Words: Jonathan Wells
There’s something in the air. We may be staring down the barrel of a brand-new lockdown, but 2021 will (hopefully) be less disastrous than the year we’ve just endured. And, whether you’re taking aim at your fitness resolutions in your home gym, deciding to stick to a plant-based diet or looking to learn something helpful from the burning wreckage of 2020, we’re here to help.
But there’s also something a little more literal in the air. With a new year comes the chance to revamp your wardrobe, your accessories, your bathroom cabinet — and some of our favourite grooming brands have spritzed their way into the new year with fresh fragrances. Here are six of the finest scents we’re currently wearing at Gentleman’s Journal…
If you want a multi-layered fragrance, spritz on Chopard Amber Malaki
You can tell Chopard makes jewellery. Just look at the bottle into which the French brand has decanted the newest addition to its Malaki Collection. There’s definite shades of watch bracelet in that cap. And, happily, when you pop the lid off and give it a spritz, you’ll still be impressed. Warm and sensual, Amber Malaki is the perfect scent for the cold start to the year — with smoky notes of papyrus, wood and rich, spicy incense.
It’s one of those fragrances that just gets better as the day goes on; releasing and revealing more layers as it settles onto your skin. So, although you may get a waft of voluptuous orange blossom when you’re first sitting down at your desk, and be enjoying aromatic vanilla by noon, your day will draw to the close with all of the above; a heady, exotic swirl of addictive scents.
If you want a stripped-back, earthy scent, try Floris Vert Fougère
This fragrance from Floris is the bad boy of the aftershave world. Moody and tenacious, this unisex scent is punchy and pungent; ready to redefine everything you thought you wanted from a fragrance. Blindsiding us with an olfactory curveball, Vert Fougère delivers a blast of green, mossy scents rather than soft, floral notes — not to mention a bittersweet blend of grapefruit and bergamot.
While it might take a couple of mornings to get used to, there’s something pleasingly stripped-back and simple to this bottling. Where else could you find earthy patchouli, cedarwood and the zing of ginger without any tempering from softer scents? It’s a bold move from Floris — but the British brand has a history of making scents for bold men.
If you want a softer scent, opt for Acqua di Parma's Note di Colonia I
If the thought of an aftershave inspired by an opera has you rolling your eyes, bear with us. It might sound a little high-brow, but that doesn’t mean you should be raising your eyebrows. Because, while the concept may be contrived, this cologne — influenced by Giuseppe Verdi’s tale of tragic love, La traviata — is light-hearted and lovely enough to take your mind off the dark days of winter.
If you’re yearning for the (cross your fingers) freedom of summer, this is the New Year fragrance for you. It’s imbued with bright, sunny nuances of bergamot and neroli, while notes of lavender, rose and violet (ingredients perfumers aren’t usually brave enough to market to men) offer up an unexpectedly floral feel. Even so, to reassure the traditionalists, Acqua di Parma has added in an accord of cedarwood — which caps off this Colonia with a classic feel.
If you want an earthy, fresh oriental, uncap The Inimitable Mr. Penhaligon
Majestic and chic, Penhaligon’s latest is as much sculpture as it is scent. Just look at that ram’s curling golden horns — there’s certainly something more than a little ‘Jason and the Argonauts’ about this fragrance. Launching next week, it’s a New Year’s treat.
Give it a spritz, and the prevailing scent will present as vetiver — a big trend currently in the fragrance world. But Mr Penhaligon is deeper and darker than your initial impression, and will bleed out further fragrances; including those of spiced incense, cedarwood and ambrox — that sweet, earthy and utterly unique substance produced by sperm whales. And, to top if off, a gentle fluttering of bergamot and jasmine for freshness.
If you want a lightweight, subversive scent, try Creed Aventus Cologne
‘New, modern and urban-spirited’ was the brief for Creed’s Aventus. It was a tall order. But, while it may be impossible to make something smell ‘urban-spirited’ (the Jubilee line on a Wednesday? Now there’s something we don’t miss…), the storied perfume house’s best-seller is a timely, moreish fragrance that sits incredibly well alongside more heritage offerings. We take a potent dip into its history — and celebrate a decade of Aventus — here.
But what makes it so special? It’s the effortless blend of some very disparate scents. There are top notes of ginger, mandarin and pink peppercorn: so far, so autumnal. But then the heart notes take a lighter turn, sprinkling the scents of patchouli and vetiver into proceedings. And then there’s an even softer spin to finish — with feather-light styrax and birch as the traditionally load-bearing base notes.
If you want woody, there’s only Issey Miyake L'Eau d'Issey Wood & Wood
Wood. It’s a classic men’s scent. And Issey Miyake, the Japanese fashion and perfume house, has literally doubled down on the fragrance with this release. Wood & Wood is an aftershave that threatened to be overpowering, but we can’t get enough of it. Firmly rooted in nature’s deeper, darker notes, there’s a feeling of strength and sophistication about this bottling, and it’s become our daily go-to.
But don’t think it’s all strong and silent. There may be a broad base of patchouli essence — upon which touches of Virginia cedar essence and sandalwood intertwine — but an unexpected top note of grapefruit adds some fizz to the olfactory party; sprinkling a zest into the spritz that we never knew we needed.
You’ve got your aftershave, but now let’s tackle those wrinkles. Here are our favourite anti-aging products (that actually work)…
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