of the late 1970's and early 1980's. There's nothing artificial about this one. For me the oakmoss, rosemary, lavender, cedar, and leather are most prominent. I don't pick up on any sour cherry. There's also sandalwood, jasmine, clary sage and neroli in the background. Wonderfully blended. I'm not sure if there's real ambergris in this, but whatever it is... it's divine. This flies so under the radar, seldom talked about, seldom seen. Dunhill is not well known for stellar fragrance classics, not like this (original Eau de Cologne Dunhill For Men is nice, but cannot compete with Chanel Pour Monsieur or Monsieur Carven Homme). Just a shame it came in such a crappy, boring bottle. I'd rank this right up alongside vintage Hermes Bel Ami and Charles Jourdan Un Homme, in terms of quality composition. This will always be a part of my vintage collection! By the way, here's a snippet from an announcement for Blend 30 back in 1978: Dunhill claims that Blend 30 neither shouts nor is it too "designer oriented." Instead it is a "tasteful, masculine proper." It combines patchouli and jasmine, among other ingredients, but as the fragrance develops on the wearer, Dunhill says it has a "classic, masculine scent that combines mint, wood, and leather for an unobtrusive, sophisticated quality." I find myself in agreement. :-) Rating: 9.6/10

This was my signature scent from the time of its release until it was discontinued. It is still my favorite of all time. I finally bit the bullet and paid the cost of obtaining a sealed package via Ebay. Decades old, but smells just like I remember; complex and exquisite. I am going to assume that it will continue to smell that way for years to come, and use this purchase for special occasions only, like Christmas, New Year's and my anniversary. It is that good! Due to current restrictions and the difficulty of obtaining some of the natural ingredients used, there probably won't be anything like it ever produced again. It has often been called a "green" version of Patou pour Homme, but as it was released two years earlier I think the Patou should be called a softer version of Dunhill Blend 30. Regardless, both are masterpieces and my two favorites.

I had been looking for a bottle of this work of art for 20 years, and thanks to the web, I got one. The quality of its components and the perfection and softness of its texture place it in the Olympus of the best of all time. I believe that there is a sandalwood of extreme quality, today irreproducible. Some notes remind me of the incomparable vintage Bel Ami when drying. Wonderful. OUTSTANDING

Simply stunning. If I wore this every day, I don’t think I’d ever get tired of it. Masterfully blended and an absolute joy to wear. It maybe slightly old-school but by no means is it dated. Superlative class in a bottle without question and there is nothing out there, past or present, that comes close to this magnificent creation.