Governors Island

#1173 in my "Tour de Fragrance" I love the simplicity of an all-in oriental scent that's only trying to do one thing: mimic an altar full of smoking, resinous incense. I have at least 30 popular scents with all these notes and more, but sometimes, as in this case, less is more. But I hate the price. Bond No. 9 may not appreciate this, but you could go for the much less expensive DSquared's "Greed Wood" for $28, sadly EDT only, get a hint of citrus, and the cypriol almost stands in for the incense. Maybe comes off a little more green and less churchy, but you save more than $130. It's a thought. I don't know if I like this enough to drop $160 for it (a feeling I have about all the Bond No 9 scents}. I have a bunch of incense scents already. I think for the non-incense enthusiast this scent could come across as too oriental, though it has the virtue, for me anyway, of not making it "grandmotherly" with a rose note. It has acceptable longevity and projection. For car pooling and office wear you'd go light, but respray over lunch. For me this would be more of a dinner date scent. In any case get a decant first. You can see from the reviews that like most orientals it's a polarizing fragrance. I've spent a lot of my life in cathedrals and temples for meditation, contemplation, martials arts practice, so incense scents are very soothing and familiar for me, but they definitely aren't for everyone, and this stuff is too pricey to make a bad blind buy. Good luck and good hunting!

My favorite from the house, instant love. It's one of those "now you smell me now you don't" like molecule, JHAG and another 13. It's closer to another 13 in that it's more of a complete fragrance as opposed to molecule and JHAG but still minimalist. It's a incensy (in a good way) and musk based fragrance. Not that it matters, but whenever I wear this I get compliments, not in a "you smell good" but in a "what is it that you are wearing, smells good" curious type of way. I would say it's unisex, maybe slight lean masculine. I agree with CrissyCK, I remember I smelled gypsy water and thought it was in a way an inferior version of this fragrance, but they have a similar incense note. You will go nose blind to this, in that you spray it and think "is that it?". But 20 mins later you'll get a strong whiff out of nowhere, and the game of hide and sneak continues for hours. Spray this on clothes and it will last a long time (stayed on my sweater in the closet for 2 weeks). And while you might not smell it on you, others will. It's also weirdly versatile, I would wear it for all seasons except summer, and I can see myself wearing this day and night. For me it's actually worth the price tag (although I'll admit it's overpriced) so I will be picking up a full bottle soon.

From these reviews it seems that this scent is favored more by men than the ladies, but I'm female and I adore it. This became my signature scent immediately when I discovered it about a year ago; I couldn't get enough of it. One spritz on my wrist or sweater and I find myself inhaling the warm, spicy scent all day long whenever I want a little happiness buzz. It's not floral at all, which may be why I love it - florals often mildly irritate my nose and seem to devolve into an aggressive, overpowering soapiness that masks the other elements, especially over time. This scent doesn't change from the beginning to the end. It's deep, woody, spicy, creamy, intoxicating. To me there's just a touch of sweetness - maybe the Cedar? - that balances the rest and prevents it from being too sharp, as many unisex fragrances are. The last time I left the house to run errands I sprayed some on my scarf, and two people complimented me and asked what I was wearing. Both described what they smelled as "light and fresh", which surprised me. Maybe they really meant "different"? It's a unique scent and the price tag is pretty hefty, so I advise testing before purchase. It's very long-lasting but silage diminishes to somewhere between intimate and moderate after a few hours.

This is a real sleeper and one of the only fragrances I sold, and then regretted it, so I got it again. First I'll say this fragrance had a learning curve for me to understand it. I couldn't even smell it at first. This is a molecule fragrance comprised of base notes that can be hard to smell and describe. It appears in different forms, alternating between unburned incense sweetened with a touch of honey, to white musk, to white woods, to ozone. Good for office use and can be used for layering if you're into that. I received a really interesting reaction recently from a work colleague. She told me that I smelled good, like a waterfall. Said it smells like running water, water mist and ozone. Longevity is strong, projection seems to bounce from close to skin to room filling so I'm careful with the trigger. Some people will not understand or appreciate this fragrance because it acts like a ghost, seemingly disappearing and then reappearing very strong. I will forget I am wearing it and then out of nowhere, I'm surrounded by it. Give it some time, it plays a lot of tricks with the nose, but I think it's fun to wear. IFYKYK 🤍 Scent 8/10 Performance 8/10

