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Davidoff Davidoff 1984 Eau de Toilette

8.3 / 10 206 Ratings

A popular perfume by Davidoff for men, released in 1984. The scent is spicy-green. The longevity is above-average. The production was apparently discontinued.
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Main accords

Spicy

Green

Fresh

Woody

Citrus

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Basil

Fruity notes Lemon

Lemon

Bergamot

Lime

Mugwort

Heart Notes

Thyme

Carnation

Iris

Jasmine

Rose

Cedarwood

Hay

Base Notes

Castoreum

Moss

Frankincense Leather

Leather

Patchouli

Ambergris

Vetiver

Perfumer

Edouard Fléchier

Ratings

Scent

8.3206 Ratings

Longevity

8.4170 Ratings

Sillage

8.0164 Ratings

Bottle

7.1161 Ratings

Value for money

7.449 Ratings

Submitted by Nw1990 · last update on 02/26/2026.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Davidoff After Shave

Vermeil for Men

Perfumus After Shave

Macassar Eau de Toilette

Perfumus Eau de Toilette

Cuba Cologne

Reviews

22 in-depth fragrance descriptions

12/24/2012

8Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

Drseid
828 Reviews

Drseid

Helpful Review 5

Welcome To One Of The Finest Of The Powerhouse 80s...

Davidoff opens with a strong lime note, mixed with just a hint of lemon. This lemon-lime tandem immediately mingles with a very strong oak moss rising all the way from the base, giving the open a very mossy-citric vibe. The oakmoss remains into the heart, now joined by an emerging leather accord that takes a co-starring role with the oakmoss supported by a slightly herb-laced floral tandem consisting of carnation and rose. As Davidoff enters the dry-down stage, it presents primarily as a powdery mossy castoreum-laced leather. Projection and longevity are both excellent.

Davidoff is a fine scent that represents what the best powerhouse scents of the 80s are all about. It must have a tremendous amount of oakmoss in it, as when you spray it on skin you immediately get a blast of that mossy base that you can no longer find in current releases due to ingredient restrictions. The lemon-lime citric mossy green open is quite unique despite many others attempting to emulate it over the years, leading to the fabulous leathery finish. If I have any gripe with Davidoff, it would have to be the scent turns a bit more powdery than I like in the dry-down, but with that said, the overall scent from top to bottom is pretty amazing. As an aside, it is a shame Davidoff is discontinued, but knowing how restricted the oakmoss in it is nowadays, I regrettably have to agree with the decision, as it would not smell anything like it used to if still available today. My advice is to seek out a discontinued bottle as quickly as you can, as they are becoming very scarce and quite pricey on places like eBay. The excellent smelling original Davidoff earns 4 stars out of 5.

01/26/2013

10Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Yatagan
416 Reviews

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Yatagan

Top Review 35

The Fog of Childhood

Memories of childhood are often very clear, as if it were yesterday. Even very elderly people know this. Sometimes, however, the memories are blurred, as if one were looking through a frosted glass pane and could no longer recognize the details. This is especially true for memories that are very far back. Often, however, there are also events that seemed important to us at the time, but which have been pushed to the lower end of the significance scale over the years. It is remarkable, though, that we like to remember small everyday experiences, like drinking Sunday coffee in the morning, a walk through stubble fields (do children today still know the feeling of walking through stubble fields?), or flying a kite in the autumn.

At some point, I realized that even these seemingly everyday, insignificant memories are often associated with scents. I associate Sunday with the smell of fresh coffee, the stubble fields smell of earth and straw in my memory, and flying a kite brings to mind the fresh air, the wind carrying the scent of rain.

In everyday life, my father often used only an aftershave. That was not unusual in his generation. Most men would probably have considered it inappropriate to use an expensive fragrance all the time. During my childhood, however, "Russian Leather" by Farina was in use. The scent is as old as I am (born in '67) and thus accompanied me through the early years of my childhood.

After a few years, my father preferred to use a more expensive fragrance on certain occasions, which included Sundays or dining out at a restaurant. After some testing and frequent changes, he discovered the classic Davidoff in 1984 - and this accompanied him throughout his life.

