Top Notes 
Bergamot
Coriander
Heart Notes 
Jasmine
Peach
Pineapple
Base Notes 
Patchouli
Sandalwood
Vetiver
Profumo
289 Reviews
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Profumo
Top Review
20
Peach and Pineapple from Scotland? No way! .... or is it?
When one thinks of Scotland, of half-ruined castles, of deep lochs carved into the landscape, of dark showers chasing over lush green, of midges (tiny mosquitoes that appear in swarms), of shortbread and haggis, one expects everything but certainly not this scent.
The small perfume manufactory that bears the name 'Castle Forbes' is indeed striving to connect with British fragrance heritage - we encounter plenty of fern, which in itself is odorless, but as a Fougère (fern) accord (lavender-tonka-moss) should be familiar to everyone’s nose, as well as many, many citrus notes. This is all quite classic and tradition-conscious, but with 'Lonach', 'Castle Forbes' dares to make a genuine deviation.
If this fragrance were in the portfolio of, let’s say, Guerlain, Lanvin, or Patou, and bore the year of its creation as 1923 - I wouldn’t be surprised. And so I place this scent much further south and in a completely different past than the Scottish lords would have me believe. For when I spray 'Lonach', a kind of masculine 'Mitsouko' or 'Femme' de Rochas immediately wafts from my arm: fresh bergamot, combined with a hint of herb-spicy coriander, followed by fruity accents (peach and pineapple) on a smoky-woody base with green-mossy nuances. But it is neither the bright opening nor the chypre-like epilogue that surprises, but rather what unfolds in between: the fruits, the intense smoke, with slightly floral notes in the background. All of this is not at all the kilt-wearing Scottish nobility; it is more like a 1920s diva in a garçonne outfit: bobbed hair, a tailored men's suit, along with a long-tipped cigarette.
But please do not misunderstand: the fragrance certainly has masculine potential, especially in the base, but this does not develop from the well-known arsenal of classic men’s colognes, but rather from the world of no less classic, yet highly contemporary, fruity women’s chypres like 'Profumo' by Acqua di Parma or the aforementioned 'Mitsouko'.
These decidedly androgynous fragrances are thus the ancestors of 'Lonach', particularly the scent from Acqua di Parma (in its old formulation). It too features similarly fruity and smoky accents, on a comparably strong, slightly oriental chypre base. 'Lonach', as a later descendant, is however a bit rougher and wilder in its handling, not quite so polished, but equally gender-neutral.
When I first got to know this fragrance years ago, a highly competent and friendly lady praised it to me as something very special and extraordinary; I was just as surprised that it was supposed to be a men’s fragrance as I was astonished that I liked it so much. Until then, I had little idea of the fragrance world of the pre-war years, although 'Knize Ten' had been in my collection for some time, but 'Lonach' was to become a kind of bridge that later helped me discover 'Profumo' and eventually 'Mitsouko', along with many, many others.
But I won’t hide the fact that I initially found it difficult to wear this fragrance. I wore it somewhat secretly: just a small spritz on my wrist, that was all I allowed myself. Back then, I was not yet so practiced in wearing ambiguous scents, and I felt a certain shame at being seen as a wearer of a supposed women’s fragrance. Today, I couldn’t care less, as we would say: it’s all the same to me. I wear 'Lonach' with pride and joy, and enjoy the feeling every time of wearing a truly special, idiosyncratic fragrance that absolutely does not harmonize with the common mainstream.
But others may think what they want. So far, I have only been approached about it by women, and the comments have always been friendly, often accompanied by the question of which fragrance it was.
However, it should also be noted that while 'Lonach' is a good and beautiful fragrance, it has moderate longevity. Perhaps this flaw has improved with the new EdP version - I don’t know, as I still have the old EdT.
But what does it matter? The fragrance is offered in a 125ml bottle and is relatively inexpensive. So if the experience of 'Lonach' is too fleeting, just apply more!
Friends of classic perfume artistry will surely find joy in this scent. However, those looking for a modern fragrance dedicated to today’s men should not consider it at all.
The small perfume manufactory that bears the name 'Castle Forbes' is indeed striving to connect with British fragrance heritage - we encounter plenty of fern, which in itself is odorless, but as a Fougère (fern) accord (lavender-tonka-moss) should be familiar to everyone’s nose, as well as many, many citrus notes. This is all quite classic and tradition-conscious, but with 'Lonach', 'Castle Forbes' dares to make a genuine deviation.
If this fragrance were in the portfolio of, let’s say, Guerlain, Lanvin, or Patou, and bore the year of its creation as 1923 - I wouldn’t be surprised. And so I place this scent much further south and in a completely different past than the Scottish lords would have me believe. For when I spray 'Lonach', a kind of masculine 'Mitsouko' or 'Femme' de Rochas immediately wafts from my arm: fresh bergamot, combined with a hint of herb-spicy coriander, followed by fruity accents (peach and pineapple) on a smoky-woody base with green-mossy nuances. But it is neither the bright opening nor the chypre-like epilogue that surprises, but rather what unfolds in between: the fruits, the intense smoke, with slightly floral notes in the background. All of this is not at all the kilt-wearing Scottish nobility; it is more like a 1920s diva in a garçonne outfit: bobbed hair, a tailored men's suit, along with a long-tipped cigarette.
But please do not misunderstand: the fragrance certainly has masculine potential, especially in the base, but this does not develop from the well-known arsenal of classic men’s colognes, but rather from the world of no less classic, yet highly contemporary, fruity women’s chypres like 'Profumo' by Acqua di Parma or the aforementioned 'Mitsouko'.
These decidedly androgynous fragrances are thus the ancestors of 'Lonach', particularly the scent from Acqua di Parma (in its old formulation). It too features similarly fruity and smoky accents, on a comparably strong, slightly oriental chypre base. 'Lonach', as a later descendant, is however a bit rougher and wilder in its handling, not quite so polished, but equally gender-neutral.
When I first got to know this fragrance years ago, a highly competent and friendly lady praised it to me as something very special and extraordinary; I was just as surprised that it was supposed to be a men’s fragrance as I was astonished that I liked it so much. Until then, I had little idea of the fragrance world of the pre-war years, although 'Knize Ten' had been in my collection for some time, but 'Lonach' was to become a kind of bridge that later helped me discover 'Profumo' and eventually 'Mitsouko', along with many, many others.
But I won’t hide the fact that I initially found it difficult to wear this fragrance. I wore it somewhat secretly: just a small spritz on my wrist, that was all I allowed myself. Back then, I was not yet so practiced in wearing ambiguous scents, and I felt a certain shame at being seen as a wearer of a supposed women’s fragrance. Today, I couldn’t care less, as we would say: it’s all the same to me. I wear 'Lonach' with pride and joy, and enjoy the feeling every time of wearing a truly special, idiosyncratic fragrance that absolutely does not harmonize with the common mainstream.
But others may think what they want. So far, I have only been approached about it by women, and the comments have always been friendly, often accompanied by the question of which fragrance it was.
However, it should also be noted that while 'Lonach' is a good and beautiful fragrance, it has moderate longevity. Perhaps this flaw has improved with the new EdP version - I don’t know, as I still have the old EdT.
But what does it matter? The fragrance is offered in a 125ml bottle and is relatively inexpensive. So if the experience of 'Lonach' is too fleeting, just apply more!
Friends of classic perfume artistry will surely find joy in this scent. However, those looking for a modern fragrance dedicated to today’s men should not consider it at all.
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