Out of all the modern molecule type fragrances I’ve tried, this one is the most wearable for me. It’s not a style that I’m usually drawn to but I find this quite addictive in a subtle but persistent way. I agree with many of the sentiments below. It’s clean and kind of fresh but without being cold, sharp or bracing. It’s fuzzy with smooth rounded edges. It has an ethereal quality without being insipid. On my skin, I don’t pick up any smoke but a slightly sweet, woody tone with a subtle musk. Performance on my skin isn’t bad either. It’s not loud by any means but it is persistent and has good longevity. Although it’s subtle, I can still smell it’s there, creating a nice comforting scent bubble. I see this as very unisex - it has soft femine aspects combined with masculine woody elements. Governor’s Island is a great fragrance and a must try if you like a woody, musky molecule type scent. I wouldn’t pay full price for it but I got a great deal at Nortino so I’m happy.

Best Bond scent hands down. Actually only one of two I like. Might go as far as to say it’s my favorite of all perfumes. This is such a soft and long-lasting scent. I wear this during fall and winter. This is a fresh woody and musky scent, not spicy. The Ambroxan is soooo good in this. It sits on your skin beautifully and lasts. You will be able to smell this on you forever! Anyone I’ve let use has become obsessed. It has a masculine touch but to me it is definitely more feminine. Just an all-around cozy and addicting scent. It smells similar to Gypsy Water but this is far superior. GW lacks the depth that GI has. *masterpiece*

Despite the very light longevity and sillage this is masterpiece of a fragrance. It opens with a resinous vibe along with a soft and warm amber and musk with smooth incense and a woody base. To me it’s light and airy with a clean or fresh feel despite the warm notes. I also get a touch of sweetness and overall a very addictive scent. I can see how this can be a great layering fragrance or just spray heavy by itself. Something about it reminds me of elementary school like freshly printed papers like warm ink,definitely a special scent despite performance.

Beautiful, underrated scent. I've received many questions by people who don't normally ask about what i'm wearing about this one. To me it's a lovely slightly sweet woody scent. Smells expensive as it should as this price. Projection is much louder than I thought. I was told i could be smelled down the hall with just 3 sprays. Last all day. Definitely worth a try. Leans more masculine for sure in my opinion.

Simplistic beauty. First spray I didn’t smell anything for 5 mins and then BOOM! It opens up into this smooth creamy scent that seems like a skin scent but isn’t. It’s a fresh smell but not fresh like blue but fresh like clean laundry. I’m kind of glad people don’t know about it. It’s under the radar but in my top 5 without question.

My partner and I were both BLOWN AWAY by this one. If you're a fan of Amber+Musk scents this one is for you. Simple combination but really nuanced and lovely, it definitely becomes more complex as it dries down. Truly unisex. Haven't worn it much yet but I feel you could where it anywhere depending on how much or little you apply!

Yeah its a linear fragrance.....but its a bad ass! This is by far, the most underrated and least talked about fragrance in the Bond lineup. That works well for me cuz I can always find a back up bottle. Fellas, if you like oud, you have to try Governor's Island. Thank me later. Its a champion in my book.

Incredible fragrance. Nothing like it. Try it on and be surprised at how wonderful the fragrance is on your skin. There are not a lot of fragrances that I can wear anymore because I have terrible allergies but I can wear Governor’s Island! That is why it is worth the price tag for me.

Both my current bottle and previous bottle smell like a stronger version of Bois d'Argent. In fact, I have purposely bought this over Bois d'Argent because this is more present and the dior more elegant (much worse performance). Maybe it's just my skin chemistry but I love this one.

Looking at the notes I was worried this fragrance would lean a little too masculine for me, but I absolutely love it. It's a woody, creamy, slightly smoky scent. It's smooth, light and even slightly sweet. Very easy to wear. I would love this on a man as well.

Great scent, although performance isn’t too great, like a few comments said, it’s great for layering. Caban from YSL works perfectly to create this ambery and woodsy peachy like sweet scent. But other than that it’s not something I would wear on its own.

I initially smelled this and thought it was a spring/summer fragrance, but I later realized it tends to be more fall/winter. It can be powdery, but I think the musk is beautiful. I wear it to work often in the fall/winter now.

this perfume is worthy of a signature fragrance for someone who does not like to wear many fragrances smells like a person who has a lot of money with multiple businesses smells classy clean relaxing

Smells of nothing? Maybe you should check if your fragrance is legit. This is a great woody, Smokey and musky scent. Leans more masculine to me . But this is by far one of my favs from this house.

