Words: Jonathan Wells
These are trying times for travellers. Whether you’re a frequent flyer or just an occasional jet-setter, the lockdown likely has you yearning for an overdue adventure. And we get it. Here at Gentleman’s Journal, we too have put a hold on our travel plans — whether we’d be jetting off to a private island or diving some exotic depths in search of a particularly delectable delicacy.
Thankfully, there are other ways to indulge your wanderlust. We’ve been busy planning for the future; discovering new destinations to explore once the lockdown is lifted. We’re also building up an enviable holiday wardrobe, all Cuban collar shirts and safari jackets. But the best way we’ve found to forget about this pandemic? A new fragrance. That’s right, from British brand Czech & Speake, one spritz of the Perfecto Fino Eau de Parfum will spirit you away to South America. And who wouldn’t rather be there at the moment?
It’s a spicy, almost earthy scent — with deep acidic influences and a flutter of floral top notes. Imagine the sort of bar in old Havana where you’d have polished off a couple of naval-strength Daiquiris with Hemingway. That’s what it smells like. Unapologetically masculine; fiery and powerful.
But built around those lapel-shaking base notes of sandalwood and tobacco, Perfecto Fino has a surprisingly subtle, woody centre. You’ll find middle notes of cinnamon, grass and cloves in there, gently vying for position. Also, caramelised charred bark is thrown into the mix to create a distinctive smoky aroma, and a generous dose of resinous amber cuts sharply through all the fug and fust.
But it’s the top notes, of lemon and bergamot, that really put the ‘perfect’ in ‘Perfecto’. Like the freshly squeezed lime juice in Hemingway’s Daiquiri, these are tart touches that add a little edge to the woody fragrance — as well as whisk the wearer away. There’s an overall depth to this fragrance; one that will transport you to the beaches of Belize, the citrus groves of Nicaragua or the diviest dive bars in Costa Rica. It really is a one-way ticket to Central America.
But even before those notes of leather wisp their way up your nostrils, or you sniff those natural herbaceous notes of jasmine and orange flower, it is the singular packaging that will catch your eye. Have you ever seen a better-looking bottle? Sitting somewhere between the engraved images of old cigar boxes and a yellowing Cuban bank note, a bottle of Perfecto Fino will immediately up the cool credentials of your bathroom cabinet.
So, if you’ve had to cancel a trip this year, or you’re just trying to conjure up the memories of a holiday long past, we can’t think of any eau de parfum more perfect than Czech & Speake’s latest. Peppery, earthy and nothing if not nostalgic, it’s the scent that’ll get you through self-isolation.
Looking for more Czech & Speake? The British brand can also be found topping our list of 10 springtime grooming essentials…
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