So I think, when I think of Sundays, vacations, family outings with my father, I inevitably always think of this scent. The beauty of it, however, is that this scent is not only associated with everyday memories but also with beautiful shared experiences, and therefore evokes less melancholic feelings in me than Russian Leather.

With Davidoff's first and best fragrance, I am convinced not only by the charm of the memory. Ultimately, it is the scent itself that speaks for itself and is able to convince. Unfortunately, I only possess an old bottle, as the fragrance has not been produced for a long time. It came into my possession after my father's death and has been rarely used, as it contains only a small residue of the scent. It is a bit like what remains of a person when they have passed away. Much has gone, and yet something remains that one wants to keep and not let go of.

The opening is lightly citrusy, but from the very beginning also contains components of herbs. It is admirable how the perfumers have managed to maintain the balance between citrus and herbal components. Most men's fragrances tend to lean strongly in one direction or the other. Davidoff, however, remains balanced, harmonious, and yet strong.

The same applies to the heart note. Here, cumin is quite dominant, easily discernible, but it does not come across as sharp or harsh, as it is balanced and cushioned by the floral components. Here too, the impression of great harmony remains, a balance between stricter and softer components - as a scented idea of masculinity.

The base contains the fragrance ingredient that, for me, almost goes without saying in a good men's scent, yet due to its allergenic properties, now only appears in the form of synthetic substitutes in fragrances: oakmoss. This could also be the reason why this extraordinary, incomparable scent is no longer produced. Perhaps it will still be possible to present an adequate successor, similar to Jil Sanders Man Pure from the '80s. It deserves it.

The only men's fragrance on the market that reminds me a bit of Davidoff's first is Geo F. Trump's Astor. Even older than Davidoff, perhaps the founder of the fragrance family of colognes with the scent profile of lemon - herbs - cumin - moss, it has unfortunately always remained a somewhat overlooked exotic.

Until the very end, a soft leather note remains, with which the fragrance then slowly, very slowly, bids farewell.

The memories fade and blur.

02/19/2018

8Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

loewenherz
920 Reviews

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loewenherz

Top Review 33

'Men are surely the most primitive, stupid, and miserable beings around!'

we are heartily taught at the end of the 80s in Loriot's wonderful first film 'Ödipussi' by Mrs. Mengelberg, one of the 'patients' in Dr. Tietze's (diploma) psychological group, in whose open-plan office two ladies and eleven gentlemen work. And every time she goes from the customer registration to the purchasing department, she has to pass through accounting. And there, Mr. Wegner touches her - from behind. Well, that's surely the most primitive and...

Over the years, I have experienced that the specific fine humor for which my generation and the generations before love Mr. von Bülow's work is perhaps less timeless than I thought. For many born after 1990, it hardly evokes enthusiasm anymore. (And it is probably also a very German humor - yes, it seems to actually exist! - because even most Swiss or Austrians find it only moderately funny.)

And it's a bit like Loriot's humor with fragrances. Often, those from the past work best for those who already knew them in that past. Undoubtedly, there will also be aficionados of younger generations who are passionate about scents like Davidoff, but the general taste has changed significantly since then. For many noses that have been socialized only recently, one like this will probably seem intimidating, over-processed, perhaps outdated. Davidoff's Hellgrüner is like an old bachelor of uncompromising, archaic masculinity: basil, mugwort, thyme - along with patchouli, incense, castoreum - my goodness, who does such things today? A splash is enough to fling open the olfactory gate to the 80s - decades before the aquatics and sweet disco scents dominated the men's segment of the (mainstream) fragrance world. I find it almost more beautiful today than back then - in the 80s I was still too young for perfume, let alone for a fleet of Davidoff's dimensions - and today I can better appreciate its qualities. But I also laugh at Loriot.

In conclusion, in the words of Dr. Giesebrecht: 'You’ll get one right on the back, Mrs. Mengelberg!'

