Lemon
Musk
Bergamot
Orange blossom
Apicius
1328 Reviews
Apicius
Helpful Review
6
It does the trick!
The house of Guerlain has a certain affinity to the classic Eau de Cologne. Each generation of perfumers created at least one: Eau de Cologne Imperiale, Eau du Coq, Eau de Guerlain and others. Thierry Wasser, the current Guerlain inhouse perfumer also continued this tradition – in a quite contemporary way.
The story told here is that Thierry Wasser originally created this Cologne for himself when he was busy working on Idylle. It was his kind of getting some relaxation. Not all stories Guerlain tells us are true, but this one surely is comprehensible: The austere and tart character of Cologne du Parfumeur is quite suitable for a gentleman with dark hair and maybe also a darker complexion – much more than the traditional neroli-centered type of Eau de Cologne.
And so, Cologne du Parfumeur is very much on a woody-herbal-lemony side rather than the orange, neroli and floral style - even more than Guerlain’s first Eau de Cologne, the Imperiale from the 19th century, with its pastel-colored lemony softness.
There have been attempts to present Eau de Colognes more meaty, gripping, robust, and in doing so, making it more wearable for men. One example worth mentioning is Maître Parfumeur et Gantier’s Eau pour le Jeune Homme, with woody notes added to the classic accord. However, these results are not always convincing. If airiness and lightness are sacrificed on the altar of alleged masculinity, an Eau de Cologne may lose its soul.
But Thierry Wasser’s Cologne does the trick! Without completely leaving the concept of Eau de Cologne, Cologne du Parfumeur was given a different olfactory colour: Instead of the Imperial’s fluffy pastel colours, I see shades of light grey – that is distinguished and wearable, lean and modern! Instead of stressing masculinity by strong dark and heavy notes, the floral part is very much reduced, plus a very lean and acerb woody-musky note in the base.
Yes, there is a base note! In fact, the Imperiale was Guerlain’s only pure doctrine Eau de Cologne containing only top notes. Any of the following was granted more longevity, and also Cologne du Parfumeur has at least Eau de Toilette strength.
Not being a member of the family, Thierry Wasser’s creations are being approached with reservation by some Guerlain enthusiasts. Cologne du Parfumeur however is very much Guerlain. It stands amidst some other of their fragrances, like a connector, yet, it has enough character of its own. The woody-musky base note of Cologne du Parfumeur links it to Cologne du 68: it is a bit like this overladen fragrance stripped down to its basics. If you look at its general character of being lemony-woody, Cologne du Parfumeur mostly resembles Thierry Wasser’s Homme L’Eau! Lemon and bergamot here, grapefruit and mint there do not make a big difference in style. That comes with the base. The Homme L’Eau has that slightly voluminous, sensual and sexy Homme base note, while the woodiness in Cologne du Parfumeur is less physical .It is more straightforward and has more acerbity, and if you would like to call the Homme base note somewhat musty, Cologne du Parfumeur’s is not. Also, Cologne du Parfumeur focusses more at the top notes which can be seen as a hint towards its Eau de Cologne origin.
Homme L’Eau or Cologne du Parfumeur? The question which one is better cannot be clearly answered. So far, the Homme L’Eau has been given a better marketing and is widely available, while Cologne du Parfumeur has been doomed to a shadowy existence beneath the exclusives of the Maison Guerlain shops. I think it deserves something better.
The story told here is that Thierry Wasser originally created this Cologne for himself when he was busy working on Idylle. It was his kind of getting some relaxation. Not all stories Guerlain tells us are true, but this one surely is comprehensible: The austere and tart character of Cologne du Parfumeur is quite suitable for a gentleman with dark hair and maybe also a darker complexion – much more than the traditional neroli-centered type of Eau de Cologne.
And so, Cologne du Parfumeur is very much on a woody-herbal-lemony side rather than the orange, neroli and floral style - even more than Guerlain’s first Eau de Cologne, the Imperiale from the 19th century, with its pastel-colored lemony softness.
There have been attempts to present Eau de Colognes more meaty, gripping, robust, and in doing so, making it more wearable for men. One example worth mentioning is Maître Parfumeur et Gantier’s Eau pour le Jeune Homme, with woody notes added to the classic accord. However, these results are not always convincing. If airiness and lightness are sacrificed on the altar of alleged masculinity, an Eau de Cologne may lose its soul.
But Thierry Wasser’s Cologne does the trick! Without completely leaving the concept of Eau de Cologne, Cologne du Parfumeur was given a different olfactory colour: Instead of the Imperial’s fluffy pastel colours, I see shades of light grey – that is distinguished and wearable, lean and modern! Instead of stressing masculinity by strong dark and heavy notes, the floral part is very much reduced, plus a very lean and acerb woody-musky note in the base.
Yes, there is a base note! In fact, the Imperiale was Guerlain’s only pure doctrine Eau de Cologne containing only top notes. Any of the following was granted more longevity, and also Cologne du Parfumeur has at least Eau de Toilette strength.
Not being a member of the family, Thierry Wasser’s creations are being approached with reservation by some Guerlain enthusiasts. Cologne du Parfumeur however is very much Guerlain. It stands amidst some other of their fragrances, like a connector, yet, it has enough character of its own. The woody-musky base note of Cologne du Parfumeur links it to Cologne du 68: it is a bit like this overladen fragrance stripped down to its basics. If you look at its general character of being lemony-woody, Cologne du Parfumeur mostly resembles Thierry Wasser’s Homme L’Eau! Lemon and bergamot here, grapefruit and mint there do not make a big difference in style. That comes with the base. The Homme L’Eau has that slightly voluminous, sensual and sexy Homme base note, while the woodiness in Cologne du Parfumeur is less physical .It is more straightforward and has more acerbity, and if you would like to call the Homme base note somewhat musty, Cologne du Parfumeur’s is not. Also, Cologne du Parfumeur focusses more at the top notes which can be seen as a hint towards its Eau de Cologne origin.
Homme L’Eau or Cologne du Parfumeur? The question which one is better cannot be clearly answered. So far, the Homme L’Eau has been given a better marketing and is widely available, while Cologne du Parfumeur has been doomed to a shadowy existence beneath the exclusives of the Maison Guerlain shops. I think it deserves something better.
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