Le Dandy (1923)
by D'Orsay

ive never smelled the old formulation of this' so have nothing to compare it to which might be a good thing. i initially didnt like this scent but having revisited it several weeks later i now find it very pleasant indeed.the more i wear it , the more i like it . it lasts 5-6 hours on me ( better than most creeds) .my skin normally eats scents so i aint complaining about the longevity. thumbs up

12nd September, 2011. (Last Edited: 15th December, 2011.)

2010 Reformulation:

I've to agree with other reviewers that Le Dandy 2010 reminds of many designer fragrances from the last couple of decades and in this context I find it to be seriously disappointing. An unappealing and quite generic mix of fruits, wood and spices on a ambery / vanilla base. Overall this is not a completely bad scent but nothing I would really recommend.

I'll wait for my chance to smell the vintage version.

9th June, 2011.

Le Dandy may not be the equivalent of a fine single malt whisky like Laphroaig or Lagaluvin, but once in a while I will settle for a decent blend. D’Orsay are no longer the purveyors of the finest fragrances, but they can still produce something of reasonable quality. Boozy, smoky and spiced, it might well smell like a night out on the better side of town, but it makes for a very effective autumnal staple.

Sometimes, I just want to reach, apply and forget.

8th April, 2011. (Last Edited: 9th April, 2011.)

Sampling it blind, I'd have figured Le Dandy for a designer scent from the 1990s - which is, I suppose, exactly what the reformulation is. The top notes are fruit punch, with a few extra tablespoons of sugar thrown in just for good measure. It's way too sweet for my poor nose, and blatantly synthetic to boot. The whole Juicyfruit accord eventually fades a bit to reveal a scrawny base of woods. The merest hint of leather drifts by an hour or more into the development, and that's about it.

Given its reputation, Le Dandy is one of the most disappointing scents that I've encountered. The opening smells cheap and commonplace, the base is anemic, and what development there is is painfully clumsy. I find it hard to believe that Le Dandy of 1923 smelled anything like this travesty. If you want tropical fruits and woods, try Maître Parfumeur et Gantier's Bahiana. It plays this this hand with far greater panache.

23rd December, 2009.

Is it an oldie? Is a new designer scent from 2003? Who knows? Le Dandy seems difficult to place as the benchmark fragrance for dandies at the turn of the century. Dandy is certainly a gourmand fragrance with an opening of bergamot and Oriental spices like mace, nutmeg, cardammom, a touch of ginger, and a dash of cinnamon to warm its composure followed by bourbon, vanilla, tonka, musk, and a sprinkling of powdery florals such as carnation and geranium. Le Dandy is certainly a nice winter scent, but it is spicy, heavy, and sweet. It has all the body of a 2000s something designer fragrance with all the dressings of an Edwardian classic. Le Dandy is a good experience for experienced noses, but heed my advice, experienced as it is a delight, but probably not that wearable.

29th August, 2009. (Last Edited: 10th November, 2009.)

D'Orsay Le Dandy

The metrosexual of the turn of the 17th century was called a Dandy and we have come a long way in the two hundred or so years since that term was popular. Although I imagine two hundred years from now we'll be snickering at metrosexual, too. What both terms are trying to describe are a man of the times current in all things from fashion to politics. Smack dab in the middle, somewhere in the early 1920's, Le Dandy was released by Parfums D'Orsay. In 1998 Dominic Preysass updated Le Dandy and it was re-released. With that update Le Dandy had the opportunity to find its 21st century constituency. Back in the times when the term Dandy was used it was meant to convey a man aspiring to aristocratic values, the same can be said of Le Dandy as the dominant notes give off the sense of a smoking parlor and the men conversing after dinner in those long ago times. The top is dominated with a boozy accord that the note list calls whisky but it comes off more cognac-like to my nose. This is paired with a great anise note that really complements the liquor accord. Tobacco makes its appearance next as this scent lights up its metaphorical after-dinner cigars. The heart is a beautiful mix of spices with ginger being the most predominant of the mix. Ginger is an excellent choice as it carries some sweet and strengthens the sweet present in the tobacco. The base is a mix of woods for which I get some sandalwood and cedar, mostly. Again it is the use of the slightly sweet woods which delicately finish this off in grand style. I haven't had the opportunity to try the original vintage version but M. Preysass has created a scent that would make an 18th century Dandy or this 21st century Metrosexual happy to wear.

19th July, 2009.