Reviews of Fahrenheit (1988)
by Christian Dior

I remember being turned off by FAHRENHEIT the first time I tried it in 1988. Maybe it just wasn't what I expected any fragrance to smell of. I mean who would've thought a combination of flowers, woods and other natural plant extracts could produce a scent so reminiscent of synthetic leather, melting plastic and burning tyres? But a recent reacquaintance with Fahrenheit revealed the extent to which my tastes could have degenerated or, as I prefer to believe, my horizons have expanded over the last 20 years. I can now appreciate this modern and rather radical take on men's fragrance, much like how punk rock shook the music establishment years ago I guess. But as a child of the 80s, its sillage is nowhere near that of its 'powerhouse' peers from the likes of Calvin Klein or YSL. Still, among proponents of popular woodsy floral fragrances, Fahrenheit must have stood out like a rock star then. To some extent it still does, even today.

Words cannot describe how much I hate this fragrance. I like and wear many scents from the 80s, but this just smells horribly outdated now - like the Le Car, piano-key rep ties, and glam metal, Fahrenheit represents the '80's at its absolute worst. It is also probably the most chemical, cheap synthetic fragrance I have ever smelled, like one of those horrible cinnamon Yankee Candles dunked in a bucket of gasoline and Aqua Net hairspray, with a heavy emphasis on the hairspray. Literally. Also, its ghastly, spicy stench can be smelled for blocks. It is the pinnacle of bad taste and tackiness.

I've received the most scathing of remarks wearing this, one of which was that it smelled of "Industrial tyre". This however still remains one of my favorites from Christian Dior. A very full-bodied mossy green scent that has great longevity and projection. A classic in my standards.

add honey, resins and sandalwood to Narcisco Rodriguez for him and you get Fahrenheit...or if you havent sniffed NR..thn simply add violets...i just don't get it. it doesnt last and is an incredibly boring scent.

Only 1 shot in required: to sicken me. A favorite of jerks, teenage boys, and those ready to refer to those who "don't get it." What you do get is a soapy (shampooey) leathery flower after the allegedly (masculine? existent?) petrol note fades. And then a feeble attempt to call the ending "wood."

The kind of "new" that fatigues. Concept scent with a bottle and a name that sells a product. For me, a person in denial about actually being boring and programmatic, their notion of "interesting."

Cant see where people get the burning tyres from because this is ok as long as you dont wear too much! Very Original fragrance!

It is really strange.. but i think this has to do with perfume houses substituting original ingredients with cheaper alternatives. I have one vintage fahrenheit (bought in 1988), and it smells really good... very unique "tea" scent. i recalled it won some awards back then and very deservingly. I also have another version, fahrenheit fresh bought in europe back in 2004. not as in-your-face but nonetheless still a very pleasant scent (especially the base notes). But i just came back from a shopping trip, where i sprayed some fahrenheit on my hands at a dept store. Almost wanted to throw up because of the very nausea-provoking "oily leather" odour. something is VERY wrong with the new formulations... pls bring back the original formula.. CD. my rating is for the old version.

A burned tire on me. Or a warm asphalt. I can understand that some people love this. But I just can't stand it! I'd risk it to see how women might react...

This was the last fragrance I purchased (in 1988) before I stopped wearing cologne for the next 20 years (I recently became interested again in Dec. 2008 when I was searching for a perfume for my wife). An instant olfactory recognition. It seems like yesterday when I was wearing this (along with Kouros, Tuscany and the first Armani). It still has a fine clean but deep scent. As other reviewers have commented, Fahrenheit is like the two sides of a coin, bright and dark, fresh and sultry, cold and warm. Also, my wife loves it.

The petroleum oil note in Fahrenheit makes it intolerable for me to wear. It’s a shame because it's, apparently, a compliment getter.

[Original submission date: 30 October 2006]

Is it honeysuckle or did the " Check Engine " warning light just lit up on the dashboard of my car?
Well, it was innovative for its time I guess.

Ahhh, Fahrenheit! Famous and infamous. That strange motor oil overlay to the topnotes? Intriguing! Citrus and motor oil: who would have thought that citrus and motor oil would work? The top notes are almost surreal. In fact, the first time I smelled it, years ago, I though it was completely synthetic. Little did I know then that the next decade would bring scores and scores of REAL synthetic fragrances. Comparatively, smelling Fahrenheit now, I find it so natural—so real, motor oil and all. I think the violet leaves are the key to this fragrance—they form that potent note that is carried all the way through to the end. They unify and center the fragrance—pull all the edgy notes together into a coherent whole. (The violet leaf, unfortunately, is what keeps me from buying and wearing the fragrance anymore – just don’t like violet leaf.) The base is excellent: It is subtle and sensual with musk, leather and a minimum of sweetness from amber and tonka. Fahrenheit is a excellent fragrance. Its unusual motor oil accords project beautifully and have incredible staying power. Like Kouros and Polo and Azzaro, Fahrenheit has managed to stay on the best selling lists for two decades. I can understand why. (Edit of 08 April 2006 review.)

a throwback and at times i reconize it on others.i dont know why but i think it very slightly similar to dzing but just way stronger.pungent. and the last time i smelled it on someone was in the summertime so yes it was very loud.what was he thinkin?

It's very odd...and not very nice! It has a strange smell ..sort of like vegetables cooking(possibly turnip) and rotten grass-cuttings mixed with a thick petrol cloying 'scent' trying to break through..and then some stale things(not sure what) added to this satanic brew..it all smacks you in the face and you think 'what the hell is this??' it has to be petrol or rubber... and it gets weirder the longer you wear it.It's not like a fragrance, it isn't uplifting or sensual ...but i don't really know what it's like! Fortunately it isn't about much these days!Quite vile!

The top note does have a flowery gasoline smell and to my nose it gets confused in the mid note between moss and gasoline. The net effect is rather unfortunate - a dubious blend of florals and the smell of fresh vinyl - that kind of acrid rubber smell. Unfortunately, the smell of vinyl is much stronger than the subtle florals. This is one of those fragrances that you could wear to the office and result in people thinking, 'why does he smell like that?' mistaking it for something other than a fragrance. For all of that, I can't say I don't like it - it's just not appropriate for all situations. It's certainly not a good 'general use' fragrance.

