Bogart (1975)
by Jacques Bogart

Today I reviewed both Bogart and Arpège, two fragrances with nothing in common but for the fact that both at times feel like anachronisms. Bogart starts out smelling like a classically constructed spicy aromatic fougère, very close in style to its near-contemporary Azzaro. It opens on a traditional combination of bergamot and bitter aromatics, with lavender and rosemary especially conspicuous. As the sharp aromatic notes begin to settle down, Bogart rapidly changes its direction, and instead of the huge fougère the topnotes would lead you to expect, it arrives at a big woody rose resting upon a dry leather chypre base. This structure presages more recent niche brand woody rose fragrances for men, from Czech & Speake No. 88 in the 1980s to this past year’s Amouage Lyric Man. Even the blunt and barbaric Black Aoud from Montale is presaged to some degree in Bogart’s hard-edged rose, wood, and smoky leather notes.

After these references to prestigious and well thought of fragrances, why do I say Bogart is anachronistic? Partly because it’s missing the oudh that’s present to one degree or another in No. 88, Lyric Man, and Black Aoud, and which lends each a certain dark exoticism. Whether it’s the oudh or not, there’s a whiff of something wild and strange in all these others, while Bogart’s cleaner wood and roses smell more conventional, staid, and even nostalgic. In combination with the patently 1970s fougère opening, this buttoned-down aspect establishes a mood that’s more historic than alive. Although Bogart is a fine example of “old school” men’s perfumery, with a degree of substance and complexity that I miss in most mainstream contemporary masculines, it wants a certain animation that might make it seem more relevant.

Fresh lemon blossom / rosemary opening: the lemon flower adds both a floral and a citrus feel to the refreshing herbal rosemary note, and the effect is both uplifting and bracing: I love this opening, and it lasts longer than the usual citrus opening! The middle level is a more traditional geranium / spice accord. Typical of its ‘80s creation date, it is very nicely balances with the spices playing a minor to the geranium. As opposed to the opening, this accord does seem a little old fashioned to me with its prominent geranium. The leather, birch, oakmoss base is also traditional, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it old fashioned. It holds up well to modern tastes. Bogart is a classic that belies its 1975 creation date and has held up for longer than most of its better-known contemporaries. It’s a thumbs up fragrance for sure.

Seventies Era powerhouse chypre. Very green and herbal, but also leathery and tough -- imagine Equipage without its polite veneer and rounded corners. A definite classic, yes, but one which would likely not sell well today -- not at all. This is a very masculine, very French affair whose composition would today be a bit of a dinosaur. (And more's the pity.)

Love lemon? Get this. VERY similar to Boss #1, except I give this the edge cause it does it without that slight urine-like twinge of Boss. Like a better version of Boss#1 to me.

What intrigues me about this wonderful scent is that it effortlessly brings together the solid masculinity of sweet spice and leather with a suave herbal freshness. Decidedly pre-80s - and the better for it - this exudes so much more sophistication than many of the Gordon Gekko-era frag dreadnoughts. As stated previously, utterly classic, but in no way outdated and deserving of much greater attention than it seems to receive these days. Certainly a must for anyone with a deeper interest in fragrances.

Fashionable without being flamboyant, solid without being overbearing, and reserved without being forbidding; A Classic.