Bigelow Barber Cologne Elixir Red No. 1584 (2007)
by C.O. Bigelow Apothecary

I was fully expecting Elixir Red to play out like a watery clone of a popular fragrance 're-imagined' on a budget after wearing Elixir Black, which is basically a pleasant yet pale shadow of John Varvatos. It is nothing of the sort. I had been pouring through reviews and directories trying to find a scent of similar construction that I might find the 'original,' but now I'm not sure there ever was one. The closest I could come in my own experience was Xeryus Rouge, but all of the odd coldness and the off-putting strangeness has been banished. Fun note - It's the only full masculine in the BN directory with redcurrant listed in the notes.
Elixir Red is an utterly pleasant spicy fruit creation that feels and smells warm as it rises from the body. The spices, probably pepper and cardamom, work with the fig and redcurrant (which are quite evident) to create a sharp opening that pushes just hard enough to be interesting and stops just before it reaches annoying. Red doesn't evolve much, merely lessens as time wears on, and projects several inches for some time until it has diminished to a vaguely spicy-sweet woody skin scent many hours later. I got this on sale for $10 at Bath and Body works and I like it enough to keep in my rotation. I am nearly in shock.

29th December, 2010.