No. 88 1981 Cologne

No. 88 (Cologne) by Czech & Speake
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7.3 / 10 123 Ratings
A perfume by Czech & Speake for women and men, released in 1981. The scent is floral-woody. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Floral
Woody
Spicy
Green
Chypre

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
BergamotBergamot
Heart Notes Heart Notes
GeraniumGeranium FrangipaniFrangipani Sweet acaciaSweet acacia Rose ottoRose otto
Base Notes Base Notes
SandalwoodSandalwood VetiverVetiver

Perfumers

Ratings
Scent
7.3123 Ratings
Longevity
7.591 Ratings
Sillage
7.074 Ratings
Bottle
7.374 Ratings
Submitted by TVC15, last update on 02.03.2024.

Reviews

4 in-depth fragrance descriptions
8
Bottle
6
Sillage
7
Longevity
9
Scent
Metalfan

9 Reviews
Translated Show original Show translation
Metalfan
Metalfan
Top Review 14  
"Ozzy´s", "Ossis" and East Frisians
The admittedly strange headline refers to the course of this special exception fragrance, which has a special significance for me because of the three "O´s". What's the matter with you? I'll just get going...

Top note: Black Sabbath! ....I know Yatagan already associated Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne with No 88 at the end of 2015 in a commentary. As a big fan of this (ex) band and trusting Yatagan´s Nase, I immediately ordered the fragrance blind.
And right in the beginning a guitar riff by Tony Lommi comes to my mind. He lost two fingertips in a factory accident, which meant the "end" for a guitarist at the end of the 60s. But not for Lommi! The guitarist has made and put on domes out of a bottle of detergent, shreds of an old leather jacket and wax, clamped thinner strings and tuned the guitar lower to reduce the string pressure. And with this completely new, tonally gloomy sound the foundation of Heavymetal was laid. No 88 is as loose as this Lommi guitar and has the same sound in the beginning!
Black Sabbath owes its name not only to bassist Geezer Butler. Also the demonic, satanic song lyrics mostly originate from him. If that sounds too scary to you, may you stay away from the spray button of the No 88! The 'cold breeze' is guaranteed - just a few minutes after spraying!
I also find drummer Bill Ward in this fragrance. No 88 has "boom" and punch. It starts like a drum roll and, becoming quieter, remains almost constant over the entire course.
Clearly, Ozzy's adding his mustard, too. His voice has something uncouth, wicked and dirty, like his signature scent No 88. And if you dare to enter the stage with such a voice, you should sing in a metal band! Where else?
On 17.1.2017 I wore No 88 in the Lanxess-Arena in Cologne to the farewell concert of the legendary Metal pioneers. I couldn't have made a better choice. Thanks again to Yatagan für´s attach!!!

Heart note: While Black Sabbath in the heart of No 88 becomes a little quieter, old memories come up in me - something "Ostalgic" spreads out! Life was simple and sociable in the GDR, where I grew up and lived until the fall of the wall.
There was a lot of life in the southern Thuringian pubs and it smelled like delicious food and Rhön beer from Kaltennordheim. And as `Ergoproxy´in told his commi, No 88 actually smells like beer. In addition there is a simple, tangy-fresh aftershave note, which resembles the legendary 'Tüff'.
At that time almost every car owner had patched and screwed his Trabi/Simson/MZ himself. And if you didn't have a workshop, you might have stood on the side of the road with a tool box. At the extension cord an angle grinder and go ging´s. The flying sparks stuck quite often in my nose (especially since my petrol lighter was always empty :)). Today I spray No 88 on, wait about an hour and the sparks fly again.
After work it's time to wash your hands and where soap didn't help, Linda Neutral helped. Actually it was a detergent in paste form but I didn't know anybody who used it for laundry, but there was Spee. I haven't had Linda Neutral under my nose for a long time, but if my olfactory memory doesn't cloud me, No 88 actually has that mark. It's not bad! Maybe a little "gross motor" but also clean and well maintained. And to be honest, there are enough fabric softeners on the perfume shelves - or?

