1709 Original Eau de Cologne

Bought this at the perfume museum in Cologne, and instantly fell in love with the scent. Its notes aren't that complicated, as stated in their online shop, but I love it! Like others had said, the formula has not changed for over 300 years, and is still managed by the same family. The drawback is that this perfume is an eau de cologne, and will disappear a couple/a few hours after application. You can still smell them on your neck after long hours, but people around you is unlikely to smell anything. They are also quite pricey; their pricing is a lot like high-end brand perfumes (40 euros for 50mL). I, however, believe it is worth the price, not for its scent longevity only, but because of its uniqueness. It has a long history to it, and remains classic throughout the years. Aside from being pricey, they are quite hard to buy physically, since they don't stock it to other countries like its sister EDC (4711) does-- you can only buy them in Cologne, but you can always buy them online as long as you don't mind paying the shipping fees.

Thank you, Fragrantica, for adding this perfume to your database. (my request) It's an honor to be a first one to review this historical and very special perfume. I have always thought that 4711 was the real old original eau de cologne. How wrong i was. Almost 100 years earlier, in 1709, the italian parfumer Farina came to Koln and created there his wonderful perfume, which reminded him of a beautiful Italian fresh morning.. It's excactly how it smells. I've been to the museum/shop of Farina Maison in Koln, Germany. It's the oldest perfume museum in the world!! When you buy a perfume bottle you also get a pretty list of all rich and famous clients of this perfume. Well, 300 years of royal clients.. Napoleon Bonaparte used to pour a bottle a day (!!) over his body, even kept a bottle in his boot!! Amazing!! The formule is still unchanged and kept in secret through more than 300 years!!! I hope they will add my name to that famous list of clients someday haha!!!!

I did wait by the door nearly every day for this to arrive from Cologne and when it arrived it was completely different from my expectations. I'll admit that I was concerned that the daddy EDC was going to smell dated. That maybe a 300+ year old formula wasn't going to suit my 21st century nose. But I was absolutely shocked by how modern and wearable this fragrance is. It has a fantastic ozonic freshness that mingles with fresh lemon, lime, grapefruit, and the delicate perfume of an over ripe etrog - it smells like standing in a citrus orchard in Calabria after a summer storm. It's a sublime masterpiece of perfumery at it's best. To get that ozonic freshness before synthetics or superessences is remarkable. I think it's the delicate interplay between the violet, jasmine, sandlewood and frankinsense that form the underpinning of this fragrance. It's the perfect spray a bit on and repeat throughout the day.

Timeless. The scent is unisex and subtle, which is very comfortable to wear. It reminds me of my European summer trip. It is none of that imposing and overbearingly 'loud' scents you catch from busy streets. Nothing too 'perfumey' like the cosmetics counters of department stores. Only up close will people detect whiffs of it from you, but once they do they instantly compliment the smell. It is definitely a citrus scent, but completely different from those of men's aftershave. This is a very refined, classic fragrance. Picture this as a sunny, breezy afternoon in a botanical garden. You would think, from how classic the scent is, that it will not sit well with younger people. But I would say it complements any age, as it is a well-mannered and composed image it evokes, instead of being limited to representing a certain age group. I wish it were slightly stronger!

This is my favorite scent. It is so clean and citrusy without being a soap smell. It's both unisex and feminine. It's not too tart. I got hooked on this when my friend brought it back from a trip, and I can't find it anywhere without crazy shipping though :( Also, yes, like Kankuro said, no notes of neroli detected for me (I hate neroli btw). To me this just smells like a very un-tart lemon, bergamot, and a juicy greenness. I get none of the other notes. It's a nice fresh perfume that isn't too spicy masculine or white floral feminine. Just clean and citrusy and green and slightly sweet.

The history of citrus colognes is shrouded with mystery a lot of brand claim they were the first to create it which will be always a topic for discussion But if you ask me what is a cologne worthy of the name it’s definitely this one One of the best colognes I’ve ever tried in my lifetime The sole purpose I love this one and can’t seem to accept the rest of them is the nasty white florals they always use To me colognes are all about the citrus and it’s exactly that Performance is ok had to overspray to have more than 5 hours of performance and it worked

Okay, so in short. I really do love this perfume. As many others I purchased it in the fragrance museum in Cologne after the tour (which 10/10 I recommend haha) but I am just SO sad that it lasts so short. The opening is strong and in your face citrus, I really love that, and it softens down into a more floral and clean smell. But it kinda disappears for me after 2 hours of wear. It also stays very close to the skin for me, but alas, guess I'll be spraying it on often (pricewise I do not mind).

