Lauder for Men

How the hell is this a men’s cologne!? Was Lauder having a big gut-laugh at men’s expense in 1985? It’s an enormous green floral chypre perfume quite similar in character to Youth Dew, Azuree, Private Collection, Clinique Aromatics Elixir (also a Lauder) and then Knowing that would follow Lauder for Men; it smells just like what they would make for their blockbuster feminine perfumes. Which, this said, means that I find Lauder for Men to be a brilliant creation, but I don’t understand how this would’ve been acceptable to men in the 1980s. Lauder for Men just goes to show, as did its predecessors and a very small number of contemporaries, that Lauder is perfectly capable of creating brave and beautiful perfumes - so how, when, and why that changed to where the brand is at today is a sad mystery. Bergamot and lemon and orange juice - not just one or two of them, sharp green galbanum, marigold, spices and herbs and juniper are all shoved into the opening in completely incomprehensible sizes and proportions. I distinctly remember the first time I sprayed Lauder for Men and my first sniffs; my reaction included words not quite appropriate for a public forum. I was completely overwhelmed at the enormity and the expansiveness of it. Sour, juicy, bitter, spicy, herbal, floral, waxy bitter fruity, aldehydic, and everything else in between without seeming like a complicated morass. The heart section takes the same approach with jasmine, carnation, rose, muguet, and cool seed spices, the latter spice notes being far less prominent than the florals almost to the point of not really being individually distinguishable, but they’re there to make sure the florals do not become too engrossing despite their enormous size. The huge oakmoss at the base also works to keep the florals on the “masculine” side of proceedings in so much as Lauder for Men can be, and, just like the rest of the perfume, this oakmoss is enormous. Beautiful, woody, damp green leaves and earth that will fill a room and trail for miles. Further into the dry down a soft worn-leather note pairs with sandalwood and patchouli for a classically earthy, woody, and animalic finish that is superbly dialed in. When it comes to “men’s fragrances”, wearing Lauder for Men is an experience like wearing Amouage Gold Man. They don’t smell similar, but they have very similar personalities: very powerful, very floral, very complex pieces of work to only be worn by the brave, bold, and the classy. You are going to get noticed, so make sure you are ready to be noticed. This is easily one of the best fragrances Lauder has ever made, right up there with its feminine marketed predecessors but standing aside from them because of its completely baffling personality and mandate. Love it. Potentially more thoughts to come for a vintage 80s vs. new formulation comparison if I feel like attempting that.

I'm reminded of this for a couple reasons. Foremost, I have a bottle and hadn't yet reviewed it on Fragrantica -- thought I did, not sure how I missed it, but oh well. Secondly, another scent reminded me of it today: Quelques Fleurs Original, surprisingly enough. This is definitely a mid-80's power bomb, very elegant and well-composed, very much a day fragrance, more refined as for a business setting. This isn't the sort of scent one would call "sexy" by current standards as much as they'd say it carries a sense of very formal and classic style. The opening is a series of very bright green notes and the headiness of juniper and clary sage. The middle is pure, classic fougere in every sense of the word: Rose, carnation, jasmine. None overpowering, none trying to out-do the other. The base is a great amber/woody/musk combination, the hint of vanilla just present enough but not shouting itself above the other elements. One word: Classic. This is gentlemanly refinement. Now to why Quelques Fleurs. My wife sprayed Quelques Fleurs on earlier in the day, and I kept smelling it off in the background while we were shopping. I finally smelled myself, recognizing the aroma but not why, then I said "Something smells very familiar". I realized it was her fragrance, and I said, "I need to show you Lauder for Men when we get home." We tested it, she smelled it, and concluded, "You're right, it's a man's version of Quelques Fleurs!" Take our Quelques' florals, add more greenery to the opening, and change some of the note emphasis around and you've achieved Lauder. They're just close enough for confusion unless you smell the two side-by-side. Nonetheless, someone else nailed it when he said "OLD SCHOOL". It is. That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but this isn't for someone in the under-45 crowd to toy with as they won't understand how to wield its power without marinating in it. It fits squarely in the space between middle-age and "The Geritol Set". It's brilliant stuff.

