No.88 Eau de Parfum

I've waited a while and a good few wears before I wrote my account. I wanted to be absolutely sure my thoughts were correct and not a gut reaction. The reason? It's a bit special, unusual and distinctive compared to anything else out there that I've experienced! Although not the same, Geo F Trumpers Eucris and rogues products offer an experience similar in the fact that they are distinctive, devisive and uncompromising. They also just happen to be my absolute favourites too 😉, make of that what you will! I know (now) it's associated with an icon of British rock and that's great but honestly, I didn't have a clue until I looked it up and respectfully it doesn't influence me at all. Why did I look it up I hear you ask? A while ago I kept catching an amazing scent while out, ironically looking for new perfume! I couldn't quite pinpoint the source as it was a rather large and crowded department store full of people coming and going. I did ask a young assistant if she knew what it was, she didn't but an older colleague said she'd smelt it too and believed it was Czech & Speake no.88! I didn't buy anything from the store that day as I'd looked it up whilst there, really fancied trying it and decided to research further once back home, preserving the funds for a purchase. Ok, so it arrived within a few days and I couldn't wait to rip it open and apply. Disaster! It wasn't what I'd been chasing around a few days previous. To say I was disappointed was an understatement but as the scent started to permeate my senses I couldn't believe what I was witnessing. No it definitely wasn't what I thought......it was far better, sublime. Really amazing, something I'd never witnessed before immediately wrapped me in a deep cloak of Rose! Scent wise, not just a simple rose but a bright pink glowing rose surrounded by incredibly enhancing spices and aromatics. It was so vividly visual too, pink and bright, sitting proudly in a refined gentleman's lapel. Back to the fragrance, just masterfully underpinned by what I believe to be a woody base with a calculated dose of geranium I think! I was transported to a place and time in history, somewhere that I'm not sure actually existed. It's was like I was in the realm of a high end Victorian club, conversing with people of power and immaculately dressed dandies! There was a notion that this could well be something of a steampunk edged fever dream! All this, but stalked by something a little dark. Not outright scary but a warning that all maybe not quite as it seems, a menacing undertone but still oh so elegant and beautiful, quite magical. A dark fairytale! I'd heard and read during my research, reviewers were bought to mind of gothic architecture, vampires and Victorian flamboyancy reserved for the elite of the day! I scoffed at the BS and the loonies stating such things, just concentrating on reviews stating the facts and clear no-nonsense opinions. Well, bugger me sideways. Everything I read just blew into the forefront of my mind and whisked me away! Ok, enough of the wishy washy stuff. Take it or leave it, just an account of how my experience unfolded! 😳 It's strong, so noticeable and lasts adequately. It's not like a modern constructed beast from warmer lands though. This is just a good solid performer that does what it needs to do in an elegant, proficient manner. It's all the things I've stated due to the high quality ingredients, masterful blending and genius of it's creator, not a chemical overload. It shows. The nuances of the scent itself is what draws the attention. The fact that there isn't anything similar makes it's sillage noticeable to others for around 5-6 hours before it's a little intimate. It never really goes much past arms length, it doesn't need to. It'll still be detectable on skin after a full day though, just. If you want to prolong the experience, it does last very well on clothing and easily detectable a day or two down the road when you pick up your sweater again. It's a fragrance for people that know who they are and where they are going. This is for people that enjoy quality, distinctiveness and individual style with a healthy dose of flamboyancy. I feel it's male dominant but if a lady whose nature was of the darker more gothic leaning opted for no.88, it would be a great fit. Somehow, it's a little bit of conjuring that just works in so many settings. Wear it all year, day or night, hot or cold. This is a scent that will captivate and solicit attention for the right reasons. If it doesn't then you don't care anyway, happy that you are fortunate enough to own such an elixir! Assured in the knowledge that people definitely did feel your presence regardless of making it known. If you like it then you'll adore it. It's really not a high street offering....thankfully. I try my best not to wear it all the time, instead doing my best to save it for occasions when I'm out and about, doing something a little different from the drudgery of the everyday😆! Yes it's expensive, the sprayer isn't great either! The bottle and design are lovely though, perfectly suited to the spell binding juice it holds. Get a sample, try it. It's not for the mainstream, tik tokkers, and clubbing set...but hey, if it suits then why not! This is a scent for someone with a bit of savvy and not an IQ that struggles to reach into double figures. An above average person who just dances to their own beat. Apologies for the essay but just saying it's unusual but nice doesn't cut it with a product that's truly this unique and incredibly captivating. Please try it if you can. It won't change your life (it actually might) or prevent bad things happening in the wider world but it does offer a little something to make you feel happy, content, elevated and special. When something like this comes along, for me it's worth holding on to.