Awful out of the bottle. My husband has had the old tester for 2-3 decades and hated it in the bottle. I can't blame him. Just description of it being somewhat green would put me off even testing it, if I'd read the description for Farina 1709 Original EDC first. BUT, we both agree that it develops into a beautiful soft smooth clean soapy scent on me. I won't use it up. I won't go out of my way to buy it, but I'm surprised that it's really really beautiful on me.

Went to Cologne for my 50th birthday with my wife. Did the guided museum tour, obviously bought a bottle and I love it. For an easy decision cologne (sorry, THE Eau de Cologne) this one lasts on me for hours. Sprayed it this morning and I can still smell it under my watch. This is such a beautiful citrus opening that dries to a gorgeous musk. One that I will have to keep in my collection even after the 50ml I bought runs out.

Most people get this perfume from a tour of the Fragrance Museum in Cologne, and I would really recommend the museum and fragrance to anyone. I convinced my family to go for a visit, and they all loved this fragrance. It's fresh, citrusy, unisex, and clean. It doesn't last that long, and it's not a super unique scent, but the museum experience and the tour guide are great. If you're in Cologne, give it a try.

This is a really "fresh-up"-cologne. It has an incridible list of very famous customers as it is the oldest Parfum still available in the world, ranging from french and german kings and queens to princess Diana and president Bill Clinton.I also like it a lot. Is has a very nice fresh fragrance, but as it is a cologne, you really have to splash it on to have some longivity.

This is the original Eau de Cologne. Timeless, grown up, classy, never boring - unless you find soapy citruses too much on th beaten path. On a par with Aqua di Parma and definitely on a completely different planet than the rather vile and screechy 4711 that gives me a migraine.

The first perfume I fell in love with. Bright beautiful citrus with an addicting hint of herbs and florals. I couldn’t get enough. Don’t know what ended up happening to this bottle... someday I’ll find it again...

A really lovely springtime fragrance - the citrus is perfectly balanced with the floral. An added bonus is knowing that one smells like Napoleon, Oscar Wilde and Queen Victoria.

my uncle bought me the mini size of this cologne. Very nice and it makes me feel really comfortable

During the 18th century the perfumer Giovanni Maria Farina (1685-1766) moved to Cologne, starting from Santa Maria Maggiore (Piedmont), to create an inimitable fragrance: the Original Eau de Cologne. The enveloping perfume still today bears the name of the adopted homeland of the Italian nose: Acqua di Colonia. During his journey to the north of the Farina Alps he brought with him the art of destillation by means of pure alcohol extracted from wine. Thanks to these premises Farina had laid the optimal foundations for the production of qualitatively superior scented water. In doing so, Farina deserved the name of "Father of modern perfumery". In a letter to his brother Giovanni Battista, Farina describes his new perfume with the following words: "My scent is like an Italian morning in the spring after the rain: it recalls oranges, lemons, grapefruits, bergamots, cedars, the flowers and aromatic herbs of my land. It refreshes me and stimulates senses and fantasy. » Apart from that it is the first colony invented and distributed on the market. Apart from that it is a perfume with over 300 years of history. Apart from that also Mozart and Napoleon (who used one a day) used this cologne. Apart from all this, it is a sublime, citrus and natural fragrance. A very thick colony that stands out for its true nature. The peculiarity is that this perfume has never ceased to be what it is since its inception and I mean that there are no reformulations or similar things. Do you want to take a dip in the early 18th century? Wear it. In this case I'm angry with Fragrantica: Why do not you say that the creator is GIOVANNI (not johann) Maria Farina? He moved to Germany where he invented this wonderful natural masterpiece but it was and will always be Italian. I am proud to say that the first cologne in the world was invented by an Italian.

