Citrus - Wood

Citrus & Wood

Yardley 2011

This was a blind buy and I was worried that it might smell like lemon furniture polish. However considering the low price and the very favourable reviews I decided to give it a go and was very pleased with my purchase. What you get is a very refined and very classy smelling fragrance. It may be a 'cheapie' but in no way does it smell like it. Essentially it does exactly what it says on the bottle in the fact that it smells of both citrus and wood. Not a particularly helpful statement you may think, but it delivers exactly what it promises and that is never a bad thing.

Natural smelling zesty lime, orange, birch wood, and vetiver is what I get. You certainly can't complain about false advertising on this one. Citrus & Wood is a more linear, cleaner Terre D'Hermes, but with a strong lime note. Its drugstore origins bely its quality.

Projection is decent for the first hour, after which it becomes a skin scent and lasts about 3 hours in total, 5 if you overspray (which I always do). Not bad for a cheapie.

Masculinity Level: It's all good, man.

C&W opens with a sharp, alcoholic blast of lemon that within the next 30 minutes evolves into an extremely pleasant, refreshing drydown with birch, vetiver and sandalwood.

It's a very pleasing allround scent for adult (30+) fellas that can be used for work as well as leisure time - only be aware you shouldn't use this as a refresher in betweens meetings - or your colleagues will think you've just downed half a bottle of gin until the drydown settles ;-)
I really like this little cheapie, though the "standard" bottle with the paper label does look really - well, cheap!

Sillage is medium/OK, but the longevity rather poor - I get a max of 3 hours from this baby.

A recommendation for Yardley should be to give it some steroids, make a long lasting intense or EDP version and stuff it into a somewhat more classy bottle. They could easily double the price, and I would still be buying it.

PS: I can see that Yardley also make a "Gentleman Citrus & Wood" and am rather curious if that one is an intense version or just a limited edition ?

I love old-fashioned things.
So why not also old-fashioned fragrances ...?
Many comments I found here in the forum were written in a wonderfully clear, precise, and delightfully old-fashioned language that stirred great anticipation in me.
This is also true in this case.

Yatagan has managed to make me extremely curious about this fragrance. So far, I must have overlooked this small, almost inconspicuous, but very fine perfume ...
Citrus&Wood delivers what the name promises, so much can be said upfront.
It is a noble, understated scent that opens with a surprisingly green, deeply resonant citrus accord. I mean, I can distinctly perceive the bright, friendly, and yet unobtrusive bergamot. But there are also other citrus undertones that remind of bitter oranges and subtly accompany the bergamot.
This very balanced, delicate, and yet long-lasting citrus accord is immediately joined by noble woods. Polished woods, finely chiseled, over which the bergamot dances like a sunbeam.
Some time later, a light, very pleasant leather note joins in, mixing an incredibly soothing hint of amber into the fragrance's progression. This softens the green, radiant cedar, allowing it to shimmer softly and warmly.
All of this is present without being intrusive.
It feels so familiar ...
One thinks they have always known this scent.

Citrus & Wood can undoubtedly be considered one of those “Gentleman Fragrances” that - very much in the tradition of venerable barbershop scents like Imperial Lime Cologne or Victorian Lime - knows how to combine noble understatement with classic, self-assured style.

Yardley, one of the purveyors to Prince Charles and the Queen, has always been known for its clear line. The various rose fragrances smell of (English) rose (what else?), Yardley English Lavender smells of (well, what do you think), there was once a Narcissus or a Magnolia, or perhaps there still is, and they smell of... etc.

When such a manufacturer composes a fragrance called Citrus & Wood, it is almost revolutionary and may slightly confuse some brand buyers. A glance at the fragrance notes makes it even more obvious: They have boldly played with unfamiliar components and deliberately selected everything (Prince Charles hopefully isn't shocked) that can enhance the impression of wood. As is well known, such an impression of pure wood does not arise when only a single wood component is used (e.g., cedar or sandalwood oil), but only through the right mixture.

And this has clearly succeeded here, as the fragrance initially smells only of wood, hardly of hesperidic notes (even though lemon is already in the name and raises entirely different expectations) and is not very soft.

Interestingly, the fragrance develops differently on the skin with some patience in the heart and base notes. Then memories of other fragrances arise: especially Terre d'Hermes (in a more robust variant), and for a moment, one is also reminded of a French perfume by Galimar (Aventure; also a TdH relative). In the end, cedar and vetiver clearly emerge once again, while sandalwood and amber play a completely subordinate role. Black pepper and birch are recognizable, while oak moss is less so.

A solid creation from this unassuming brand, which might even receive the blessing of Buckingham Palace.