Etat Libre d'Orange Cologne

By Tom Cologne Eau de Parfum is a decided departure from the usual Etat Libre d’Orange usual ways of doing things. They’re of course those crazy kids who did C.S.I. Newark, er, Secretions Magnafique, which to me is a total scrubber with it’s notes of defiled mobster found under the pier.(but I am told that it is one of their most popular fragrance. They also did a personal favorite: Tilda Swinton Like This with it’s comforting mandarin and pumpkin accords. But I have friends who think it’s too weird. So Imagine my surprise to read that these kids want to give us “nice”…. And it is nice. It opens with a bright orange and orange flower that took me by surprise. It also reminded me of something. Then it struck me; 4711. Not the 4711that until recently has been sold at places like the 47 cent store in recycled bleach bottles (although I read that they’re coming back full circle to the good stuff) but the stuff I remembered in the 70’s as a kid. It was a lovely scent that on a hot, humid New England day a splash of on the back of the neck was more refreshing than an ice bag (I was too young for Pimm’s cup back then.) Of course, Etat Libre is a bit, well, shall we say more in the opening than the innocent 4711, and of course there’s more in the middle and the drydown. 4711 had a flash (if I remember correctly, and it has been decades) some lavender, then nada. Cologne goes to a jasmine middle then a light leather and a skin musk that would make the Chairman at smellbent smile. Lasting opwer is good, considering that it's sold as a cologne. I got several hours out of it, while the 4711 I remember from my yoof lasted an hour tops. $149 for 100ML. My sample was asked for and received at ScentBar. Notes (from LuckyScent:) Blood orange, orange blossom, bergamot, jasmine, musk, leather. Image: LuckyScent