My fragrance journey so far

What kind of fragrances do you prefer?
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worthy_sam
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 11:03 am

My fragrance journey so far

Post by worthy_sam »

My name is Sam and I would like to introduce myself to this lovely
forum. I came here while searching for some obscure fragrances and
have since been enjoying posts by Gordon, Bargepole, Fitch & other old
school fragrance aficionados.

My love for fragrances started since I was a kid but this hobby got
serious a few years back when I started looking into niche stuff
after getting bored by the fragrances sold in the malls. I was big on
Creed and thought they were the real deal. Even paid absurd money for
Vintage Tabarome & Cuir de Russie but soon realized there is better
stuff out there that only a few people talk about these days.

I then started looking into vintage fragrances from houses like Hermes
(Bel Ami, Equipage, Eau de Cologne), Guerlain (Jicky PDT, Derby, MdM, Vetiver
etc), Caron, Chanel, Rochas, Van Cleef & Arpels, Jean Patou etc. These
were all high quality fragrances but still I felt something was
missing.

Then by chance I stumbled upon a few vintage fragrances by Floris and
I knew immediately that it is the top quality stuff that I have been
looking for years. At the same time, I was saddened by the thought that all the
fragrances I like are out of production & hard to find, but I never
gave up and was able to find almost every fragrance on my wish list.
Now the hunt has become equally, if not more enjoyable as these rare
fragrances.

Thanks to Gordon's posts, I blind bought Crown Eau de Quinine, Vintage
Penhaligons English Fern & Vintage Hammam Bouquet After Shave. I
remember being curious about Eau de Quinine but everyone said it
smells very old, unfashionable, bitter etc but Gordon said it is a
very elegant fragrance & brings to mind Edwardian London and he was
absolutely right. Crown Eau de Quinine is a high quality fragrance and
unlike any other fragrance I have smelt before. Gordon's post on
Hammam Bouquet After Shave made me confident to seek it as a
replacement for Vintage Hammam Bouquet EDT which is now almost
impossible to find. Smelling Vintage Hammam Bouquet After Shave took
me to another place & time. It's so elegant. For me, it combines the
rose note of Vintage Floris Red Rose & musk note from Lanvin Scandal.
I would have missed on English Fern if I hadn't read the post about
Gordon's personal top ten colognes and it would have been a disaster
since now it's in my top 5 colognes.

I believe this forum will be a good place for me to learn more about
traditional fragrances and interact with people who are in the
same boat as me and can relate to my obsession. Here are some
pictures from my fragrance collection for you guys to enjoy. Please
feel free to suggest any fragrances you think I might enjoy

Regards,
Sam



A lovely citrus, white floral fragrance from the same guys that later did Dukes Of Pall Mall Cotswold & Belgravia.



Vintage C&S No. 88 & Dunhill Blend 30.




Creed Cuir de Russie from green flacon.




Rare pure Mysore Sandalwood Oil from 1930s.



Lords Shaving Set & Soap from 1980s (Single Warrant).
Last edited by worthy_sam on Tue Feb 03, 2015 12:09 pm, edited 1 time in total.
F.W. Fitch
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by F.W. Fitch »

Sam, this is an acceptable early posting. Welcome home kindred spirit...welcome home! Thank you for ALL the generous details, but I don't see a bottle of Floris No 89 hair lotion. I got that covered. I had never seen the Floris Bay Rum so that is a delight to behold. I had a sealed in cellophane bottle of the Rose Geranium toilet water but didn't care for it on my skin. I eventually sold it off. Was a beautiful 'hourglass' shaped bottle and was pristine as the day it was still available.

Best, Fitch
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Squire
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by Squire »

Hey Sam, welcome aboard, I'm confident you will fit right in.
Regards,
Squire
brothers
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by brothers »

Sam, your focus and obvious passion for the traditional and classic fragrances is going to be welcome here with open arms. Keep it coming! I know I for one will learn a lot from you.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
worthy_sam
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Joined: Tue Oct 21, 2014 11:03 am

Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by worthy_sam »

F.W. Fitch wrote:Sam, this is an acceptable early posting. Welcome home kindred spirit...welcome home! Thank you for ALL the generous details, but I don't see a bottle of Floris No 89 hair lotion. I got that covered. I had never seen the Floris Bay Rum so that is a delight to behold. I had a sealed in cellophane bottle of the Rose Geranium toilet water but didn't care for it on my skin. I eventually sold it off. Was a beautiful 'hourglass' shaped bottle and was pristine as the day it was still available.

