Cologne

I was afraid of this crowded tram, so I transformed into a citrus to dissolve the crowd. I often wear French colognes because I'm French and I love the perfect freshness of a perfectly crafted cologne. So I was very curious to discover Etat Libre d'Orange's take on the matter. First off, no unpleasant surprises. No provocative eccentricity, no betrayal. Etat Libre d'Orange's cologne focuses entirely on aromatherapy freshness rather than aromatic twists. The result of their work on this release seems obvious and wonderfully simple. The citrus fruits are in full bloom and invite us to live a magnificent day. First of all, the main value of this fragrance is its longevity; it's considerably shorter compared to other perfumes from the brand, but it's longer than most citrus colognes we're familiar with. Furthermore, these perfect citrus notes don't veer into a soapy scent; they remain pure and fresh. Their floral and (very slightly) leathery base seems to help them stay in the spotlight, not overshadow them. In a cologne, it's all about balance, and here, it's perfectly achieved. I'm often hesitant to buy citrus colognes because I'm frequently disappointed by how soapy they can turn after the first hour, but this one is truly reliable. I find its main drawback to be its distribution. When applied with love, the colognes need frequent reapplication throughout the day, but this release is sold, like most of the others, in the brand's 50ml or 100ml signature bottle, which isn't very travel-friendly. 50ml is not enough for a cologne, and 100ml is too heavy to hide in a bag. So this cologne deserves its own travel kit. The perfect cologne experience to me is having a 100ml at home to excessively apply in the morning and have a 10 or 30ml bottle in your bag to reapply when needed. For lovers of colognes or citrus perfumes, I highly recommend to give Cologne dy État Libre D'Orange a try, especially if you already like the quality of the brand's products.

This is Etat Libre d'Orange's summary of the entire cologne genre. As a genre perfume it has done exactly what it set out to do. ELd'O could just as easily have made a perfume called "Chypre" or "Barbershop" or "Amber" and given us a generic combination example of each respective perfume type. A cologne named simply "Cologne" comes across as sarcastic/ ironic and therefore fits perfectly within the subversive little world of ELd'O. Scent wise, it really does fall squarely between 4711 and AdP Colonia (with a hint of Colonia Pura) only the green notes have been intensified making the composition uniquely bitter and herbal. Speaking of notes, those listed on the website are: Top notes: Lemon, Mandarin, Mint Heart notes: Magnolia, Orange Blossom, Jasmine Base notes: Cedarwood, Patchouli essence Orpur®, Musk I actually think the price to quality ratio is spot on if you consider the longevity alone. I can think of many cologne-type perfumes from other houses that command a similar price for 4 - 6 hours longevity (L'artisan Parfumeur has several) comparing the price to 4711 is absurd because a spritz from that bottle won't even last you the hour.

I am comparing this to the Chanel Eau de cologne as i had used up the bottle and looking for more affordable replacement so i tried ELDO cologne (small sample vial) and to my amazement i had found the one! ELDO cologne is more longer lasting than the chanel’s (i get more than 12hrs for eldo but only 3hrs for chanel) . With ELDO i could still get the whiff of clean musky smell which is the base even after shower (surprised!) The ELDO’s open with more heaviness and peppery accord (which i love) and smells clean throughout and base is clean musk. Chanel EDC is more softer and floral but weak and gone in the wind. I realized when i sweat more the ELDO’s smell stronger. With ELDO’s the scents like to play hide and seek which i love in fragrance. Thank god nothing too harsh on the nose with ELDO’s when i believe they are using more synthetics than Chanel’s. With the more affordable and super long lasting scents cologne ala 4711 , ELDO is my choice. Am truly sorry Chanel.

One of my favorite scents by any house at any price. Cologne is the classic formula done with ELDO twists that are just different enough, without getting into typical ELDO eclectic stuff. With top notch ingredients and performance, it is uplifting in the way that cologne should be - yet even more elevated - and consistently puts me in a better mood than before I applied it. It makes me wonder what other magic ELDO could do with "normal" scents. But, that would likely harm the brand image. If they had to pick one classic scent profile to put their mainstream spin on, in my book they picked the right one. For what it is, ELDO's Cologne is without peer.

