Columnists

Front seats on the top deck of a London bus are always in demand. Every time I climb the stairs and turn the ninety degrees at the top, I hope one of them is free. Sitting there seems to be one of those rare pleasures which never diminish with age, the incredible unwieldiness of the vehicle distilled into that one small area, making it somewhat like a fairground ride. In every other seat, the jour ...

Sometimes the most interesting journeys are very short ones. A wander down Jermyn Street behind Piccadilly, London is no exception. Trumpers, Floris and Czech & Speake all have shop fronts there; much of the quintessential British perfume tradition is available in the space of a few yards.







Floris have some wonderful fragrances notably their No.89, a beautifully subtle concoction. It be ...

Uncomplicated, traditional, masculine and long overdue for a comeback, the infusion of bay combined with rum and spicy clove has a clarity and directness which makes it the antithesis of most fragrances. Wearing it today, it reminds me of my Father, long gone. He never wore it but he did take me to the barber shop on Saturday afternoons.

As a young boy, going to the barber was my gentle induction ...

Having recently returned to London from the Isle of Skye in the West Highlands of Scotland, I thought it was past time I purchased some Skye cologne from Geo F. Trumper. It had been on my mind while I was there, though I had found none to buy. I examined the notes on the Trumpers official site; they list rosemary, geranium, ylang ylang and musk but state it is made with eleven essences. I wonder ...

I like the smell of perfume. A simple timeless pleasure of things that smell good. However, like many things, once I start to think about a little, the simplicity has a tendency to evaporate at the speed of citrus top notes.

The complexity starts with a problem of over indulgence; I am fortunate enough to possess many bottles. The catch is that with the rich diversity in my cupboard comes a very ...

Image: Elena Elisseeva / iStockphoto


Creed Royal Scottish Lavender is my favourite fragrance but I cannot wear it anymore.

Lavender is quite possibly the perfume note I enjoy most of all. It takes a very interesting position in the mix, straddling the top and heart notes, not as effervescent as most citrus heads but lighter than most floral hearts. It seems to me it often acts as a kind of brid ...