Tricorn

So far, my favorite "winter" CM scent. Lesson #1: don't sniff the inside of the cap, because you'll be deceived! Tricorn's reaction with the metal gives it a rank character that almost got it relegated to my shit list. That being said, Tricorn is a sharp, slightly medicinal spiced sandalwood that lasts pretty well and sometimes dries down to a sort of faux-Egoiste on me. Maybe I'd call it somewhere between Egoiste and Bel Ami because it's a bit more leathery or herbal, with some components of an 80s powerhouse, but not enough to actually make it become one. Deep within the sprayed spot, if I spray a lot, I find many different intriguing "colors" of sweet but bracing wood, and this is something that I've never found to such an extent before; it's more creamy like Egoiste or Zino if I exhale on it first, but cooler and sharper, with vetiver and eucalyptus if I don't. Later, it becomes more of a potpourri-like wood scent as cinnamon starts to peek its head out from under the receding sharper notes. One problem is that the spice combination in the base has a bit in common with the infamous Urinal Cake spice combo, but because the remaining creamy wood prevents it from going completely down the pisser, so to speak, this is only a minor problem. And the icing on the cake is that this sandalwood scent is much better for me than CM Sandalwood itself, which I had to chuck because it was so soapy and florid.

There are at least two formulations of this fragrance - the packaging appears nearly identical save the addition of a sticker with additional ingredients. This review is for the older(stronger) formula. Excellent, sweaty, labdanum-heavy amber. The sandalwood is present and adds its creamy-buttermilk feel to the fragrance. The star of the show is labdanum, however. Though it's an EDC formulation, this stuff is potent and very long-lasting. If you love amber and don't mind a "classic" smelling fragrance, give this a try. For a more modern interpretation, go for Ambre Sultan or Ambrosius. New formulation: Weaker, less interesting, and no sandalwood. How sad!

I bought a wonderful Vintage bottle of this for my father last year. It is, quite simply, a very natural and old-school scent from another generation...charming and proper. It is rather sharp in the opening, but warms nicely with a great amber accord. Some people would say that this is "too classic" and not wearable today. Pause for a moment - this was released in 1941. We were about to enter World War II...there was radio, no TV in people's homes. This is an expression of time as much as scent. It is comforting, if you recognize this for what it is - a mature gentleman's scent, especially in cool weather, but okay year-round. Lovingthealien is correct - from what I have heard, there is very little sandalwood in current. Then again, with sandalwood prices where they are, is that a surprise?? I don't know about buying anything in this genre today that is NOT Vintage. You must find and buy a well-kept and cared-for old bottle to get the real sense of what it "was". Because, today's formulation is not fair to compare. My father likes it (which I do on him as well) and enjoys it around the house. It is cozy, soothing and warming. This bottle will be his - I only sprayed it to write about it. Please know that my dear father was a young boy in Europe when this came out (and sandalwood scents were made of the the most natural ingredients) - so there is a historical perspective here that, if one has, then they will enjoy all that much more. Remember where we come from...and this scent can transcend one or even two entire generations. For that quality, a Vintage bottle is "special". No score. Just glad to have a bottle of the real thing for my Dad. Cheers.

I wore Tricorn for twenty years. That's right, twenty years. It was my signature scent, and I smelled nothing like anyone else. I received compliments on this scent for years, and everyone knew that this is how I smelled. Unfortunately, within the last 5-10 years or so, they have changed the formulation. I can't find any official acknowledgement of this, but there was a dramatic change. One forum I read suggested that they were using cheaper ingredients, or perhaps were cutting it with more alcohol. Either way, the current version of Tricorn is but a sad shadow of it's former self. It smells at least similar to the original formulation when you initially spray it, but tragically, once it's on your skin it degenerates rapidly into something that smells sugary and soapy. The resulting smell on my skin is so repugnant that I can no longer wear it. So for the last 5 years or so I have been on a quest to find anything that smells as good as Tricorn used to .... without any luck. I am not well-versed enough in the subtleties of scents (or the detailed language of their description), to be able to properly identify the exact smell that is missing in the new Tricorn, and which I'm trying to find in a new cologne. I smell sandalwood and amber primarily; with just a hint of bitter lemon or perhaps rough (non-sweet) leather. Wish I could find this combination anywhere else .... or that Caswell Massey would return to the original formulation once again.

Pretty good stuff, and it's something that grows on you. Both Caswell Massey and Fragrantica describe this is pretty much a single-note sandalwood, but that's not true at all. It is an amber-dominated scent. It's an old-fashioned men's scent, geared toward the mature man, and very sweet, but if I didn't already know that it has sandalwood in it I wouldn't pick it out. I'm guessing that the sandal note is the topnote that holds back the amber. Because amber, if left alone, can quickly become sticky sweet, almost sugary. Tricorn rides a mixture of wood and amber all the way through the topnotes to the drydown, when something grassy peeks through the sweetness (which may be a touch of vetiver). Tricorn is aptly named. Distinctly old fashioned and brings to mind a winter jaunt through Colonial Williamsburg or New England at Christmastime. It's masculine but not in a modern way, and probably suited more for the confident man who wants to stand out in a crowd of modern aquatics or just enjoys a comforting, sweet scent every now and then. Just be sure to go easy on application. It'll give you (and those around you) a headache if over-applied.