Brooklyn (2009)
by Bond No. 9

I didn't care much for Brooklyn during a prior sniff, but darned if it is speaking to me today.

The grapefruit top note is just what I needed for a sluggish Monday morn--a bit of pleasant, bright smelling salts to open my eyes. An impetuous judgement (“masculine!”) sparked by the juniper note, is being pushed aside as I welcome the cardamom. I can enjoy this scent for a day. Not $-worthy, but Brooklyn deserves credit for working with my finicky skin and narrow preferences.

I can see where others might think this fairly pedestrian, but it's the kind of routine frag I hope the civilians (non-BNers) choose to wear.

[size=3][b]Bond No. 9 [color=turquoise]Brooklyn[/b][/color][/size] was my sole impulse purchase from the Boston BN get-together in August 2009. It's marketed as unisex, but seems to me to trend more traditionally "masculine." I can see how this could smell fairly pedestrian as a 'masculine' this year (2009 seems to be the year of 'cardamom in guys' fragrances') but on me, it's a lovely light cardamom/transparent floral and leather. I also pull up any and all sweet notes in this, so it's LOTS of fun! I envision walking past someone with a good nose who stops in their tracks as I pass, turns over their shoulder and thinks, "Wow - She's *interesting*..."

[b] Brooklyn notes:[/b] Grapefruit, Cardamom, Cypress-wood, Geranium Leaves, Juniper Berries, Cedarwood, Leather and Guaiacwood.

A very "dim" and "timid" spicy/woody scent.
Cardamom and Cypress are the stars, and the overall impression is dissapointing and totally unworthy of being named after the borough.
Bitter, boring, and lame are not what I expected from that note pyramid.
Another total yawner from Bond no.9.

Bond No 9 have a reputation for plagiarism, which is not entirely unjustified, but at least that is a thought process. No thought has gone into Brooklyn or maybe just ' knock out a safe one'. It's a little bit fresh, a little bit green, a little bit woody, but a whole lot of mediocrity. I mean this could be a 'Hugo Boss' bargain box chuckout. Why would you want to spend £100, but smell like £5? Avoid like the plague is my advice.

Oops!

After a long wait, many of us were excited about Brooklyn by Bond 9 but this scent is a great disappointment!

All I get is geranium and as SirSlarty stated "gritty" geranium.

I can barely smell it on my skin. It has the worst lasting power of any Bond 9. I hate to be blunt but even some Jo Malone scents last longer than Brooklyn on my skin.

After 10 minutes, Poof! gone

Such a beautiful bottle, yet such a disappointing fragrance!

I liek the word "griity" here. It really described the scent. I think it's due to the geranium leaves plus some leather. I like the woody notes here. Makes it feel dry and gritty as well. But overall, I'm not for this scent. Unique, yes but I can't shake the feeling that it's familiar. I likened it to ck One when I first tried it but I knew that was wrong. Then I thought it was similar to Banana Republic Classic but that was brinier. The concept is the same: make a truly unisex scent with just enough edge to it to make people think it leans a tad feminine or masculine. Well it worked and it feels like it leans to the feminine side. Like a bad girl scent. Unisex frags usually share a few things in common like citrus and wood notes. I've worn this several times and cannot comes to llove it. It just feels all wrong on me.