Thoughts on Bond No. 9 Washington Square?

I got a sample at lunch today. It is on the feminine side of unisex definitely and too powdery for my tastes.
It smells purple and powdery, and I will pass.

I kinda liked it. But it didn't "move me" to want to purchase it.

I'm still thinking about this one myself.....I want to purchase Coney Island next week.....The last time I was at Saks I sprayed Coney Island on my arm.....When I picked up my Wife at work.....She said that I had to purchase this scent.....I told Her it was Coney Island and She said get this soon.....She did not get as excited about Washington square.....I will have to sample this again and make a decision!!!
Gary

I tried Washington Square on my wrist a few weeks ago. It was nice, but leaned to much on the feminine side. My wife took a wiff and said she couldnt picture me wearing it.

I could definitely wear it and find it unisex. But did not appeal to me enough to find it bottle worthy.

Ive been trying it tonight , yes its pretty feminine but certainly not out of the realms of men folk . Its pretty nice although theres something going on there that Im not quite sure about , I know bergamot is listed as a top note but it seems really quite fruity to my unsophisticated sniffer

Isn't it being marketed as feminine instead of unisex?

I believe my press release said "unisex with feminine leanings" (paraphrasing, but closely).

I find it very unisex with wintry comforting notes...

A very good explanation!!!
Gary

I find it very feminine. But layer it with Cooper Square and it is unbelievable.

Quality and comfort joined together to make your winter and Xmas most enjoyable...!!!

Will do, most definitely...!!! Thanks very much...!!!

I will give this a try for sure.....Gary

Gary, let me know what you think about the mix...

I have tried both scents together today and the result mix in incredible...thumbs up...!!!

Did anyone pick up the honey note listed in this scent?

I didn't care for it when I smelled it.

Average IMO

It's an overly sweet floral scent that lacks any character and depth. The notes sound interesting, but the scent does not live up to them.

I personally love it on a cold winter night...Heaven...

Thank you !!!

This is Out Of This World when blended with Cooper Square.....Fantastic!!!
Gary

Totally agree Gary...

Have you tried Harrods Amber?

I am not impressed with it...are you?

Totally agree Gary...

Have you tried Harrods Amber?

I am not impressed with it...are you?

I have not tried this yet.....The reviews do not sound promising!!!
Gary

You are not missing very much I can tell you...

Thought I should add my initial impressions to this thread as well...

Just got my sample of Washington Square by Bond No 9 from Ebay in today.

Notes: Italian bergamot, geranium, tarragon, purple rose, honey, vintage amber, leather accord, vetiver and musk

I wasn't expecting much from this scent based on the reviews (although I take most Bond reviews with a grain of salt as I've found that the general disdain for the brand often times carries over unfairly into the perception of the scents) but I must say I am very, very impressed.

In fact, this is the first time I've been really moved by a scent (you guys know the feeling - it's wonderful, and it happens all too rarely!) in quite some time.

Washington Square opens with a wonderful astringent bergamot note that is unique in its application as it's not really tied to anything later on. This seems like an odd choice - a tart citric opening that quickly fades into a floral/herbal heart, but the juxtaposition is really awesome. The bergamot quickly fades leaving on a hint of tartness as a reminder it was once there, and what develops is a floral herbal fruity affair. They say they use "purple rose" in this, and if I had to guess I'd say the accord is based off of the Burgundy Iceberg rose which has a sweet scent reminiscent of honey. Also present is a dark almost grape-like note - could this be the tarragon interacting with the rose? Tarragon has an anise like facet to its green profile, but the note present in WS is more dark grape (even a hint of wine, perhaps) than anise. The geranium is subdued and I believe used more for its texture than scent - geranium has this rounding effect on notes.. it behaves kind of like an aldehyde in that sense. Careful sniffing does reveal an actual geranium note but it's definitely just a supporting note for this dark, honeyed fruity rose in the heart.

