Free Life Aigner 1987 Eau de Toilette

People, if it still existed, "Free Life" would have been my signature scent even before the brilliant No 2! Two things right off the bat -- yes, similarities to Zino by Davidoff are undeniable, although Zino, released a year before Free Life, is a bit earthier and herbier. And secondly -- I found the bottle, especially the one from the first series with the lilac satin glass, the light gray cap, and the neon green lettering so very 80s that I still like it today.

As I said, I knew it before Zino, and I still love it today. This has a lot to do with sentimentality, as over the past 20 years it has become increasingly rare and is now, like so many old-school fragrances, practically weighed in gold. Once again quickly on the topic of sentimentality -- I wore it when I had to say goodbye to my then classmates at the graduation ball in April 1989, I wore it when my sister and years later my best friend got married, and I wore it, now already ennobled as a rarity, on the day my little daughter was born and a few months later at her baptism.

What do I still like so much about this olfactory steamroller from Aigner after 33 years? It’s this uncomplicated "I am Free Life, your buddy. I’m a real easy-going guy, always ready for fun and offer you your daily dose of good mood included." Yep. We can leave it at that.

"FL" is a balanced mix of bergamot, lavender, and citrus notes, to which a good amount of vanilla and tonka bean then joins in the heart note, and even patchouli raises its voice, albeit a bit shyly. Towards the end, it becomes powdery and sweet one last time, but not TOO sweet. One last time because with "FL" -- from a purely subjective point of view -- the great era of Aigner fragrances ended. Soon, just a few years later, "FL" and its powerhouse giants like Sport Fragrance, Silver, Super Fragrance, and ancestor No 1 were laid to rest. What then -- with the exception of my, see above, all-time favorite NO 2 -- sailed under the Aigner flag was honestly a shame for the alcohol that was used and damaging to the reputation of a still great brand.

I consider myself lucky to own two full minis and a 30ml bottle from the first series, and yet I will only wear this broad-spectrum seducer again on a worthy occasion (wedding, baptism, world peace, my 100th birthday in 48 years, etc.). Peace!