1805 (1998)
by Truefitt & Hill

A nicely constructed aquatic style fragrance that is only marred by a lack of longevity. The opening feels a little messy, but the general balance of the ingredients is good. I enjoyed the drydown enormously, all the staples in the base provide warmth and freshness in abundance. The sillage is contained, but the main issue is the longevity, giving me just four to five hours. 1805 is really on the cusp of neutral and good, but I have a feeling this one will grow on me.

If only it lasted longer...
I fail to understand how one could dislike this, it's such a simple and refined formula. Yes, it won't win awards for originality and it's certainly not daring but it's a well made, clean, classy citrus/ oceanic that can be worn in any situation and like all the classic old English barbershop brands, it's relatively inexpensive. It is vaguely similar to L'eau D'Issey but without the sneeze-inducing top notes.

Very (very) similar to L'eau D' Issey Pour Homme.
Not identical, but could quite easily be mistaken. Dry down is not so spectacular, but remains similar.
A little less intense, and lightly less sweet/musky, and therefore a tad less potential to overapply - but overall a very similar effect.
Maybe .. all in all - not a bad thing.
Issey 'light'.?!

I really liked it.

This purports to be an aquatic and it does have an aquatic character. It also prominently features cardamom, which strikes me as a dead weight here (it isn’t my favorite note, but it certainly is blended effectively in numerous fragrances). At any rate, I don’t like this one.

What a weak offering. Too subtle for anyone notice and worse yet it just dies a quick death. There is nothing marine about this cologne, I get teas, I get citrus, and I get woods that's about it, maybe an tinge of ozone but the cologne is so light it might as well not be there because you will have spray it up your nose to catch it.

Waiter! There are flowers in my ocean soup . . .
This is a mildly elegant and mildly pleasing frag which is quite charming for summer. I can't contribute a definitive answer as to whether or not this is the most classic fragrance named 1805 to have been manufactured in 1998 but I suspect it to be so.
T&H's interpretation of oceanic is interesting. The composition might strike some women as feminine, others as uber-macho, Regardless, it's a light delicate citrus/ocean scent which is not generic--at least not compared to the offerings we get in the USA at department stores.
I don't find it one dimensional, nor do I think it vanishes in an hour. However it does morph down to the sandalwood, cedarwood and musk in a relatively short time.

I really should give it a thumbs up objectively, but who on earth rates frags objectively? Neutral for a pleasant summer scent, probably best suited for officewear.

Perhapsthe negative reviewers were somewhat influenced by the old barbershop pedigree of T&H, and weren't quite ready for a hair salon.