Just received a sample of this from Etat and the tagline perfectly fits the fragrance, a nice scent. Nothing horrifying or perverse to be found. It's not anything extraordinary either. Just nice. It starts very clearly with sharp notes of blood orange and bergamot that quickly fade into jasmine and orange blossom. The orange blossom and jasmine stick around for quite a while, but theres always a hint of leather hiding in the background. Eventually it fades into a rich leather and musk with only hints of the florals staying around. Overall its a safe scent. Easy to wear and perfect for the summertime.

How no one recommends this is beyond me. Very green, clean, uplifting scent with a fantastic blood orange opening with a little white florals present on a gorgeous musky, leather base. I think my tastes lately have devolved to loving simple, masculine scents that are just executed well. Longevity was very good and was still getting whiffs 6 hours later (using the sample). Definitely would recommend trying this over Tom Ford NP just due to price and performance. Very suitable fragrance for grab and spray scenarios.

Citrusy, pure, expertly handled, and smelling like a pristine white shirt. It smells to me like a cool, fizzy citrus juice. lovely material It smells wonderful. With a wonderful blood orange opening and a hint of white florals on a magnificent musky, leather background, this fragrance is very green, clean, and uplifting. The fragrance had excellent longevity and was ideal for grab-and-spray situations. A highly pleasing athletic citrus flavour that conceals an unctuous animalic raunch. beautiful fragrance

The review of @DrBenway is on point. I imagine some posh kids playing tennis in their garden during the French canicule of 1989, shorts over their white polos, sweating out and emptying five bottles of icy water that their mom is passing to them. This smells so familiar to me that I think my dad used to wear a perfume or deodorant very similar to Cologne Eldo in his twenties. Would I wear this? Absolutely, it’s so beautiful and nostalgic of an era I haven’t lived..

This is one of my favorite ELDO offerings, very citrusy with the opening of bergamot and blood orange, then u get some nice floral notes the jasmine is nice... Then musk and leather... This smells fantastic. Clean and crisp and citrusy I really dig the citrus... To me it's defijitley more masculine ...you can wear this to work or the club.... Moderate sillage and longevity... Wish it lasted longer but most citrus based scents don't have great longevity

This has that great citrus sunscreen smell, similar to City of Stars. If you understand they were artistically mimicking the original cologne formulation then you understand why it doesn't last all that long. It was intentional... this is a dumb grab on a hot day you will have to reapply within three hours so bring a decant with you. I love the way it smells and im ok with the longevity because i didn't expect a 12 hour marathon scent.

This is a good cologne style fragrance, very refreshing and clean. I would say so far (tested it on skin for the first time a while ago) it seems to have good longevity for the profile. If I were to compare it to a fragrance I would say it's like a longer lasting bergamotto di calabria, as it has that similar lemon icie feel. I need more wears and time with it to give it a full rating but I am liking what I am seeing so far.

People say it's not that unique; for me it smells original. A bit old fashioned type of cologne of a very high quality; with a modern twist. Bergamot-oranges in the opening, and the white floral/leathery heart that makes it sound sophisticated, edgy. A good fragrance for those who outgrow such smooth colognes as Neroli Portofino, Dior Homme Cologne, Eau d'Hadrien etc. Longevity is fine.

this is a delightful unisex cologne; it's bright and uplifting, a perfect mix of citrus, florals and musk, perfect for a grab, spritz and refresh. it's nothing super unique or interesting - i think it's likable for anyone who enjoys and fresh citrus. sadly the longevity is pretty poor on my skin but that's kind of expected for an EDC. it's pretty! 7/10

I really enjoy this ELDO offering. I love the citrus freshness without any cloying sweetness to detract. It is a clean scent without being soapy. There is a point where I swear I could smell Lucky Charms after the dry down. I will likely buy a full bottle, as I think I need this lovely frag to add to my collection.

This reminds me of a simplified Eau D'Hermes. The burst of juicy sparkling citrus combined with funky leather. Not as contrasted, spicy or dirty, but sooo well done. Like hommage. I believe Roudnitska would be flattered. I'm enjoying every minute with it.

Absolutely great citrus cologne! It's subtle, ladylike, nicely aromatic, refreshing, in one word - amazing. I can smell lots of oranges. Moreover, it's not bitter at all! It's pleasant all the time. Love at first sniff.

