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Eight & Bob - a fragrance for JFK and his friends | Esxence News

Grant Osborne
By: Grant Osborne
Posted 04/01/12 • Last updated 04/01/12 • 11 views • 17 comments
119794
Eight & Bob is a fragrance that tells a story of Albert Fouquet, the son of a Parisian aristocrat and perfume connoisseur. He created a fragrance for his personal use in collaboration with his butler, Philippe. According to the company, he was asked by many in his social circle to market the fragrance, but he declined. And then, on vacation in 1937, he met John F Kennedy.

Kennedy was captivated by Fouquet's fragrance and persuaded him to leave him a sample (who knew Kennedy collected decants?). Fouquet left Kennedy a sample, and a note which read "In this jar, you will find the dash of French glamour that your American personality lacks."

On returning from his vacation, Fouquet received a letter from Kennedy thanking him, and asking if he could send eight more samples, "and if your production allows, another one for Bob". Butler, Philippe found eight beautiful glass jars in a Parisian pharmacy for Fouquet to send the fragrances in. He labeled the package "Eight + Bob".

Soon everyone wanted the fragrance: Hollywood producers, directors and actors. Unfortunately, Fouquet died in a car accident in 1939, and Philippe, who was handling orders left his job with the family due to the start of World War II. In the last shipments he sent, he his them in books to prevent them being seized by Nazi's.

Decades later, the formula was found by the family of Philippe, and the fragrance was recreated.

The fragrance contains a note from a plant called "Andrea" which apparently is "in short supply due to the altitudeand the limited area where it grows; it can only be picked during themonths of December and January."

Eight & Bob is 125 for 100ml edt.

Comments (17)

JDBIII 3/31/12 at 5:00pm
Can the fragrance possibly be as good as the story?
kbe 3/31/12 at 5:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JDBIII View Post

Can the fragrance possibly be as good as the story?

You can find out for 125 Euro



http://eightandbob.com/hannover_buy.html


And a bit deeper into the story:

http://eightandbob.com/History_eight_and_bob.html
knit at nite 3/31/12 at 5:00pm
Happy "Poisson D'Avril" Grant!!
nefastvs 3/31/12 at 5:00pm
I call shenanigans on this story. Shenanigans! Shenanigans!
nefastvs 3/31/12 at 5:00pm
I call shenanigans on this story. Shenanigans! Shenanigans!
Neradiosa 4/2/12 at 5:00pm
The story may be so charming to be hard to believe, but I have no evidence it may be untrue. On the other hand, the fragrance smells so nice to me to deserve such an aura. I'm not much of an expert, but I'd marry the man wearing this scent!
Neradiosa 4/2/12 at 5:00pm
(tried at Esxence in Milano last weekend)
GGA 4/7/12 at 5:00pm
Does anyone have any info about the notes?
Primrose 4/10/12 at 5:00pm
This might all be marketing spin, as many "histories" of long-lost fragrances of the rich and famous, but I would like to see the notes.
MysteryBuff40 4/14/12 at 5:00pm
Does it mean anything that all the stories about this scent appeared on April 1st, or that the Eight + Bob website only takes payments through PayPal and lists no address, phone number or even email address? Also, the one person here who claims to have smelled the fragrance and heaps extravagant praise upon it hasn't posted a comment about anything else - ever.
HORNS 4/16/12 at 5:00pm
This story reeks of BS - from the details that the future president was driving around in a convertible to some secret ingredient that can only be acquired during the depth of winter in alpine conditions make the story around the new perfume look very likely fabricated. Furthermore, JFK's life was pretty well-documented down to what kind of rocking chair he used but am I to assume that the fragrance he preferred was a mystery until now?
Sorry, but I find marketing tactics like this to be very irritating.
YourSound 4/17/12 at 5:00pm
OK, did anybody else smell this? It sounds great and the (strange) WebSite looks promising somehow. Does anybody own it, or at least see it somewhere in real? Hmmm... really would like to sample this one.
MysteryBuff40 6/15/12 at 5:00pm
I still have strong doubts about how legitimate this is, but the Eight + Bob website has added some contact information and the notes of the fragrance:

Head: Ginger, cardamom, lemon, and bergamot.

Heart: Cedar wood, nuts, essencia cistus, and
guaiacum wood.

Base: Patchouli, sandal, ambergris, and vanilla.

They say the dominate notes are bergamot, guaiacum wood and sandalwood.
MikeNY 6/17/12 at 5:00pm
Was the JFK angle not enough? Did they have to add the part about the Nazis? Or the plant that can only be picked in December and January? Come on, give your potential buyers SOME credit. Just smell good, that's all we ask.
Sybarite 9/30/12 at 5:00pm
Oh come on people, why all the negative glum 'finger-pointing' at 'Eight & Bob' ?? - Where is all (or even any) of your 'romanticism' & sense of fun. ~ I quite honestly don't give a damn if there's actually even an ounce of truth to this 'back-story' or not. Either way, I think it's smart & very well thought out. Plus it actually does make the fragrance sound interesting at very least. (Just take note on how it's already started all the speculation & 'tongue-wagging'. It's already roped you all in despite your scepticism. Therefore already working on some level. So BOO you !! ) - I mean how much more boring would it be without any back-story at all ? (It's certainly no simple thing getting a frag off the ground in a saturated market !)
And for those screaming, all it needs is to "just smell good". Well I can confirm that it does indeed smell very good. In fact excellent ! - It has been one of the better niche offerings I've smelled this year. It's très sophisticated & actually fits the 'back-story' like a fine glove.
If you miss out due to sheer negativity, believe me it's your loss !
Birdboy48 9/30/12 at 5:00pm
"Andrea is a wild plant in short supply due to the altitude and limited area in which it grows; and can only be picked during the months of December and January. The plants gathered undergo a very exacting selection process in which only seven percent are chosen. This process ends between March and April and only then is it known how many units of “EIGHT & BOB” can be bottled; and how many can be allotted to each country."

Only 7% ? Sounds like they got some pretty lousy plant gatherers if that's the best they can do. Should the environmentalists among us worry about the 93% that are picked and yet discarded ?

And if Andrea is the "heart and soul" of the perfume, why is it not listed in the notes ?

It's a great story I'll admit, but appropriating the Kennedys' lives as a means to sell product ( particularly if the story is not true) may feel problematic to some.
dracula 2/4/13 at 4:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by HORNS View Post

This story reeks of BS - from the details that the future president was driving around in a convertible to some secret ingredient that can only be acquired during the depth of winter in alpine conditions make the story around the new perfume look very likely fabricated. Furthermore, JFK's life was pretty well-documented down to what kind of rocking chair he used but am I to assume that the fragrance he preferred was a mystery until now?
Sorry, but I find marketing tactics like this to be very irritating.

Yes, young Jack was driving around Europe with his best friend at the time. If I remember it correctly, his friend was later killed during the war. Besides France they also visited Nazi Germany. This was just before the start of WW2. And yes, his father had lots of connections in Hollywood and probably introduced the scent to several of his acquaintances (Hollywood celebritities).
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