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.

Recently went into an exclusive department store in Chicago and was wearing Dunhill Blend 30. As I was looking around and sniffing various new scents, a store associate approached me and said, "I would be glad to suggest something, but there is nothing here as good as whatever you are wearing right now." :)

USAS - No vetiver in Dunhill Blend 30, so I do wonder if you have the real thing. It is very rich in natural oakmoss, and has ambergris as a base ingredient.

Is Jaguar for men similar to Dunhill Blend 30 ? I would like to know, if someone knew something about this. Thanks.

Why Dunhill discontinued blend 30? Absolutely love this one💝 such a pity! Dunhill must bring it back blend 30!

Used to have this ages ago. I remember it was a gorgeous fresh scent. Dunhill.....please release this again!

My father's signature scent. Nothing like this out there. Dunhill can you hear us??? Bring this gem back!!!

Dunhill would sell loads of this if they were to release it again, perhaps in a re-designed bottle.

why dunhill has stopped this great cologne!!!!!!!

Lousy bottle - gorgeous inside.

It’s amazing what can be found in the back of our grandparent’s bathroom shelves. I found a nearly empty 50ml EDT splash bottle covered in dust while cleaning and was amazed to stumble upon this! The cap is a cheap plastic, and the designs flake off easily, suggesting that this was never intended to become the rare treasure it’s now seen as today. The liquid inside has become dark and thick. A very conservative dab to sample gave me a lot of alcohol, and certainly a lot of the notes have died off. In many aspects this fragrance has gone south but a few notes shine through. I’m getting an unmistakable sandalwood and the quality of the ingredient is startling. The fact that it’s lasted like this is so exciting. I believe genuine oakmoss and other wood notes have stuck around and maybe some geranium, but of course the brighter citruses and herbaceous notes are gone. It would have been so cool to smell it in its full glory. I’m sure there’s other men’s fragrances available with genuine woods etc that are comparable to this, but it’s one of those rare finds that are clearly highly coveted. I absolutely love it even though its liquid is past its prime. Beyond the alcoholic sting it’s such a pleasure to experience ingredients that used to be used in perfumery. When sampled today it smells exceptionally dark, bold, elegant and masculine.

Amazing perfume. Makes me 20 years older, giant beard and now a cigar smoker.... Also i smell like a pine forest in the morning dew.

A treasure among my treasures, Blend 30 is so precious as to be reserved for when the mood or occasion permits. This small quantity is not to be squandered. Legendary in much the same way as Balmain Ebene, Gres Monsieur, or Rochas Maccasar, this is one of the men's fragrances of the time that reached outside of the hairy chested gold-chain wearing braggadocio of its time to remind the discerning consumer of refinement. It was a bellwether for the two decades to come, featuring notes as surprising as sour cherry and hay, along with a significant dose of ambergris (is it real or is it Memorex?) interplaying with a generous (and I mean generous) dollop of oakmoss. If the opening were interpreted as a sound, it would be that of a flugelhorn: deep, mellow, somewhat dark, but not melancholy, more hopeful, a content grin rather than an ebullient smile. The oakmoss and hay are evident from first application, with a chorus of aromatics led by cherry and lavender. It all begins to coalesce into what could be best described as one of the finest tobacco notes I ever experienced in perfumery. It really is near perfection. I could swear that flouve absolute had been used in the composition. I am fortunate to have some of this rare substance in my possession. The fragrance expert Steffen writes of Flouve Oil, including that it is “From the dried upper part of the grass, Flouve Odorante, harvested during or after the inflorescence, an essential oil can be produced by steam distillation under certain circumstances. Originally produced by only one company in Grasse, little is known of the details of production for this oil. It is conceivable, however, that an ordinary steam distillation is insufficient to produce an oil of appearance and composition like the Flouve Oil. One peculiarity of the oil is its abnormally high specific gravity. But whatever the physico-chemical properties are, this oil can offer quite unique effects in perfumes and flavors.” I really am convinced that Dunhill was using flouve absolute and also a sizable amount of ambergris tincture, as the base has that je ne sais quoi that results in this lingering, almost haunting base. This is from an age before the scratchy, screechy persistent fixative aromachems of today that give little nuance or true character to scores of fragrance bases. We really experience with Blend 30 it being among the last of those compositions where certain materials can be used with little restriction and budgets are not so heavily compromised for the bottom line. This, combined with a suave leather, voluminous musks, and all that oakmoss, make the base a true dream. In summary, I know this is so difficult to obtain today, and it is really a shame that more enthusiasts of fragrances cannot experience it, but if you can even obtain the after shave, which from what I heard is in itself awe-inspiring, I suggest that you get your hands on it.

Tobacco, leather, oakmoss. Blend 30 is driven by a tobacco-moss accord that has a leathery aspect. There are aromatics, but they are blended densely to contribute to this tobacco note. There are florals, but only to lend balance - rather than dandification. The fragrance is dry, and has a bitter green aspect from the oakmoss. There is a hint of soft, smoky woods in the later phases. Blend 30 stands out for its quality, excellent composition, and how the tobacco accord is carefully integrated with the oakmoss to create a gritty but grounded accord with a wonderful retro feel. The other aspect is that any citrus, floral, or herbal direction is almost missing, as it stays close to its structure and avoids any distraction. This, in a sense, is quite focussed. Most importantly, Blend 30 is an absolute pleasure to wear and stands out even among a fine selection of vintage fragrances for its unique character. Projection is moderate but persistent, and duration is good at around six to seven hours based on 4-5 sprays. Very old world and gentlemanly - I can imagine this being an ideal fragrance after a late night shave followed by a drink of Scotch. This is clearly as good as anything Dunhill has ever put out, and its discontinuation is a source of lament. 4.5/5 (positive)

I blind bought a full bottle of Blend 30, because of its positive reviews (here and @Basenotes). To me, it doesn't live up to its name. Artificial, green, rather lineair scent. Lacks excitement and/or a punch, I don't know which man would like to smell like this. Wouldn't have bought it if I had a chance to smell it in advance. 6/10 Edit: when rereading The reviews again I'm almost questioning myself if I have the same fragrance. Resemblances to Chanel Antaeus?! Patou Homme? I'm sorry?! Btw it shares a main note with Invasion Barbare (MDCI perfumes). Also I can clearly smell vetiver! Edit 2: I'm thinking I have bought a fake one. I will search for a miniature and compare it with my 100ml bottle.

i order this from Italy and now i get. first impression is like japanese after shave but,......after while its like british soap and it is elegant and vintage like chanel antaeus or creed aventus, i love it . but not best dunhill ,because dunhill experienced a lot and is creating.