Reviews of Arlington
by D.R. Harris & co.

I personally view this as a British take on Acqua Di Parma. Fresh lemon, clean light musk, but with a soap and some other citrus instead of florals. Clean, quiet, classy and can be had for very little money when compared to it's Italiano brother. It's an ideal classy daytime spring/summer cologne. The lemon lasts a couple of hours without going sweaty or turning to Pledge, and the musk is refined, clean and well blended with neroli and powdery soap.

I get around 6 hours out of this, but the citrus at the start has the projection of a laser beam, so perhaps it's not best to re-apply too close to others. The bottle is handsome, with an especially nice label. Mine was a splash, but I believe they have atomised versions now, so I can't comment on the spray itself or if it has been reformulated again (i've tried two distinctly different versions, with the oldest having a far more dominant fern note. Could have been aged juice, but the citrus was still there in force, so I have my doubts) since I had it. My favourite of the Harris lineup, and as an aside, the aftershave splash is one of the best i've ever used.

Very, very good if you like a classy and old school British citrus cologne, but I wouldn't recommend it for younger men as it is a little dated to some.

When I read the rave reviews of D.R. Harris's Arlington on other sites, I decided to try it blind. I use the shaving cream, the aftershave splash, and the cologne...now I need the milk! Anyway, Arlington is advertised as a gentleman's scent that is subtle, refined, and under-powering. I think it fills these roles well. It begins with a burst of tamed citrus and neroli and dries down to powder and an ultra light musk. I highly recommend the Arlington range.

Forget "light citrus over fern;" as of spring 2009 Arlington has been reformulated into a classic eau de cologne fragrance, with neroli and citronella prominent. What lavender there is sits way down, and there is no citrus to speak of beyond the citronella. Crisp and clean, but ultimately uninspired. I had enjoyed the older formula in the shaving soap and only recently got around to purchasing the cologne, along with a new soap round that carries the new scent instead of the old. The new presentation is classic and reasonably refined -- but is a disappointment compared to the older fragrance, which I now wish I had been able to experience in EDC form. With everything from Trumper's Cologne to 4711 to R&G Extra Vieille already on the market, it is anyone's guess as to why Harris would cede their previous niche to join that crowded segment. Decent longevity throughout the day, and I suspect very little sillage. I will use what I have, but had I known this was the animal, I would have gone with the Extra Vieille, which at least has a discernible citrus bite. Bring back the old stuff!

When I first bought Arlington, I was disappointed with the weak staying power which I initially observed in the winter. After months in the drawer of neglect, some messenger angel must have whispered in my ear that I might try it in the summer. Lo and behold, in the summer it doesn't vanish in 20 minutes! It is surely a light clean fragrance, but it lasts for about four hours and can be detected by those in fairly close range. This is a very diplomatic fragrance, and a charming but introspective fragrance, if that descriptive can be used for cologne. It doesn't call attention to itself, and as a consequence, you smell clean and great, but people just think you are just a charming, bright guy who uses a nice soap with a distinctive citrus and fern aroma.

I apply the clear liquid liberally from the splash bottle (the only option) with no fear of a citation from the Air Quality people, and feel great when I leave the house. My wife, who rolls her eyes if I wear something too strong (Yardley Gentleman!!!), takes a big breath and wants to give me a kiss and hug as I go off wearing Arlington. Imagine that! I bet not even DR Harris wouldn't think Arlington is a "sexy" fragrance. Well, I highly recommend this for summer, or to anyone living in a warm climate. Arlington is the best argument I know for the proposition that some fragrances are simply best in certain seasons, and less good in others.

Joe

Inconsistency seems to be the issue with this firm. Formulations dating back three years were subtle, masculine, clean cut citrus over dry woods, with just a trace of sweetness. Current formulations resemble a cheap Muelhens 4711 knock-off with fine tissue paper like particles floating about.

Citrus and Fern, understated and supremely classy, this fragrance always gives me a lift. One of my favorites.

Arlington has a VERY citrus-orange opening. It settles into the perkiest fern note I’ve experienced! This fern gives a very fresh, pleasant scent: it is rather soapy with a barbershop vibe. The fern perkiness persists, and so does the orange (its duration is unusual for a citrus note in perfume). There’s not much wood here, in my opinion. This is an interesting scent, I like it once in a while and it is like nothing else I own.

I love the citrus top notes with that woody, fern like undertone. It does have a strong intitial come-on but this dries down to a thoroughly enjoyable scent with hints of orange, fern, musk and wood. This all combines into a great litle cologne IMO. I find it has reasonable staying power, maybe 5-6 hours but this will vary between individuals.