Something is missing from this. What I smelled today is at first, quite like the original I remember from my youth. However, the reformulation of this once great fragrance has robbed it of its originality and has aged it a decade, placing its banal, woody drydown firmly in the late 70's with a million other forgettable fougeres.

Car air freshener like - orange peelish...Respect for the vintageness though.

My first touch with designers fragrances!
I like this a lot
but after so many years and always in my collection (since 1992 I own it)
it started to make me bore of it especially the petrol engine oil or whatever mentioned note!
But to me its a classic I will always like and it ll remind my first steps...smells!

As soon as I tried the tester at Kohl's I immediately found the gasoline/oil/grease/cut grass smell I experienced when I cleaned my lawn mower's carburetor 2 weeks earlier, disgusting. Drydown is a bit more tolerable but that gasoline just wont go away.

Doesn't smell like the rest.
I like to wear it to school/work/bed anything. I feel it gets better and better after it's been applied, the heaviness wears of, but the core stays and changes to someting a little more subdued
I wore this to school today, got a comment by a girl "I can definately smell you!"

Lasts for a good 8 to 10 hours, but I can still smell it if I sniff on my wrist after about 12 hours.

Must try, the next time you go to a perfume store!

No matter what we think of it today, this was a major hit in the 80s and early 90s and remains one of the best selling male fragrances of all time. Don't get me wrong - I would never wear it these days unless I only spray a tiny whiff because it is considered a bit overbearing in today's world, but I sure do remember how much I loved this cologne growing up. It is quite rough and somber, lacking almost completely in softness and smoothness - no vanilla here, no tobacco, no fresia.. nothing cozy. Nevertheless, there has been nothing like it. It truly stands alone as a classic.

Ah yes, Fahrenheit. Bless my mother who gave me this when I was 19. Loved it, a real man fragrance I thought at the time, and it indeed marked a point of no return for me: after that no more Mickey Mouse scents. I have a problem writing something clear-cut from memory, I remember Fahrenheit being spicy and complex, I associate it with autumn. For the longest time I wandered around with the idea of getting another bottle in a sort of don’t-fix-what-isn’t-broken idea but always got derailed. Now its moment for me has passed, it’s too popular, I’m moving in another direction and not unimportant my wife hates Fahrenheit.

Wake up on a windy Saturday morning and go mow the lawn. When done, take a good whiff of the lawnmower, the freshly cut grass and the half empty gas tank. Fahrenheit!

This is one of the few which I came across late and at a stage where it has been changed considerably as the experts tell me. I would still give it five stars for longevity, sillage and being rather unique. However it is one of those perfumes that needs the right environment and mood. Wearing it outdoors is fun, but after two days with Fahrenheit I will go back to spraying something less demanding for quite a while. It shares that fate with the more formal Grey Flannel. All aspects considered: three stars or four.

Very popular in my country so that every body know it and weard it someday ..... i find it very good smelling scent but i wont wear it as it became "Old Fashion"!

I was in Dillard’s the other day and thought I’d try a spritz of Fahrenheit; I haven’t smelled it on me in years. You have to hand it to Dior – it seems utterly indifferent to trends, sets its own course, and more often than not produces a wildly popular, and often controversial, creation. And claps for this great house for being a rampart against the relentless androgynizaton of male colognes.

Yes… I do get the notorious petrol/motor oil note in Fahrenheit, but soon after drydown begins, it gives way to a deep, heady moss. I know Fahrenheit is not a summer scent, but it evokes for me summer memories… the mossy docks at the lake, outboard motors, woods, some faint flowers, a campfire at night. All this while staying, like Dune, somehow unheavy. Even some fans consider it intolerable in hot weather, though… it doubles-down on summer and smoke rather than counterpoint it with citrus and chilly water. But for an intimation of summer in late spring, for a cool summer night, for fall’s leafy embers and a backward glance before the cold comes, for a midwinter flashback, Fahrenheit has the magic.

tested this in a Kohls and I must say it's terrible. Honestly it wouldn't be quite so bad if it wasn't for that pungent "gasoline" smell I get when I put it on. And I don't mean a synthetic smell, no, almost all colognes have that to some degree, I mean a real gasoline-like smell. Maybe it mellows out later on, but I didn't care to try it.

Give it a neutral because it could be decent if that gasoline scent wasn't so strong on first application.

Where's the beef? I tried this today intrigued by all the reviews here and wanting something edgey and in your face. I could barely smell it. I also had a sniff of Fahrenheit 32 in the store and thought it too weak, now I think it had more punch than Fahrenheit. Eventually, here is what emerged for me: Take one sweaty (not stale) man dressed in biker leathers. Walk him through a garage with engine oil on the floor, then take him into a field and roll him in sweet hay (what you do after this is not for me to say!!) I did not get gasoline here at all, rather a deep earthy crude oil smell that I liked. I don't know if I need a full bottle of this but maybe a decant for days I feel naughty. Final drydown a bit bland sort of generic musk, but not bad. Hope they keep making it and that there are always men who can relate to it. . . .

I admit when I first smelled this cologne years ago I hated it. You have to let this one dry a few minutes before you smell it. It does open on a gasoline note. This time I tried many different ones and carried the spray cards with me to smell them after they had dried down. This one dries down so good. The opening note of the gas like smell was gone. I instantly bought this one, very unique and definining. Very nice masculine scent. My partner loves it.

Strong and penetrating, it permeates the air around you with an overbearing pungency. It reminds me of gasoline accidently spilled on the ground, or on your hands at the pump. It is loud and strident, but it certainly has its fans. Unfortunately, this is from the fragrance house that makes two outstanding men's fragrances: Dior Homme and Eau Sauvage. Fahrenheit is no Cinderella, but it should definitely be kept out of sight and camouflaged. Along with Pi, a towering mistake from Dior.

i dont get the gas-oil scent from this one. what i smell is a very strong black pepper. its not terrible, but its definitely not for me.

