Royall Lyme

I have to say I'm really surprised nobody has mentioned the major fiasco that Royall Lyme of Bermuda Ltd caused with their fragrance line. Somewhere along the line, perhaps about 10 years ago, they sold their fragrance formulas to interests in the USA (the Clarecastle Group). Some of the fragrances they create now are not quite what they used to be. Just go on-line and read up on their fragrance reviews. This makes it a small wonder why the latest reviews here are so sour (no pun intended). What they experienced is the new "stuff", which is weaker by comparison. I was gifted a bottle of Royall Lyme many years ago. I enjoyed it then and used it on occasion, but it eventually got tucked away in favor of other fragrances. I forgot about it, until recently when I found the bottle. How our tastes change over time. I found myself warming up to it a lot more than what I'd remembered. A refreshing blend of dry lime and pine scents and no... this is NOT Pine-sol. I love this fragrance. There's a wonderfully soapy semi-sweet lime finish to it that soothes the skin, so it makes a great aftershave. Splashing a little on my neck before slipping into bed gives a nice lime essence that lulls me to sleep. I imagine being on a white sandy Caribbean beach under a moonlit night, the air blissfully warm, and the faint aroma of lime wafting in the air from nearby lime trees.. I find it so easy to draw such an association with the simple notes of Royall Lyme. So I went to a local boutique that happened to have Royall Lyme available and I tested the newer scent. I noticed it was weaker, having too much alcohol. It appears that the makers who are licensing the formula have diluted it to reduce overhead and make more money per bottle. It's a real shame. This was a classic scent, something with slightly better longevity than a tried and true favorite like 4711. I wrote to the Clarecastle Group and let them know of my discovery (and was tactful in my content), hoping I might elicit some response or even an explanation. At first, nothing. But then finally, after a second e-mail I sent (lamenting the reformulation of another fragrance), they finally responded and rather nicely. The person I corresponded with attested that Bay Rhum and Spyce had changed "slightly" due to new restrictions but according to his references Lyme had not been reformulated. I tried to affirm my testimony that it was, but then the contact never got back to me. I do have their latest Muske which I thought was reformulated at first, but once the air macerated the ingredients over time it's pretty much the same as vintage. 8.8/10 for fragrance (vintage), 5.9 for longevity.

+ Notes listed on the Royall Fragrances (Royall Lyme of Bermuda) website - Lime, Lavender, Rose, Galbanum, Ylang-Ylang, Carnation, Jasmin, Clove, Tonka Bean, Patchouli, Musk. + Wonderful juice this deep lime stuff! My way of using it gains followers who then rave about their enjoyment of its merits so I will share my style... + First, we need to take a peek into why it is most often misunderstood. As of the date of this posting the note listed here on Fragrantica is Lime, only the one note. Above are the notes listed on the company website. There is much more depth to this composition than is generally realized. Also, and ironically, it is intentionally weaker than most colognes, EDTs and EDPs because it is more of a European Barber's AFTERSHAVE SPLASH COLOGNE. If it were stronger we couldn't splash it on as best serves and it wouldn't have the skin treatment properties that make it exceptional for use as an aftershave splash lotion. + What??! If you think of Royal Lyme as just a men's fragrance its best uses are lost. Over many years the manufacturers eventually arrived to call it an, "All Purpose Lotion," and in truth this is the best understanding. It does work as a traditional cologne if you don't need much projection and longevity - toss it on before a dinner outing, works great. Don't think of it as just a cologne or just as an aftershave - think of it as a special entity altogether; a unique resource in your collection. Even when compared to European style colognes that are used as aftershaves like Floid of Spain & Marmara of London, Royall Lyme is different. The feel of the skin treatment is more beautifully medicinal and the power of the lotion essence is stronger. The scent behaves with more character and lasts longer. It is better to most often use a regular aftershave lotion and save Royall Lyme for an additional refreshing splash in its own timing. + Splash on Royall Lyme when your frag for the day grows weak. Splash on Royall Lyme before negotiating the price of a car you are buying and before a conversation with a friend who is going through a difficult experience. Use it as a spritz pick-me-up attention focusing juice. On my skin the first 1 1/2 hours is the highest value but it does linger through to 3 1/2 - 4. First and foremost is the treat of the refreshing splash zing and pizazz. Second is that the unique scent matches and contrasts well with so many frags you are already using. Keep a bottle in your office, briefcase or sport sling sack. It finds space in your day for a splash 2-4 times per week

