Basenotes - Reviews by MrFragranceReview

United States

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Chelsea Flowers by Bond No. 9

A very typical white floral that's slightly more fruity than floral. It's very generic and the price tag does not do it any justice. An easy pass for women and men who don't want their woman smelling like a typical white flower fruity fragrance.

15th September, 2011.

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Central Park by Bond No. 9

VERY green with plenty of bitter greens, verbena, lime citrus and plenty of wood.
It's very pleasant and extremely green and long lasting as typical Bonds. It's not great but it's pretty good. If you love your fragrances super green this is definitely one you should check out.

15th September, 2011.

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Bryant Park by Bond No. 9

Being a guy, this is something I would never wear as it's too feminine for me with it's raspberries and rhubarb.
That said, I would love to smell this on a woman and when I sampled it it was one of those scents I kept going back to my wrist. It's sweet and tart at the same time with a nice lush rosey center and would be great on a woman.

15th September, 2011.

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Bond No.9 Perfume Oud by Bond No. 9

Completely uninspiring, boring and uninteresting. It's hard to remember what it smells like because it's so generic and plain. It's pleasant but thats about it yet it's strong in projection and longevity.
It's kind of 'gummy', fruity and is slightly rosey with a light hand of our. Quite fit for a woman rather than for a man. It smells rather cheap at times, I'm not against synthetics at all like most people(if it smells good then who cares?) but it doesn't smell all that great. There are so many better options out there.
The only reason to buy this is if you have deep pockets and you like Bond No.9 as a house. While Bond has many of my favorite scents I buy single fragrances, not because of what house it comes from.

15th September, 2011.

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New York Oud by Bond No. 9

At first it didn't feel like there was any Oud in it. It's very pleasant, lasts a long time and has great sillage. Then i tried Black Aoud and found something familiar...the Oud is quite noticeable in New York Oud but, it's just blended really well with plum, rose, saffron and slight muskiness. Underrated and a sleeper

11th August, 2011.

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Azure Lime by Tom Ford

Easy scent to review as it's a fleeting lime musky wood scent and not much else. The opening is quite nice yet the lime isn't as prominent as one would think. It slowly starts to fade and a slightly tart musky wood and a subtle floral element comes into play.
Quite boring, short-lived and too uninteresting for the asking price.

I'm a big Tom Ford fan yet this release is a disappointment. There are far other fragrances out there that are better, longer lasting and far less expensive. Pass on this one, even if you don't sample it you're not missing much.

23rd February, 2011.

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VI L'Heure Brilliante by Cartier

This is the lemon equivalent of Eau D'Orange Vert.
It's a slightly herbal citrus cologne with the same basic underlying structure although, with a sharper tone to it(maybe the gin?).
It also has the same poor longevity as Eau d'Orange Vert. Although, I much prefer orange to lemon and the difference in price as well.

For an expensive cologne I expected more and this leaves a lot to be desired. The scent starts off well and it's just downhill from there, which is a relatively small hill nonetheless.

Neutral but, borderline thumbs down.

23rd February, 2011.

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Eau de New York by Bond No. 9

This smells like a typical eau de cologne yet, is pretty well done. Citrus, florals and herbal vegetal greens. It's smooth, long lasting and does what it aims to do quite well. It's very fresh, herbal while at the same time being bold and unique for a typical Eau De Cologne type of scent.
This stuff lasts for a long time and projects quite well. The sillage trail is absolutely beautiful and this is truly a unisex fragrance. The more you wear this the more you like it as it's completely uplifting. This is very underrated. It's a three way hybrid of a tart lively citrus, an Eau de cologne and herbal bold freshness.

4th December, 2010. (Last Edited: 15th September, 2011.)