Remember parma violet sweets ?? Then this is your chance to smell EXACTLY like them !!
Even so, its very good stuff, makes you feel happy !!

Elegant and deep....Caracter, personality, masculin,mature.....Few words for this classic Farenheit.
Old scool style with great longevity and sillage. Absolutly recommend it. Nothing more to say. A masterpiece!

Great fragrance ........ that belongs to 10 years ago. Yeah some scents are classic as always but this is not!. It was a great scent on its time, but now, it is just a everyday scent.

Smells the same as in the 80s. Goes on sweet with the honeysuckle in the forefront of the charge. Lasts long. Powerful sillage. Never cloying. Garners compliments. Unique smell. I don't associate it with fuel unless I put my nose too close to a sprayed patch of skin. Long in the tooth but not at all dated; nothing 'old man' about it. Excellent bottle and spray mechanism. Have seldom been without a 100ml the past ten years.

It`s no secret or suprise that Fahrenheit has been re-formulated. I have worn both versions, and although they have some differences, they are one and the same scent. It`s like the old one was EDP and the new one is EDT. Hats off to the one behind the modification, it worked out very well indeed.

The old formulation is a bit stronger, more leathery with lots of dirty musk. It`s also smoother, denser comparing to the new one. The famous "petroleum" isn`t any weaker in the new one, to my nose it has remained the same.

That new formulation is much more nuanced with great amount of undertones to it. It is more fresh with very prominent orange / mandarin note at the top which lingers on skin for a long time. Still, very leathery too.
Both formulations are forever lasting.

Fahrenheit, old and new, is a wonderful leathery floral with animalic charachter. Captivating and strikingly unique. One of the best ever made.

Theres alot in this one and is great for colder weather. I don't care much for the oily/gasoline note that many have complained about...but the rest is decent. Its fairly unique...I'll give you that...but not for me.

Another of my all time favorites. I intend to re-introduce it to my wardrobe. An absolute classic.

In 1985 I earned my first pay check , that very same day I bought a bottle of Fahrenheit. Sublime, exotic, warm, unusual, different, modern etc.
I remember that I wanted to smell all day long and Fahrenheit is up to the task because it last for a very long time. The only problem was that this fragrance is very strong and it can backfire if you over put it on you. I remember people telling me that they knew I was in the elevator or in certain room because my smell was all over the place. I slowly realize that all my clothing, house and car smell like me. You have to hold your horses and take it easy with the dose.

Vile is more like it.

But beyond that it's a cucumber top not that turns into an old mans linament, into that same old mans medicine. Thats one cheeky old gent, trying to cover up his nursing home scents with nasty cucumber. Blach! He pinched my behind!

For 20 years I have a love hate relationship with this stuff. When it first was introduced, my male contacts generously wore it. It smelled classy on some, overwhelming on others. I tried it a few times. It reminded me of burnt rubber sometime, others like a warm campfire. Ladies seem to go for it, following me around the mall. Hey, it gets attention!

I finally purchased a bottle in 2006. Somehow, it smelled different. Just as strong, with many of the same offensive notes. Almost bitter. Maybe that is it. Too many notes. It confuses my poor nose. I like the bottle and set it out for freinds to try in the washroom. It is dressy and casual. Brutal and sensual. Harsh and delicate.
Gasoline? Incense, sex...

Fahrenheit is a masterpiece. It begins with a unique benzoin (read burnt rubber) note. As it evolves the green notes come to the fore. I detect sweet woody notes during the dry-down. The longevity is stunning. I would never have guessed that women love this fragrance, yet they do. Apply sparingly during the cooler months; best worn out of the office.
Impressive, a real man's frag!

Fahrenheit provides a good example of why one cannot take house spin too seriously. For example, the Fahrenheit notes listed at the Dior website are given as:

Top: Howthorn, Honeysuckle
Middle: Sandalwood
Base: Cedar, Patchouli

Yet the carded sample I have tells a different story. It labels it as a ‘woody leather’ (a description that matches that of Luca Turin in the book “Perfumes”), with notes of tangerine, cedar wood and leather. At least there is one note that matches. Further, the Dior website describes Fahrenheit as a “virile, delicate and rounded fragrance." While I could concede virile and rounded, I fail to see anything delicate at work here.

As to the fragrance itself: the opening strikes me as the smell of gasoline. This quickly transitions to a motor oil smell that lasts a good deal longer. Then a muddied mix of wood and leather emerge. I love the smell of gasoline, but not on me. I don’t like the smell of motor oil. The base of Fahrenheit is okay, but not worth the wait.

Fahrenheit, quite an interesting title, what is Christian Dior trying to provoke?

Fire and brimstone? The sweltering sexuality of the wearer? The pretentious friction induced Heat generated between wearer and his Mark?

Seasoned marketers would be onto their second round at some swanky bar after reading this definition, saluting to a job well done ..None of them however would be wearing this scent.

The initial blast unfortunately reminded me walking through a gaggle of mechanics, 4 hours into their work day..towards the office where I will be inevitably charged far more than I anticipated.

After the intense black smells of motor oil and pneumatic drill lubricant or whatever instrument they use to cause holes in my $600 exhaust pipe reside, you find yourself sitting in some kind of oversensitive purgatory.

A purgatory embodied by the office itself. The freshener on the wall set to release its pre-timed overcompensating spicy-sweet humanitarian aid on the doomed receptionist. Yet the door still swings open sending an occasional reminder of the mechanical workplace outside..

After 30 minutes floating, wondering more or less what the price tag will be..You get called to the counter snapping you back to reality..

You reluctantly pay your bill, paying more attention to your exit strategy than questioning the replacement of your brake fluid reservoir. Get handed your keys and sprint to your car.

Reversing quickly you breathe in and raise an eyebrow..You notice they have put some kind of gentle chili and cinnamon air freshener dangling from your rear view mirror..This is daringly left on because you signed a petition recently supporting the criminalization of littering our streets, and turns out, you were charged for it anyway.

On the long drive back you do get a chance to catch a glimpse of the bill. The price tag leaves you wondering if one of life's most unenvied errands can be possibly avoided altogether.

Fortunately Fahrenheit is...ooo...

