Somers

This cologne was created to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Sir George Somers in Bermuda, being the founder of the English colony in the region (hence the term colonizer) that, during the 17th century, became known as the Somers Isles. The official composition brings notes of bergamot, cedar from Bermuda and cardamom, at the top; black tea, nutmeg, coriander, geranium, sage and a delicious note of licorice, in the heart; guaiac wood, olivewood bark, suede, incense, and amber, in the base. This is an oriental fragrance, full of spicy and aromatic nuances. When touches the skin has an almost almondy, sweet and creamy smell. It doesn’t seem to have bergamot and cardamom, because the impression I get is that the fragrance starts from its heart notes. And I love the facet of nutmeg in this scent! However, the licorice is undoubtedly the big star. The aroma of licorice is very unique and those who have already felt fragrances with this note will understand my point of view. It's something like liqueur anise, dense and sweet. A delight! Unfortunately, for some, it can be cloying and this can be a negative point. But the base of the fragrance helps to balance this aspect, thanks to the woods, which give a more sensual and masculine touch to this creation, beyond the creaminess of amber. I believe that without the woods, the fragrance would tend more to a perfume for women. For those who like references and do not know much about the niche market, I would say that Somers has a certain kinship with Au Masculin, by Lolita Lempicka. And the surprise was its durability: more than 12 hours on my skin, even after losing all the projection. Somers is a beautiful tribute to the one who made the history of the place!

I picked this up from the perfumerie in Bermuda last March and wore it throughout the Spring and Summer. It's smooth and robust while the scent is in it's prime, the first 30 minutes or so. Somers does not project, and I'm even able to wear this to the gym knowing I'm not offending anyone. I like having this in my collection for times when I want my scent staying close to me. I think it's prefect for warm weather. I'm a fan of all of the notes, especially love the amber and licorice in this one. Somers wears well on me, even though it's marketed to men.

Sweet woods with gentle aromatics. Lovely, suitable for any occasion and totally unisex in my book. This scent is very peaceful and its notes are skillfully blended. I would recommend Somers to all those who love Eau des Baux (L'Occitane) or Pi (Givenchy). This would be a lighter version, though.

Applies impressively deep and nuanced. A mysteriously well blended concoction that doesn't scream any one note - except maybe warming amber. Soft, sun-warmed cedar adds to the amber. Accent of herbal Mediterranean (olive tree) and faint bitter citrus zest. Restrained spiced rum or vanilla tobacco maybe from amber. Warmly masculine and herbal. One of the more uniquely impressive from the house even though it's not a personal fit. I was gifted the sample set and after reviewing hundreds of frags, their quality is higher than you'd expect from a tourist destination. A shame more haven't tried them. 1ST REVIEW: Warm, sweet, and spicy (vanilla, licorice, and cinnamon). Pleasant enough, but a bit brusque. While it's not too sugary, it's still a bit sweet for me. Could be classy or casual. Perfect strength and duration, though.

South Water is undoubtedly the star of Lili Bermuda’s fragrance offerings, but Somers is the dark horse. A woody oriental, Somers turns on liqourice, tea, olivewood and cedar. There is not a lot of vanilla in the base, but the tonka and amber gives it a smooth, restrained creaminess. Just a touch salty. Updated note lists include dark rum. As others have mentioned, there is a kinship to Au Masculin, Bvlgari Black - and I would dare even say Tobacco Vanille and Endymion. There may be a kinship, but it's unique and has no close relatives that I’m aware of. It’s also a lot more conservative than the first three: it doesn’t have the avant-garde weirdness of Bvlgari Black, the vanillic overdose of Au Masculin or the nouveau-rich in-your-face of Tobacco Vanille. It’s woodier than those, the oriental notes overlaid gently across the cedar and olivewood heart. I’d actually say its closest kinship is Endymion. Oriental, restrained, conservative, gentlemanly and criminally underrated, Somers is one of my favourite oriental fragrances. (Lili Bermuda used to sell 2ml samples of its fragrances for USD$10 shipped anywhere in the world. Sadly, it seems it no longer does this with the exception of a few)