Roger & Gallet Extra Vieille

[bokaba]

I retried Extra Vieille today after about a year's hiatus. I suppose my nose has matured a bit sense then having been exposed to the likes of Lorenzo Villoresi Acqua di Colonia, Eau du Coq, and others. I noticed it opens with a similar neroli and orange to LV AdC and then a little rose, carnation, and clove blossom (I say blossom because how light and floral it is) kick in. I originally wasn't a huge fan because I interpreted the interplay of neroli, orange blossom, rose, and carnation as a little indolic with a waft of "rotting vegetation." I now distinguish the subtleties of each element. I do, however, have a few questions about the product and others' experiences with it.

Could anyone please comment on the quality of the ingredients RG uses. Are they highly synthetic or somewhat natural like Lorenzo Villoresi? Is Extra Vieille a faithful reproduction of its original form? How would you compare it to other eaus such as the ones listed above. Thank you.

[Le critique de parfum]

Have you ever tried 100% natural fragrances Bokaba? Most of them are boring, at least to perfumistas, and badly lack staying power.

I say wear the cologne that suits you best, the one that makes you confortable and happy ;-)

[bokaba]

Some of them such as Lorenzo Villoresi and 1950s Farina Gegenuber I enjoy greatly. But let's stay on topic about Extra Vieille if we could.

[MHV]

Well, I'm not knowledgeable enough to directly answer your questions, but I happen to own EV and use it regularly as an after-shower body freshener. It has lightness, but just enough depth and a very dry finish. Its lack of sweetness or powderiness is probably why I like it day to day, what I find invigorating.

It has a balsamic freshness, which reminds me of nutmeg. Anybody else associate EV with this smell?

[calero]

I think it is a quality cologne. Whether or not it uses synthetics is irrelevant to me, it smells great and I am a sucker for the marketing behind it, i.e. Jean Marie Farina's formula of cologne.

[JonB]

I think it is a quality cologne. Whether or not it uses synthetics is irrelevant to me, it smells great and I am a sucker for the marketing behind it, i.e. Jean Marie Farina's formula of cologne.

Exactly!

I am sure that EV has plenty of synthetics in it, as well as some natural components. Who cares. It smells great. Synthetic and Natural are only words, and I'm not going to let words lessen my enjoyment of a great perfume. And what exactly are "quality" ingredients?

[bokaba]

I figured JMF was a blend of synthetics and natural components. I remember hearing that it has gone down in quality over the past 100 years, but not that much compared to downgrade that Farina Gegenuber has experienced. Roger & Gallet has always been staunchly middle class and remains that way today. Gegenuber started as an ultra luxury product for the 18th Century western European aristocracy and then crashed after WWII. All natural would probably make Roger & Gallet exorbitantly expensive, too.

@MHV--I once thought Extra Vieille had a spicy "off note" but found it is really the interaction between clove, carnation, neroli, and rose which are all very bold components.

Any other thoughts?

[MikeD]

A few years back there was a group of unnamed perfumers who were given full rein to create what they wanted. This was NOT the Malle group of expert noses. It was called Art of Perfumery, and their website was artofperfumery.com. I ordered a bottle of "Number 2," (out of 7), and it is an EdC of great strength and longevity. However, I've tried recently to revisit their website, but evidently it's no longer a viable business. Outside of Eau de Guerlain, which is my SOTD, #2 from this unique series is the best of all the EdC types. Anybody remember them??

[JonB]

A few years back there was a group of unnamed perfumers who were given full rein to create what they wanted. This was NOT the Malle group of expert noses. It was called Art of Perfumery, and their website was artofperfumery.com. I ordered a bottle of "Number 2," (out of 7), and it is an EdC of great strength and longevity. However, I've tried recently to revisit their website, but evidently it's no longer a viable business. Outside of Eau de Guerlain, which is my SOTD, #2 from this unique series is the best of all the EdC types. Anybody remember them??

Oh, I wish I had heard of them. Sounds extremely interesting.

[mrcologneguy]

I've worn R&G Extra Vieille for about eight years now. It's great stuff. Light, classic, sophisticated, dressy, works well in just about any situation. I don't know about natural vs. synthetic ingredients, but I have to say EV never lets me down. For me, it's one of the all-time classics, a best in wardrobe. I like it more than Guerlain's EdC or 4711 or any of the other classic EdCs I've sampled. It's an old reliable, and strictly in the best sense of that phrase -- classic, and it works every time.

I have noticed no variations in the scent or quality of ingredients since I started wearing it. But if you're buying a bottle, you'll like the older glass ones better. The newer packaging is kind of cheapo. The older packaging is pleasantly dignified.

For further enjoyment, don't miss EV bar soap. It is an exquisite pleasure, very high on the affordable luxury scale.

If you like EV and want to explore more R&G, your next stop should be Bouquet Imperiale, especially since it appears to be either discontinued, or soon-to-be. R&G Vetyver is also very nice. Lavande Royale is a very pleasant, basic, light lavender. All are reasonably priced, especially considering the generally high quality of the scents, and overall fine packaging.

[DULLAH]

I figured JMF was a blend of synthetics and natural components. I remember hearing that it has gone down in quality over the past 100 years, but not that much compared to downgrade that Farina Gegenuber has experienced. Roger & Gallet has always been staunchly middle class and remains that way today. Gegenuber started as an ultra luxury product for the 18th Century western European aristocracy and then crashed after WWII. All natural would probably make Roger & Gallet exorbitantly expensive, too.

@MHV--I once thought Extra Vieille had a spicy "off note" but found it is really the interaction between clove, carnation, neroli, and rose which are all very bold components.

Any other thoughts?

It does have on "off" spicy/herbal note, which I always equated to the carnation mixing with a dark herb like thyme. Buut that is it's only true flaw imo. All the citrus, neroli, and Rose notes are excellent, far above their price point in quality.

[bokaba]

Any other thoughtson Extra Vieille?

[MHV]

Well I've been coming back to R&G Extra Vieille lately as a quick shot after shower, and I think I even like it better than the more refined, though less compelling Cologne Impériale by Guerlain.

EV is strongly built of orange blossom: as a matter of fact, I bought a bottle of orange blossom water for cooking the other day, and it was almost 90% of the smell of EV. Obviously, there's also a rose, some more herbs (I think I smell vetiver?) and that clove note.

It's a more "muscular" cologne than Impériale, lasts a touch longer, and has a more interesting drydown. It's also a great soap fragrance (second only to R&G's harder to find Fougère soaps! Those are the only real equivalent to Houbigant's Fougère Royale you will ever find nowadays)

[hednic]

I think it is a quality cologne. Whether or not it uses synthetics is irrelevant to me.

Agree