Open (1985)
by Roger & Gallet

ever bathed with the DIAL GOLD - well it smells exactly like that- albiet much stronger though with a refined presence....awesome staying power and man...talk about presence...it hangs around you - like the halo around Jesus ...

soap lovers rejoice!
Open starts out with a massive blast of soapiness, not altogether unlike Gendarme, but there is something ever so slightly synthetic about this soap smell... I won't say that it is unpleasant, but it is rather astringent. Like Ivory soap on steroids.
That, however, doesn't last very long, and what remains for an almost insanely long time is a mossy, woodsy, vetivery scent that I, myself, have come to refer to as "barbershop" in the vein of Rive Gauche Pour Homme.
I got this in a trade and I do wear it and love it. When it comes time to replace the bottle I'll most likely get another. That opening accord is one I actually look forward to for its short duration when I reach for this strangely-shaped bottle. Then of course the drydown is one that lasts so long you should be prepared to make an all day commitment.
Now one hopes that the powers at R & G don't bungle up and discontinue it.

Open: The soapiness is the main characteristic that I notice at first, and, at first, it seems too soapy for me. It is so soapy (maybe because of the aldehydes) that it seems almost slimy-leathery, but it appears that there is no leather in the fragrance. The fragrance settles down quickly to something my nose can appreciate, and what’s left is a very smooth green, citrus, and lavender accord, the lavender being mercifully held back. The result is that I quite enjoy the opening accord – eventually. The heart level is a smooth, refined floral / green / herbal accord: Very well done, enjoyable, and quite unique for both the time it was created and now. There is something mysterious in the accord, and the mystery adds an unexpected depth to the fragrance. By the drydown I think that I can identify what had been the soapy culprit: moss. It’s the moss that gave that initial feel that threw me a little. The moss has retreated to an excellently acceptable note in the base, and the base is balanced and warm with its amber, moss, musk, and vetiver. I had a good feeling about this fragrance when I ordered it blind. When I first smelled the annoyingly soapy opening, I quickly doubted my ordinarily nicely working precognition abilities. I am happy to report that my ESP abilities are in good shape – after the first eight minutes it is a wonderful fragrance.

For me it was more floral than woody, but that might be what some call "soapy" in this fragrance. I do get the peppery/smoky qualities too. It's quite mossy, similar to Francesco Smalto in that way. I no longer find these fragrances very appealing, but this is certainly a quality one, especially for the prices I've seen it sell for.

R&G L’Homme and Open start off as very similar scents. My initial notes didn’t distinguish enough between them, so I have resorted to the tried-and-true ‘two wrists, two fragrances’ strategy. L’H is a woody spice, Open is a spicy wood. Open is a bigger scent, with more sillage. L’H is more subtle and stays close to the skin. The wood in L’H is cedar (dry, a bit resinous), the wood in Open is sandalwood (brisk, soapy).
Open is an interesting scent. The R&G site speaks of mandarin orange, sage, cardomom, and aromatic wood. A squirt of freshly-peeled orange starts the show. Pepper and cloves (carnation?) give it a brisk ‘kick’ of energy. There are also woody spices (cardamom, perhaps nutmeg). Those qualities are good, because they give balance to this rich aromatic scent. A soapy aspect emerges from sandalwood, a minty-creamy aspect. This compliments the spices very well. A slightly sweet, ethereal dry-down follows. Normally I’m not a fan of that sort of thing, but it works here. Everything is generous and yet it has classy restraint. It is very masculine, with pepper, wood, leather notes... but it is not obnoxious. Elegant, charming, it approaches Chevalier D’Orsay. It is more peppery and woody than Equipage. This really shines in cool temperatures, it might be a bit heavy in warm weather.

when you love a fragrance and it loves you back (gets you noticed), you get that nice warm feeling (Good morning sir, you smell good)...and she wasn't even an admirer!..come to think of it do you really know your admirers?.. Now if that is not love returned, then i dont know what is..a real power scent dosen't oppose the user it stays with you like a halo confirming your presence and your quality..i hope i don't sound like a commercial R&G OPEN is subtlety and agression sizing each other up, freshness and leathery muskiness all rolled up in one. All rise Lovers of BOSS NO.1, FENDI UOMO GIVENCHY GENTLEMAN, ARAMIS, this is definitely one for you.