Base note: No 88 presents itself as a dark man with a melancholic, bitter face over the entire course. Nevertheless, he loves action and adventure. But when he gets tired, he wants to go home to seclusion. He wants to stuff a pipe at his old wooden table and drink tea with his wife in peace of mind. It all sounds comprehensible, but his journey is like a transmigration of souls. The journey began on the 'boards that mean the world' as part of a British metal band. Finally he wandered as "Ossi" through the old GDR and ended up as East Frisian in a small hut on the Wadden Sea. Bill Ward´s Drumroll turns into a whistling wind that never sleeps in East Frisia. The wind gives off the aroma of the countless wild rose hedges that farmers have created to protect themselves from sandstorms. A little pulls through the cracks of the small hut and mixes with the warm wood, tobacco, tea and a few cinnamon stars (very close to the skin the whole).
His wife lights a candle with a match. Whether from headlights, flying sparks, a flex or candlelight, he always has a sparkle in his eyes.

Note at the end: No 88 you should never spray yourself on the clothes! Some fragrances like that, but it only unfolds on the skin.
7 Comments
5
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
6
Scent
Dolby

68 Reviews
Dolby
Dolby
Helpful Review 7  
Retro does it… Or does it?
Not foolproof by any means, especially with today’s modern molecules, but the colour depth of the jus tends to be a good indicator of the strength that lies within.
“The bottle is opaque black you silly!” I hear you say.
Yes, well, I have a sample in a clear vial and it’s dark brown, so there.

Turns out to be a wrist-sniffer, but one that is centering on the “Do I like it?” question.
I’m not sure, is the answer.
It reminds me of those French soaps made by Roger & Gallet one would find adorning the side of a porcelain washbowl.
There is something somewhat charming about it.
Something traditional and old school.
It summons wartime notions of coquetterie when resources were scarce and girls would get creative.
Sadly, even expensive soap can turn into populace soup.
The former is meant to leave a barely there veil on the skin, whilst the latter, if you get trigger happy, will be anything but.

Probably won’t wear it again but as a one off, it’s pleasant enough.
3 Comments
2.5
Bottle
10
Sillage
10
Longevity
4
Scent
Drseid

819 Reviews
Drseid
Drseid
Helpful Review 4  
Medicinal Rose...
This one I can't say I "hate" but I definitely dislike it and don't want to wear it again. I have no problem with masculine rose scents in general, but No.88 is a bit "in your face" and overpowering at the start with the rose and bergamot notes... then it turned sour and medicinal on my skin making me take pause... Shortly afterwards, the medicinal smell faded and the incense kicked in big time and stayed there to compliment the dry rose. This part is probably the best part of the scent, but it just is too much for me. I can understand the love this one gets, but I think it just is not a fit for my personal tastes and I definitely could see this 2 out of 5 star release being somewhat polarizing. Try before you buy.
0 Comments
7.5
Sillage
7.5
Longevity
5
Scent
Sherapop

1239 Reviews
Sherapop
Sherapop
Helpful Review 3  
Subtlety is not one of the virtues of this perfume.
To my nose, Czech & Speake No 88 is a very woody floriental with something of a chypre feeling as well. Subtley is not one of the virtues of this perfume. Sillage is big and longevity is good, so once again I have to disagree with the categorization by this house of this liquid as a cologne. But, hey, better to err in this direction than in the other!

I guess that, when all is said and sniffed, I find 88 to be a bit heavy-handed. The vetiver seems rough and scratchy--almost harsh--here, and it must be the geranium which is contributing a kind of sharp intensity to the composition. Other fragrance community websites also call this unisex, as does the card accompanying the manufacturer's sample which I am testing. As they put it: "Enjoyed by both men and women." Hmmm... not so much by this woman. Désolée.
0 Comments

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