Spiced Limes (1921)
by Anglia Perfumery (orig. by Crown Perfumery)

Spiced Limes, at least the Anglia version I tried, is no slouch. It opens with a giant lime accord backed by lime blossoms and some spice perhaps cinnamon, coriander, and others. The base is a nice, but short lived patchouli and possibly civet. This is a traditional citrus embellishment.

No holds barred to the point citrus. The "spice" smells like Castile soap. Very refreshing.

This is an insanely good perfume. I have the original Crown version, not Anglia's, so I can't say whether their representation is faithful - but this wonderful scent is certainly worthy of living on. I find spraying this more satisfying than splashing: this gives the wonderful citrus top more sparkle. It is, indeed, one of the finest aromatic citrus openings I've ever had the pleasure to smell, and it has surprising lasting power. The basil lends Spiced Limes just the right amount of green dirt - I actually think there is also a small dose of civet in here - but there is also an interesting transparent note, reminscent of a wet gravel road, contributed by the vetiver. The spices are beautifully blended, the clove is prevented by the nutmeg and cinnamon sweetness from drifting into the kind of mustiness that compromises Park Royal. Serenely fresh and debonaire, with perfectly placed accents to keep it more interesting than many simply "nice" citruses, it is the perfect olfactory complement to the English gentlemens' outfit and one of the quiet masterpieces among the wonderful line of Crown scents.

Spiced Limes is a very satisfying, classy scent. The opening citrus notes are aromatic, with an amazing depth, substance and longevity. My comment (not a criticism) is that the notes are citrus-y rather than simply lime-y. The spices are woody and very well blended. The spices interact with the vetiver, deepening and mellowing and becoming richer as the scent develops. The vetiver is not dominant, it simply supports the spices. The transition from citrus to deep (not heavy) spice gives a shift from day to night; cerebral to sensual.

This is a very refreshing, straightforward lime / lemon scent. It is a citrus scent that is pleasantly sharp, clean, and slightly lime-sweet, and it has those corresponding green notes—basil, sage, coriander—that support the limey citrus accord with exquisite balance. I really don’t get very much spice in this fragrance—just the citrus, the herbs, and vetiver. This is not really a complex fragrance—it is simple and linear. It’s refreshing, it’s clean and wonderfully natural. As enjoyable as it is, it lasts only about forty minutes on my skin, unfortunately. Crown Spiced Limes makes an incredibly refreshing splash, but I can’t count on any sort of longevity.

The Baron de Charlus once told me: 'I recall the time when I was a house guest at the Clouds Hill cottage of the fabled Lawrence of Arabia. He gave us each a bar of carbolic soap. He also insisted we sleep in a tent in the garden. In the middle of winter.'