Le Frenchy

Is it the price of timelessness ? This new edition of century old Eau de Verveine from PFP Guerlain, which itself was somewhat one of the first perfumes for men (very very revolutionary in 1908 ! ) as a more masculine (today we'd say unisex) interpretaion of the already by then perfume monument Cologne Imperiale is indeed quite pricy. It actually is a purist's frag, living history, probably not more expensive than the original version was at the time ... the price to pay for first quality natural ingredients. This frag is a lot more affordable when layering with it's female counterpart Cologne Imperiale : I sometimes spritz ECI first and add Frenchy 2 hours later - a great kaleidoscopic citrus verbana unisex scent l like a lot, underlined by Frenchy's original salty (ambergris) & woody base notes still enveloped by Guerlinade. Comparing this with a nude verbana scent like Couvent des Minimes' recent release Verveine (also first class ingredients), I can see the artwork of the true perfumers, past and present, and this may have a price tag, indeed.

A true underrated gem, this fragrance is now my go to for daily wear. The opening is a bit harsh, with verbena and citron giving a slightly citronella smell, but this quickly gives way to the vetiver and lavender, along with sage and neroli to give it depth and a woody freshness. The (I believe real deal) ambergris gives it a slight musky salty feel, that makes it cozy and ever so slightly warm. Tonka bean smooths out the base and you’re left with a perfect, classic citrus aromatic that takes the best from the past and brings it to the present. Many people complain about the price, but $250 USD for 100ml retail isn’t terrible, considering what many people pay for Creed fragrances. It is quite versatile, holding up to the hottest of south Louisiana days. I hear rumors this is moving into Guerlain’s new exclusive line and will be renamed “Frenchy Lavande”.

For a cologne Le Frenchy is one potent fellow. Just the other day I sprayed it on my chest before I went to bed. On the verge of falling asleep, yet still awake, a sense of despair overrun me as I detected my dog trying to turn my dream experience into a nightmare by shooting one of her killer silent farts straight at me. Le Frenchy came to my rescue and pushed away the wave of horror. Ah, the relief. But my dog is a fighter. A second round soon followed, not that silent this time, yet again Le Frenchy stood tall and quickly beat off the assault. It made me smile and appreciate this beautiful fragrance even more. I fell asleep safe in my Frenchy’s arms. I love this perfume. Le Frenchy is a prime Guerlain, evocative and wonderful. And for once I was reminded why people started making fragrances in the first place. *****

On my skin, it is a zesty citrus aromatic leafy green floral fragrance with an ultra clean and elegant vibe. It opens with zesty lemony Verbena leading to a fresh, clean, slightly soapy leafy floral heart of Petitgrain, Neroli, soft Lavender and sage. The base consists of Vetiver, slightly sweet Tonka and very realistic smelling and somewhat salty Ambergris. The scent smells very natural and the different notes that fold out one after another are very easy to identify. It has moderate sillage on my cooler than average skin and quite long lasting. I would say it is excellent if the price could be more user friendly.

Very Satisfied with this expression. I put two sprays on my clothes this morning at 9h40. I traveled from Yaoundé to Kigali for about 13 hours arriving at 2h00 and smelled good the whole time. I was well received by airport staff; got a deal on extra luggage; had a nice conversation with an older gentlemen that set next to me on the Addis Ababa - Kigali leg ;and had 6 women stand around me on the shuttle bus. I find that there are some similarities to Guerlain Homme L’eau Boisee and L’eau de Guerlain but I would rate Le Frenchy higher. Most importantly my wife loves it.