Astor by Geo F Trumper, 1880

I've quite enjoyed wearing Astor lately. I'm not sure what it smelled like in 1880, but as of now, it's a 70's/80's-style masculine woody chypre. It's got a rather focused chypre structure that actually does smell vaguely of cypress, with slightly mentholated mint and citrus on top and a judicious mix of cedar and sandalwood in the middle, with just a pinch of sweet pine played against a nutmeggy mace backbone. I think what's most notable about Astor is its refined subtlety. Most masculine woody chypres are, almost by definition, loud and brutal. But Astor doesn't have the nuclear patchouli or hawthorn that belch out from your typical 80's powerhouses, and it also lacks the Aramis-inspired herbal dank that adds ugliness to so many masculine classics. Instead, it's carefully balanced between woody, spiced, and sweet. Sillage and longevity fiends may want to skip Astor (or, for that matter, pretty much the entire Trumper line), as it is content to wave out subtle spicy wood sillage that lasts all day without the crass shouting that some woody chypre aficionados require. But, if you love the genre, Astor is very much worth a sniff.

Sweetish cigarette smoke

A light sandalwood mossy scent with a clean fresh feel to it. That sums up this fragrance to my nose a nice pleasant simple frag. I could imagine the barber splashing this onto my cheeks after a cut and shave. I like it.

This one begins very similar to Marlborough with that pencil shaving smokiness and a hint of citrus. Whereas the geranium takes over and projects great longevity with Marlborough, this one has a pine and oakmoss note that dominates. Though this offering doesnt last long and like many of Trumper scents this is the norm. Probably the worst of the classics from GFT, though not displeasing. Overall just Meh.

Today I am briefly testing Trumper's drier, more leathery offerings Astor, Curzon, Eucris and Marlborough together. It took me a few tries to distinguish them. Astor is brighter and fruitier with sour apple for a while (?), but it gets weak fast. Drydown is pleasant dusty hay and pencils, but almost too weak to evaluate. Perhaps like a much weaker Tuscany or Burberry Original.

This reminds me so very much of an edc-strength version of Maitre's Bois Moussu. It got the exact same masculine mossy note, but in a light concentration, flanked by a light citrus up top. One of the better Trumpers.

A favorite of mine from Trumpers. Very soft and delicate sandalwood with a touch of warmth to it, almost a light sweetness. Not the most longevity, which is typical for me with a lot of the Trumpers fragrances, but very enjoyable. Great for those times when I need a quality fragrance of the lighter variety that won't offend those around me.

A little old style citrus, aldehydic florals, pine and lots of moss on top of the smooth creamy sandalwood accord which trumpers uses in so many of their colognes. In the heart there is a carraway effect, I suspect from an aldehyde.

This does remind of Eucris at times, though it is less complex, more friendly and a little more restrained. The acrerbic green qualities are certainly present; the tamed animalic quality of the moss is like a softly spoken, well dressed gentleman who is incongruously deadly with his rapier if roused by injustice.

Very fine indeed.

Once again I must be a dissenter. Astor to my nose is Trumper's Eucris with not quite as acrid a green note. It doesn't make it any less a chypre, but it holds back a bit, is a bit more subtle than Eucris' painfully sharp scent.

Here I detect Oak Moss with a bit of pine oil, which rises after about an hour's time.

If you like chypres, which I obviously do not, and do not want to be in your face bold, this is tame. Still unplesant to my nose though.

Astor is definitively a member of the fougere family. It reminds me at a first sniff to Loewe Esencia. Astor is masculine and not very long lasting, to be honest I am a bit disappointed Astor didn't meet my expectations, although is not bad but is far to be an exceptional Gentlemen cologne.