Yes it's a man's fragrance but I happen to like it on myself. It lasts forever so I have to remind myself to be careful. I dont know if I can smell any of the notes listed, but I like the amber-y scent this leaves on my clothing.

I'm really not sure what to think of this. I have never been so repulsed as when I first sprayed this on my wrist. I literally almost threw up. As I was walking through the mall, I told my girlfriend that I thought I was about to get sick. Then, the drydown was surprisingly pleasant and fresh. I wasn't crazy about the scent. However, I got the first complement I've ever gotten for a fragrance that very same night in the mall. This woman at a store just told me I smelled good, which shocked me. I gets a thumbs down from me and a thumbs up from women, so it equalizes to a nice neutral

Fahrenheit is tops! I have been using it since 1988 and can't find anything in the market all these years, to replace it. Nowadays men's fragrances tend to be feminine so that you smell like a woman afterwards. Fahreneit smells original, unique, smart, manly, serious, powerful and rich. It tells people you are not a crowd follower. Let the rest of the men smell like girls or gays. This is the ultimate man's fragrance for me.

The most interesting of the Dior mass marketed scents IMO. I love it and hate it at the same time. I MUST be in a very particular mood for this, because that smell of the dirty mechanic can be either very hot, or downright annoying at the same time. I avoid this like the plaque in summer - that's what the summer version was made for anyway!

It's awesome in fall and winter.

VIVA DIOR!

Sweet, sharp green. Rubber and oil smells afterwards. This can't possibly be still liked. Still, it was very innovative back in the 80's. Must've been reformulated since then because it's so seemingly weak now.

Perusing through seven years of reviews, one can truly appreciate just how love it or hate it Fahrenheit is. I had never given it much thought until my woman mentioned she used to like on someone she knew. At first I didn't care for it - the moss was too prominent at a time I wasn't interested in woodsy scents.

You can now count me in with the lovers of this unique one. I suppose you could interpret the middle as 'motor oil', though my nose always interprets it as 'cold, dark, mossy woods'. Like a dark, wet forest at night.

Fahrenheit, along with Polo (green), grab me the most female compliments. It makes you realize that what guys like on guys isn't what girls like on guys.

This is awful stuff. The initial blast is like a bad 80's generic aftershave mixed with burnt motor oil. It has got good sillage and is long lasting but I find this to be a totally unwearable scent.

If you're going to stick with mass-market brands over the more expensive niche fragrances, this is as good as any.
Manages to both smell like a lot of the new mens edts that came out in the 90's but also keep its originality.
Younger women tend to like this.

It reminds of rubber, grass and petroleum , if you wait for the drydown it is leathery and good though.

THE KING !!!

Fahrenheit is (imo) the most distinctive male fragrance. I can't smell a single ingredient (listed above) but i love every stage of Fahrenheit.
You can't describe Fahrenheit, you have to smell it!
People love or hate Fahrenheit, but everybody knows immediately what it is, when they smell it.
When something reached this level it has to be very special!

The remaining question is if you like it and if you're confident enough to wear it (nothing for shy guys).

OH Man.......this thing smells like gasoline.

You would think thats bad, and normally it is, but I keep smelling myself.
Maybe cause I'm a guy and I like the way a garage with automobiles being worked on smells.
But for sure DO NOT spray yourself more than one time and DO NOT leave the house for an hour after you spray yourself.

Some women don't like that smell, oddly enough some do. hmmmmm...?
But play it safe and don't leave the house for an hour so the scent can calm down and dry down.

It's a odd and sophisticated smell. More for the winter I guess.

It's weird, that's pretty much why I have it in my collection.

Gasoline......us guys are weird.

The one that started it all for me. Bought it on an impulse scent unsmelled during a transcontinental flight. I was bored and 14, and never even thought about cologne before. Was it just an excuse to call a China Airlines stewardess? I can't remember, but hormones were involved for sure.

My good luck - it's hard to think of a better example to start a habit. On the technical side it lasts great, dries down nicely over the day, and just one spritz under a shirt is enough to make the point. On the aesthetic side it is a complicated scent, very sophisticated, classy and sexy, mixes well with skin and smells like absolutely nothing else. In fact it's so instantly recognizable I can't wear it anymore. I get compliments with this one, but none will mean as much as the 200-pound cholo gangsta who wanted to me to repeat "Christian Dior." That's a compliment. M. Dior would be proud.

I have worn and liked this fragrance for years but i have recently bought a new bottle and the petroleum element in it seems to be more pervasive. I don't think i will buy this again.

smell kinda like dzing,but this is overpowering,doesnt have brakes to slow down .a big must not in warm weather

I still remember the first time I smelled Fahrenheit. I followed the scent through the store and immediately bought the largest bottle they had. I know it is not considered a unisex scent, but I wore it and loved it. It is sexy and sensual.

An offbeat, rubber, grass and petroleum scent that possesses all the olfactory charms of a commercial automotive fuel treatment.

When Fahrenheit first came out I disliked it and now I still feel the same way and thank the Good Lord I smell it less often but when I do there is no mistaking it. When it first came out every other guy wore it and there was something in the fragrance that was nauseating to me (Lensticus maybe, never heard of that) but oh how I longed to get away from it. And how much they'd spray on and still do. To wear this to an office is to cause panic attacks in co-workers. The smell lingers on elevators and after you've left the room.

I really like this cologne, amazing. It's definitely not your typical smelling cologne which is what I love about it. I was about to get some Curve but I'm very happy that my Mom coaxed me into getting some Fahrenheit. It's a warm fragrance which describes the bottle, a red/orange bottle.

This is a good fragrance, but you have to be careful not to overspray. once i figured out that it only took 2 sprays max, my environment became a better place:-). This a good everyday scent

now i must admit i am not a fan of masculine scents.. only a few i would wear. & THIS IS 1 OF THEM! after 20 yrs it is still very popular on the market! its a 1 of a kind scent! it lingers & it is only 4 those who can stand the smell of something strong!

I could not see wearing Fahrenheit as my everyday scent. However, in a strange way its an enjoyable change of pace that I can enjoy wearing once in a while. It has a strange calming effect on me.

