Royall Lyme Royall Lyme of Bermuda 1957

Ok, ok, it doesn't REALLY last five seconds, but at three hours, Royall Lyme ranks right down there with John Varvitos in its lack of duration. What's even more disappointing is that the lime you get isn't captivating -- it's a weak, watered down, non-tart lime that exists only in the top notes. It's quickly drowned by the black pepper onslaught, which is oddly mated to shaving cream. There's something spicy in that mix, too. The overall effect is something like a skin bracer followed by the shave, and it's an aggressive, retro sensation. (That may be enjoyable or offensive depending on your perspective.) In its first hour, the lime mellows out the pepper somewhat, and the silage vanishes from two feet to skin scent. In two more hours, Royall Lyme has vanished without a trace.

I really don't know what to make of this scent, being my first lime scent. I was intrigued by smelling like something sour and sweet and perhaps my expectations were set too high. It seems that the lime is just a "note of the month" to throw into the Royall Lyme of Bermuda's basic manly retro mix. If you like this company's approach (Apicus summed it up best below), they do it better in Royal Musk; if you're really craving the lime, just buy some Old Spice and drink a few margaritas!