Never knew incense could be so delightful and smooth. 10/10 most underrated from the brand.

Smells like Byredo Gypsy’s Water but longevity and projection on steroids.

Just wow. This stuff is addictive af. Instant love ❤️

A Niche 'prada black' beautiful scent

#51 When I first sprayed this on skin, I thought for sure I had smelt this elsewhere. Thinking it's weak, I was glad that I had only purchased a 10mL, but boy was I wrong. On first spray I felt as though it was barely there, shoving my nose up to my skin to detect the aroma chemicals. But, within 30 minutes GI bloomed onto my skin & started to project quite strongly around the house & I grew to love it. By that point, GI had changed noticeably in smell from a smokier incense to a smoother, sweet sugar cube type of scent. I love how simple yet complex and amorphous this DNA is and with that, it 100% has signature scent appeal as you could reach for this in every season pretty much. This wielded the most flattering comment I've ever gotten after wearing this to a gathering at my friend's family's house on Christmas eve. One of his family members said to me "the first thing I noticed about you was how good you smelt", made my evening. The blend in here is so challenging and at times frustrating, it has a sweetness to anchor the cooler months but a unique freshness to it meaning you could get away with it in warmer weather too. Great performer, nothing shy of 9 hours. Only downside, the price. Here in Australia Bond No. 9 is pretty inaccessible so you would be setting yourself back about $350 AU for a 50mL. Not worth it. So I bought another 10mL for the meantime to use as an evening fragrance in the midst of an Australian summer.

I purchased a decant of Governor's Island in my quest to find the perfect summer scent. I had never heard of this house before. I'm a Midwest girl who doesn't travel much so my knowledge of niche perfumes is limited, but I read about this particular fragrance in an online article of top fragrances for summer or something along those lines. First of all, this scent does not read summer on me. Although it would be suitable for summer wear, I was more looking for a fragrance that literally smelled like summer. This is not it. Actually, this fragrance on me smells almost identical to Gypsy Water, which is one of my all time favorites. I would even venture to say Governor's Island has better longevity than my beloved GW. But at the end of the day, to me Gypsy Water is just better, even if it doesn't have the longevity. Also I am a sucker for pretty perfume packaging. I go for simple, clean, classic, beautiful and timeless packaging. I dislike the entire line of Bond No 9's packaging. I find their bottles kinda gaudy. That being said I'm over 40 so this is probably meant to be marketed to someone much younger than me.

@Hello.retro has absolutely nailed it in the description of this fragrance! To me it leans a little masculine and it is a gorgeous, barely there.. but then sometimes REALLY there... then disappearing again ... little imp of a scent. You really do have to live with it a while to learn the nuances. Lol. What I can add is that, to me, this clearly shares the same kind of DNA as MMs 'Whispers in the Library'. The biggest difference being that WitL is always present and with you, and at a pretty consistent level. Governor's is just a bit more amorphous. Both of these are extremely good scents. Honestly, it is worth sampling both, because if you prefer one you probably don't need the other. Edit: Having just done a side by side test with this one and MM, MM is absolutely an actual scent, where as this one does remain the ambroxan background note that sometimes steps forward. They really DO smell similar overall, the difference being the ambroxan note (a love or hate thing, from what I can work out), and MM with a definite vanilla tone that this one doesn't have. Choice is yours 😊

Bond No. 9 Governors Island is a nice resinous release, a simply mix of incense, honeyed ambrox, and cedar, but does not add a particularly new or interesting angle to the resinous/woody genre with which many of us are comfortable. Sure, it's nice, a cold-weather unisex jack of all trades, as it's sweet, woody, slightly dark, and quite pleasant, but it doesn't provide anything that cannot also provided in abundance, and more provocatively, in other recent offerings dominated by resins. At $200 for 100ml on one grey market site, La Belle Perfumes, it's a bit more modestly priced than some of others that I had in mind, like Fort & Manle Suleyman Le Magnifique ($230 for 50ml) or even Le Labo Benjoin 19 ($310 for 50ml), though Shazam by 4160 Tuesdays is a more affordable alternative to either. These are a bit all over the place as well, the point being that there is an abundance of resinous options. Try Governors Island, certainly as it hits a lot of the right spots, but I just don't see it being a stunner, simply a fragrance that is quite good and a safe bet. 7 out of 10

