41 Burlington Arcade Atkinsons 2017

In comparison to the 24 Old Bond Street duo that I recently reviewed from Atkinsons, 41 Burlington Arcade strays away from the Earl Grey Tea profile and offers a still distinctively British composition.

White pepper is the first to strike, with a pungent and slightly funky spiced earth aroma that is soon accompanied by some citruses leaning more on the sweeter side; almost a candied lemon kind of vibe with a bit of grapefruit zest. Then the star of the show slowly arises, which is also the main culprit for the intended British association - liquorice. Liquorice, as you may now, is highly debated upon, taste-wise; some swear by it, while others simply can't stand it. I find myself on the latter. The British, though, seem to enjoy it more than any other nation. Smell-wise, however, there's less controversy, and while I am still hardly a fan of it since it is usually used to disproportionately sweeten up the composition, I think it was implemented rather decently in 41 Burlington Arcade. It is sweet, yes, a little woody and with its usual attributes reminding of aniseed and fennel, but here it's more minty/camphoraceous than anything. Minty-sweet, not brain-freezing minty. The cardamom plays a crucial role with that part too, maybe most of it, while the nutmeg and pimento take a step back with a gentle warm touch underneath.

The base, however, is rather yawn-inducing. The patchouli gently takes over the camphor accord whilst introducing very tame woody accents. Some amber can clearly be detected playing its hand along some shy muskiness, overall getting the scent from "Ok, it's not terrible" to "Meh, it's whatever". Rather unfortunate.

Performance was seemingly on par with 24 Old Bond Street and 24 Old Bond Street Triple Extract Eau de Cologne Concentrée. That is, surprisingly good longevity, rather poor projection. 41 Burlington Arcade reached about 9-10 hours, while projection was pretty much gone after the two hour mark, with those first two hours being decent at best.

Despite the liquorice, this is still a more predominantly fresher fragrance, as in it is not heavy at all, and the other components help to make this perfectly suitable for all-year round. Then again, it still has a bit of that classier, simpler vibe; the not-seeking-attention vibe. So the younger generation might hardly find it appealing, but someone looking for something more mature and simple might enjoy this.

But is mature and simple enough to justify the near €200 price tag? I don't think so. Overall, it still doesn't do much worth to write home about, nor does it strike as something that should cost that much. In line with most Atkinsons' - simple, non-complex, distinctively British perfumery. Some people might enjoy that enough to warrant the cash-out, but if exciting compositions are what you're searching for, Atkinsons isn't your brand. If slow-paced and simplistic compositions are up your arcade, then give them some thought.

Overall Rating: 5.7/10

Atkinsons is a brand for me that has surprisingly beautiful offerings in remarkably many fragrance directions. They may not deliver one highlight of the millennium after another, but they provide quite pleasant everyday companions that often bring their own twist. The tendency is rather understated, but always with a smooth wearing experience and a fine aura. And so this fragrance has long been one of my favorites, and now I finally describe it here:

The first hour is like a picture-perfect example of good top notes. It opens with an orange freshness that gently and roundly illuminates the path ahead. It quickly blends with a sharp, cooling accord, which is also the theme of this fragrance: a very clear, beautiful licorice that, in its bright, fresh naturalness, is truly something special. The scent is now in full bloom and greatly lifts the mood. The strong, juicy ammonium chloride-citrus mixture is wonderfully balanced and enhances the atmosphere like a refreshing aftershave. Applied after a nice, invigorating shower, it has a truly revitalizing effect on the mind and senses. Cleansing, clarifying, spring-fresh, and delightfully cheerful.

The bright licorice experiences a slight softening in terms of sharpness after a while and becomes increasingly tamer and milder. It's a pity that the fragrance cannot quite maintain the tension of the top notes, but which fragrance can? The woody elements increase, yet remain extremely radiant and take on an almost cherry-like nuance. Thus, the fragrance continues over the following hours, fading out slowly in an unremarkable but likable manner, without any further highlights or disappointments.
For all those who enjoy aromatic spice wood, this perfume is a truly fine candidate. Not exactly robust or overly charismatic, but with a lovable lively character and massive feel-good potential. I can only recommend it!

Finally, I have it. After two visits to the fragrance house, I had to order it because otherwise my forearm would have fused to my nose. Taken directly out of the elegant packaging and sprayed on. Immediately, a wave of freshness hits me. A very light lemon, strong licorice, and somehow a bit like a fresh mouthwash. But perfectly balanced. It feels cool yet strong. After a while, a very light musk note comes in, making it a bit softer. Then a bit of pepper emerges as well. The scent has excellent sillage and longevity. I think it’s great and I preferred it over the Tonic & Mint. I find it much stronger and more robust, exactly what I can wear on warm days. A true Summer Vibe.

This purchase wasn't planned - but when my regular perfumery discovered my Achilles' heel - namely giving me as many samples as possible and hoping that at least one will be purchased the next day, I have to say: Burlington Arcade, this happened to me!

The scents from the house of Atkinsons never disappoint - and this one is no exception.
I sprayed a bit at home and it metaphorically knocked me off my feet. Eyes closed, nose open - and I was in love.
Fresh, slightly overripe lemon rides in with an opulent spiciness and sweetness at the same time, but so subtly and elegantly, not intrusive or disturbing, quite the opposite.
Longevity and sillage are top-notch.
When the initial spiciness fades, a lightly orange-tinged sweet licorice scent remains that simply doesn’t get boring - chapeau.
I spent the entire evening smelling my own upper arm, and when I put the shirt in the laundry the next day, the scent caught up with me again, prompting me to buy it right away, and I now own a second bottle of it.

In fact, this scent captivates me anew every time I spray it, leaning towards autumn/winter, because Atkinsons once again achieves what few other brands can: reinterpreting tradition without appearing artificial.

A great, very complex fragrance.
The licorice note combined with the musk and patchouli creates a sweet, slightly powdery, yet still elegant perfume.
The sweetness is pleasantly subtle and gives way to a light spiciness.
For me, it's perfect for a shirt or even a suit.
One weakness is definitely the longevity.
At this price, the perfume unfortunately fades too quickly. Nevertheless, each new spray is incredibly enjoyable. A truly wonderful scent!