Eau de Russe (1911)
by Crown Perfumery

This was marketed as a masculine but to me it's more along the lines of a unisex (this time really... I find many scents marketed to one gender or the other unisex but this one is definitely unisex, it has no "gender-specific hit" to my nose). I think it actually reminds me of a Guerlain in its construction and it's somewhere between Jicky and L'Heure Bleue on my skin. The overall impression does have a "leather" effect but it doesn't smell like leather... if that makes any sense at all!

It's a pity that the Crowns are all discontinued, but as of this writing some of them emerged on a few online sites and are being snapped up like crazy by those in the know.

8th May, 2011.

With a title like Eau de Russe, one would think Russian leather; not so with this surprising Crown creation. Don't be fooled by the initial sharp sting of bitter orange and lime with herbal hints. Soon the bittersweet marzipan of heliotrope emerges, further sweetened by burnt sugar. Fortunately, this ultra-sweet powdery floral phase is soon enhanced by an assertive one-two punch of musk and amber, where the fragrance remains until it gently fades several hours later.

Eau de Russe is a comfortable and as easy to wear as last year's sweater, but don't count on it for intrigue or romance.

24th June, 2008.

Being given the advice, that I should take every chance to get any remainders of this perfume, I bought a bottle at 'The english scent' in Berlin. Today it arrived and until now I am not too sure about it - do I like it? Does it fit me? Anyway, it is quite off the track from my favourite perfumes like Mazzolari Lui or 88 by Czech & Speake, though Eau de Russe tends to the direction of those heavy and long lasting scents. It reminds me of a certain type of JellyBeans (roasted marshmallow?), but mainly I do smell amber, which is ok. for me, but not an every day scent. Maybe a perfume worn on occasions with a seductive intention, but this could turn into the contrary effect.

29th September, 2005.

I really loved this!!!! I bought it blind going by the notes alone and I was not disappointed. Wonderful. Starts quite like Guerlain's Mitsouko then settles into a lovely warm oriental. Both sexes could wear this one. Clive Christian should be shot for discontinuing this beauty.

17th November, 2004.

personally I think its amazing... do I smell cola?

1st October, 2004.

Though not one of my favorite Crown items, Eau du Russe is indeed a fine scent that develops well on my skin. Typical of fragrances from its time-frame it begins with a potent citrus barrage and slowly fades into a very light masculinely floral scent and finally into a powdery oriental drydown with touches of leather. I'm supposing that this might be Russian leather I'm smelling, though I think the name has something to do with who it was created for: Czar Nicholas I. Though this is a pleasant scent, it is easy to see why Clive Christian decided to cut it from the line-up as this scent has quite a bit of overlap with other Crown scents in the men's line.
Comments I've received have labeled this scent as a cross betweenPlay-dough and baby powder

29th March, 2002.