Updated on 02/20/2018

08/12/2025

10Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Axiomatic
150 Reviews

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Axiomatic

Top Review 31

Davidoff Essence No. 1 - Conscientious

Davidoff and fragrances deserve a well-earned trilogy.
From the fourth entry onwards, it noticeably became mediocre, so later works will only be mentioned in passing.

Three fragrances, three masters.

In a two-year rhythm, these compositions shook up the men's fragrance sector in the German-speaking world during the 1980s.

Peter Schmidt designed the elegant bottles with their delicate sevenfold grooves on the round sides.
He was also responsible for the clear design language at Jil Sander during that time. Even Wolfgang Joop signed him on.

The first strike in the Davidoff company went to Edouard Fléchier, conductor of bombastic sound dimensions of the 1980s.

1984.

Four years of Thatcherism and a delicately young cabbage blossom began to accelerate on the highway.
The initial difficulties of the early 1980s were mastered through healthy redistribution of wealth to the top and magnificent national debt, slowly golden fruits of investments began to sprout. And an affluent middle class was allowed to make the cash registers ring.

Somehow magical.

Come on, let's let The Cars croon their Magic, the sound is so characteristic of that 1984.

That same year, the matching car, the Mercedes-Benz series 124, hit the market, which was later called the E-Class.

I mean, is there really a need for further elaboration on the cultural impact on our federal republic?

Certain fathers at the automotive zenith behind picket fences in suburban gardens.

But how should they smell now?
After all, the quality of their clothing was rising, their image needed urgent polishing without shocking anyone.
The Chypre genre has proven to be quite suitable.

I was still too young and rebellious at the time to carry the following dive into the herbal, even the herbal. Nevertheless, I liked to smell it on the fathers of my clique.

To you fathers in honor…

Hiss!

Mr. Fléchier knows how to get straight to the point.
Young, Pershing Two rockets full of limes, lemons, bergamots, and whatever citrus grows on trees burst into the nose, instilling fear in the Warsaw Pact. Plus, these chopped herbs for the perfect meat marinade, well-seasoned with extra thyme.
I can already see the hot grill glowing from the Hollywood swing.

For from the base, it smokes super pleasantly, as incense and green vetiver were a bit eager to ring in the well-deserved weekend after a hard day's work.
Just barely avoided the annoying traffic jam on the A66, zooming towards sunny peaceful suburbia and leaving Frankfurt/M. swamp behind.

I will get to the heart of the fragrance, as it is initially hard to discern.
Daddy's secret.

Let's stay in the base, which is unmistakably territory-marking.
If the children are in danger of getting into a tight spot, dad is ready with leather and strong beaver musk to save them at any time.

Yeah, John Saxon as Lieutenant Don Thompson can chase Freddy Krueger from Elm Street away thanks to the herbal superiority and wooden cedar club.
Who wouldn't have wanted such a dad back then?

But since conscientiousness is not only desired as a noble virtue but also rewarded, our fragrance magician Edouard Fléchier offers one of the most beautiful medals of iris root.

My goodness, he knew how to shape this noble plant in a herbaceous masculine way, not sweet or powdery at all. Its scent represents the steadfast rhizome, which only allows for the chivalrous bloom. A rootstock thus carries the family tree.
Here a nobly reserved rose, there a loyal servant of jasmine, all wonderfully tangy and sour framed by vetiver.
This coat of exquisite origin is quite difficult to discern amidst the powerful herbs.

Almost like a task in the never-ending story, in which Gerald McRaney, the lovingly concerned dad of Bastian, only wants the best for his son.

Did I mention the patchouli?
Dark, earthy, and mossy, covered with a hint of salty sea breeze.
Wonderfully maintained!
After all, one stands firmly with both feet in life!

Just like our chief inspector Leo Kress (Rolf Schimpf) with silver hair.
His suit gray, his Mercedes 124 gray, his everyday life gray.
But he always fights for good and holds great value for duty and order. And for Henry Johnson (Charles Muhamed Huber), the herbal heartbreaker of the special department.
Davidoff also wafted along the Isar. And creates the transition to perhaps the most important aspect.