The top blood orange bright/sweet citrus fragrance I’ve come across. 100% linear, but ridiculously delicious and pleasing. Sweet blood orange and neroli. Delicious. 7/10

I love this one. Pull lime on me, but very fresh and clean. I would buy a full bottle based on my experience with the sample.

Lovely scent, but it should come in a 500ml splash bottle like 4711 and cost about the same...

It smells like a freshly washed cotton t-shirt straight from the dryer.

Wow. Surprisingly, an easy 10/10.

Etat Libre d'Orange's take on a cologne is surprisingly simple and traditional, given their reputation for subversive perfumes under attention-grabbing names. Cologne is actually an EDP, meaning that its performance is better than an eau de cologne proper. It is a simple citrus scent, refreshing and bright, made with good-quality, realistic-smelling ingredients. Cologne is citrus-forward from initial spray, with juicy, fresh orange evident from initial spray. Blood orange is slightly sweeter and less acidic than regular orange. I find the fruit itself particularly delicious, and a delicacy of sorts - it is not always available. It is a beautiful addition to the citrus scent such as this, freshly citric, but sweeter and less sharp than traditional orange. There is a sheer green undertone that comes to the fore as this scent progresses. As it develops, the opening citrus accord predictably segues to an orange blossom-led floral heart. Clean, powdery jasmine keeps it from being too sweet while rounding out the florals, and the greenness persists. It becomes musky as it fades with a slight sweet amber nuance, remaining citrus-y until final fade. Sillage and longevity are moderate. Perfectly unisex despite its relative sweetness, Cologne is a good-quality fresh orange scent that is cologne-like in structure but with better performance. It is a bright, simple, classic freshie that is good-quality and very wearable in warm weather. Nothing groundbreaking or particularly exciting, but Cologne is a nice example of its genre. 3.5/5.

We’re so used to bizarre and left-field sources of inspiration leading to quirky and fun (and sometimes challenging) perfumes from ELdO that when they give us a fragrance that is exactly what it says on the bottle, no weird backstories, we all look around at each other hoping someone has caught the ruse and can let the rest of us in on it. There’s no joke or challenge here. No otherworldly or esoteric source of inspiration. Etienne de Swardt’s all time favorite perfume is 4711, the guy is a cologne freak I’ve heard it said, and he wanted his brand to make a cologne for him. That’s it. Curiously, ELdO do not credit a perfumer for it, which is rare for them. So what does it smell like? As simple, clean, refreshing, easy to wear, and well-made as you’d expect. The opening of bergamot and blood orange smells quite a bit like grapefruit to me, but a blood orange and bergamot combo is close enough to grapefruit. It’s citrusy, sparkling, and sour while also staying well-rounded with a zesty rind-oil quality. It’s wonderful and also wonderfully simple. The movement into the heart is seamless. Orange blossom and jasmine swaddle you before you even know they’re there. The final skin scent is a mix of soft and pleasant musks and suede-like leather. I’m not surprised to see people disliking this, either because it doesn’t fit with ELdO’s typically quirky character or it’s one of a million colognes, but that makes me happy; it reinforces for me that my nose is on the right track. I might wear this again tomorrow.

Those of you expecting something eccentric with this one because of ELdO's reputation are surely missing the mark. Cologne is SUPPOSED to be simple, gentle and relaxed. It's meant to be lighthearted and create a subtle joy, one that is airy and fleeting. This is no idiosyncratic masterpiece and that is exactly what the house intended. Overall this is a nice, soft bitter orange scent with an undercurrent of musk. It's not for everyone and skin chemistry will play a huge part in its development as this instantly went sour on my friends skin. It also smells like 5 other fragrances I can put my finger on, right now several from acqua di parma come to mind. The orange starts off harsh on my skin but settles quite quickly into light white florals with a trailing of musk. In the final stretch it's a sweet, candied musk with faint hints of orange. It's quite pleasant and summery, I suspect this would smell amazing during a rainy spring day or a warm summer night. Simple, unpretentious, joyous, and it makes me smile. If only the longevity was there I would buy a full bottle.