This was the fragrance that got me into the perfumery world. I had a gift certificate to Brooks Brothers and it wasn't enough for a blazer or sweater, so I thought I'd peruse their selection of scents. It was initially the bottle, color and the cap that attracted me, but when I got it and opened it up, I was hooked. The initial application is super limey, and it's a beautiful citrus fragrance. That dries off rapidly and transitions into a bay/conifer/vanilla/tonka scent that lingers for a while. I wore this daily for a while to the point I was noseblind to it. At that point, I was convinced that the whole scent just burned off and there was nothing lasting to it. I stopped wearing it and when I reapplied again relatively recently, I realized the dry down scent lingered for quite a while longer than I initially thought. There's a lot of criticism about the longevity of this fragrance, and while it's true that the lime burns off somewhat fast, that's an attribute that I've found of pretty much every lime scented fragrance. The base notes, however, stay for quite a while. I applied this morning at 9:00 a.m., and I can still smell the base notes on me. Additionally, I've noticed that when I used the atomizer that came with the bottle, the performance was markedly worse. I feel like this is designed to be a splash on, and when I began applying that way, performance improved markedly. This scent is evocative of preppy settings with lots of pastels and cold drinks, which is in keeping with the heritage of the brand. The whole Bermuda, imperial British yachting feel is evident in the DNA of this fragrance, and it's my go to lime scent. Highly recommend.

On a family vacation in the islands many years ago, my dad bought 4 bottles of Royale cologne; one for him, one for me, and one for each of my two bothers. For my brothers, he got the Bay Rum (which I like), and for him and me, my dad bought Royale Lyme. When he gave it to me, he said that he had a bottle of the Lyme some years before, and loved it, and when he saw it in a shop, he knew I would love it too. He was right. Fragrance, as many of you already know, does something for your mood. In my case, fragrances elicit a conditioned response, linking me to my earliest exposure to it. Such is my experience every time I splash on Royale Lyme, and I’m not shy with it. Since that first bottle my father gave me as a teenager, I’ve purchased a dozen, or more. A bottle of it goes with me whenever I travel, especially on vacation, and weekend trips to the beach. My ideal situation for wearing Royale Lyme is at the end of a long day on the beach, or off-shore fishing, after showering the salt and sweat away, it gets applied liberally to by face, neck and chest. Clean t-shirt, crisp summer beverage, sitting on the deck, watching waves crash in the fading light of the gloaming. I miss my Dad.

Disclaimer: I use this solely as an aftershave, and am reviewing it as such I've noticed some reviews below comparing the old/new formulations. I can't comment on the difference, since I've only used what I presume is the new formulation. This fragrance pretty much does what it says on the bottle. It's lime, pure and simple. To my nose, it's slightly sweet - more of a key lime. But still the best lime aftershave in my rotation. I usually layer this with a matching west indian lime cologne, an excellent combination in my books. The glass bottle and pewter cap also make a stunning addition to any shaving cabinet. Longevity is decent, I get around 4 hours (much more than any of my other aftershaves, to be honest), with moderate sillage.

I think lime is always a good scent choice for men, and Royall Lyme is the best lime. It smells more expensive than it actually is, and lasts longer than many male colognes. Too many men use those "sport clone" scents, which are BOOORING!!!!! If you want to smell clean and fresh, switch to a lime scent (prefably this one), as it's much sexier. It is also a fun choice for women who want a fruity fragrance but don't want to smell like an overly sweet fruit salad all the time. It's a super summer scent when you don't want to overwhelm people!

Probably the best lime soliflore on Earth, Royall Lyme is straight-up refreshing, slightly sweet limes. If you wear it in the summer on a hot summer day, the humidity and sunlight will make it stronger. I can get up to 4 or 5 hours out of Royall Lyme if applied liberally and at the right time. Simply put, the most heavenly smell in the world.

My dad’s signature, which my brothers in turn all adopted as theirs too. Only good memories from this cologne: subtle but fresh, masculine but not at all overbearing. Wonderful, classy choice.

My grandpas signature. Definitely not a pure lime scent. Smells kind of like toothpaste but in a good way.

My husbunny bought it in Bermuda -- love it on him. Makes me happy.

Royall Lyme IMHO, it's the best transluscent sweet lime cologne EVER made. Sheer & limey. I do not detect any sour note. It leaves my skin smell lightly sweet, clean and scrumptious .. I find it difficult not to sniff myself wearing Royall Lyme. Now please keep in mind that it's an all purpose lotion. Royall Lyme wears like an Eau de Cologne. It has low sillage and stays very close to the skin. Do not expect this to linger too long. During the 3-4 hours that it may last, your skin will smell SO FRESH like you have just stepped out of a shower! Created in the '50s!!?? Don't be afraid!! You will find Royall Lyme to be as modern as any scents yet to be made within the next 10 years! It's truly timeless, ageless and genderless. Update: I found an 8oz splash bottle for $30. I shall splash and re-splash to my heart's content!! Update II: The new 8 oz bottle does not smell the same as the original mini sample collection I have. I am afraid the reformulation occurred :"( ♥_♥

I agree it smells of limes, but not quite realistic enough for me. It is very nice but it's a bit perfumey/soapy along with the limes on my skin. I was hoping for something sharper, but this will do as it is kinda nice. Oh, and longevity IS an issue. Max 4 hours so far.

A simple fresh natural lime with great appeal and little longevity. It is heavenly in itself and it layers well with woody accords that lack much top note, giving an early sparkle and fading in the first hour or two and leaving the wood for the long term.