A lovely, sentimental favorite scent. AndySmellsGreat and rum have given good descriptions below, which will give you a fair idea of what you're getting into. I am reviewing from a freshly-purchased 100ml spray of the (at present moment) new EdP formulation. My personal impressions: Not eternal duration or a full-blown beast, but solidly long-lasting with respectable sillage. 10-12hr duration on skin. One spray on the wrist gives between 3-4hrs of noticeable wafts as I flail about, before drying down to skin. On body the geranium and incense stand out the most. Certainly lots of rose, but it's part of a bouquet, and on my skin the #2 player. The fougere structure rum talks about is really lovely---there's a lot of oakmoss and vetiver piled up under this bouquet. Also a slight but noticeable skank that comes and goes (I think primarily from the cassis leaf). It's not animalic, but vegetal-y---hits the nose more like mouldering plant. Imagine: for every two fresh roses/geraniums in the bouquet, there is one week-old water-starved and slightly crushed/bruised one. These kinds of things are personal, but the funk is far from offensive to me. It helps keep it realistically plant-y, and from getting too soapy (btw it is pretty soapy overall, especially at the outset). The overall drawback you might find is that the floral-soap-and-incense core can push it into Spencer's Gifts territory. I don't mind this too much. The No. 88 spin on that kind of store smell is a near clone for me of a crystals, magic, and woodsy kitsch shop in the local mall from when I was a little kid. I never bought anything, but would usually go in to wander around. No. 88 absolutely nails the smell of that place. Can be a hit-or-miss kind of association.

Many years ago a cousin had returned from London and he was smelling fabulous at the Mumbai airport. I asked him what he was wearing and very reluctantly he gave up his closely guarded secret - "No 88" It must have been the cologne version as the edp was introduced much later. I tried to find a bottle in India but back then C&S didn't sell their scents here. Seemingly the Asian market was totally out of their focus though it has now limited availability in Dubai. No 88 edp opens with a blast of very refined rose, geranium and a citrus note. After sometime vetiver & sandalwood kick in adding tiny bit of smoke. This has a bit of Old Spice vibe but in a good way and its very well blended with the florals. No 88 provides the wearer old money / generational wealth vibe. It smells like a man in his early thirties with wealth since generations and a refined taste in the finest things of life. Projection and longevity are very good with vetiver and sandalwood providing the basenotes. The basenotes are an amazing amalgam of sandalwood, vetiver and a bouquet of roses, frangipani, geranium etc., This is easily 10/10, one of the best ever and pocket friendly. Where ever connoisseurs of finest fragrances gather to discuss the most iconic scents ever, No 88 would definitely find a place in the top ten.

Despite No. 88's reputation as a "dark" scent (mostly a misconception due to its unique black bottle), No. 88 is a masterfully crafted floral-chypre with a fougere structure, that is both long-lasting and projects very well for the best part of the day. The cologne version in its current form comes across as quite powdery and packed full of geranium. The rose and woods play a supporting role here. In the more recent Eau de Parfum, the geranium and powdery notes are toned down and allow the rose and woods to come to the front much more. This is reminiscent of the vintage version and it results in a much smoother fragrance overall. Both versions have a touch of sweetness due to the frangipani. To me the cologne is a like, whereas the EdP is a love. From experience, the Cologne works well in warmer weather - the opening freshness from the bergamot and accompanying florals (geranium and rose) make for a welcome change to the traditional citrus-chypre warm weather scent. Conversely, the new Eau de Parfum works well in the cooler months due to the more pronounced woods, but either can be worn so long as they are used in sensible quantities. All in all, a unique floral-chypre fougere, centred around rose, with a classy character that is totally unisex.

(MUST READ) This fragrance is amazing and expensive IMO. You can really only get these directly from the C&S website, so prepare to pay full price. After Ozzy died, these bottles just became impossible to get without waiting for 1-2 months on back order. When I finally got my bottle is was reformulated from the previous batches they had, and this is much weaker than it used to be. I really love this fragrance, and it truly is one of a kind, but the reformulation just hurts it so much that it's not the same fragrance it once was. C&S is going through some restructuring. They closed their brick store and now operate out of what seems like an apartment down an alley, according to Google Maps. They plan on releasing a new shower gel at an affordable price point, but I'm telling you the quality has dived. Buyer beware.

