Mint & Tonic Atkinsons 2018

Mint and citrus notes, along with ginger and geranium - this sounds like the ultimate fresh fragrance! Even the name "Mint & Tonic" promises cool and bitter nuances, reminiscent of certain summer cocktails. Everything to my taste, I thought, and eagerly awaited the bottle I had ordered for sharing. This - well-shaped, made of solid glass and fitted with a metal cap - arrived in a simple and nicely designed package. The first impression counts, and Atkinsons certainly knows how to please (both visually and tactilely).

However, the first spray was somewhat sobering. Fresh, citrusy, and green, Mint & Tonic does indeed come across that way, but it's less cooling than I expected. The realistic bitterness brought by grapefruit and lime, alongside their sour characteristics, is pleasant, but unfortunately, the mint gets a bit overshadowed, so I would rather describe it as a diffuse green note. I can't initially detect much development, as apart from the barely perceptible geranium, which fits into the bright, friendly picture, there is no trace of ginger with its genuine spiciness. After three to four hours of wearing it for the first time, I thought the fragrance would gradually fade away. However, eventually, a warm-spicy and woody base does emerge, which, in my opinion, projects a bit more strongly again.

However, that is still too flattering a description, as Mint & Tonic strikes me as exceedingly subtle. A commonly used euphemism in this context is the term 'office scent', which usually indicates that it doesn't clash but is also typically only worn at work. Thus, I see Mint & Tonic as a nice fragrance that one can wear with a clear conscience, but it also quickly fades from memory. In this genre - citrusy, green, fresh, dry-spicy - I consider XerJoff's Nio to be a vastly better alternative, although its price is not necessarily justified. Although I really like mint in its natural form, the search for a corresponding perfume remains a challenging affair, and I prefer tonic in an alcoholic cold drink. Cheers!