This was a souvenir from the Farina Fragrance Museum in Cologne, and as the original eau de cologne, it is a lovely piece of fragrance history. It is also a pleasant, elegant and well-crafted scent. Simple, beautifully balanced and surprisingly modern, this cologne has a rich history but is still relevant and wearable today. The opening is citrus-heavy, fresh and ozonic, as well as being slightly herbal. Grapefruit and bergamot notes are most evident on initial spray, with hints of lemon and lime. Petrichor comes to mind as the grassy herbal notes come to the fore - this scent is reminiscent of the Mediterranean countryside after a summer rain shower. It is quite sharp and tangy as well as being aromatic, making for a compelling scent. The green citrus accord gives way to floral notes as it dries down - soft jasmine and the merest hint of violet. It is grounded by a woody base with a hint of balsamic, spicy frankincense. It becomes a spicy/woody skin scent after about two hours, but given that this is a cologne, limited longevity and performance is to be expected. Refreshing and subtle, this is a winner, and one of the better colognes I have tried. Perfectly unisex too. Decent cologne, best worn during summer days. 3/5.

I was raised on TV broadcasts of Our Gang short comedies from the 1930s, so when I encounter the name "Farina," the last thing I think of is an eau de cologne. But here we are. We bought a little bottle of this stuff in a store in Cologne, Germany. Kind of had to, actually, given the historicity of the stuff. It comes with an interesting sheet describing all the distinguished wearers. All of Europe wears it - why should you not? And it's okay! Just fine! Springy, citrusy, light in the manner of other colognes. It is very citrus upon application and, yes, dries down somewhat soapy. But it's a nice soap. It doesn't last but who really expected it to? Just put on some more in the grand old 4711 fashion. I'll wear this in the warmer months - but I suspect my wife will be the primary wearer.

For a simple cologne this is made really well. The citrus really lasts a long time which isn't something you see all that often. The scent is very strong in citron to me. It gives the scent an almost unnatural smell a tad bit like cleaner, but it doesn't cross over too heavily to cause me to dislike it. I like the addition of green notes, I think I would have preferred them to a be a bit sharper or more prominent. I'm not sure what the floral notes are in here, they are hard to pick out. As someone else said this is a nice, refreshing, citrus floral. I am impressed the scent has stuck around 300 years, but for me it doesn't wow. It "okays" in a quiet corner on my shelf.

This is my very first review on Fragantica. I'm not as well versed as most of you on here...but here goes. I bought this because I have sort of become a fragrance nerd, thanks to you guys. The oldest fragrance still available...this is beyond fruity. I thought I wouldn't like it at first whiff. Almost thought twice of spraying again. Then...I smelled it on my skin....how clean! Reminds me of a pleasant lemon verbena along with other citrus fruits. I'm a fan of sweeter smells...but I don't necessarily hate it. on my skin..it's beautiful.

One thing that the very entertaining tour guide in the Farina museum in Köln explained was that, despite the name, the strength of this is actually equivalent to Eau de Parfum, not EdC. I had some sprayed on my wrist at 2pm today in the museum and it's now 10pm and it's still just about there.

I think we all got this perfume from the cologne museum but if you are reading this and haven't smelt it. This smells like a citrusy clean soap. Apparently Napoleon used to bathe in this and I can understand why. Not my style yet a perfume I'd keep in my collection and maybe even repurchase.

If it didn't have such bad longevity it would be a great spring-summer staple. Easy, fresh but not toilet-freshener-like, with a nice addition of floral element. Got it from Farina Museum in Cologne and it was a nice souvenir, not a workable perfume, unfortunately.

I like this because it feels like I own a piece of fragrance history. It’s very pleasant, worth a visit to the Farina museum in Koln to get it and learn about the history.

Love how fresh and clean it is but it lasts less than an hour on my skin 😭 the tour guide at the Farina Museum ate tho, slayed in full costume and everything.

Very good perfume for the summer. Pour on your body until you feel intoxicated

Received as a gift, assuming also from the fragrance museum! Fresh citrus opening notes, quite refreshing and clean, not in a detergent or cleaning fluid sense. After around 15 minutes though it does turn into a much more soapy scent, almost like specifically if you had a handful of dense soap suds. Not what I’d typically wear, but definitely for people who like classic soap smells.