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Hamptons by Bond No. 9

This fragrance I've been going back and forth on this one. Initially I liked it, then i felt it was a bit too chemical-esque. After sampling on skin more it loses that and is quite nice and loses that chemical edge. It feels like a better Silver Mountain Water. SMW loses it's top notes and it's base is rather dull and flat. Hamptons is extremely long lasting and projects very well which isn't common for this type of scent. On paper it's not very pleasing but on your skin is where it shines. It isn't highly original but it smells great on skin and one I like.

4th December, 2010. (Last Edited: 15th August, 2011.)

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Cooper Square by Bond No. 9

I'm not sure what it is about this fragrance but it smells DISGUSTING! I don't say that very often about fragrances since I do like most of what I sample yet, only will buy something if I'm really compelled by it because after all, fragrance is meant to smell good. It's boozy in a really bad way and very sharp and doesn't seemed refined. One of the few fragrances I had to scrub off. The only thing I like about it is the bottle.

4th December, 2010. (Last Edited: 26th March, 2011.)

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Andy Warhol Silver Factory by Bond No. 9

This is quite an odd scent overall and only people with an open mind should sample it. Why? It's top notes aren't very appealing overall unlike most fragrances. It's incense, syrupy wood, violets, metallic iris and plenty of cedar. The more it dries down it becames VERY nice and where it shines. It smells like a unique floral bouquet with sweet incense and syrupy wood in the background. I say syrup because the wood doesn't feel dry, yet sweet, thick and heavier. It's not that heavy of a fragrance though and is extremely smooth and not sharp at all.

It lasts all day and projection is above average to average. It's a scent that really shines once you wear it, not sampling on your skin.
Very unique and definitely a must try.

4th December, 2010. (Last Edited: 24th February, 2011.)

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Andy Warhol Montauk by Bond No. 9

It is somewhat unique and very pleasing. It's light, airy but, the blueberry is the note that sticks out and makes it somewhat different. It's tart, floral and very ozonic and overall not very awe inspiring. It's above average but, considering the price it's far from worth the price tag on it.
I don't get any honeysuckle and something about it just seems unfinished. It feels as if it's lacking something overall.
The bottle is really nice and while this starts off really well, the drydown is quite generic. I'm pretty indifferent about it.

4th December, 2010. (Last Edited: 24th February, 2011.)

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Andy Warhol Success is a Job in New York by Bond No. 9

This is actually a really interesting fragrance. Vanilla and patchouli with a background of rose and amber mixed with spices. The rose isn't that prominent which is good and while I do like this, it smells far too feminine for me to wear but, I'd love to smell it on a woman that doesn't overapply because this is STRONG. Longevity and sillage are very high and the scent itself is pretty addictive. Sweet tooths would absolutely love this one and is mainly only for cold weather. This would be far too strong to be worn in warmer weather.
Creamy, spicy vanilla and patchouli with rose, an interesting faint plum note and amber lending a nice touch.

4th December, 2010. (Last Edited: 23rd February, 2011.)

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Brooklyn by Bond No. 9

Dry, sharp cypress, leather, cedar with plenty of cardamom. The bottle is the best thing about it because the juice inside is nothing special.
It begins with light citrus mixed with cypress, cardamom over leather and wood. It's just not that intersting and the limited longevity doesn't help either. It's not bad nor great

4th December, 2010.

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High Line by Bond No. 9

Take a generic fresh/aquatic and add some green and floral notes and voilà, you have High Line.

It smells pleasing, fresh, green, floral yet reminds me more of a Febreeze scent than actual perfume. It becomes generic very quickly. It's strictly feminine and not worth the price tag at all.

Beautiful bottle though

30th November, 2010.

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Menthe Fraiche / Fresh Mint / Eau de Menthe by Heeley

One if the most refreshing fragrances I've encountered. Mint is often a note that is very difficult to pull off due to it's familiarity with cheap gum and toothpaste. Menthe Fraiche doesn't fall victim to a toothpaste smell like Geranium Pour Homme did. Instead, it's a fresh, minty green tea fragrance. The easiest analogy would be Moroccan green tea with mint and brown sugar. The best mint fragrances I've sampled so far but the only downside is the bad longevity. It only lasts about 3-4 hours tops and projection is subtle. I tend to really value good longevity and projection and I wish this had more especially for an EDP but, I love the scent itself too much to pass it up.

