Halston Z14

At this point, I consider myself to be something of a Halston men's fragrance historian. The crown jewel and focus of that study, of course, is the masterpiece Z-14. I have owned all three major formulations of this fragrance made by Halston, French Fragrances, and finally Elizabeth Arden in antichronological order. First to come to me was the Elizabeth Arden version, purchased on red tag clearance from a TJ Maxx. It smelled like a tree shaped car air freshener with a chewed piece of Big Red stuck to the back. I wrote it off from that point until my dad came up to visit me and noticed it sitting on my shelf. He told me he used to wear "Halston" back in the day, so I gave him the bottle. He remarked that it didnt smell as he had remembered it. Over a year later and over a year deeper into this hobby when I had fallen in love with these kind of woody classic fragrances I read about the brutal reformulation that Z-14 and 1-12 overtook as the Halston empire crashed and the perfume portion was sold off to Miami based French Fragrances Inc, who manufactured the Halston perfume line through the 90s and early 2000s. I read that these FFI versions, which could be found very affordably on Ebay, were far better and more honest to the original fragrance, so I purchased a lot that came with a 75ml, a 30ml, and the Aftershave. Love at 2nd smell. The 2nd formulation by FFI is a chypre fragrance that boasts a great lemon/bergamot opening that quickly fades to a deep green cypress and leather beauty that lasts 10+ hours. It's phenominal, with only two drawbacks: 1.) It has that "cologne" note. There's no avoiding or sidestepping it, that alcohol/aftershave vibe is there, and a heavy dose will draw memory of a "cologne guy". 2.) I have twicedrawn comments from women a decent clip older than myself that I smell like their dad or ex boyfriend. To be expected I suppose. Finally the original formulation. I purchased a 3.9oz (weird, huh?) spray version with the atomizer that jets out from what is now the plastic cap on newer formulations. This version is much spicier and features a metric ton of oakmoss and leather. Barrel chested, brutal. It is hard to imagine Roy Halston wanting himself to smell like this, though I can imagine it was appealing to him in another sense. Unlike some other "oakmoss" fragrances, the original Z14 really does smell mossy. In conclusion and ranked: 1. 2nd Formulation (French Fragrances, Miami Lakes, FL) deep green beautiful crisp cologne that can be worn year round, and appreciated by folks of all ages. Unique and long lasting, this is an absolute gem and it is one of my top 5 favorite fragrances. 2. 1st Formulation (Halston Fragrances Inc, New York) A huge tiger in the jungle. Leather and oakmoss beast that veers a bit offensive to wear in most public settings. A word of art, but a hard one to pick up and spray yourself with 3. 3rd Formulation (Elizabeth Arden) Don't waste you time. Smells nothing like Halston intended and a waste of $12. I did briefly use it as a car spray, it wasn't terrible for that purpose. P.S., I can't speak for original Polo Green or the Floris this is compared to, but I do own Tom Ford's Italian Cypress and it's a beauty as well. It's smokier and richer than any of the 3 z-14 versions and I love to wear it. That said, if I had to pick my French Fragrances Z14 or Italian Cypress, I would pick the Halston that can be had for $25 on ebay for a full bottle. If the cologne facet of Z14 is enough to scare you off, the smoky, rich TF Italian Cypress is probably the way to go, it reminds a little bit less of a guy in an '87 Camaro.