This product does remind me a bit of petroleum, but its so much more than just that.

this is what sex smells like.

Fly spray in an interesting bottle with a cool name. Ok in the 8o's when not much else was around, not for today, there are better male fragrances available. For those nostalgic types that still rave about it, get over it, this one's had it's day.

When Fahrenheit hit the market here in Kuwait, people walking in perfume stores would say "Got Fahrenheit?"

Incidentally, a lot women loved wearing it. Ironically, men those days were wearing Poison.

I loved it, but it was too distinctive, too common. I would rather blend it with some other perfume.

For sure, LESS is MORE for this one.

Hmmm so many comments of either love or hate, I am a women and just adore it on myself or my men or any man that wears it!!!, I was traveling when I bought my first bottle and found it went with any country and any season and as it was the only perfume I owned for 18 months I never got sick of it, to me it smells feminine but not girly, I smell fresh flowers at the end of summer not car oil!! I can smell violet in there somewhere, I remember when it came out it was very different for that era of men's fragrance, if I smell it it a room I feel an urge to follow the smell even if the wearer is not Gods gift to women, I would recommend it to a man "looking" for a mate !! and as a women who wears it I aways get a positive comment.

Resides in my Top 10. I first wore this when it came out, and whenever I did friends of mine would say I was wearing the celery smelling cologne today. Not sure I ever understood that. Wonderful opening, uttlerly raw and masculine. I just wished it lasted a bit longer. I wonder how I lived without this from about 1994-2000. Will always have a bottle of this at the ready.

I gave it a neutral because this scent isn't offensive. I know, like Angel, you can't be "on-the-fence" with Fahranheit, but my rating is neutral anyway for the simple fact that it does smell like gasoline. I like that smell when standing at a gas station, but, I don't like it enough to want to wear it.

I wrote several years ago how much do I hate this fragrance. In these days I must admit that this fragrane is a King which strays miles away from the crowd of fragrances which lack any personality. This is an utterly masculine yet elegant fragrance and not for shy boys. Only one spritz is needed to do the job.

I don't get it.
I don't get kerosene, gasoline or nothing like that, instead I smell a fresh balanced centered perfume on honeysuckle with green warm, crisp and clean notes.
A GREAT CLASSIC.

Yeesh... smells like insect repellent. Should be avoided.

Fahrenheit revisited after a long period.
In my memory it smelled kinda like Roma Uoma and Minotaur...was I wrong.

A unique smell, it could smell absolutely gorgeous on the right person I suppose, on me however it smells like perfumed papier macher (paper and glue) at first.
Or like a tiny drop of shoe polish on a fresh washed cotton cloth.

After that the fragrance transforms in a more bitter scent, yes motor oil and burned wood, it even smells like burned rubber tires.
Not exactly something I wanna smell like.

The dry-down is softer, gone is the motor oil but the smell remains rather bitter to my nose.

One of the few fragrances of which the opening I like better than the middle and dry-down.

I have to comment on this...cause folks don't get...18/19 years post launch.
Look, when it came out, this was like out of this world. Nothing smelled like it. Remember, most scents smelled like Polo Green still, and here comes Fahrenheit from waaay left field, sort of like how Grey Flannel by G. Beene did in the mid 70s. Most people including myself are still awed by that initial reaction, and boy do i love this stuff...rich and dark yet delightful.
Bottom line: you can't judge this by today's nose. If you missed the wow back in 88 or later for some, sorry.

Fahrenheit would be the perfect solution to start a roaring fire from a tiny flame!
The gasoline smell is addicting, unique, and grows on you FAST. VERY popular, and still sells!
Women seem to love it too! so...
thumbs up!!!

I could not improve on odysseusm's spot on report. I might only add that if it is your intention to smell like a man who actually did bathe (quickly) and put on cologne and then worked in a hot mechanic's workshop for 10 hours in Florida, but on his lunch break went home and mowed the lawn with his old walking mower spewing black fumes, this is the fragrance for you. Phew!

absolutely vile. huge sillage, synthetic rubber/gasoline notes. this is the scent of a powerful man - who smells awful! it's incredibly unique, but totally ubiquitous. give me a man wearing anything BUT this.

Very unique & sensual fragrance. I wear it almost everday at work and always get asked by women working at my office abt the beautiful fragrance. It unify perfectly with my skin and produces different interesting notes throughout the day. Great perfume. I would like to know more about the similar kind, but have very minimal knowledge on it.

Fahrenheit is like nothing I have yet encountered. Its centre almost defies description, and it dominates for a long time. First of all, I’d like to disabuse people of the notion that Fahrenheit has any claim to being a green scent. Folks, there is nothing – and I mean NOTHING – green about it. No freshly-cut grass, no green herbs, no oakmoss. Fahrenheit is, in my opinion, a weird sandalwood/floral scent. The combination grabs you by the throat as a rubbery, sharp and really odd scent. It is so unusual that categories of like/dislike, attractive/obnoxious hardly seem to apply. Puzzlement may be your reaction, it was certainly my reaction! That this sort of quasi-industrial scent would be designed is surprising, but look at the fringy appeal of the later generation of Comme des Garçons synthetic line. But that such a scent was a mainstream success in the late 80’s is nothing short of astonishing! An anthropologist could do a dissertation on it. I suppose that the purpose of this odd centre is sillage, as others have suggested. “I’m here!!!” is shouted as the person enters the room. If you have survived the initial onslaught, a couple of hours later the weirdness burns off and one is left with a pleasant and close-to-the skin sandalwood scent. But as the Grateful Dead have noted, “what a long strange trip its been.”

Classic. Like this fragrance or not, you must respect its undeniable originality. It smells of lighter fluid and motor oil, but the lemon-sweet top notes tone it down enough to enjoy out of the bottle. Women seem to love it, and my wife still says it is her favorite. This is a must own for anyone who considers himself an enthusiast.