Wearing my vintage this morning, and convinced this is top 5 for all time classics before 1990. Yes, as the reviewer just below stated, vintage has a great oakmoss. It also has pine or fir, which is the main note for me, not listed here in the note breakdown. The lilly of the valley is what makes it so classy and elegant. This is similar structure to Givenchy Insense, which has fir and lilly of the valley. This is so well blended. It is a timeless classic, in that the compostion is so pure, it will never smell dated. On finding Vintage: It's hard to find the really good smelling vintage bottles. I just threw out two used 50 ml spray bottles that we're advertised as vintage on eBay. Here's a few tips of what I learned. The 100 ml spray bottles (vintage) are 3.3 ounce vs 3.4 of the new bottles. The vintage 100 ml spray has a dark olive drab green plastic cap, whereas the new has allmost a black plastic cap, or very dark green, allmost black. When I've purchased the small 10 ml spray travel bottles, they have allways been the good vintage juice. It's easier to find vintage aftershave splash bottles, those are usually genuine when marked (vintage). I just purchased an old vintage 50 ml spray. If this is not the good stuff, I am quiting with the 50 ml vintage spray bottles, because I've never got one that has the real original juice. It's easier to identify the real 100 ml spray, if they have the lighter cap, and are 3.3 ounce vs 3.4. Update: My 50 ml spray came in and it was the good vintage juice, but the sprayer was clogged, and I was able to exchange the spray nozzle, and get it to work, yay! OK, the real vintage 50 ml spray, on the bottom label says 85%....the newer version, bottle is exactly the same, gold cap, but the bottom label does not have 85% in the description.

This has gone back to my top 5 for cold Winter days. I get a beautifull pine note softened by lilly of the valleys. I am wearing the vintage, more natural and richer than the present form, which is still not bad. Im wearing it today and it has a smooth piney soapy opening, but I was impressed that the mid to dry down was even better than the first hour. I get a rich fruity amber. Its my only fragrance of 25 that I can say the drydown is the best part, even when the opening and mid are great. It balances the freshness of great florals, green aldehydes with anice, and juniper berries, with the warmth of amber, clary sage, cardomon, and cedar wood, and a nice earthy oakmoss. The florals are just nuances blended in that lift and brighten the composition. So men dont worry about this being overly floral, it's not. The amber note adds an amber fruitiness along with the mandarin. Overall rich, clean refreshing, luxurious. A great classic, that has been under the radar. The drydown I just noticed may be the best part, amber and juniper, woods, dark and inviting. This is my top 5 from 1960-1985. Guerlain Vetiver, Paco Rabanna, Z-14, Caron Le 3 men, and Lauder for men. PS, If you want to try a modern version of this, Guerlain Heritage is allmost identical, in notes, but dosn't have the barber shop soapiness and is richer. The vintage is much better, although the present formulation is worth having. The vintage one is 3.3 ounce and has a dark green cap vs the new one is 3.4 ounce and has a black cap. The vintage has a gold cap for the splash. Rating: Vintage, 10/10. Present, 8/10

I bought the 100ml EDT of this a few times in years gone by, I loved it from the very first moment I smelt it and it instantly became one of my alltime favourite fragrances. I will leave it to others to review in detail the particular notes and composition, all I will say is that it is, out of all the fragrances I have ever owned, the one which makes me feel the most 'expensive' when I'm wearing it. It has something about it which just exudes wealth and it always made me feel amazing when I wore it. I generally have a particular type of fragrance I always tend to go for (Chypre) which are all on the lighter side of the spectrum and this, to me at least, fits with that vibe I always gravitate towards but also possessing an extra magical something not in any of the others. Out of all the other fragrances I've loved and worn, this one feels the most luxurious and expensive, like I'm made of money and dripping in good taste. I love it to bits. Unfortunately from my own experience of trying to track it down it's largely been discontinued now and it's hard to find. I did find some units available for sale in the U.S. recently direct from Estee Lauder (some of the last ones left), but I'm located in Australia and they would not sell or ship to me per their policy, so disappointing, and I guess this fragrance is now relegated to a memory for me.