1805...what's the scent?

DCLawyer · Post by **DCLawyer** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 7:56 am

When using T&Hs 1805 shaving cream this AM, I wondered what the scent is. Is it velvetier? Fern? It's very distinctive.

I'm pretty sure its a classic one because one of the TOBS creams I once had gave the virtually identical scent. It might have been Mr. Taylor's or the Barbershop cream.

Any help appreciated.

goose · Post by **goose** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:44 am

1805 is a more modern, marine type of scent. Of the Taylor's scents I would say that it is most similar to St. James, but it would not fall into the fern or vetiver or fern families. There aren't too many firms that offer a vetiver scented cream than Salter's. D.R. Harris Arlington has some fern aspects to it, but it seems to be primarily a citrus scent to me. I would love it if Trumper's offered a Wild Fern shave cream, but unfortunately, I'm not aware of any shave creams out there that are scented with a true fougere/fern fragrance.

I hope that helps.

Clint

DCLawyer · Post by **DCLawyer** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:16 am

"Marine" - ok - I hear that used a lot to describe scents. Thanks

Aztecface · Post by **Aztecface** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 10:52 am

Actually I am glad someone brought this up... as I was meaning to cover it in another thread...

"The inspiration for this [1805] exciting blend was derived from an original formulation dating back to late 1850s, when Truefitts offered a service of making up exclusive fragrances for various Regiments, prominent institutions as well as other persons of eminent status. The resultant fragrances had names evoking glorious British past of Victoria's Reign and amongst them one would find rich fougeres such as "The Choice of the Rifle Brigade", "The Favourite of the Royal Artillery", "Jockey Club Bouquet", "The Royal London Yacht Club Bouquet" or "Knickerbocker Nosegay" as well as delicately fragranced "Palmerston Bouquet" especially blended for Viscount Palmerston, one of Queen Victoria's Prime Ministers. This blend was to inspire Truefitts’ modern fragrance 1805. The recipe for “Palmerston Bouquet” lay unused for over a century and only in 1998 was brought back to be reformulated and reorchestrated. 1805 was finally launched in 1999, a fragrance commemorating the year in which William Francis Truefitt opened its salon doors for the first time and thus established a business that was successfully to carry on for the next two centuries. 1805's original formulation may have well been blended by skillful hands of founder’s grandson, Henry Truefitt, however its successful reorchestration is now responsible for its unmistakably modern signature scent and its undoubted popularity. "

goose · Post by **goose** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:07 am

While the description has a nice ring to it, I think it is probably marketing BS. If it is true, the scents of the early 1800's smelled very similar to the scents of the late 1990's. I would say 1805 has more in common with Cool Water and Aqua di Gio than the classic English fragrances of the 1800's. I'm not saying that 1805 is a bad fragrance, but it certainly isn't an old formula developed in the early 1800's.

Clint

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:24 am

It is ( BS ) regrettably. 1805 is a very modern 'marine' highly synthetic sort of cologne. They also 'reorchastrated and reformulated' Clubman, Freshman, and Spanish Leather too, and I'm here to tell you that what they're selling now has NOTHING to do with the original scents. And I'm sure the same is true of 'Palmerston's Bouquet'. I wish that they WOULD bring back some of those colognes from the 19th c., or at least as close as it's was possible to get nowdays. But they're obviously not interested in that, for whatever reason; cost, perceived current 'fashion'...whatever.
Regards,
Gordon

ChemErik · Post by **ChemErik** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 11:25 am

I find 1805 to be "cleaner"/More natural/less chemical smelling than most "marine" scents. My favorite T&H scent and better than the US "marine" colognes by far.

goose · Post by **goose** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 1:40 pm

ChemErik wrote:better than the US "marine" colognes by far.

I agree that it higher quality and less synthetic smelling than Acqu di Gio or Cool Water (Both of which I wore when I was younger), but a classic from 1805 it isn't.

Clint

DCLawyer · Post by **DCLawyer** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 2:04 pm

So far, I've tried the following T&H products:

Grafton (cream and cologne): I didn't like this very "perfumey" smell - seems very dainty.

1805 (cream): I'm not a fan of this either - can't really say why, though.

Indian Limes: close, but something's a little off.

Trafalgar: My favorite T&H scent by far

Lavender: recalled the menthol smell of dimestore gels to me, although it provided me a very fine shave

The scent I'd like to have in a T&H formulation would be TOBS Eton College, which is one of my favorite scents for a cream, although the cologne was much too strong for my taste.

southpaw · Post by **southpaw** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:21 pm

Sampled all of their scents - none passed the test or THE test (me or my wife, respectively).