OK, I don't get it. What's all the fuss about? All I get from Farenheit is a pleasant, but not terribly exciting clean, sweet, green fougere. Yes, there's that odd, chemical "gasoline" topnote, but it's gone after a few moments wear on me. The sillage and projection are good for this kind of scent, but in the end it just does nothing for me. Maybe there are still just too many people wearing it, but Farenheit strikes me as familiar and just a little bit dull. Go figure.

I like the top and base notes, but the middle notes are horrible. Does smell like oil dripping from a extremely fast ferrari.

It is a sweeltering afternoon in August. The sun beats down on a pile of creosote-soaked railroad ties piled beside an dirt road. The road, which has recently been coated with old motor oil to keep down the dust, runs through a barren sand pit. A grizzled man in a hard hat and oil-stained coveralls drives by on an old John Deer backhoe while diesel fuel slowly drips from the undercarriage...

This one is hard to review. On the one hand, I love the smell of it. I love the idea of it. And I love how well Dior executed it. It brings back memories of my family's lawn shed. It always smelled of dried grass, dust, and tractor. I actually used to go in there just to revel in the smell. Even before I'd developed this hobby, I swore that I'd like to smell like that shed did.

Well, I've had the opportunity to smell like that shed, and I didn't like it. It just made me uncomfortable, smelling like dust, grass, and tractor. Sure there are some woody floral notes in there, but that isn't what you notice, is it?

So, thumbs up because it is an amazing scent that I admire and love. I just won't be wearing it on a regular basis.

Before I met my girlfriend I was really a straight guy when it came to perfumes. When she first got me to smell Fahrenheit I thought it was terrible, too much of everything. I got to hand it to her, she was right. This is probably the best fragrance in the world. The trouble now is that I can't be satisfied with really great, but unfortunately, "straight" fragrances, say Boss (Gray) or Lalique (Blue). I was drawn completely to the dark side. So, be ware, it's a wonderful slippy road.

A most unique and instantly recognizable scent. More gasoline smell even than SMN's Nostalgia, only coupled with a soft floral quality and a woody base rather than Nostalgia's leathery vanilla. For as light as it seems to go on, it has lots of longevity and projection. When I smell this I am reminded of my younger years, cutting grass for money; money that was spent on my car; a car that I bought to get girls (pretty typical here in the USofA). Funny how the smell of gasoline links to sex. Interesting, distinct, quirky, youthful, energetic, and even bizarre, it's hard to believe this was released by a mainstream designer house and continues to be sold in department stores to this day. Hats off to Dior.

the petroleum oil note- that's what i love about it. my husband wears it (it's the 2-nd bottle) and i can't get enough of it

Smells like motor oil. Motor oil from a Ferrari parked on a lush, green lawn, a tan Playboy model sitting on the hood, sippin' on a tequila sunrise.


Hot stuff.

This fragrance is genius. It is the essence of what a real man should smell like - the residues of hard work.

When I took my first sniff of this, I was instantly transported back to the summers of my childhood back in the countryside. Fahrenheit paints a simple and powerful image of grass being cut, complete with the lawnmower gasoline. Oh, how life was simpler then! An excellent example of "nostalgy in a bottle"!

Not one of the fragrances that I would need to "pull off". I wouldn't want to. I wear it when I want to time travel to those happy years back then - or when I simply feel like screaming "summer".

The classic scent that still feels modern!

This is a classy heavy scent and extremely recognizable. Understandably, not every skintype pulls it off well and not everyone will like this original smell but it does give the feeling of masculinity and confidence.

I've had it for many years in my collection and I have gotten very many compliments on this one from girls, and even guys too! And I experience incredible lasting power from this one unlike so many fragrances out there. I think it is perfect for colder evenings and I really recommend people to sample-smell it.

Ahh, this one is superb!
You can feel the fire burning, the smell of petroleom producing the heat and topped with those absolutely unique topnotes! It is intoxicating. This scent doesn't compare to anything I have smelled!
It is however, not something everyone will be able to love. But perhaps you are one them.

It needs to be mentioned, that this smell is very easy to recognize and to remember! In case you know a person wearing Fahrenheit that you actively hate, you'll probably hate Fahrenheit as well.

KiatBkk writes(see below): 'It renders me nostalgia.' - Well, me too. Just takes me back to the time I first smelled it.

A must try if you ask me!

Notes (from the official Dior site):

Top: Hawthorn, Honeysuckle
Middle: Sandalwood
Base: Cedar, Patchouli

Released in 1988, over the years Fahrenheit has crafted a loyal following and made women swoon over its addictive and intriguing aura.

Fahrenheit has three phases - first it smells of fresh cut grass. Shortly thereafter is revealed its defining accord - a strange but very enticing "motor oil" accord. I dont know what exactly causes this - is it the honeysuckle+sandalwood combo? Or is it the result of patchouli combining with sandalwood? Whatever it is, its enough to lube you up with a macho trail and make women follow your every whims and wishes (ok, maybe its not THAT magical). And no, you cant replace your KY-jelly with it, but it complements those coital scenarios very well, thank you very much. Eitherways, this unique motor oil accord stays till the very end, where the patchouli makes its presence known, resulting in an earthy-woody base. Coupled with good longevity and killer sillage, and Fahrenheit is a must have in any collection.

Fahrenheit, as the name suggest, pumps up the heat - its a manly concoction with a woody motor oil accord which elicits many compliments from men and women. Its still the best offering for men from the house of Dior.

It renders me nostalgia. I love this scent but a bit difficult to wear.

I was given a sample of this when I was 15, and this was the start of my love of fragrance. I was visiting Tonga, a small island nation in the South Pacific at the time. Whenever I smell this, it transports me back to warm island nights when life was uncomplicated...Instanly recognisable yet not overdone

a friend of mine used to wear this. its a smell you cannot hide from. if you go out with a group of friends and talk with eachother,you only smell the person using this fahrenheit garbage. Its smells like somebody is busy in the kitchen cooking something terrible, nobody is able to define it and all thinking 'what the hell is he trying to make' the whole house smells like it and it keeps smelling, smelling, smelling all night long and it wont go away. My friends girlfriend(now ex) finally left him probably because he continued to use it.

