1899 Hemingway

This an excellent oriental that is easy to wear and keeps away from the typical pitfalls of so many in its genre. At no points is it heavy, overbearing, or excessively powdery. While it exudes a classy, quiet sophistication, 1899 is ultimately an amiable composition that avoids encumbering itself with an unnecessary sense of formality or ostentation. It opens with a deftly balanced accord of juniper, cinnamon, pepper, vanilla and iris. The juniper is sweet and airy and sort of hovers over the top of the other notes. The iris, of the plasticky, lipstick variety found in Dior Homme, plays the background and provides a solid compliment to the spiciness of the cinnamon and pepper. The first couple of hours are sweet, airy, lively, spicy, and even aromatic. There is nothing dense or plodding about 1899, nothing oppressive or dull. It is enlivened with a particular light vibrance owed to the skill of its perfumer, Gerald Ghislain. It's a great way to start things off, and the quality of this composition is evident right from the start. The opening accord persists for some time, and as the middle stages develop, a soft vetiver emerges and the vanilla moves more toward the front of the composition. The vetiver adds depth and serves to temper some of the sweetness of the base notes (vanilla, amber). This is where the fragrance finally rests, in a comforting combination of vanilla, amber, iris and vetiver. A day-time comfort scent; lively and sweet; cozy, but not sleepy. This has quickly become one of my favorite oriental fragrances. I find it so easy to wear at pretty much any time of the day. A lot of times, I find that rather than wearing orientals, orientals have a tendency to wear you if you're not careful. They can become oppressive, their opulence intrusive and overshadowing. That's never the case with 1899, and if you've been put off by orientals for the reason I just described, but like the idea of their basic structure and notes, this could be a great choice for you. Longevity is very good, as I typically get anywhere from 8 to 10 hours. Projection is perfect, with about an arms length of radiance for the first 5 hours. Regarding gender, I would classify this as a masculine scent, leaning toward unisex. In relation to Spicebomb, the sweetness of the opening accord is quite similar, and I understand why the comparisons have been made. I'll admit, it's the first thing that came to mind when I tried 1899. And both feature prominent cinnamon notes in their heart. But that's where the comparison ends. 1899 is altogether lighter, livelier, and stays on the side of florals and woods, whereas Spicebomb moves toward tobacco and leather. In my opinion, it's also more sophisticated and well-composed than Spicebomb (which I've owned, and like). They are really not that similar in the end. To summarize, 1899 Hemingway is a great offering from Histoires de Parfums that can be worn easily during the day or night. It features an excellent structure and balance of notes and may be the perfect fragrance for someone who likes their orientals on the lighter, more approachable side versus the denser, more formal. Fantastic!

1899 smells exactly like C.S. Lewis' description of an adventure on Malacandra: "Nothing comes back to me more vividly in my dreams... especially the early morning smell in those purple woods, where the very mention of 'early morning' and 'woods' is misleading because it must set you thinking of earth and moss and cobwebs and the smell of our own planet, but I'm thinking of something totally different. More 'aromatic' ... yes, but then it is not hot or luxurious or exotic as that word suggests. Something aromatic, spicy, yet very cold, very thin, tingling at the back of the nose - something that did to the sense of smell what high, sharp violin notes do to the ear." This is a perfume of quiet sophistication, steering away from the bombasity of its cousin, Spicebomb, without becoming formal, ostentatious, or overbearing in its own way. It starts with the aromatic spice of bittersweet cinnamon and the warmth of pepper, which are deftly balanced against both the cooling and airy presence of juniper, as well as touches of waxy iris and hesperidic bergamot. Into the middle stage it retains this crisp vibrance whilst a soft, fresh vetiver and creamy, vanillic, ambery notes move toward the front - the former serving to temper some of the sweetness while the latter helps it to become a more comfortable daytime scent. The base of the scent has suede-like texture to it which furthers the composition's cozy feel. Masculine, long-lasting, moderate sillage, ok value, 9/10 scent

This is a very lovely juxtaposition between warm and gently green. It's soapy, comfortable, and inviting. When I first smelled it, I immediately had a vivid image of a man in a small boat on a lake, on an overcast day in the late 19th century. I remembered a children's book taking place at a pond with a toad and a frog in penny loafers and brown coats. A very nostalgic energy. I don't get much granularity or separateness from the spicy notes but rather a slightly green aromatic accord blending with the base. Every note in 1899 seems to be in the same volume family as its peers; no head-turning sharp notes, super deep base qualities, or discord. It's not a 100% seamless blend but rather all the chosen accords are familial without smelling similar; if anything, it's a touch of warm quiet elements here and a touch of cool quiet ones there, amounting to a homey neutrality. I detect a bit of sweetness at the top that smells like orange blossom. It has a warmly gentlemanly, outdoorsy, subdued loveliness. I really enjoy that it deliberately avoids textural shocks or high contrast, creating the aforementioned personality. Overall it's a great example of mindful character perfumery, and I think it would wear best as a bedtime fragrance that leans masculine. It's not a full bottle for me due to it being a bit too masculine for my taste, but I'll feel unending joy when this is adapted into a soap.

Masculine but refined. Smells like Juniper, vanilla and wood. A 'light green' smell - natural notes, multilayered. Reminds me of eating a perfect fig - the right mix of sweet and tangy and earthy. EDIT 4/2026 - After 3 years I can safely say this is now my GOAT . Easy to wear, versatile, fresh, a little spicy and mysterious , a compliment getter - and not well known, It's been my go to whenever I want to smell great for myself and for others. No nose blindness and it lasts a decent amount of time. Projects well but is not overpowering. Is different on everyone's skin, but I receive a lot of compliments when I wear this. People have asked me what I'm wearing saying they love it - it smells 'elegant' 'masculine' and 'unique'. Appreciated by women and men, interestingly. I consider this a versatile fragrance. It suits anywhere and anytime. I consider this my signature scent as I have worn it the most out of everything I have bought in the last year. Histoires makes great perfumes. The allusions to Ernest Hemingway for this perfume do fit well, it is something of a scent for raconteurs, adventurers and men with je ne sais quoi... hard to pin down but a bit of a stand out. Don't know what spicebomb smells like but not really interested in finding out... it can't be better than this!

Holy shinola...I received this in a swap with one of my favorite Fragranticians on the planet. She sent this to me along with a few other fragrances and I have been so consumed with the others that I forgot about this one. Will give it a full wear tomorrow and report back... Review: Wow, this is niiiiiiice. "1899 Hemingway" goes on very fresh and green...like "Lalique - Le Parfum", but it quickly and expediently gets its spices up and becomes a warm, spicy fresh vanilla! It has a nice intimate scent-bubble that leaves a nice trail behind you that goes about 5 feet max. I don't have any of the "Spicebomb" fragrances and probably never will, but if this smells close to them...then they are definitely a great fragrance line. Others in this fragrance review area have said that if you have one then you don't need the other...so I'll hold off on even thinking about trying out the "Spicebombs". "1899 Hemingway" is enough for me. =] Anyhow, "1899 Hemingway" is a nice, light but spicy, smooth vanilla that I can see getting a backup bottle of. If it lasts the workday today, I'll consider placing it on my short list of fragrances to buy this year. I'm all about vanilla and if this one proves that it has the lasting power to go all day...it will be one of my regulars.