Eau d'Hadrien (1981)
by Annick Goutal

After slagging off pretty much the whole Goutal range in a recent review, I think Eau D'Hadrien needs a bit of defending although I still stand by my earlier comments. But, I am now going to add this fragrance and Eau du Sud as the only bottle worthy ones -- for me anyway. I don't get the 'lemon pledge' note at the top -- I like the lemon mixed with the grapefruit. I also get a strong woody vibe late on and this is pretty normal with hesperides, but it's a fresh cypressy note which gives it another lift. The longevity on me is outstanding -- a full day and more. Ok, it's not going to blow your socks off -- citruses rarely do, but for the price, I would take it over the several Creed versions at least and save half my money.

10th January, 2012.

As already stated by many below, a very citrus lemon smell in the top, heart and middle notes that is clean and uncomplicated. I find myself wishing for a muskiness to give it some spine or bite.

Its a shame there isn't more going on but its ultimately a one-trick pony. In my opinion Eau Savage is a far better example of its type.

Pleasant but hardly exciting. I can imagine wearing it to an job interview.

6th September, 2011.

This smells exactly like putting your nose up to a freshly sliced lemon - the fleshy part, not the rind. Very realistic lemon. Stays like this throughout, but fades over the course of an hour to next to nothing. I have to put my nose right up to where I sprayed to get even a hint. Not a bad smell, but lacks the complexity and longevity I like in a fragrance.

4th August, 2011.

Sometimes less really is more, and Annick Goutal EAU D'HADRIEN perhaps exists precisely in order to demonstrate this verity. Unfortunately, tempus fugit, and so does EAU D'HADRIEN, faster than the father of an unwanted child, I'm afraid.

Of course, all good things must come to an end, but EAU D'HADRIEN edt is extraordinarily evanescent on my skin. Looks as though I'll just have to try the edp, because this lemony-cypress wonderfulness has really won me over. We are in high EAU D'HADRIEN season here in Boston, and I'm reaching for this bottle all the time. Really this has turned out to be one of my favorite citrus compositions. EAU D'HADRIEN is to lemon and cypress as Hermes CONCENTRE D'ORANGE VERTE is, well, to green oranges!

I should add that my first encounter with this fragrance was less than felicitous, as I, too, encountered the dreaded Lemon Pledge effect reported by so many disappointed naysayers. I have since been persuaded to believe that Annick Goutal sample vials are undependable. This fragrance was launched in 1981. How long was my sample vial sitting in a warehouse? That is the question, and thanks to my natural predilection for skepticism, I went ahead and bought a bottle of this splendid citrus scent, on the strength of the rave reviews that it has received far and wide. I am delighted to be able to report that they were right! I stand corrected, and now will think twice before rendering a final judgment on any perfume based on a sample vial of unknown origin, handled in unknown conditions, and stored God knows where, for who knows how long?

20th July, 2011.

This is the least complicated fragrance I've ever tried: it's lemon, and that's it. Eau d'Hadrien starts as lemon, its middle is lemon, and it ends as lemon. Since I don't want to smell like pure, unadulterated lemon (and can't imagine most men would), it's a thumbs down. And yes, lemon furniture polish does come to mind. Sillage and longevity are very poor on me as well.

27th May, 2011. (Last Edited: 30th May, 2011.)

Excellent citrus opening the like of which I have smelled a few times before in several excellent fragrances. As to the quality of the citrus note, it quickly moves a little close to the odor of furniture polish, but it manages to retains its citrus clarity without succumbing completely. The grapefruit exerts a strong influence in this opening and the accord is quite clean and fresh without being as syrupy as some others I’ve experienced. I enjoy what is accomplished with the citrus elements of Eau d’Hadrien… it’s citrus, pleasant, fresh, and clean. But it doesn’t have enough character for me to give it a thumbs up because there are plenty of other citrus eaus that are preferable: Acqua di Parma Colonia, Eau de Guerlain, Hermes’ Eau d’Orange Vert, R & G’s Extra Vieille, Eau de Rochas, Eau de Rochas Homme to name a few.

13rd May, 2011.