The tarragon and vetiver come out more as time goes on and combine to create a green woody note that calls to mind the green/woody rosemary note in Guerlain's Tonka Imperiale. Combined with the honey, another note that WS and TI share, there is definitely a similarity between the two scents but the accords, although similar, are rendered in completely different 'color palettes'. Whereas Tonka Imperiale is composed primarily of warm reds and browns, Washington Square is a far cooler affair rendered in lilac/burgundy/white with hints of green (the picture on the bottle is a good example of the 'color palette' of the scent.)

While Tonka Imperiale is quite warm throughout, WS is actually quite "cold" upon application - cold and velvety smooth - it calls to mind large snowflakes lazily drifting to the ground on a silent winter evening. WS warms up in the dry down as it begins to resemble TI more and more, but the character of the scents is still quite different. TI is the extroverted uncle, chomping away on numerous gourmand goodies and telling jokes around the fireplace, while WS is the introverted cousin who enjoys the warm christmas-y atmosphere and his uncle's good jokes, but sits in the chair nearest the window and steals many a glance outside at the virginal, serene landscape as his thoughts drift to and fro.

WS starts out leaning feminine, although not any more so than many of the modern masculines (eg: Kenzo Power, Dior Homme), and becomes more masculine although still decidedly unisex as it dries down. Like TI, it seems neither masculine nor feminine - it is genderless but perhaps not seasonless. I've always thought of TI as a "winter only" fragrance as its scent evokes such strong holiday images, and I think WS may fall into the same category. It does seem a bit more versatile than TI though, being less gourmand and less overtly rich (although it does have a smooth richness to it thanks to a large dose of honey).

All in all, this is a wonderful scent that is unlike anything else out there (I compare it to TI mostly because of its strong seasonal feel, and far less so because of the accord they somewhat share). My favorite Bond alongside Harrods Swarovski Ltd. Edition.

edit: Added the notes list to the top of the review. Also thought I should mention that every single note listed is clearly evident in this scent (even the supporting notes), and that there is a subtle but constant evolution throughout that is really quite admirable. Also, the leather note is more "suede-like."

What a fantastic review, Dimi! I truly appreciate your insight into this one, which has really piqued my interest as of late. After being closed-minded to this brand (probably due to the ubiquitous Bond-bashing here on bn) I finally opened up to the house after smelling Chinatown. After being blown away by that, I've been having a never-ending sniffathon which has proven to me that this house is capable of so much more than they gave us in their first few years. Last week I became the proud owner of a bottle of Harrods Swarvski LE. Unbelievable! And now, I've been getting to know Washington Square. Love it! And you're right about it's wonderful coldness. To me, it's a silent NYC after a blizzard.

G303: you're right about blending this with Cooper Square -- amazing!

Dimi = Sorcery of Scent. Close though!

Yes, nice review, even though this one does not move me, unfortunately! Someday I will find a Bond that really speaks to me!

I will be going to my Saks in the morning.....I want to sample the new Bond scent New York Amber.....My friend told me that this was outrageous!!! I still have not sampled Harrods Amber but hope to very soon.....
Washington Square has really grown on me.....I liked it from the start.....now I really like this.....Sometimes I wear it without Cooper Square, and sometimes with Cooper Square.....I am so glad that I made this purchase.....Gary

Hi Gary,
Let me know what you think about Harrods Amber; I believe it is a pure parfum version of Harrods Amber; sounds too good to be true...as I found Harrods Amber a bit light and watery...

Interesting. It has the exact same note list as Harrod's Amber (from the B9 website) and says perfume in the description. And it's priced a little higher than Harrods Amber.

Absolutely!!!
I realy hope New York Amber is stronger than Harrods Amber...
We shall have to wait and try...
Cheers

Yes, I'm getting get a strong honey note in this.

What does the Washington/Cooper Square blend smell like?

I find it to be far less enjoyable than either scent alone. Washington Square is awesome on its own - adding Cooper Square adds some weird off notes to the mix (maybe I didn't get the ratio right, I went about 1:1).

I know some really love the combo but I just don't get it. Washington Square is a damn near masterpiece on its own - why mess with that?

Yeah this one is great, I do think man or women can pull it off. I need to grab myself a bottle.

I love Washington Square and do not like Cooper Square. I tried the combo though- and did not like it. I prefer Washington Square all by itself!

Me too I agree; Like them both BUT Separately...!!!