There is absolutely no way, that the formula currently sold by Farina is still the original from 1709. What I smell is a completely modern, fresh and almost ozonic citrusy mixture on a rather sweet-ish base of semi-powdery, pillowy synthetic musks. Back in 1709, these synthetic materials where not even available, so how come this 'never changed 300 year old formula' smells like it could be a modern unisex scent? There is just one answer: Reformulation! When Johann Maria Farina created the first Eau de Cologne back in 1708, a year prior to its commercial launch, he wrote a letter to his brother: 'I have discovered a scent that reminds me of a spring morning in Italy, of mountain narcissus, orange blossom just after the rain. It gives me great refreshment, strengthens my senses and imagination'. Orange blossom just after the rain? Sounds like Neroli, right? Smelling this current formula, however, there is absolutely no Neroli to be found whatsoever, nor any Orange blossom. Why do you think the majority of Eaux de Cologne from that time period (including Guerlain, Roger & Gallet and 4711) smell all so similar, instantly recognizable by the dominant Neroli note? Right, because Farina did it first, and was so successful. They all copied his formula, just like it's done today with successful fragrances like Aventus & Baccarat Rouge 540. It is common knowledge that Wilhelm Mühlhens famously replicated Farina's work in 1792, and a centuries long fight between the companies broke out, over who has the original Eau de Cologne. In the end, Farina got the right to use the title "Original Eau de Cologne". But, as we all know, 4711 had the last laugh and became an international success, while Farina disappeared into the shadows, and is much less known. Looking for information on the official Farina website, these are the current fragrance notes I found: Top note: bergamot, lemon Heart note: galbanum, jasmine, violet Base note: sandalwood, cedarwood, olibanum, musk Nope, no Neroli or Orange blossom 'after the rain' to be found! What can we conclude? If Farina was the first maker of the Eau de Cologne, and all of its copies from way back that are still available feature a heavy note of Neroli, and the creator himself mentions in a letter the orange blossom theme... Plus, I know more than a few people who swear that not too long ago, Farina's Cologne really did smell a lot like 4711 Cologne... Then there has to be some truth to the fact, that today's Original Eau de Cologne by Farina is not even close to what it once was. Why, do you ask, would they reformulate such a historic scent, with such a rich history? Money. They can't compete with 4711, Guerlain or even Chanel's 2007 Eau de Cologne. So why not introduce a modern, easy to digest new scent, but call it the 'Original 1709 Eau de Cologne'. This will get people talking, they will be surprised at how modern it smells, saying it was ahead of its time and smells much better than 4711, which in many parts of the world is regarded as a 'grandma' scent. Indeed, the strategy is working. Just look at all the comments here! What a shame, Farina! You are lying for profit, what you are selling today is NOT the Original 1709 Eau de Cologne anymore. Well then, let me get a new bottle of 4711, they might have copied Farina, but they still bottle the original spirit of Kölnisch Wasser.

Fragrance Review For 1709 Original Eau De Cologne Farina Notes Orange Grapefruit Lemon Bergamot Citron Lime Floral Notes Herbal Notes Eat your heart out Tom Ford Neroli Portofino! I don't understand why, as nice as that aforementioned fragrance is, people can't spot how it's modeled after those old classic citrus based colognes from the Renaissance period; i.e. Acqua di Colonia by Santa Maria Novella, 4711 Eau de Cologne by Maurer & Wirtz & Florida Water by Murray & Lanman. Before any of those colognes ever came into existence, there was this fragrance which dates back to 1709. The only thing older than this would be the first alcohol based scent HUNGARY WATER. This perfume came at a time when royalty of the 1700's was in need of fresh citruses as both a medicinal tonic to invigorate them for their day or as a sweet fruit scent to mask their unpleasant body odor. And that must have been some hellish BO because those people did not bother to bathe or clean their bodies but only a few times each year. This was a fragrance to splash on if you were a VIP in the courts of Europe as you started your day and went on to get some work done in offices and palaces. The new formula now selling online and which can be ordered and delivered is by far the most citrusy of any citrus fragrance I've ever encountered. I love the packaging & bottle. At the first whiff all I get is fresh and bright lemon & orange, but in the background one can detect citron, lime and grapefruit. The grapefruit is pretty full bodied and can remind you of fresh hand soap of a citrus scent. This is not too soapy but it does have some of that going on because it includes some green and floral notes that are evocative of soap. But it's good soap. The greenery & nondescript florals evoke an Italian garden in the noonday sun, fresh and fragrant, and the citruses seem to cry out: good morning. This is a bright crisp happy solar citrus scent. I keep having visions of glaring sunlight in an Italian villa's garden. The citrus is absolutely beautiful. A little goes a long way so wear this as a skin scent and apply with a light touch and youre set for the day. This cologne is unisex and not heavily concentrated as a perfume (parfum) so it's rather casual and easy to wear. Guys or girls you can wear this and enjoy it out at the beach in the summer time. This is a fresh summer scent based on true citrus orange juice and a refreshing alternative to the aquatic messes out there for men and women. Not too floral, floral enough, green enough and citrusy enough. The past comes alive again in this cologne.

