Gendarme Green (2005)
by Gendarme

A light herbal green scent with a twist towards classic cologne style fragrances like Guerlains' Eau Imperiale or Penhaligons' Castile (especially it the citrusy topnote) - but so much more up to date!

What I do not like about it is its is availablility in a rather ugly and impractical 6 oz.(!) aluminium bottle. I will probably have to pass it to my heirs.

This is easily my favorite among my collection of Gendarme products (I always have at least one bottle of each of the scents from gendarme's catalog). Everything about it trumps the rest: good longevity, good sillage, additional dimensions to an otherwise awesome product. This is an EDP, and is only available in a six oz aluminum spray bottle; I have yet to see it available on ebay- must be found at retailer or official website. To call this a "green" scent is to not do it justice; the green term conjures images of Davidoff Good Life or something. For those who like Gendarme's take on "clean", this is recommended.

Very very underrated scent. Incredible, in fact. Absolutely blows the original Gendarme away. Such a shame that Green doesnt get much play on here, certainly deserves every ounce of praise it gets. Well worth it's price tag, too. As far as "Green" scents go, this is IT. Has that unmistakable Gendarme feel to it, especially on the drydown, but the top and heart is where it really shines. The cucumber, basil, and spice work so well together, and the lasting power is a complete surprise. Unlike others in this line, it differs enough to warrant purchasing even if you have the original, if you dont, then just get Green and call it a day.

Green is an exquisite combination of citrus, herbs and the Gendarme-characteristic white musk base. Like all gendarme fragrances, it stays relatively close to your skin (though it has a significantly stronger sillage factor than the classic Gendarme or Gendarme V), and lasts for many hours.
The topnote is a somehow flashy citric mixture (lemon, verbena, bergamot) with a saccharine undertone. It quickly melts down to a soft and cool heart (cucumber, basil, some thymes) that justifies the juice's name: indeed, it smells green. The crisp, clean basenote rounds the whole composition off. All in all, just perfect for spring and summer.
I don't like the cheap-looking aluminium bottle, but after all, it's the fragrance that counts.
After Grabazzi, this is my secondary favourite in the Gendarme line.

My husband picked up a phrase when he was serving in Vietnam. Some locals would say, "Same-same, but not same-same," meaning something was similar but not identical to something else. For GG, I want to explain that it is green-green, but not green-green.
It smells green, yes, but not green as in cucumber (which is a scent I like), not green as in basil (I have basil, harvested from the garden, now drying in my pantry), not green like candy or gum (although its top notes are definitely sweet), not green like tea (because GG lacks any tannins). Not to frustrate the reader, but somehow GG still smells green.
I find the top notes pleasant and "harmless" with a sugary quality equal to, say, orange blossoms. The middle notes strike me as slighly aquatic or soapy. The base notes contain some indistinguishable spice. Not a thriller for me.

Gendarme Green is unlike anything Gendarme has ever made. It retains that clean "aura" but is much more complex than the original and V. IT smells very green with notes of cucumber and spice. The drydown in incredible. Very long lasting too 12 hrs plus on my skin. You can find it at Barney's New York and www.gendarme.com.