This is a nice, simple lemon/lime clean scent for men with a lot of alcohol giving it a nice aftershave feel. It’s simple, light and well balanced and doesn’t divert into a cleaning product chemical overload. It’s fitting for summer. 6/10

To my nose, this is nearly identical to Sprite. It doesn’t last terribly long on me, 3-5 hours max, and the sillage is moderate at best. Not really a young man’s fragrance. Ages 35+ I’d say. Many better offerings out there.

Rose’s lime juice with an undercurrent of soap. Uncomplicated and classic. Nice for summertime or any time you want to smell like a gimlet.

It's good for about 60 seconds, then the florals make it smell like sugar-coated lime candy. Avon's "Island Lime" isn't a pure lime fragrance either but it's better because it doesn't come across like candy. Royall does feel super-refreshing splashed on a hot, sweaty neck. But if that's what you want, and the fragrance doesn't have to be limey, then 4711 will do that even better and for less money.

When I was a kid I remember lime scents for men smelled wonderful; they smelled like you had just sliced one open. This does not. It smells more like a gently limed soap, or even a bit like key lime pie. In other words, there's something getting in the way of the citric freshness. There's no slap. Longevity is not good - on my skin it's gone in under an hour. (Not unlike the bottle of Royall Bay Rhum I once had.) And silage on me is non-existent. So... no.

I totally disagree with karlovonamesti on his assessment of the 'bromidic interpretation' of Royall's interpretation of Lime, as he is more accurately describing the St. John's version of their Lime fragrance. Two reason for my observation of this. 1st., Royall Lyme's lime fragrance is much more sophisticated and 'natural' in its presentation than its closest competitor, St. John's, which has some very odd added chemical presence that skews their fragrance at the middle and somewhat at the base note levels. 2nd., this 'unnatural' chemicalization is especially evidenced by people with chemical sensitivities noting that while they have no 'chemical sensitivity reactions' to Royall Lyme lime, it is consistently noted to happen with St. John's lime fragrance. Hence my assessment that karlovonamesti's assessment has mistaken one well known lime fragrance for another. Moving on. I have used numerous lime-based fragrances over 40 years and aside from Shulton Old Spice Lime and MEM English Leather Lime (both of which are long ago not available, except for vintage stock occasionally sold on eBay) that I so loved for their unique complexities, Royall Lyme has been a lime-based fragrance staple in my large cache of aftershaves, colognes both domestic USA and foreign. It is presently the most limish fragrance for me, is not alchololish on the top note, does not overly sting and dries nicely on the skin, and has a mild sillage that never overwhelms and doesn't reach much beyond a couple feet. As for scent sustainability, it possess a unique quality of the initial application having limited scent sustainability, but when reapplied, say an hour or so later, that reapplication has the effect of boosting the scent sustainability and the scent's middle and base notes are quite sustaining, even noted when awakening the next morning. So, a person can decide if they want a short term scent effect or an all day scent effect. It's something I find in a few other fragrances I own, but not many. As I said, it's real winner of a lime-based fragrance with many quality points, and best of all, though its MSRP is much much higher in the boutique shops, if one shops smartly, it can consistently be purchased for as low as $30 for an 8 oz size!

Fragrance Review For Royall Lyme By Royall Notes Lime Fresh lemon lime lemonade coolness in a bottle. This fragrance is an aroma of such deliciousness but only of course if you fancy citruses. It was a cologne worn by Hollywood actress Joan Crawford when she married the Coca Cola King. It's a man's cologne of after shave style citrus with dominant lemon lime. But on Crawford it would have smelled like lemon verbena or like a sweet little lemonade. It's really a unisex anyone can wear it if you can handle citrus type of perfume. It's not very complex but the longevity is terrific. It's an all day perfume. It's simple quite fresh and perfumy. It is not to be compared with any other lime or citrus based perfume. On me it's straight citrus with perhaps other nondescript citrus possibly neroli. It can pass for an older and more "grandmotherly" version of Neroli Portofino by Tom Ford. It's possible Ford checked out the composition of this perfume and improved on it. Beautiful lime, no flowers, no musk, a simple citrus to wear after a shower and with a clean suit or pant suit, suit-skirt. I can see why Mrs. Crawford would have worn this when she too headed up the Coca Cola franchise after her husband's death. She would have worn this to meetings with her staff. It's definitely a take charge no nonsense CEO fragrance. The boss smells of citrus and aftershave like she had just shaved her face, even if she was a woman and didn't need to. It's the scent of a woman making it in a male dominated world. You go girl. As for guys it can smell like lime aftershave so if you're into that go for it. It's not bold nor going to make any statement. The guy I know that wears this is a Wall Street broker and really likes it and wears it all the time. I love it on him and he knows it. Not a sexy cologne, not a pheromone, just a cologne of the clean and sober variety. Well done Royall. If you also like this one check out their Musk.