Choosing a Cologne

[daniel051]

Gentlemen, I'm looking for a summer scent. Last week, I visited the Anglo-American chemists in Florence and some shops in Bologna, where I'll be staying for the next little while. Between them, I sampled different offerings from the London shops: Trumper's Astor, Wellington and Marlborough; Taylor's Shaving Shop and Eton College; Harris' Freshening; Truefitt and Hill's West Indian Lime. It's a privilege to have all these wonderful colognes readily available, as such a wide selection must be difficult to find outside of the UK.

Before purchasing a cologne, I'd like to better understand the reasoning that should inform my choice. I thought back to what I've read on this board over the years. I suppose that I've never grasped the difference between 'classic' and 'modern' scents, as Gordon and others term them, nor precisely what makes one scent more suitable than another for a particular season or occasion. No doubt the answers to these questions cannot be condensed in a short message, but I'd appreciate whatever knowledge you'd be able to communicate; at best, it'll point me in the right direction for future research.

FWIW, I wear Trumper's Spanish Leather in winter, Taylor's Sandalwood in the 'mezze stagioni', i.e. the transitional seasons of spring and autumn, and Penhaligon's English Fern in summer. I don't have much experience with other colognes, save Villoresi's Uomo and SMN's Russian Cologne. All I can say with certainty about my tastes is that I don't like sweeter notes, if that is the correct term, such as vanilla (e.g. SMN's Tabacco Toscano), at least not for men.

Thank you for your attention. I look forward to your replies.

Kind regards,
Daniel

[jww]

Daniel -- cologne choices are quite personal. As someone who is scent sensitive, and can't really wear cologne at all, I would simply suggest that whatever you choose, that you use it sparingly so as not to affect those with respiratory problems related to scents. Enjoy shopping!

[Squire]

Daniel the scents you are already using from Trumper, Taylor, Pens and Santa Maria Novella are the same or close to what I regularly use except I tend to use limes (Trumper, Truefitt) as well during the Summer which is very hot and humid in my region.

For me the principal difference with modern colognes are they last longer.

[bernards66]

Daniel, Pretty much the same as what Squire said, for myself personally. But you're right, the subject is too vast, and too nebulous to really cover in a post. The distinction between 'classic' and 'modern' scents is one I routinely make ( as you know ) but I would be hard pressed to put it into words distinctly ( or briefly ), but the distinction is very real to me and I usually make it upon first sniff. It's not that I necessarily 'like' all 'classic' scents but all the ones I really like all fall into that category. Most of them really are old, that is, formulations that their makers have offered for generations now; stuff like Trumpers Spanish Leather. Others may be of a bit more recent origin but are still of that sort of understated 'type'...Hermes Orange Vert may be an example. 'Modern' scents seem 'louder', they 'project' more and just seem more 'synthetic' to me. Dept. store shelves in America are loaded with various concoctions like this. Some of them even give me headaches if I wear them. But, as Wendell said, ultimately it comes down to, or should come down to, what you personally like, what you're comfortable wearing, and what projects a whiff of your sort of taste. FWIW, I think that ALL the current T&H colognes are of the 'modern' variety and I still morn for their older versions of Freshman, Clubman, and Spanish Leather. So there!
Regards,
Gordon

[daniel051]

Gentlemen, thank you for your replies.

Gordon, having sampled a number of colognes, I'm beginning to make these distinctions myself, but mine remain but vague perceptions.

With regard to summer scents, I'll take my cue from Squire. Perhaps something citrus would fit the bill? Summer in Italy is hot and humid, too, and I'd like something light. What's more, citrus is missing from my collection. In the past, I've used Taylor's No. 74 Lime, but didn't care for it. Perhaps it reminded me too much of what we use to wash the floor. An Eau de Portugal could be interesting. I sampled Harris' Traditional on the skin and liked it a good deal, but it only lasts a few hours, unfortunately. (Incidentally, I tried the Classic, too. Like the Freshening, it left me neither hot or cold. At any rate, their staying power, measured in minutes and not hours, is disappointing).

Perhaps I'll purchase the Traditional anyways, and apply it liberally. I'd like to sample Trumper's EdP first, however, if I can find it. Would you gentlemen have other suggestions?

Kind regards,
Daniel

[Squire]

Santa Maria Novella Aqua de Colonia comes to mind but I should mention these traditional cologne waters don't last very long on me, nor do the limes for that matter but they are quite pleasant.