EVERGREEN ITALIAN CYPRESS Do you want to remove a hint of sadness? And clean old wounds trapped in your subconscious? Nothing is more appropriate than experiencing an astringent, refreshing and invigorating forest aroma to open horizons, reveal your wisdom and endure your personality. For this purpose, I always pick up a scent with a strong cypress note. The cypress aroma is fresh, persistent, pine-like, resinous, smoky, slightly sweet, and balsamic. Encourages introspection, inner silence, meditation, and self-assessment. It is a tonic that reveals a sense of freedom and detachment. It acts as an oppressor and facilitates the path to a moment of happiness. I remember using this scent as a teenager, but I almost had forgotten about its dark green scent. I only rediscovered this wonderful forest scent a few years ago. The bottle doesn't look like a Tom Ford bottle, but it really smells like a Tom Ford, it holds like a Tom Ford and projects like a Tom Ford. Is it a perfume by Tom Ford? - No! It's Halston Z-14!... and yes, Tom Ford's much newer Italian Cypress is a lot like it. This is a timeless fragrance. Male woody, leathery and mossy "old schools" were the reaction of the fragrance community of the 70s to the citric, musky flowers of the 60s. Back then, this perfume went very well with short haircut young men who wore leather jackets, blue jeans, and Converse sneakers. These were the days of the garage dance parties where Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath vinyl were heard. And the scent was Halston Z-14. Let's look at my rating for this evergreen milestone: ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ - Opening: 8.5 (earthy cypress and somewhat fresh citrus notes in anticipation of a warm cinnamon accord) - Drydown: 9.0 (some remaining dark green cypress and spicy cinnamon amid seductive heavy moss and leather) - Longevity: 9.0 (above average; it takes 9 hours with 3 sprays) - Sillage: 8.0 (5-foot radius with 2-hour projection) - Versatility: 6.5 (good for home use, open-air activities, and little else) - Portability: 7.5 (use it in winter as well in spring and fall colder days) - Exclusivity: 9.5 (this fragrance is still unique and has some similarities with its contemporary but no longer available "Balafre" by Lancôme. "Italian Cypress" by Tom Ford undoubtedly also looks similar, but is 34 years younger and much more expensive) - Praise: 8.0 (masculine, classy, and catching) - Quality: 8.5 (above average) - Presentation: 7.5 (the flask has an innovative design but with its vulgar dark glass without labels, it looks a bit boring.) - Price: 10.0 (I felt like King Kong after paying € 11.00 plus tax for my 125ml bottle) ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Overall rating: 8.36 / 10.00 between 7 and 8 = above average; between 8 and 9 = recommended; greater than 9 = don't miss it; My opinion: I recommend this fragrance. It is advisable for men who are looking for a woody masculine scent. In my opinion, it goes very well with "Encre Noire" by Lalique. Is it worth buying blindly? I should tag it with the "Try before you buy" flag but buy it blindly because of its current low price. It deserves to be part of any collector's shelf. Note: I know that the last batch is somewhat watered down... life is hard sometimes! Music: Deep Purple - "Smoke On The Water"

(Review of the Elizabeth Arden formulation) Halston Z-14 is a fragrance often forgotten and cast aside by other giants of its era, such as Polo. In reality, this perfume launched an entire generation of spicebombs and thoroughly masculine scents, often referred to as "power scents." Gone are the days of 1 spritz lasting two days, unfortunately. While Z-14 has changed over the years, due to IFRA regulations and the brand’s sale over the decades, the current formula holds up well in my opinion. This also does not smell dated and old-manish, likely due to all the perfumes who initially mimicked its properties or drew from it. Unlike what some have said, younger men can pull this off just as well as older ones, but one needs to exude confidence and know themselves for Z-14 to really “work.” The cinnamon is not overpowering for me but certainly strong, so those who dislike the note should stay away from this. I would put this on about 10-20 minutes before seeing someone, as the top notes can be quite intense at first and overpowering to some. Z-14 opens with heavy cypress and lemon/bergamot notes and dries down to the potent cinnamon and cedar smells, with patchouli and vetiver on the side. The base oakmoss surely was more prominent before IFRA regulations and is now significantly weaker . The amber was probably stripped over time as well. I think many reviews calling Z-14 “long-lasting” are reviewing the original and FF formulas, as I would call the current type moderate, lasting at most 5 1/2 hours; but that could just be my skin chemistry. Sillage is enough, neither too strong nor too weak. Somewhat of a compliment getter, though guys tend to respond more than women do. I am surprised many people rate this as a day/night fragrance, and I disagree. I think this is best suited for late afternoons and evenings, with something fresher and less dominant in the day. Perhaps the real Halston would agree, as he intended Z-14 to be an evening perfume, while its counterpart, 1-12, was for daytime hours. It holds up well to hot summer nights, which is a benefit but is better suited for cooler temperatures. Pretty hard to beat it for the price. Even the 4.2oz/125ml bottle is $15 . Z-14 is a good lesson in understanding price does not necessarily equal quality. Summary Type: EdT Season: Perennial Time: Night Attire: Casual/Semi-Formal Blind Buy: Yes Projection: 6/10 Sillage: 5/10 Presentation: 8/10 (EA went cheap with the cap) Versatility: 6/10 Longevity: 6/10 Value: 10/10 P.S. Despite me rating this partly as casual, I do not mean something like sweats or another kind of leisure wear. Something with a collar, whether it’s a polo or an oxford, will fit better with the scent profile.