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Dec 12, 2008 8:55 pm

As far as the T&H shaving creams are concerned, my favourites are their Lavender and their Rose. In addition to being excellent products to shave with ( which all of them are ), they are very classic and very well done scents. Not overbearing, but present. The T&H Lavender is my substitute for the dearly departed Coate's Lavender, when I finally run out of that.
Regards,
Gordon

Post by **drmoss_ca** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 4:57 am

The current 1805 uses synthetic fixatives that weren't available in Palmerston's day, so whatever the Palmerston Bouquet did smell like, it wasn't like 1805.
I do confess to a weakness for Grafton, however. Gordon will regard this as a regrettable lapse in taste, but there you are.

Chris

DCLawyer · Post by **DCLawyer** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 8:56 am

bernards66 wrote:As far as the T&H shaving creams are concerned, my favourites are their Lavender and their Rose. In addition to being excellent products to shave with ( which all of them are ), they are very classic and very well done scents. Not overbearing, but present. The T&H Lavender is my substitute for the dearly departed Coate's Lavender, when I finally run out of that.
Regards,
Gordon

"Not overbearing" is a good way to characterize their scents. I tried Almond this morning. I had tried TOBS Almond and found it way too sweet smelling, but the T&H was just right.

I have Indian Limes, Trafalgar and their new unscented left in my sampler pack. I think I'd like their Rose as well, and will give it a try the next time I purchase from T&H.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:26 pm

Well, I allow Chris this one minor lapse, without undue admonishment, as generally his taste is impeccable. Actually, Grafton, along with Lime, are their best colognes now, IMO. And they are the two oldest, going ALL the way back to the 1980s.....sigh.
Regards,
Gordon

msandoval858 · Post by **msandoval858** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 12:42 pm

bernards66 wrote:Well, I allow Chris this one minor lapse, without undue admonishment, as generally his taste is impeccable. Actually, Grafton, along with Lime, are their best colognes now, IMO. And they are the two oldest, going ALL the way back to the 1980s.....sigh.
Regards,
Gordon

I used Grafton cream, aftershave balm, and cologne this morning. Gotta love the 80's!

Furrball2 · Post by **Furrball2** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:19 pm

This was a very useful thread. By bottle of AOS Sandalwood shaving balm is almost used up and I am looking for a replacement. I was thinking of the Grafton, but after reading this thread I think I'll stick with the AOS.

dave

Nitrox · Post by **Nitrox** » Sat Dec 13, 2008 9:50 pm

After reading this thread, I realized why the 1805 balm smells better than the cologne. At least to me anyway.
The cologne as others have mentioned seems to have that synthetic scent that smells nice at first but becomes irritating after awhile.
The balm and shave cream in my opinion and nose, smell way better than the cologne and are not irritating to the nose.
I'm also a fan of the Trafalgar, and am looking forward to picking up the cologne as the balm and shave cream are fantastic smelling.

razorburned · Post by **razorburned** » Sun Dec 14, 2008 4:38 pm

I use the Grafton on a regular basis (cream/ASB/cologne), and recently got their sample pack.

I like the Trafalgar ok..the Spanish leather is nice too

for colognes, the Freshman and Clubman are ok, nothing special though.....

I don't care for the Lime, but can't stand the 1805

I figured I would re-try the 1805 (first tried it about 18 months ago)....still not a fan. the cologne is ok in the bottle, marine, but nothing striking. I have not tried the ASB or the cologne on my person as I can't get past the cream scent....the cream smells good UNTIL it is lathered. When I lather it, my mug smells like a wet ashtray. Something about the scent does not like water

DCLawyer · Post by **DCLawyer** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:24 am

msandoval858 wrote:
bernards66 wrote:Well, I allow Chris this one minor lapse, without undue admonishment, as generally his taste is impeccable. Actually, Grafton, along with Lime, are their best colognes now, IMO. And they are the two oldest, going ALL the way back to the 1980s.....sigh.
Regards,
Gordon
I used Grafton cream, aftershave balm, and cologne this morning. Gotta love the 80's!

Nice - did you have some Robert Palmer going in the background?

DCLawyer · Post by **DCLawyer** » Mon Dec 15, 2008 7:28 am

Nitrox wrote: I'm also a fan of the Trafalgar, and am looking forward to picking up the cologne as the balm and shave cream are fantastic smelling.

Good man! I used the Trafalgar cream and AS lotion from my sampler pack this morning. The scent was so superb I lathered up three times rather than my usual two.

Still need to try the Rose.

So far, Trafalgar and Almond have achieved a "to purchase" rating (not that there's anything wrong with those others I have tried).

Limes and the new super smooth unscented remain to be tested...