For those who now believe that eroticism should be lacking in the fragrance are mistaken.
It is precisely the crashing of the herbs, the leather straps, and the unmistakable musk of the beaver with a certain something from jasmine that must have fit like a second skin for that German Olympian of the 1984 Los Angeles Games, Jürgen Hingsen.
Here, eroticism impresses with hard power and endurance.

So, there's something for everyone.

However, I'm not so sure if the men of Herbert Grönemeyer were targeted as the fragrance's audience back then.
Maybe.
But actually, yes.
Yes, definitely!

So, for anyone still wearing skinny jeans at a certain age, riding a cargo bike loaded with kids while keeping an eye on their smartphone, and younger at heart than Alwin Matthias Junior in Koppe, they should definitely try this fragrance through their nose.

Well, feeling envious of the ancestors?

I, for one, am glad to have experienced such a knockout, both in terms of scent and family.

Today, I guard this steadfastness like my own eye, a precious treasure!

Updated on 02/26/2026

12/30/2018

8Scent 9Longevity 9Sillage

Ernstheiter
41 Reviews

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Ernstheiter

Top Review 22

Beaver in Armani pour Homme

In many of the collections represented here, there are fragrances from times gone by. They may have found their way there for many different reasons. Often, it is the slightly melancholic attempt to preserve the memory of particularly beautiful moments or periods of life by wearing such a fragrance. I have done this with Macassar by Rochas and Jil Sander Man Pure. And of course with Davidoff. I associate all three fragrances with the 80s, with my student days and carefree living (which, in an honest and emotionless retrospect, it really wasn't).

Davidoff starts off fresh, but only for a very brief moment with a yellow-citrusy note. Very quickly, this citrus freshness turns green, not grassy, but rather a Mediterranean garden green. At the same time, a restrained sharpness develops, slightly shrill without being painful. It conveys an impression of spicy soapiness. Many fragrances from the 80s have this soapiness, which can range from slightly sweaty to urinous depending on the intensity. This is not the case with Davidoff. The soapiness does not overshadow the green freshness but remains trapped within it.

Gradually, the green direction of Davidoff fades, and leather emerges. The soapiness is still present but takes on a slightly animalistic touch, likely caused by the beaver musk. Thanks to its sparing dosage, there is no impression of stable or animal cage odor.

In its Mediterranean-fresh orientation, Davidoff reminds me of Armani pour Homme. Both originate from the year 1984 and share many fragrance notes. Unfortunately, I haven't had Armani pour Homme under my nose for many, many years, and perhaps my memory is playing tricks on me; but it seems to me that Davidoff is a distant relative of ApH, which has been given a sour-animalistic twist by the addition of beaver musk.

As a child of its time, Davidoff has great staying power and a rather bold sillage. While I disappeared into the Davidoff fog in the 80s, today caution is advisable with the dosage.

More reviews

Statements

34 short views on the fragrance

Charilaos77

3 years ago

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Dense and powerful leathery chypre, typical of its era. Beautiful

Axiomatic

6 months ago

10Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Deep green herbal, solidly leathery
Vetiver elegantly incense-like
Masculine and animalistic
A heart of iris
(that's how iris root goes)
Solid chypre

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Foxear

4 years ago

9Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Green-spicy opening, leather-moss base. Oakmoss adds retro charm, castoreum breathes warmth. Still feels masculine and confident today.

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Theris

8 months ago

8Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

Not the harsh and bitter
More the gentleman
Who on a citrus morning
Plants greens like moss
For his little chypre friend
Gives a few flowers

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Eggi37

9 months ago

8Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Citrusy-fresh leather chypre
with a bitter-fruity touch &
lots of green moss
Leather adds warm depth &
a hint of animalic
For older gentlemen

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Schalkerin

4 years ago

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

When Davidoff was released back then, it was one of the best and
most worn fragrances of the 80s. Still a
dreamy green scent.

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Scentwolf

2 years ago

9Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

When being a banker was still a serious profession and called a bankier.
I was still too young for him back then.
I bought it anyway.
Beginner's luck.

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Cenno

2 years ago

9Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Central star at its zenith, bronze-gold shimmering moss gong strike: all kinds of life startles from the underbrush, scattering into sparkling prism shards.

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