(Review of an early 90s vintage) I remember being a young teen and walking into my grandparents’ home where it truly struck me for the first time that they hadn’t ever redecorated any part of their home in my then-short lifetime and likely hadn’t for a few decades because everything was... brown. The wooden furniture? Brown. The carpets? Brown. The couch with the terrible plastic covering? Brown. Dining room furniture and everything in it? Brown. The walls? Well at least the wallpaper was only mostly brown. Z-14 couldn’t be more of that era even if it tried. Christ on a bike, this perfume is 70’s Americana brown. Even the citrusy top is brown! Bergamot is given ample doses of anisic basil and aromatic cypress to create a very bitter, herbal, and resinous presentation. The heart is very spicy with plenty of cool woody coriander, warm and parched cinnamon, and enough top soil-like and peppery patchouli to create a whole other perfume. Brown. The base is an amber of earthy tonka, leathers, and benzoin - but! There is oakmoss, and a lot of it! But, uh, the oakmoss hasn’t had any rain for a long time so now it’s totally dried up and... brown. Honestly, I laugh every time I wear Z-14. It takes itself so seriously yet it is completely oblivious to its surroundings - e.g. unaware of this thing called “time” and that it’s stuck in its own. Do you have one of those friends, who wants to be very serious about something, but what they end up saying just makes you cackle? Despite not being on the same wavelength, I love the company. Z-14 is built incredibly well and smells of excess, raw masculine power, and sex. You’re going to feel like a million greenbacks wearing this, and you will definitely get noticed - for better or worse, perhaps laughed at for the serious statement. Laugh along.

Halston Z-14 is a brawny timeless classic. It's lack of elegance is part of the attraction. Not fancy, powerful up-the-middle strategy without need for West Coast offense aerial theatrics. Solid, no frills - though there are some blue collar bells and whistles. Cinnamon strikes deep into enemy territory taking no prisoners. To my nose, HZ-14 has a lovely hint of gasoline; the result of this cologne on the street is simple unstopability. *** Now, let's study the naysayers: squeamish men come out with various angles of banter against this frag. Are any of this multitude truly accurate? No. Some feel a need to spend on pricey more girly smells and are unable to realize that what they really need is in Halston Z-14, to help them mature, put hair on their chests and to enrich, by aromatherapy, with ability to come up with the right things to say especially when under romantic pressure. Other naysayers are cultishly trend locked. They simply cannot reconcile to a long-term known winner because without riding the finicky breezes of fashion flux, they draw snide comments from the lost souls they turn to for advice. Finally, there are the men who have traded away their man-card to fit in effeminate circles. These are especially terrified of Z-14!! Even a slight whiff makes them run for the emergency exit. Leather, wood - strong, and a very pleasant mix of fresh with depth of lurking Mother Earth process. Forrest floor slow rot mixes with a touch of gasoline, touched lightly with lemon. Don't fear this smell lads, learn to support it with character, fearlessness and the courage to be a man in times where most men are afraid of themselves, afraid of their own inner power, afraid of the consequences of ending culturally enforced whimpdome.