5th September, 2010.

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Saks Fifth Avenue for Him by Bond No. 9

This upon first sniff doesn't really compell anybody or seem particularly unique or worth the money. After it dries down this really shines. It's a spicy, semi sweet incense with a wood base and subtle black pepper and chili. The chili is the intriguing part of this fragrances combined with the incense and smells quite unique. The quality is there but this is a typical genre so it can easily be categoried with many other scents including designer scents. Regardless, it's still top quality although, I don't believe it's worth the retail value.

7th May, 2010.

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A*Men Pure Malt by Thierry Mugler

I was skeptical about Pure Malt judging for the vast amount of positive reviews for it. I've always liked A*Men due to it's originality and boldness but found it rather hard to wear. I've always disliked the tar note and since I've tried this one, I found a new favorite. I currently have A*men and Pure Malt on and the differences are more than I thought.
A*Men is bittersweet, quite harsh yet strong. It has a strong peppermint, patchouli, chocolate and coffe along with the harsh tar note with a slight vanilla background.
Pure Malt is not bitter, has no tar note, and has a peaty slightly fruity boozy, caramel/chocolate background. Slightly woody and very pleasing. Definitely happy I got it and definitely one of the best gourmands I've tried. I'm not sure if I like this or New Haarlem better.

6th May, 2010.

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Virgin Island Water by Creed

This is a very fun refreshing scent. It's a VERY good scent and very addicting. It smells of rum, coconut, lime, florals and slightly sweet. The problem is that it lasts for about 2-3 hours and POOF! It's gone.

It's odd because sometimes it lasts longer and sometimes it doesn't. It's like a woman..sometimes she's fun, satisfies you and you love it in the summer. Other times she's annoying, flakey and you get bored of her.

Regardless I give it a thumbs up since I love the scent but, the longevity causes issues.

30th April, 2010. (Last Edited: 30th November, 2010.)

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Coney Island by Bond No. 9

This is pretty nice but nothing special and especially considering the price. I happen to be a fan of quite a few Bond No.9 fragrances but this one disappoints. It stays quite close to the skin and not that great of longevity after a while which isn't like most Bond No. 9 fragrances which usually have the reputation of having excellent longevity. The fresh notes seem to clash with the heavier notes rather than blend in well. It's more light than heavy but nothing I can see being interesting enough to purchase it much as at their asking price.

I wouldn't even purchase this at a designer price.

28th April, 2010.

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The Scent of Peace by Bond No. 9

Yes it is very similar to Light Blue although, many fragrances are. This one resembles certain aspects of but certainly isn't trying to be a copy.

Light Blue is a lemon fresh laundry type of scent while Scent of Peace is a light refreshing, slightly floral peach. It is better than Light Blue but comparing prices and as well as the scent quality, Light Blue wins.

I'd purchase about 4 other Bonds over this one but this is definitely a very nice fragrance. Is it worth the price? Most likely not.

28th April, 2010.

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Little Italy by Bond No. 9

The first 30 min to an hour is really quite nice but it just drops off after that.
The initial smell is similar to a sweet tangy bitter candy orange. It reminds me of an orange life saver with a hint of spice and bitterness. It really was quite nice but after a while it slowly subdued and it just got rather bland and uninspired after that. If this fragrance stayed the same to its opening it would be very good.

Quite the disappointment, you can find better orange fragrances than this one so save your money. It's not bad but their are definitely better options.

28th April, 2010.

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Fire Island by Bond No. 9

This is a very unique and interesting take on a fragrance. It essentially captures the essence of the beach and tanning. It has excellent longevity, good projection and a very captivating and alluring familiar scent.

