Chinatown (2005)
by Bond No. 9

Chinatown is an odd fragrance on me. Initially it did nothing for me, perhaps because, from looking at the bottle, I was expecting a luscious cherry-bomb of an Oriental. So Not That! I kept trying it, because so many had raved about it, and finally, after a 3rd or 4th try, and after about an hour on my skin I realized that the scent is the recreation of a smell from childhood memories: It's the scent of the inside of a small shop in Chinatown (San Francisco) that sold incense, lucky cats, cheap plastic toys, gag gifts, magic boxes, fireworks & sparklers, all kinds of other kitschy items (it was packed with stuff). As a child this store was a wonderland to me, and I still have a beautiful wooden puzzle box that my parents purchased for me there. What a fun memory! I can't help but wonder if the nose who created this frag. had a similar store in mind! :-) It's a very fun mix of sweet, jasmine, wood, incense, and even a little plastic. Brilliant!

This is a lovely floral gourmand. When I called Bond no. 9 for some samples, the SA warned me that Chinatown was a little on the feminine. Just to test that fact out, I gave the sample a full wearing. Gourmands must love my skin because things like Rochas Man, Endymion, Hanae Mori, Ciel Mon Jardin, etc just seem to project more than anything.

I smell vanilla and chocolate with spicy florals that I can't name since I'm not familiar with them. A dry, spicy drydown that keeps the vanilla going to the end.

New to the world of perfumistas, I bought a few untried scents that seemed worth the risk off eBay (a short, but expensive, phase), mostly on reviews from Perfumes: The Guide by Sanchez and Turin (I love that book!) A bit discouraged, I tentatively opened my Bond No. 9 Chinatown, and I AM IN HEAVEN! I am so happy to have found this scent. I will wear it with pleasure for a long time and highly recommend anyone to at least give it a try. It is wonderful to read the other reviewers comments here, as well. There is so much to learn and experience about this fascinating and compelling art.

I like many of the notes in Chinatown so in theory I should love it but unfortunately I just can't get on with it. The spicy dry down is too spiky for me. I got a second sample from another source just in case the first one is off but no joy. Longevity is good though, I've had to wash it off each time I've sampled it. I'm disappointed this one's not for me.

To me this smells smokey, sultry, woodsy with peach blossoms- actually I thought it was cherry untill I read the notes.. I love this scent. It remind me of the notes Guerlain uses alot but in a different direction.

What a great disappointment this one was! I've never been a big fan of Bond No. 9 fragrances but I had hoped that Chinatown would be the exception.

However, not only didn't it work well with my body chemistry (this is the only house in where I’ve constantly experienced this) but it was a tad too feminine for my tastes. Also, sillage is way below average and its longevity is not as great as many have stated. As for the apricot note, it failed to add any real edge to what is already a mediocre fragrance.

Well, that’s one less fragrance house to worry about...