Imagine a sexy vampire from 1750 in a horse and carriage riding down cobbled London streets at night as gas light lamps light the way through the fog. He steps out with his top hat and silver engraved cane onto the streets and walks to his appointment at his gentleman's club. That's what I envision when I smell this scent. It has the smell of a dark red dewy rose they used to scent water and hanker chiefs in Victorian times. There is lots of sandalwood and geranium and other notes to give this scent real character. It's surprisingly masculine for a rose based scent and has that old world barbershop charm. Easy to wear as well, big thumbs up from me!

Absolutely amazing. Signature scent for me. Hard to describe except for Rose plus other things it's hard to place. I'd have guessed mint but that isn't listed as a note. Enough to say it's nothing like anything I've smelled before and absolute perfection. I'd class it as suitable for any occasion, any season (though I'm only using it for the first time now in autumn so it's hard to say how it would be in summer) and day or night. It is strong and long lasting though, so if in an enclosed area no need to use much. Summary : Superb

Fantastic old school ala Rouge Mousse Illuminee and Geo F Trumper Eucris. Re Invented in performance - finally! slightly disappointing for EDP spec but still super yummy. Dark and yet refreshing - dark, mossy (where’s the patch/oakmoss notes? I’d be surprised if it really didn’t use them) super powdery geranium. Hints of fruitiness. Like Eucris - an old class defining perfume. It’s a must if you want to try or buy a perfume in this category.

Czech & Speake No. 88 is a rich blend of dark florals and smoky incense. Velvety rose, geranium, and cassie create a moody floral heart, while vetiver, sandalwood, and oakmoss form a dry, incense-laced base. The result is a mysterious, elegant scent—bold, unisex, and timeless. Reminds me of the French Quarter at night.

Bought this because of Ozzy Osbourne and I'm not disappointed! First spray was masculine but dries down very unisex.

Ammoniac softened by floral hues. Evokes the smell of flowers on wet stone and yet somehow remains supremely sexy.

At the open I thought it’s a quite complex smell and fresh. But then in the drydown to me it’s very heavy on the floral notes and that kind of classic perfume smell. It’s a floral heavy barbershop scent. Unisex I can’t give this a bad review because I do like it, but as always sample before you buy! To me this has a quite feminine quality about it, and not for me in terms of wearing it. I do enjoy smelling the sample. I’ve heard other places it can be a bit polarizing

This was the one that got me into my fragrance journey and I had never heard of C&S before. It came up in an interview about Ozzy and they all thought he smelled amazing. I think it’s a much more popular brand in Europe, already quite niche. I’ve come to appreciate it more over time. Dark florals, barbershop classic fragrance. Age 40+ Rest in Peace Ozzy 🙏🏼

The very thoughts that comes to my mind when I smell this are the old Carry On films and the Isle Of Man and I don't know why. I do like the scent.

Best Czech and Speaker imho. Old school barber shop and rose; intend to get a full bottle at some point for this option.

I love this, a dark soapy barbershop vibe. Reminds me of a dark Floris.

I orderd it to remmeber Ozzy. RIP

Gothic and sexual. THE scent for amorous vampires. It's incredible how floral this is, yet how absolutely manly at the same time. This is not office safe IMO, and not something to wear at brunch with your in-laws. Unless you want them to know their son or daughter is a freak in bed. There's a great incense note - maybe a combination of rose and patchouli, though I don't see patchouli as a note. Not dry Japanese incense, but more like a rich Nag Champa. I don't like a lot of rose, but it works here. Though I did own the cologne version of this in the 90s, I can't really compare the two as its been so long. This definitely brings back memories of the cologne and is plenty strong in my opinion.

At first it smells like air freshener mixed with odours of a public toilet. The dry down on the other hand smells like bitter floral honey. And something else, some naive emotion.

Strong like. This has a bit of that dirtyness of eldo rien intense incense with the freshness of acqua di parma essenza with neroli and a darkened masculine rose. It just works!

Bark at the moon video. If you dress like that or at least look like the werewolf when the clothes come off. Then this is for you. RIP

The Cologne is better - the parfum is clumsy iteration of the OG - no sparkle or brightness

The juice was reformulated, the Rose toned down, a bit more balanced now....