Cologne is a nice, simple fragrance that is what it appears to be - a simple citrus scent. It's nothing fancy and likely has been done a thousand times, but this one's still nice. There's nothing really hidden here or exceptional - the notes all seem to be there. Orange remains throughout the fragrance and is partnered with the floral notes. The drydown is a light leather and musk. Simple and to the point. Sillage and longevity are what you would expect - a few hours at most and it can be worn almost anywhere. With that said, I looked at some prices on this (received a random sample and wasn't familiar with this) - and I think this is just way overpriced for what it is. There are so many fragrances like this that are just as good and much cheaper.

Cologne is the perfect name for this. This a wonderful classic citrus cologne. On my skin I get a huge blast of bergamot and neroli, as well as something a bit spicy/peppery. I don't pick up any blood orange. (I wish I did!). I wouldn't say that this is anything innovative or groundbreaking, as there are other comparable scents out there on the market. However, I do really enjoy it. On the negative side, the lasting power of this leaves much to be desired. This wears like a body spray on me...I have to douse myself in this, and reapply throughout the day. I would imagine that you can find something comparable for a better price. That being said, I would still consider a full bottle of this :-)

For me this fragrance smells exactly like the tennis pro shop I used to loiter around at the tennis club growing up. To my nose this is the smell of citrus and the slightly sweaty smell of worn leather of old tennis racquet grips. And there is a bit of the randy tennis pro in the scent: high in-seam tennis shorts over muscular tanned thighs, tuft of chest hair peaking out of white terry V-neck tennis shirt, a musky Agassi style headband, the full package available in 30 or 60 minute lessons to bored housewives whose husbands only take the train out to the country house on the weekends. A very delightful athletic citrus that hides a musky animalic raunch.

Well, i'm confused ... In theory, I would love this perfume. It smells good, a lovely bitter orange with a musky / jasmine background which slowly fades into a leather, strong but strangely feminine, thanks to the orange blossom. Pretty unisex then, could be worn by everyone, everytime. But voila... This is from Etat Libre d'Orange, the most subversive and original house of the perfumery. They claim, deservedly, to be the house which breaks the code. But not here, definitly not here. Don't be fooled, this is a really great perfume with beautiful quality, but not so original. Not enough to be as good as the other ELdO's ones. Pity.

Comparisons with 4711 are very accurate, but just the initial. Bergamot and blood orange zest with a dose of greenery. After 20mins Cologne changes and changes very interestingly. Etat Libre d'Orange Is not able to do anything without a wild pivot and they’ve managed to build one here. The surprise with Cologne is the dry down scent. The musk and florals then play off with one another in a smooth dance for 8 hours or so with decent silage. A real surprise treat for the workday and that’s what I assume ELDO were after with Cologne. A wearable work safe scent that isn’t without a firm ELDO touch. 7/10

I've always preferred citrus scent, and COLOGNE from Etat Libre d'Orang isn't disappointing. I am thankful that it doesn't have peppery notes like many other citrus-based EDT/EDP do. COLOGNE is just fresh and clean that energizes me and makes me happy. Among the 4 samples I tried from Etat Libre d'Orange, COLOGNE is my favorite! But to be honest, it is not that unique, and I may not remember it if I sniff it again. I do wish it is less floral and has vetiver to give it some earthiness volume at base.

First blast of intensely sweet orange and bergamot, almost candied. Stays sweet during the initial dry down and takes a while for a hint of white floral to present itself. Airy fresh sweet lovely. Evokes images of white cotton dresses in a dewy spring meadow. Half hour later the citrus and jasmine have completely disappeared and left behind musk, faintly leather. Unisex but feminine leaning and perfect for warm weather days. 6+ hours later: Gone.

Nice citrus fragrance, similar to the original AdP Colonia and many other cologne-style frags. You get what is written on the bottle. They had to do it business-wise, in order to have a citrus cologne-style frag in their line-up for their loyal customers, but no expected "ELdO twist" here, nor in the bottle, nor its label. In summary: it's well blended, but there are plenty of similar options around for a fraction of the price. Summer days, 25+

Well, it's a good cologne. 4711 type of scent but richer and last a bit longer (but still below average) . To me it is very similar to Zegna Italian Bergamot EDT when it dries down. Very soapy and clean so it is a very versatile choice. ELDO is a brand that is for the braves IMO but this one is the most simple fragrance they have so it is easy to approach and be one among good choices for beginners to step into niche brands.