Warm and spicy and VERY cozy all around. I find that women and men alike love this one on me, and it has superb lasting power. It has its detractors, true, but it -- understandably -- has far many more devoted fans. I hope they never discontinue this modern classic.

In Romania this is very common, but it is still distinctive, fresh, sensual and mysterious. You cannot go wrong with this.It reveals all the contrasts of man kind.

smells great on me (i'm a woman). just love it.

Bit of a novelty scent in some ways with it's incredibly original mix of notes. It had no lasting power on me at all but I still loved it while it lasted.

I feel that one can only truly judge a cologne by combining one's own opinion with the opinions of others, as I tend to consider the thoughts of those around me who have to bear my scent as equally if not more important than my own opinion.

To say that I've only ever had compliments from the fairer sex when I'm wearing this (and experiences not dissimilar to Tiberius where some ladies just won't leave you alone) would be a massive understatement - it has persistently elicited the most positive reaction out of everything I own (although I have my suspicions that Rive Gauche works a great deal better, but on a more subliminal level). Added to the fact that I also think it's quite nice, then it clearly gets a very pronounced thumbs up!

Fahrenheit smells like fresh polished black leather shoes at first. Or more accurate: like the wax you spray on shoes to protect it against a rainy day. Not bad, but who wants to smell like Kiwi shoe wax? It develops into something woody; warm and a bit smoky, like a walk in a dry pine wood during the heat of day. Could this be the resin of the styrax and the mastic tree? Very unusual, sharp, mediterranean, slightly leathery and floral.
BTW: the "Hawthorne" in the top note is used in medicine to lower blood pressure and heart rate. Strange that this fragrance seems to have the opposite effect for so many reviewers here at Basenotes...

Recently I was at my parents and I noticed this in the bathroom. I gave myslef a little schpritz and I just could not stop smelling myslelf.

A thousand questions rushed through my mind: Is this for real, or did someone urinate in the bottle as a joke? Could this really be so disgusting? Is this fancy insect repellent? Is my skin going to peel off? Should I call 911?

Less is more... having not too many notes composed for Fahrenheit yet this is always my number one Dior fragrance. Woody + flowery scent. Smells like fresh cut grass to me, though to some it smells like fuel.

The best perfume ever made! I was only 13 when I got it..my very first designer fragrance. My sis told me that it was the ultimate mens perfume..rich, sophisticated and very expensive. I have to admit that it stank on me. It was a man's scent and I was just a boy. Anyway, that first bottle lasted me 2 years. I abandoned the fragrance for about 11 years and just started using it again after hunting for a scent that truly represents me.

It is overpowering at first but settles nicely into a lingering, rich and sweet scent. Once you get it on your clothes it will stay there for a long time.

Like I said, its very overpowering and tends to make many people nauseous when freshly applied. Now that I've grown up it smells different.. better I must say. I get compliments all the time especially from women. They find it "striking", "sophisticated" and "sexy". One galpal said that it just makes her want to follow me everywhere and another just couldn't stop leaning on my shoulder and sniffing me during a movie.

This is definately a classic and a well known fragrance around the world. It has an unmistakable character that is easy to recognize. I will restock up on this one day in the next year or two. It still stands to be unique and not cloned.

I absolutely HATE the topnote on this one and absolutely LOVE the drydown. In other words I dont know what to feel about it.
benb

A long time favorite of mine and I can completely understand its polorizing effect. This is a "love it or hate it" kind of fragrance with an exteremely distinctive smell. I am reminded of leather and cigars when I wear it, and an iris-type scent really comes through about an hour after I've put it on. On paper not such a appealing combination, to be sure. But I absolutely adore this one.

I used to like this, but don't anymore. It doesn't seem strong enough for me. Smells like a forest. Think woodlands.

One of the few fragrances which i don't like subjectively, yet i recognize its value. Even if it's not my style, i can still appreciate its extremely high-end ingredients leading to a compelling, even if a little too
intoxicating woody-balsamic symphony. Pretty good if used by someone else, maybe it isn't suitable for my skin type. A lighter version of it might still be worth a try.
Still, excellent for the fans of typical 80's scents, rather dark, slightly leathery, not a "nice" but definately a sensual, almost provocative experience.
Another quality is that it lasts quite long and pleasantly, it might even linger on one's pillow after a night out wearing this.

There's nothing wrong with it in itself, but for me at least, it's just a bright unadulterated greenness that I can't gel with or get enthusiastic about.

Also I've just got to comment that I did not expect a fragrance named 'Fahrenheit' in a red bottle in a black and red box to smell like freshly cut grass!

This is definitely a hit-or-miss scent... Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I honestly prefer Fahrenheit Summer over this.

I love Fahrenheit. I bought my first bottle like 4 days ago. I am sure I have smelled Fahrenheit before, I just didn't know what it was.
It is one of those love it or hate it colognes. I love it. And I recommend it to people of almost all ages. Once you smell it somewhere, you instantly know what it is.

Ah the scent of honeysuckle and orange blossom on a late summer afternoon. One of the most striking and unique compositions of modern men's fragrance, florals balanced by sandalwood and benzoin...many have tried to imitate, but nothing comes close to this masterpeice by, naturally, Dior.

This smells like leaded gasoline exhaust with a polite floral accompaniment. I absolutely love it. It's an impressive and wonderful fragrance, but thoroughly unconventional. It wears particularly well on my skin. It's a good companion to l'Anarchiste... both remind me of old machinery.

i don´t like talk bad about any perfume, but this is the first fragance by which i feel nauseous, i don´t know why...cause ironicaly i like the fragance..in others no in me

My favorite frag. ever. I just have to have it when i run out of it. I dont care if people think it smells like a gas station. I have had only good comments from it from the "you smell nice" to the "you smell so good i want to sleep with you", it just works with my skin.

For me this is the best Fragrance I have ever used. I get more people telling me how good I smell whenever I wear it then anything else....when its been on for at least the first 1/2 hour or so.......but the first 1/2 hour or so it can be overwelming to people's noses. My sugestion is if you wear this fragrance don't over do it(remember just cause you can't smell it on yourself doesn't mean other people can't smell it on you, your sense of smell gets ust to certain smells and doesn't register them as strong as they really are)and put it on about a 1/2 hour to an hour before you go anywhere. The top notes are overwelming but when this one hits it mid notes and the base notes start coming thru it's a beautiful treat for the nose.