To summarize the scent it's a clean, complex musky, slightly spicy floral fragrance. It's quite complex and is blended quite well. I can smell a little patchouli, leather, musk, cardamom with a strong neroli note. Overall it's clean yet not a fresh fragrance. It's a musky floral oriental with an overall clean/beachy vibe.

On the scent factor alone it could be very powerful in the terms of attracting another woman due to it's association with memories and the beach. Scent is the strongest factor for linking memories and this does what it's supposed to do very well. A tad expensive but then again it's Bond No.9 and what they aimed to do they did it with utmost precision.

14th April, 2010. (Last Edited: 6th January, 2011.)

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Nouveau Bowery by Bond No. 9

Another type of fragrance that appeals to non-fragrance lovers. It's reminiscent of a sparking lime popsicle. It's a fun, bright and cheerful scent with excellent composition and by far one of the best lime notes I've ever experienced. Essentially that what this scent smells like is a bright lime popsicle.

Excellent longevity and moderate projection and the lime never seems to fade which happens a lot in many citrus fragrances.

26th March, 2010. (Last Edited: 14th April, 2010.)

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La Nuit De L'Homme by Yves Saint Laurent

I don't understand the general idea that this isn't a unique fragrance. It's very unique although, it is rather mellow and pleasant as opposed to something that is loud. The more it dies down the more unique it seems. It's rather nothing special from the top notes but the beauty of this fragrance comes soon after. It's very sexy, appealing and is quickly becoming one of my favorites. It's a "safe" scent but all that means is it will appeal to everyone. There's nothing wrong with that but some people seem to take pride in wearing things that might offend someone. I personally wear what I like and this is a great fragrance.

It's more complex than L'Homme which is a pretty good fragrance but nothing I found too spectacular.

My only guess of the criticism regarding this is because it's from Yves Saint Laurent which have built up a reputation for creating fragrances that are far out of the box and well crafted. This isn't so far out of the box but still well crafted and gorgeous.

25th March, 2010.

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He Wood by Dsquared2

This is a rather uninspired scent. It's just warm and woody with violets with a faint hint of some sort of spice which resembles a super light anise or clove. It dies down to basically just violets. The projection and longevity is average at best.

Nothing special about this scent at all. I can't even give this a neutral because it's so boring. It's empty, overpriced and feels very hollow.

25th March, 2010.

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Original Vetiver by Creed

This is more of a less bright more mossy green version of Mugler it seems. While I do thing Original Vetiver is pretty good I don't like it as much as Mugler or even Grey Vetiver. For the price you'll pay for this it's nothing that special.

Mugler and Grey Vetiver are better done.

25th March, 2010.

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Bleecker Street by Bond No. 9

I get a mix of Purple Label and Romance Silver from this one. It's pretty interesting although, so many Bond No.9 fragrances seem to be copying so many popular scents or at least start with a shell of them and then go from there.

It's not a bad scent, it's well made and I can really sense the suede, Not worth the price tag imo though. It's a combination of three facets overall which to me are suede, vanilla and watery green notes. It's light yet lasts a while but, nothing too special in my eyes. I'd love a gift of it but, would never shell out cash for it. The bottle is probably the best Bond No. 9 bottle though.

15th March, 2010. (Last Edited: 4th December, 2010.)

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Wall Street by Bond No. 9

This is an ok scent. I think Millesime blows this out of the water and even Unforgivable smells better than this. This becomes rrather sour and off putting on my skin and I wouldn't even buy this if it was at a designer price.

15th March, 2010. (Last Edited: 25th March, 2010.)

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New Haarlem by Bond No. 9

This is one the better Bond No. 9 fragrances. It has a shell of Rochas Man but not that similar to really notice it. It's sharp and coffee is the prominent note. It's not a raw coffee smell though, it's very smooth, sweet and mixed with the florals and green leaves it is blended very well. It has excellent longevity and sillage and is a fantasic gourmand. As time goes on the fragrance smooths out which is good because the top notes ar a bit too sharp for my tastes.

15th March, 2010.

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