Just got the juice and sprayed, so here are my first impressions: I'm getting a fresh, effervescent, bitter citrusy fragrance where after a few minutes, I'm starting to get the white florals on the background. I would say this is a more manly fragrance? i mean, women could wear it but at least for now i think this is a more suitable fragrance for men than women. Not being anything amazing, I'm really enjoying this fragrance.

A nice simple and straight forward cologne, similar as almost everyone else has noted to 4711 Cologne. Citrus followed by a medley of florals. I can’t imagine anyone hating it. Instead I imagine lots of unisex opportunities to wear it from any and everyone in warm weather. That said, this scent also does not smell “niche” for whatever that is worth. It’s a mainstream kind of cologne, and sometimes that’s good enough.

This one is good for spraying on in the morning if I can't decide on something longer lasting but don't want to be completely fragrance-less. It's totally gone by noon. On a day when I'm home and can put on something else when Cologne wears off, I appreciate the brevity, but wouldn't use it if I were going out all day and didn't have the opportunity to put on something else mid-day.

Simply put, this is ELDO's contribution to the eau fraiche, and I must say that it was wonderfully executed, if unoriginal. Bergamot, neroli, and orange blossom are panoramic here: filled with sun and juice and tartness drying into white florals and musk. It's simple, straightforward, and would be an utter joy to wear. The only thing is, it's been done a million times before.

I normally don't like masculine scents and I normally don't like scents with any sort of white flowers, but cologne is so bright and happy. It's a sweet citrusy floral exactly as you might imagine from the notes without the soapy or funky aspects that florals sometimes bring. A gorgeous scent for a sunny day that puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face.

This is a pretty tame, bright fragrance that I think almost everyone would find pleasant. Not exactly ground breaking or unique, it smells like lime zest and neutral flowers. This is something I might wear to a job interview where I want to smell good but also want to tread lightly. This one is not intimate and I also don't think it'd be a good fall fragrance.

Let me start by saying I loathe Orange Blossom. Cologne is marketed as a men’s fragrance but it has my heart. The fresh almost basil like, Citrus-Floral composition is refreshing and clean. A true delight for those who aren’t found of dank leathers, forceful fougres, or heady florals. Very good starter fragrance

This is a masculine-leaning, woodsy citrus cologne. Smells like neroli and bergamot to me. The musk comes out after the drydown, but it's a mild, comfortable musk, not an overpowering one. Sillage is pretty much nonexistent. I can never smell any of the ELDO scents unless my nose is to my skin.

Lovely orange blossom and citrus grounded by leather. This is the way I'd like a freshly washed man to smell like. Upon drying down, it smells a little like dryer sheets/laundry musk. Just like it's copy states, a nice scent, but nothing super unique. I'd like it if they amped the leather.

Freshity fresh, almost an aura of lemon Pledge fresh. Definitely unisex; my boyfriend liked it even more than I did. I lean more toward woody/amber scents as my true loves, so while I won’t be buying a full bottle of this, it was fun to try, easy to wear, and great for citrus lovers.

I couldn't put my finger on what this one reminded me of at first. But now I know. It's nothing like any cologne I've smelled-- it's more like lime/lemon/orange Necco Wafers! The old powdery fruit-flavored round candies. It's nice and far from what I would've expected.

This fragrance to is interesting and complex. The top notes are strong orange citrus, quickly followed by green floral. I'd describe this fragrance as unisex but slightly sweet, a bit musky, fresh, green and bright. It's nice but not my type of scent.

This is a really nice juicy citrus, sweet and aromatic like freshly squeezed blood oranges. There's no stupid art fart vulgarity behind it either, just a practial and invigorating summer scent. Drydown is quite musky.

This smells like the patio of a nice Mexican food restaurant. White corn tortillas, I think from the leather, and orange blossom & jasmine. Still nice but if you are from California, this will smell like lunch time.

ELDO has perfected the classic cologne with a sweet yet masculine twist to it, that manage to project very well and lasts easily 8hs+. Nothing groundbreaking, but excelente twist of a classic with solid performance.

It's nice, but this should be very cheap. Similar to 4711 indeed, but smells better quality and lot more floral. The citruses are the same synthetic, the florals are a bit more natural.

Beautiful and fun fresh citrusy scent, though very generic and simple. I have found it for a little under $60 so i consider that a good purchase. Longevity is around 4 hours on my skin.