Eau d'Hadrien (1981)
by Annick Goutal

I am really on the fence with this one. One day I like it, the next, I don't hate it.

Once upon a time I was addicted to these little tins of candies. Sometimes I bought Cavendish & Harvey's. Other days it was La Vie Les Citrons. Piercing, screaming, little drops of sour lemon. This frag is the liquid version, incarnate.

This is the most atypical, shady, low down smelling antithesis of all citrus colognes you could ever imagine; the Evil Twin of Extra Vielle; cologne from the Dark Side.

After the most perfunctory of citrus fanfares Eau d'Hadrien EdP maintains only the most marginal relation to citrus via its herbaceous and choppy textured lemongrass note; but this is a fig leaf - there to provide a surface cologne-like respectability to the hot caustic ginger that struggles to control its temper, and a dark bitter liquorice molasses found brooding in the depths.

These are the ones who rule here, so make no mistake. All those who imagine Eau d'hadrien to be a sunny Mediterranean sketch of citrus and cypress - think again.

And then, you may wonder; in one hour! ... where did it all go?

[Distant, booming Comedy Villain voice comes vanishing from the depths]

'No poxy white musks here!
Ha ha haa ... '

****

its a nice lemon flavor ..but lacks the engulfing aura of a creed ...or any of the classics ..stays close to the skin ..and something about the lemon is piercing to my nose ...its not a smooth soothing lemon but a piercing lemon as if the lemon is poking u ...with a sword maybe due to the green mandarin note or the citron which is in there ..also I could notice some spice ..which is weird as the lemon is already harsh and then u have the tingling of spice ...a weird combo......all in all a citrus flavored linear fragrance which doesn't project and stays close to the skin ...

Not a happy picture ...

Inky and synthetic out of the bottle - sort of smelled like the synth I got from a sampler of Chanel Sport Homme. Did not like this inky scent.

Absolutely lush! I always thought Alvarez Gomez Agua de Colonia Concentrada was the best lemon scented fragrance available but now I've discovered Eau d'Hadrien...WOW! The lemon in Eau d'Hadrien smells so akin to real lemons - I can detect notes of lemon peel and pure lemon juice overlaying herbal and woody undertones. Bearing in mind this fragrance stays close to the skin, sillage and longevity are not robust or overpowering but decent enough. I think Eau d'Hadrien is worth the cost as it delivers what it was designed to evoke: a beautiful Tuscan landscape with lemon trees.