Wellington (1876)
by Geo F Trumper

This is going to be a biased review because I love this. I had a sample which was shut away in a cupboard and forgotten about till a thread was brought up on here and I got it out and tried it. Ended up buying a 30ml bottle of this and I have to say It had instantly gone down as one of my top 5 of all time.

The lemon burst at the start is perfect for first thing in the morning (and a boost during the day) but what really gets me about this is the aristocratic smell in the dry down. It stays well on my clothes and it is comforting. It continuously feels refreshing whenever you smell it during the day and it turns into a very complex cologne.

The only bad thing I could say about this is that I'd prefer it to last longer but thats a trait of cologne and I can put up with it and re-apply because this is summer in a bottle for me.

This starts with the most wonderful, sharp and very natural smelling lemon note and it is apparent that this is the granddaddy of GFT. The unusual (even slightly odd?) but really rather good complex accord which sits just under this holding it up smells of citrus including a touch of lovely bergamot, some bitter orange, a sharp, bright style neroli, other darker florals and a musk which seems particularly well blended here with some rosemary which continues the sharp acidity of the top. I detect a little drop of the "milky" floral aldehyde which trumpers seem to use frequently and froms a little of their signature (as well as the heart of the wierd Milk of Flowers). Maybe a little of the blackcurrant similar to eucris too, or a little mint and a touch of cypres or pine.

A deep, rich complex accord which morphs slowly bringing different aspects to the fore.

Ooo, spicy woods and fruity pine. Almost like a minty Polo green. Very classy!

Like a lemon sherbet rubbed in pine needles.
A lovely sharp opening that I imagine cut through the muggy smoking rooms of Victorian London that has aged remarkably well. Smells refined and classy without coming across as old fashioned.
The flowery notes warm up in the middle to replace the citrus and the whole thing lasts ages.
A quality, timeless cologne.

“A subtle fragrance that blends musk with complex top notes including Rosemary and Neroli.” (Trumper website)
Well, as usual Trumper plays its fragrance note cards close to the chest. What can I detect in what I smell in Wellington? There is a very brisk citrus opening, quite lemony. Then there is a minty green freshness, from rosemary but perhaps also eucalyptus. I question whether there is any pine here, the rosemary could be giving that impression. Then a nice woody spice tone appears. Pepper may be giving some ‘bite.’ Perhaps caraway gives that woody tone. Neroli oil itself is spicy and flowery so we must take that into account. A grassy tone emerges, probably some vetiver is involved. Overall, I’d say this is a minty-lemony scent with remarkable longevity. As well, throughout there is a distinctive and interesting “dusty” aspect that is difficult to identify. At times it reminds me of the smell of old books, at other times I get the idea of a dusty old jar of lemon drops. These are not unpleasant images for me, they are rather charming and so is Wellington. It is an interesting, brisk scent which warms up a bit in the dry-down but retains its cool character.

Vibrant almost edible citrus spice herbal floral top, remins quite linear on my skin like most Trumper's creations, but this may be due to the fact it's a rub-on not a spray. While GFT remains king of my Trumper samples, this and Curzon remains close seconds and thirds. Longetivity is pretty good. Something I would appreciate but not exactly a full bottle worthy, but definitely worth a decant of.