Brooks Brothers New York for Gentlemen - An Instant Classic?

[OldSchoolYoungin]

I'm not a huge fan of scents from clothing designers with the exception of a scarce few, but I'll certainly have to add New York for Gentlemen to that list. Renowned for their bottled I-tell-people-what-to-do-for-a-living, err...I mean 1818, this underrated release from Brooks Brothers may very well be another instant classic.

For starters, this juice is inexpensive and comes in a very classy bottle that looks like it belongs atop an aristocrat's dresser. The best part is that it smells like it, too I bought mine from the Bay, a cute .5 ounce splash top mini for a measly ten bucks. I'd definitely recommend getting the spray, but for the price, one can't argue too much. Have even heard they may sell this in Marshall's or TJ Maxx in some areas; full bottles for $20 or so.

This scent is not unique in the sense that it brings anything new to the table. In fact, it does the opposite: it brings in old world, classically masculine notes and does so quite well. The citrus top notes, on my skin, are especially short-lived; but I'm always in it for the long haul, anyway! The drydown is an incredibly fresh and confidence inspiring mix of very delicate musk, vetiver (!) and oakmoss. Many reviewers claim they get a very well done cumin note in there as well, but I don't detect it on my person.

Are you an attention seeker? Looking for something to gain a few compliments? Look past this one, then; the only people that will be smelling much at all will be you, your loved one and anyone else that happens to get close to you. Projection and sillage are average and it becomes close to the skin fairly quickly. Then again, I had an absolutely beautiful coworker compliment me yesterday, and that was a good three or four hours after I had applied it. Never underestimate the power of "quiet" scents

All said, an excellent, understated and classy gentleman's fragrance with a tiny dose of arrogance. Suitable for all age groups and practically any situation or season, but this one will definitely be getting a lot of use this spring and summer. I'd also recommend this one for guys looking to expand beyond "aquatics" and hum-drum fougeres without diving straight into Knize Ten

Give it a go, B&Bers! At the price point, it's hard to lose.

 

[Bigsly]

I liked it when I first tried it, a few years ago, but then something in the base began to bother me. I think it's got calone or some other synthetic that bothers me (when used in certain amounts). A more natural smelling scent (to me) with a similar kind of idea is Homme de Gres.

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

If there's any calone in there, I don't notice it very much. That particular note nauseates the crap out of me, and I do whatever I can to avoid it. I get a very pleasant, albeit light vetiver and musk on the drydown. That combination gives a great clean, fresh-out-of-the-shower vibe that sticks with me for the day. Then again, I've seen some reviews where folks notice completely different aspects of the scent that don't show up on my skin at all.

 

[Sabre]

I'm not a huge fan of scents from clothing designers

The compounds are designed by a few fragrances houses that also create the scent for your laundry softener. Very few companies have their own perfumer such as Guerlain or Niche independents. The brand will have been licensed to another company, and manufactured by a contract manufacturer/filler. The clothing designer or corporation probably had no involvement what so ever.