Old Spice (1937)
by Procter & Gamble (orig. by Shulton)

I don't like Old Spice, but I don't blame it for that. Anything that alludes to advanced age and relies heavily on spicy notes is not my kind of fragrance. Although there are about twenty different notes throughout its range, somehow this just smells very staid, very generic, and not all that interesting. If I had to choose between Old Spice, and just going without cologne, I'd probably choose the latter.

Does Old Spice need further introduction? Cheap can smell great. Apart from providing me a positive sense of nostalgia, Old Spice is actually a very well-made scent. Would I wear this? Probably not so much now, but I have to give credit, when it is due.

My best friend kept ribbing me that he got more female compliments with this than with any other cologne. He figured it had to do with their wanting to sit on daddy's lap. (Daddy? Try grandpa.) I figured how wrong could I go for a couple of bucks? Besides I probably owned it 30 years ago along with Chaps and Aramis.

(Sorry doctor, I have no recollection of Brut or Acqua Velva)

Well, now I know why I haven't bought it in 30 years, I'll give it to him as a present.

No disrespect intended against your fathers, grandfathers, great-grandfathers, Confucius and all your honorable ancestors, but I can't stand this juice.

I find it overbearing, gross and powdery.
Masculine?
Well, only in the sense of 'pertaining to men.'
If one were to make a fragrance of the scent of Gillette's cheapest shaving cream and bottle it, it too, would be 'masculine' by that definition.

Longing for the virile good old days? Give me Bay Rum over this anytime.

Incidentally, this reputedly came out as a WOMAN'S fragrance in 1937, bombed and was re packaged for men the next year. I did not know this tidbit before trying it, but it's part of the interesting trivia one finds here at Basenotes.

Good Lord!
Imagine 30 years from now women going for the " masculine" A*Men or Le Male because it reminds them of dear old grandpa! The mind boggles. . .

Here you have the intial freshness, before "fresh" was a category, of a citrus/faint soapiness that is very soon a floral, and the spice which I agree is not the "Old" clove depth of memory but enough casual smokiness in the drydown, more in the cologne than the after shave. The vanilla does come through (even on a used and closed bottle). I actually do NOT recommend the after shave but the cologne is fine.

Nice. an old classic. Also my entrance into the fragrance world. I will always have a soft spot for this one. Started using this about freshman year and it always got a lot of compliments. A few people would complain of it being a bit cloying, but I don't see it. Spicy little number. It smells like a mix of fresh apples and spice. Decent sillage, etc. Not a bad smell especially considering the price. Can't go wrong.

I have two vintage bottles from both the 1950s and 1960s. These are excellent examples of a high quality, mass-marketed aftershave from the past. I don't really find Old Spice all that spicy and in fact find it more floral and more powdery with notes of oakmoss, musk, vanilla, amber, carnation, orris root, etc. The scent really has very little change since it dissipates within a few minutes. The new version by Procter and Gamble is garbage and nothing more than an overly synthetic bay rum. Stock up on vintage stock while you can before this American classic disappears forever.