This is very pleasing scent can be layered with other colognes you can really smell each individual note and everything falls into place the ambroxan and resin brings a nice soft smell with the white musk. It’s a very classy soft smell I have gotten compliments with it on although some people have told me it smells like paint in the opening but I think it has to do with the weather I use this cologne in the cold time and it did not last as long as in fall or spring amazing cologne one of the best from the bond no 9 line. You can find it for 180 to 150 in some places definitely worth it compared to the other scents in the line

This is a molecule, “your skin, but a little more” type of scent. Similar to the reviewer below me, this is my favorite in the genre that I have tried. The incense note here gives this some extra character- something that the other molecules lack, in my opinion. It does still have an understated elegance to it. It’s a nice break from loud, spicy winter scents with sweet gourmand vanillas. Once this scent is truly in-season, I’ll wear it more, and it may just hop to a “love”. A promising 8.5 out of 10 for me!

On its own, this is a quiet, intimate scent, with an airy incense opening, followed by light musk and woodsy notes. It sits close to the skin and doesn't last long (or I become noseblind to it). But layered with Chinatown, Governors Island shines. The earthy, resinous accords blend so well with Chinatown's sweet, spicy profile. It also plays well with Tribeca.

This is an extremely masculine scent (which I like), the drydown on this one reminds me exactly of the Nag Champa incense! The second I caught a lingering whiff it had me reminiscing of the late 90s when renegade raves were still happening....We used to burn this incense like no ones business. Nostalgia at its greatest here!

Lucky to grab this just this Black Friday Sale for £150. The luck!!!! Anyways this scent is still a mystery to me. There’s the magnetic pull on me that made me bit the bullet on this. It is as described, very alluring for me. It’s sexy animalic kind of way. Good purchase!

Love The Scent! Simple But Freakin Awesome!! Last 12+ Hours But Projection Is Lacking Just A Bit. A Top 5 Fall Scent For Sure.. But With All The Good Stuff Being Said, I Still Won't Be Buying This Unless They Release A 1.7 Size Bottle.

This is essential oil of incense, nothing else, possibly costs a few bucks but of course, customers must be ripped off to pay for marketing of another disappointing fragrance. Amouage, am returning to you... Thumbs down!

Le Labo Another 13, JHAG not a perfume, Montale Amber Musk. They all smell identical, just get the cheapest. Anyways, this smells lovely. It’s definitely an ambery skin scent that you can use to layer.

I think that in order to know how to properly appreciate this special creation, you need to test it in the dry down... in its final dry down, it is a gentle and magical perfume.

A molecule fragrance similar to Another 13 but sweeter, smokier and with more of a masculine character. Sits close to the skin. I think this is wearable year round.

This is a molecular skin scent with incense and woods. I like it. And no those notes doesn’t make this scent masculine . It’s perfectly unisex.

Light, woodsy, leans masculine. Fresh laundry, washed by hand w/ soap, laid out across damp soil in a very thick forest. Becomes a close skin scent after dry down, nearly undetectable. Minutes later it returns, the laundry singed, the forest smoking from an extinguished fire. Replica By the Fireplace comes to mind, but w/ fresh laundry drying by the hearth. Further into the mid, light & airy spices appear, flitting in & out like exotic fairies. Minutes later, the entire scent all but disappears for a bit. Just as I’m debating whether to spritz more, it re-appears slowly - note by note - repeating this evanescent/recrudescence cycle for hours. And this w/ only one light spritz to the wrist. Such a strange, enigmatic composition.

Beautiful skin scent perfume. Reminds me a lot of Juliette Has a Gun Not a Perfume but better. As I can’t smell such skin scents much I wouldn’t wear this a lot. I would purchase it if it was cheaper and I would wear it to bed, going to a doctor or church. It’s that light for me, and I prefer stronger perfumes.

A fresher less syrupy YSL Babycat to me

Governors Island by bond no 9 is not a cologne for the light hearted. It’s a very warm scent for cold nights and it’s a heavy, musky smell that some might find repulsive. If you’re a gay male going out to a club this might be an interesting choice but I would not recommend this for an office or professional setting. It should be sprayed sparingly because a little goes a long, long way. A governor is usually a mature, older male and I feel this is what one would smell like naturally if he were sweating. If this sounds appealing to you I recommend trying a sample before making such a large purchase at $350 a bottle.