A wonderful and unique fragrance for Winter. I am not sure why it get's such bad press. I have worn this for several years and all I have gotten is compliments. One of the co-workers that I saw after several years gave me a hug and told me that she remembered my Cologne that she loved so much and why I was not wearing it any more. My taste has changed somewhat but I still like Farenheit. Please try it and let it develop to form your own opinion.

extremely bad on my skin. for me it was one of the most disgusting scent I´ve ever tried.

GAG GAG GAG. Everytime I smell Fahrenheit it takes my breath away, and definitely not in a good way. Smells too much like a mediciney gasoline.

This cologne smells like it was put out by OPEC. It doesn't emit an aroma; it emits fumes. You could power an industrial tractor with this stuff, but why mess up a perfectly good tractor. I wore this for over a year, and I never received one compliment from anyone--Not even my mother!!! Once I was wearing it when I went to the mall one day in search of a new cologne. The sales lady proceeded to describe the various colognes to me and all the ones she enjoyed. When she passed up a bottle of Fahrenheit, I asked her what she thought of it (all the while I was wearing it and she didn't know). She then began to tell me how much she hated it, and how nasty it was and how it made her sick to her stomach. I sort of agreed with her but I had to keep wearing it so I could justify all the money I had spent on it. I ended up wearing the contents of the 3.4 oz bottle I had purchased for about a year until it was gone. I then went to a landfill and hurled the empty bottle as far as I could into it. When I threw it, I saw like three stray dogs come running out of the landfill. I guess they smelt it and wanted to get away from it too.

One of the most interesting scents for me. You love it or hate it. It's one of my favourites. It has "additive" properties. It's not easy to define this perfume - is it for casual or everyday wear? Fresh but warm, spicy. For people with strong personality.

Reminds me of a horse. So its alright if you want to smell like a horse.

Wow, this smells like turpentine, gasoline, and floral notes. This is a very disagreeable fragrance. It fails at what it is, and it fails at what it tries to be.

It does belong to a simpler and more honest time when perfumers actually tried to think of something new instead of tinkering with the existing winners and churning out 'limited editions', 'light', 'summer' and such like. The year of its release was the year of giants like Eternity and Cool Water. They were bold and trying back then, and thanks to this that era produced unashamed statements, not inoffensive mediocrities. Even those who hate Fahrenheit admit that it is distinct and impossible to confuse with anything. Since then, we had to wait for more a decade to be able to buy gems of a similar weight category - like Gucci Pour Homme.

fahrenheit smells nice had a small bottle,wore it out,havn't bought it again,thought about it like an old love affair,
you had your chance,I'm with spazio now.
R-

Probably the most easily recognized cologne in the world. Only Gaultier's Le Male is as simple to pinpoint. So that says a lot about Fahrenheit's originality. The problem is, at least here in Sweden, that it got heavily associated with young troublemaking hoodrats in the early nineties and it still bears this stigma here. If you look past strange associations and people wearing way too much of it, Fahrenheit really is an amazing fragrance and one of the given modern male classics.

It combines a very masculine mix of leather, petrol and woods with an ambiguos strong honeysuckle note, creating it's distinct trademark sillage. Very corresponding bottle to the scent, looks warm and spicy and as always with Dior, amazing supporting line with soaps, shaving products etc.

At first I tried this on paper, and the fresh green scent was really incredible! I couldnt believe that the sweet smell of warm grass had been so perfectly captured. Though I didnt know it then, what I was really responding to was the honeysuckle. Unfortunately after a day or so, the lingering fragrance on the bottle reeked a sickly sweet smell, which really began to worry me. However, the juice still smelled great on my skin - so no harm no foul. I definitely had some concerns when my boyfriend wanted to try it (figuring it would just make him smell like candy) but it actually work very well on his skin and smells much more masculine than what comes out of the bottle. Really a hit in this house.

Smells heavy at first but than settles down to something fresh, this is different to all other popular scents that smell like each other too sweet or to feminin.

not a favorite. Very heavy smell that gives me a severe headache after 5 mins wear.

old school, still some very good stuff. paul smith resembles this somewhat, but not as potent , or longlasting.

What an overrated fragrance. Smells of petrol and chemicals. Yuck. I work in the fragrance industry, and honestly would rather spray kouros all day than have to tolerate this stuff. It's time to discontinue this unleaded product- and fast.

I like this fragrance very much. It is very distinctive and original. I recommend it to any man.

It's a terribly exotic fragrance to me!!Its smell is repulsive... I hated it!

Can't live with it, cannot live without it. Sometimes I get the spilled petrol effect, other times it is the most amazing and distinctly leathery floral scent I have. Is it in the application? Getting the proper dosage? Whatever - while not at the top of my heap, it is not one I will part with. Too unusual and distinct for everyday but a necessary evil at times. A real sci-fi scent.

I bought a pack of minitures and i found none of the 5 christian diors i liked!! It makes me wonder if i got a old bunch of cologne past its due date because the smell i am getting smells like some type of detergent!!

When I want to chase the women away I wear this scent. Actually it doesn't give 'ME' the confidence. I mean...I wear some scents as Opium or Paco Rabanne or Realm or Elements and these scents give me power. This scent diffuses me...relaxes me...settles me. What do you think?

Very unique scent. Love the woods in it. Doesn't come across floral to me, just masculine. Quite potent and long lasting. Supported by a nice line of other products. The shower gel is great, and the spray deodorant is the best I've ever used.
The bottle's coloring varies slightly from the base of the cone to the neck. Like a beaker containing heat within. So suited to the name, the packaging is true to the scent.

I remember wearing this scent in the late 80's it was remarkable and still unlike anything else on the men's market. The mix of floral and woods blended just right that not female at all. Now Dior seem to be breathing new life in the scent by relaunching it. I received to beautifully packaged spray sample this past month and WOW I'm in love with this scent again. I may buy this one again, it seems when your away from these thing then smell them again there even better!