Tribute (1963)
by Avon

My sister-in-law sold Avon products back in the day, so of course, for good will in the family I purchased stuff from her. I bought Tribute as a “collector bottle.” It is in the shape of the head of a helmeted Roman centurion (actually, to me it looks more pseudo-Etruscan than pseudo-Roman): dark blue bottle with a chrome helmet. The after-shave opens cologny but quickly settles down to a rather quiet sweet wood accord with a green and floral background in a well-balanced composite accord. It is really quite pleasant in a very ‘60s sort of way – which I can get away with because it smells so good on me – lots of compliments on this one. Of course, as an after-shave it lasts for all of fifty minutes, and it doesn’t have a drydown, but it’s really a pleasant, masculine, ‘60s scent. I still have it after forty plus years (including thirty years in storage). Maybe it’s the nostalgia, but I often find it pleasant to wear and the bottle is so camp. For the memories, for the kitsch bottle, for the compliments, I think Tribute deserves a thumb’s up. (Edit of May 9, 2008 review.)