No. 68 (2002)
by Guerlain

This is an amazingly complex cologne, and there’s not really much more I can add that both Gerald and JamieB haven’t mentioned already.

I would definitely agree that there is an olfactory overload, especially during the first few moments after application, but this is a highly pleasant experience in itself. From that moment onwards, certain notes do eventually reveal themselves more than others but it takes several wears for the wearer to realise this. This in itself makes No. 68 such a compelling and cerebral fragrance – not strictly in terms of its composition but also in the way it almost demands the wearer to discover something new, as if its very existence can only be justified by such musings.

Personally, I love this cologne much more than Guerlain’s traditional eaux, purely because No. 68 is far more complex and yet less pretentious, longer lasting but just as refreshing, timeless and yet ultra-modern. It’s a rare cologne that manages to successfully escape the confines, as well as clichés, of what constitutes a great cologne.

My only reservation is its extortionately high price but, sometime in the near future, I can possibly see myself investing in a bottle of this…

[Original submission date: 25 May 2008]

My only regret is that I did not get the huge bottle (I got the 100ml). I can see the juice being used up every day, and it just breaks my heart. I got this after I attended a perfume class by Sylvaine Delacourte. She said Cologne du 68 was an homage to Corsica, and unlike most colognes which lean toward "cool" facets like citrus, she wanted to balance it out with a "warm" scent, the immortelle flower. I have never been to Corsica, but wearing this does transports me to another place, with warm sunshine, with green leaves, spices, flowers bursting with life.

**This review is of Cologne du 68, 2006 **

Cologne du 68 (c68) is presented in a functional cylindrical flacon, free of the gaudy rotund bee-hive house bottle and it means business. The bottle is plastered with 68 notes but ignoring the phantom notes I can probably compress the pyramid to the following:

Top: Lime, Cedrat, Tangerine, star anise
Middle: Violet leaf, cardamom, coriander, orange blossom
Base: Guerlinade

c68 is an EDC with heft and substance. Sure, its a "cologne" but there is a certain volume and density to it and the general powdery/gourmand veil that is ever present is probably responsible for it. c68 is a spicy, tangy, powdery delight composed with good quality materials. The opening is a sharp cedrat note softened with tangerines which leads into a heart of zingy and fresh coriander and cardamom with a very distant green note. As the effervescent light notes dissipate, the resilient Guerlinade-like woody troupe of vanilla, tonka, amber, heliotrope, sandal and other woody notes bring about a delicious "soft" gourmand slightly powdery aura to the drydown. Each of the three distinct phases are linked with finesse, and the construction flows with nary a hitch. This is one EDC which can refresh in the dog days of summer in South Florida, and "stick around" in the frozen winters of Minnesota.

In a sea of samey EDCs, the guerlinade base distinguishes c68s' conventional structure. It has displaced the old classic Habit Rouge EDC from my wardrobe..while still pleasant, I find HR-EDCs pixie dust lemon powder to be less dynamic and substantial than c69s limey spicy gourmand show and there's a certain thinness in HR_EDC which now bothers me. Its hard to imagine that this is the same house which recently launched the modern disaster Guerlain Homme. Guerlain, please let c68 carry the houses' leading_fragrance_for_men banner for the time being .. ah, but that would require adding more $$$s to the formula won't it ? Vive le commercialism !

Rating : 8.75/10.00

JaimeB's review is excellent, and in some ways it's impossible to describe the fragrance that has a bit of everything. What strikes the most about 68 is that for a complex fragrance that shifts and evolves constantly, it is incredibly easy to wear and works well in any situation, on anyone. Some complex fragrances - particularly those concept fragrances in the 'fragrance as theoretical art' category - don't take into account that an actual human will be wearing them. Not so with Guerlain, as this is very enjoyable to wear.

While 68 evolves through many stages - citrus, coniferous, spicy, woody, floral - there remains a slightly gourmand feel to it, probably in large part to the Guerlain vanillic base that is always lurking. The twinge of vanilla, along with a slight muskiness that persists throughout the life of the fragrance, is really what makes 68 as excellent as it is.

My only complaint is the lack of sillage - it's much more of skin scent with little projection. Longevity is average, 5-6 hours, but without really being able to smell it on yourself it's hard to tell. Regardless, this is one of my favorite new bottle acquisitions, and it is something that deserves a full bottle purchase instead of just a decant. A sampling just doesn't do this justice. Required for Guerlain fans, highly recommended for everyone else.

Wow, they say this has 68 ingredients? I can’t smell most of them, and then end result is rather common citrus and herbs with one difference—among the grapefruit and thyme is a heavenly heliotrope. Nice, but not remarkable enough to replace something like Jicky. And if I wanted heliotrope, I'd get something that showcased it better.

The No 68 in 2000 was a limited edition re-issue of the Terracotta fragrance,(very different from the current offering) and it was only sold in the U.S. I got this information from the Guerlain boutique when I inquired about where to find it.