1709 is surprisingly modern, given that it's over 300 years old. I find it much more substantial than 4711 . In fact, those two have very little in common apart from being labelled "eau de cologne". So apparently this is the one that started them all. The original ancestor of all the citrus water EDC's from the 18th Century up to the present day. Now that I am wearing this, I find it very appealing in the sense that it has a lot of "bite" to it. I detect lemon, bergamot, lime and yuzu, along with grapefruit, orange and a lot of green notes, which almost give the hint of freshly cut grass even. It's a great experience. With this, the projection and longevity is good and it lasts better than other EDC's I find. I have no problem recommending this one if you like a green-citrus combo with a floral background. It's very refreshing and elegant. Would be great either worn formally or informally. I do like it a lot and will continue to test it throughout the warmer seasons, where it shines in my opinion.

The original cologne that 4711 ripped off. Interesting fact: the lady giving the tour at the museum (yes of course I got it there, like everyone here) said that actually the percentage of fragrance oils in this 'Eau de Cologne' is actually higher than it is for fragrances we now categorize in this category (2-5%). So the original Eau de Cologne is not an Eau de Cologne strength fragrance, but stronger and it will thus last a bit longer. Edit: directly comparing this with 4711, the most noticable difference is the initial citrus opening in Farina (well there isn't much else in there) lasts significantly longer than that of 4711. The latter devolves to lavender incredibly quickly on my skin (5-10 min) and honestly it reminds me of toilet freshener product a bit too much. I definitely prefer Farina.

Un agrumato acquatico fresco di quelli tirati fuori dagli anni novanta in poi, sintetico e banale, vorreste farci credere che sia questa la ricetta originale? Non è che piuttosto volevate piegarvi alle Mode e rilanciare un prodotto nella maggior parte dei paesi del mondo desueto dandogli attraverso una penosa formulazione un valore turistico oltre a quello tradizionale? Chiedo con tutta umiltà, è molto più moderno di tutte le classiche colonie anche successive.....boh🤔

Got a 5ml beautiful looking oval miniature bottle in Koln back in 2014 Feb. Didnt buy it form the Museum, but from a souvenir shop outside the Koln Cathedral. In terms of smell , this is very comforting and soothing. Not powerful enough to project, as it fades away soon and turns to be a skin scent. I rarely wear this, but when i do i like it and enjoy the fragrance.Happy to own an ancient perfume with such good history

Cologne from Cologne's Fragrance Museum tour :) Very natural citric opener to soft floral. Kind of smells vaguely of citrus leather car seat at the very end on my skin, but I'm likely hallucinating that. Fades away pretty quickly on skin. I'm just impressed that it's one of the citrics I've smelt that doesn't turn into Lysol wipe. Feels like those scents marketed as mood relievers/uppers

This is the brightest citrus lemon bergamot I have smelt so far. Can be sharp to some but I love that exactly it’s very clean. Doesn’t last long unfortunately on skin, on clothes can last 4-5 hours . also not like toilet cleaning products when you look at other perfume which i cannot stand. If anyone has a bright citus unisex or female as bright as this let me know.

Just got this, it reminds me of an orange marmalade scratch and sniff sticker I had when I was younger. Of course it is much more complex and earthy. A great classic citrus fresh scent that almost feels forgotten in time. It is masculine and versatile, and would make a great signature scent

Starts out citrusy, turns flowery. Far too flowery for a man (at least by today's standards). If I put this on my skin, I get about 15 minutes at most. On clothes though, the flowery base stays for many days. This might work fine as a top layer to be reapplied.

Between all the colognes, this has got to be my favourite one! This leans more on the lemon and neroli and sweeter if compared to 4711 and Roger&Gallet. This has better longevity too. If you happen to be in Koln Germany, get this!

This original cologne are better than roger and gallet and 4711 colognes! much better! unchanged formula and in good price! this scent and acqua di parma are my top scents in my collection.

Too much citrus, too strong in the opening and too green. I dislike this perfume so much so that it turned me away from all citrus perfumes. This one only lasts a few hrs on the skin.

Cute souvenir my mom brought me! Not something I like wearing, I am not a citrus girl and it makes my head spin a little. But I like having the bottle.