Is there a difference between English Leather...

[Mr.Maduro]

from Dana or MEM?

I Found an old bottle of my Dad's (MEM) and liked it. There was only a little left, so I searched and only found one that looked exactly like his (MEM) and tons of the Dana version.

How do they compare? Are there any real differences? Thanks in advance.

 

[michiganlover]

I have not tried them both, but the general consensus is that it has been reformulated. The new formula seems less complex than the original.

Basenotes usually has some good info on the various fragrances:

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26120569.html

http://www.basenotes.net/ID26122634.html

 

[BCatl]

MEM was the original maker. I believe it was taken over by Dana. I would advise that if you see a bottle made by MEM that you definitely buy it if its priced within reason.

 

[BCatl]

To answer your question, to me the MEM version was better. Deeper, cooler and a little bit sweeter than the modern version. Of course, buyer beware probably applies since an unscrupulous seller could fill a MEM bottle with the new juice.

Too bad your dad didn't have more left!

 

[Featherweight]

The MEM version is tinged with a bright orange that I've read the Dana formulation lacks. However, don't think the MEM version smells any better - it's still harsh and alcoholic, befitting its price.


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[BCatl]

The MEM version is tinged with a bright orange that I've read the Dana formulation lacks. However, don't think the MEM version smells any better - it's still harsh and alcoholic, befitting its price.


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What's Quorum now? $20? $25? I guess when it get's down to $8 you'll be calling it harsh and alcoholic befitting it's price?

Seriously, the people who post here know what a drugstore fragrance IS. The people who post here know you can go to Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom or a similar store to buy a fragrance.

So I can certainly understand you voicing your opinion that the fragrance is harsh, but to follow that up by linking it to price I think is questionable. There are some pricey colognes that get bad reviews as well.

 

[Featherweight]

What's Quorum now? $20? $25? I guess when it get's down to $8 you'll be calling it harsh and alcoholic befitting it's price?

Seriously, the people who post here know what a drugstore fragrance IS. The people who post here know you can go to Neiman Marcus or Nordstrom or a similar store to buy a fragrance.

So I can certainly understand you voicing your opinion that the fragrance is harsh, but to follow that up by linking it to price I think is questionable. There are some pricey colognes that get bad reviews as well.

whoah, didn't mean to tee you off there. Quorum is $10 at some places, $15 at Marshalls. The quality of Quorum is certainly not befitting its price IMO (and only my opinion) - it smells to me like something that should be $25 at least.

I have a bottle of the vintage MEM, and I put it in the corner of Stetson and Tommy. to me, they're mediocre but competent, and that's why they're drugstore. other people may find EL to be truly amazing - ymmv - totally understand that. but when you're paying $9 for something, and if it smells alcoholic and harsh, what's the surprise?



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[BCatl]

The OP (new, with 69 posts) came on here and said he found a cologne of his dad's that he liked.

Your reponse was that it was harsh befitting it's price. But you didn't mean to tee anybody off you say. Are you totally surprised that your passive aggressive response might tee somebody off? It teed me off because it was snide.

All this kind of post will do is run somebody off the cologne forum.

As you just pointed out, Quorum smells great at $15.00. I can certainly remember it selling for relatively more than that. Quorum would smell great at $8. One day it might sell for $8, we don't know. So how did price get into this?

 

[Mr.Maduro]

Thanks for all the help. Since price has been brought up, the only MEM Engish Leather I could find online was $15 + $5 for shipping. Maybe too much, but anything that can bring back a memory of Dad is priceless!

 

[BCatl]

Thanks for all the help. Since price has been brought up, the only MEM Engish Leather I could find online was $15 + $5 for shipping. Maybe too much, but anything that can bring back a memory of Dad is priceless!

+1.

 

[Featherweight]

The OP (new, with 69 posts) came on here and said he found a cologne of his dad's that he liked.

Your reponse was that it was harsh befitting it's price. But you didn't mean to tee anybody off you say. Are you totally surprised that your passive aggressive response might tee somebody off? It teed me off because it was snide.

All this kind of post will do is run somebody off the cologne forum.

As you just pointed out, Quorum smells great at $15.00. I can certainly remember it selling for relatively more than that. Quorum would smell great at $8. One day it might sell for $8, we don't know. So how did price get into this?

Quorum is currently selling at $8. And it is quality, at $8. Yes, it can be found for as little as that. Agua Lavanda Puig, however, is much harder to pin down at a bargain. The glass "original" cologne is difficult to find in stores and usually much pricier - anywhere from $25 - $35. And altogether, it's a simpler fragrance than Quorum. But Puig is a quality house. Dana - can we call it a quality house? You decide.

English Leather has changed since the MEM formulation, and its current formulation is a bit different. To say that it smells harsh and alcoholic isn't really snide - nor is it to add that this befits its price. We expect, when we drop a tenner or less on a fragrance, that it would smell of cheap materials and have little subtlety. That doesn't necessarily mean it smells bad. Alcohol has a scent, which usually burns off quickly enough after a few minutes. The harshness I was referring to is the essence of English Leather itself. It's a rough take on leather. It also attempts to be a rough take on citrus as well. My nose gets a chemical orange from the vintage, so I don't know really how seriously they were pursuing traditional citrus topnotes with it. Given its age, they may have deteriorated a bit. And I was only comparing it to the current formulation in my original statement - some may find the original to be superior. I don't really see much of a difference, or an improvement, but that's just to my nose. Leather lovers generally don't hold EL up as the Grey Flannel of leathers. In all my time here and on BN, I have rarely seen anyone champion it. Old Spice gets a lot more love here on B&B for some reason, but it understandably has its fanbase. If you are a fan of EL then my hat goes off to you, sir.



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[JLKuehl]

from Dana or MEM?

I Found an old bottle of my Dad's (MEM) and liked it. There was only a little left, so I searched and only found one that looked exactly like his (MEM) and tons of the Dana version.

How do they compare? Are there any real differences? Thanks in advance.

My suggestion would be to acquire a bottle of each, or get a decant of each from someone who may have them, and decide for yourself. Scent is highly subjective, and while one may complain that EL smells too much of this or that, someone else may argue the exact opposite. Each person is right in their own opinion, a total case of YMMV. You may notice that they smell totally different, but someone else may think they smell the exact same. I have a bottle of the MEM stuff that is approximately 20 years old, and I still love the stuff. It has a strong sentimental value to me, as well, reminding me of my grandfather.

 

[The Knize]

Thanks for all the help. Since price has been brought up, the only MEM Engish Leather I could find online was $15 + $5 for shipping. Maybe too much, but anything that can bring back a memory of Dad is priceless!

So, so true!

Sorry to come to this thread late. Thanks for all the posts.

EL in the top notes is rather harsh and alcoholic to me, too, but even though it seems somewhat reformulated--I wish I stilll had a bottle of the MEM version--I do not think it is very different now than ever. And I am not sure that cost ever had so much to do with that rather agressive front end. There is a manliness to it, and the dry down is much softer. I agree that that "harshness," maybe "strong initial attack" is a better way to put it, is the essence of EL. It is not much like what I think of as the classic leathers and I do not think it was intended to be, which is perfectly fine by me, too.

To smell it brings back a rush of memory and emotion for me, that is for sure!