I am currently wearing this and I've never wanted to take a shower so bad in my life! This stuff makes me feel like I'm sittin in an old wooden house that's full of moth balls- It has minty vibes but not he freshmint at all!

I got this in a sample set from my purchase at Neiman Marcus when I bought TriBeCa. It’s quite awful, although it’s a skin scent, it genuinely smells like throw up... or maybe it makes me want to throw up. Either way, it’s not worth bond no 9 money. You would be paying for some type of enhancements, that you could use to layer with another fragrance.

Basic, boring, poor longevity.

Phantom! Yes that is what this thing is straight up! It messes with your head. Probably the only niche fragrance I have ever seen that has little to no smell at all in the opening, then it slowly blooms on your skin and stays on for a long time. And just when you think the smell is gone, there it is like a prankster, saying "Hello, I'm still here". Honestly if someone gave you this as a gift or you blind buy it, you may initially think that you got a fake one because of the invisible opening, but give it time, it will warm up to you and you to it. To me this is a unisex fragrance and I may even go on to say that it leans more feminine. Overall 7/10 - it's a weird but good fragrance. If you typically fancy highly masculine frags, this may not be for you. Edit: two years down the line and I’ve bought bottles on repeat of this. Says a lot about the mysterious nature of the frag while being totally alluring. Something I almost returned because it seemed ‘absent’ (only to latch on secretly THROUGHOUT the day) speaks volume. And for someone who’s into masculine-leaning fragrances to purchase the rather soft governors island on repeat is something even I can’t explain. I guess it’s together forever with this one.

I like this stuff but, to my disappointment, might not work with my skin chemistry. It's a subtle scent to my nose, which makes sense given others' comparison to 'scentless' fragrances like Molecule 01/02 and Not a Perfume. My problem is that in the drydown, it has moments of smelling like onion breath. Ick. No idea why. I so like Governor's Island for the most part, but that ruins it for me. Even if that onion smell wasn't there, contrary to what some others have said, Governor's Island smells NOTHING like Another 13. There is ZERO resemblance. Another 13 is my signature scent. I've owned it for years, so I'm very familiar with it. Governor's Island is so subtle, you almost can't smell anything. In contrast, Another 13 has a distinct fragrance that actually projects, unlike any of the other comparisons. In that regard, Another 13 is so much better than the others, including Governor's Island.

I am shocked no one has mentioned the dirt accord that feels so prominent. This is beautiful in a way that feels grounded and quiet. This is the first fragrance I’ve smelled where I truly have no reference point to other fragrances. I get sweet amber resins and cedar, but underneath all of that is this dirty outside sort of smell that I find beautiful. It smells like skin after being outside for awhile, the sweetness of sweat and the way that outside air attaches onto you. I live in the city now and this takes me back to growing up in the appalachian region and playing outside near dusk. It feels like a special secret when I wear it, and if it wasn’t for that amazing outside air smell I wouldn’t give this a second thought.

I received a sample of this with a recent purchase. To me, I picked up on the incense note with an underlying creamy base. I was presently surprised by the longevity and projection as I received a compliment from a female colleague at work during our masked-face covid pandemic several hours after applying. I don't pick up on any distinct woods nor ambroxan--it's more of a well blended milky scent with light incense. Calming, mellow and easy to wear. It's not hyper-unique, but at the same time it doesn't resemble any other fragrance I've tried. Thanks to a select grey market site, I'm able to add this one to my collection for 70% off the retail price.

Soooo beautiful. Light, woodsy, incense-y with just the tiniest bit of smoke and a light creamy sweetness. If I were just looking at the notes alone, I’d never would have bought this but I happened to have a salesperson at Bloomingdales spray this on me and I fell in love. The way everything is blended into this smooth concoction is so masterful. Nothing is screechy. The dry down reminds me of Fleur De Sable from Liquides Imaginaires but without any of the floral notes. It has a similar dry sandy quality. I was able to get it for close to 50% retail from a very reputable retailer. Love

Govenors Island by Bond No. 9 This is a sensual unisex scent. Very easy to grab and inoffensive YET, an understated sexy quality. It's amber musk fluffy woods and at times I pick up a very slight animalic skin scent mixed in with cedar and vetiver. This will make a perfect signature for someone in fall/winter if they can justify the high price tag. **Edit** after some time Gov Island really tries to smell like G Water, albeit without the lemon and juniper. IMO that makes it less appealing and more woody with a little human saliva smell.