Best, Fitch
Fitch, thank you for your warm welcome. I am glad you enjoyed the details. You know your Floris history pretty well, I indeed miss not adding Floris No 89 Hair Lotion when I had an opportunity, but I am glad you have it. Floris Bay Rum is indeed very special. Smells the most old school out of all my fragrances, even more so than the Knize Ten. No one will think it's a cologne if they smell it on you, the same basenotes as Honey & Flowers, but stronger and without the floral top notes. It must have been hard for you to remember selling your legendary Rose Geranium, it happens to all of us when a fragrance clicks in our mind and checks all boxes long after we sell it off.
Squire wrote:Hey Sam, welcome aboard, I'm confident you will fit right in.
Thank you Squire for the welcome. I would love to see your collection someday. I know you have some great stuff with you.
brothers wrote:Sam, your focus and obvious passion for the traditional and classic fragrances is going to be welcome here with open arms. Keep it coming! I know I for one will learn a lot from you.
Thanks for the compliment Gary.I would love to share whatever little I know about traditional fragrances and answer any questions you may have about them.
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Bargepole
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by Bargepole »

DAMN fine collection, Sam. The Honey & Flowers fills me with jealousy. But I have a big bottle of 1975 Hammam and another of the Hammam Bouquet Extract, so we are probably quits. What's the Fragonard Jasmin like?
Michael

People say it's never too late. How wrong they are. --Felix Dennis
worthy_sam
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by worthy_sam »

Thank you Michael, I am glad that you liked it. I can only imagine how Hammam Bouquet Extract would smell based on my vintage version of the Aftershave. Sadly, the glory days of penhaligons are over due to all the ingredient regulations, but I can live with that as long as I can get my hands on a few bottles of their vintage fragrances like Hammam Bouquet, English Fern, Night Scented Stock etc.

I can tell from my experience that vintage Fragonard fragrances were made from very high quality natural ingredients and can be had for a steal since most people are not aware about this brand. Jasmin de Fragonard is no exception, it is a true Grasse Jasmin. So, soft & pure without any synthetic headiness. I believe it's age has made it more ethereal and it stays close to the skin as opposed to overwhelming people near you. I use a few drops of it to make my own Brilliantine.

Have you tried Lanvin's Scandal by any chance? I ask because it has the same muskiness as vintage Hammam Bouquet but where Hammam Bouquet has prominent rose, orris & sandalwood notes, it has a beautiful leather note.
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never2close
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by never2close »

Very thoughtful thread that I enjoyed reading. I have collected a wide variety of fragrances and while I enjoy the vintage stuff, I also like many of the recently released frags. By the way, Fitch sold the Rose Geranium to me and it is a very nice addition to my collection.
Ken
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TheMonk
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by TheMonk »

Very impressive collection of fragrances, congrats!
David

“Use any means to keep from being a genius, all means to become one.” John Cage
worthy_sam
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by worthy_sam »

never2close wrote:Very thoughtful thread that I enjoyed reading. I have collected a wide variety of fragrances and while I enjoy the vintage stuff, I also like many of the recently released frags. By the way, Fitch sold the Rose Geranium to me and it is a very nice addition to my collection.
I am glad you enjoyed my post. It's a combination of traditional style & higher concentration of natural ingredients that prevents me from buying recently released fragrances. I cannot imagine any brand to come close to the quality of vintage Floris & Penhaligons fragrances because of the cost of raw materials and the IFRA restrictions. Brands like Roja Dove are charging a fortune for good quality fragrances.

To be honest, I do like modern fragrances like Cuiron & Or Black. I think they are brilliantly composed.

You are lucky to have the Rose Geranium in your collection. What other fragrances are there in your collection?
TheMonk wrote:Very impressive collection of fragrances, congrats!
Thank you!
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never2close
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by never2close »

I agree that IFRA restrictions are changing the fragrance landscape, but there are many that are still worth acquiring. I have a reasonable collection of vintage frags such as Lords, Patou Pour Homme, Molyneaux Captain, Gucci Nobile, Ho Hang Club, and several others. My current frags are too numerous to list. Such is the life of an addict. Or Black is worth finding.
Ken
PedroPe
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Re: My fragrance journey so far

Post by PedroPe »

Welcome to the fragrance forum! It's great to see another enthusiast with a deep appreciation for vintage and niche fragrances. Your journey from Creed to exploring classics from Hermes, Guerlain, Caron, and others is quite impressive. It's awesome that you've found a special connection with vintage Floris fragrances – they're indeed unique and have a charm of their own.

It's clear you have a keen nose for quality and a passion for the traditional. Your experiences with Crown Eau de Quinine, Vintage Penhaligons, and Hammam Bouquet sound amazing. It's always exciting to discover fragrances that transport you to another era.

Thanks for sharing your journey and collection. It's fascinating to hear about your finds and the rare gems you've come across. Looking forward to seeing more of your posts and learning from your experiences!
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