Jean Marie Farina Extra Vieille

This, to my nose, is like a perfect cross between No. 4711 Original eau de cologne and Antonio Puig Agua Brava. That said, it definitely eeks a little more toward the former, as it's obviously from around the same time being only 14 years younger than 4711. As many have said, it is not a long lasting powerhouse. It's a light cologne typical of most fragrances that are holdovers from the 18th and 19th century. This is not a cologne one wears for compliments or a night out attempting to woo prospective partners. This is what you put on when you're out gardening, or mowing the lawn, or cooking charred burgers out back on your Weber kettle grill in a red gingham apon; and even then you put it on FOR YOU. As far as composition goes, obviously it's pretty straight forward for the most part. However I would tend to agree with those reviews stating it has a little bit more to it than meets the eye. I do detect a hit of caramelly, sugar-like sweetness. There's almost a tutti-frutti/Trix cereal like note going on, that which I assume is from the purely citrus top notes. Overall I find it was thoroughly worth the $24.99 I got it for at Burlington Coat Factory (they really ARE more than great coats!!). I would like to try some other products from Roger & Gallet, most particularly the original Open as I'm a HUGE sucker for anything from the 80's. I also wouldn't mind getting some Extra Vieille bar soap and shower gel.

An eau de cologne that tends toward the "savory" or salty end of the spectrum. Initially it's a lot like 4711 but then the floral components go into hiding pretty quickly, leaving a relatively leafy citrus. The lime that survives this transition stays fairly close to the scent of the peel, without much of the candy-like or herbal tinges that other lime scents can have. Finally as the lime begins to fade, the florals return, again like 4711 but accompanied with a slight dusty herbal component like Wellington or Blenheim Bouquet. JMF, however, does this herbal note right, and it comes out less stale and "kitcheny" than those two. Finally, we're left with that light, dry wood aura that always reminds me of straw, hay or bamboo, as seen in the bases of the newest versions of Guerlain Vetiver and Eau Sauvage. The only drawback here is that the Perfumed Court refers to the sample I bought as the vintage formula, so even though it's pretty cheap, I hesitate to actually buy a bottle online (only large sizes available!) and then not quite get what I bargained for.

Scents I want to wear repeatedly have to be moreish - not in a gourmand way, but there has to be something about them that keeps me coming back for more. This one absolutely fits the bill. Here, it's a case of some elusive complexity. On the face of it, this is a citrus-based cologne; but it isn't a straight-up refresher. It works that way, of course, but for me, I also enjoy the way it dances between bitter and sweet. I was reminded of the popular pancake topping of sugar and lemon juice at first, though it's more accurate to substitute orange juice. I also get a sweet caramel, and on a technical note (I'm no chemist!), sweet orange peel and caramel turn out to have a molecule in common: thanks to Harold McGee for that insight. The Making a Stink YouTube channel first put me on to this, during their discussion of Chanel Pour Monsieur formulations. Also, I'm not a bottle fetishist, but you can see why the designer here is credited: it's a work of beauty.

As part of my quest to sample every citrus EDC, I'd been on the look out for Jean Marie Farina for a while now. Unfortunately, the only places I could find this online were rather expensive. Finally found this on a recent trip to Lisbon (it appears to be sold in every pharmacy there!) for around 30 euros for 100 ml. Not as cheap as 4711, but not going to break the bank either. This is a crisp and refreshing citrus fragrance, as you'd expect, in the same vein as 4711 and Guerlain Imperiale. The notes you're looking for are all there. Lemon, bergamot, petitgrain in the open, with a hint of orange, neroli, rosemary and carnation. However, unlike other similar EDC's, the florals fade quite quickly, giving you a more "true" citrus EDC, which is perfect for me. Perfect for a sunny spring day. Like all EDC's, don't expect much longevity. This lasts around 2 hours on my skin - slightly longer than 4711, and is a skin scent on me.

Discovered when I stayed at the Sofitel in Chicago, where they supplied toiletries from this R&G line...I still have the wrapped soap from there, having since purchased the full-sized ones from Caswell-Massey. This is VERY appealing to both sexes -- Farina knew what he was doing when he created this intoxicating scent more than two centuries ago! Usually I find scents change dramatically -- and not for the better -- after I've worn them a few hours. Thankfully JMF only improves over time, and the subtlety of the alteration is very appreciated: you will leave the house smelling like a garden at its peak in Santa Maria Magiorre, then return in the evening with a cloud of the essence of closed blooms and earthy dusk lingering about you. Others' comments are true: it stands up to humid climates perfectly. I'd also add that it is ideal for those with oily skin. Enjoy!