Your favorite lavender?

[Dane77]

One of the truly classic (and somewhat divisive) notes in perfumery, lavender is found in lots of styles, ranging from traditional European fougères over classic "English-style" gentlemen's colognes to contemporary spicy oriental versions and even recent "stylized" minimalist and deconstructed experiments.
In all its many versions and interpretations, lavender remains one of my favorite notes, and I'm very curious which lavender frags you prefer - which one is simply better than the others? My own vote is split between spicy sensual Eau Noire and uncompromising lavender-civet masterpiece Jicky. Which one is your favorite - maybe I didn't even list it?

[drseid]

Patou pour Homme Privé by miles....

[Jack Hunter]

Caldey Island Lavender
C&S Oxford & Cambridge

[docluv45]

Parfums de Nicolai Maharadjah

[hednic]

Lavande by Molinard

[Rüssel]

Only know (and enjoy) the Caron and Guerlain out of these.

Thought about maybe getting Woods of Windsor Lavender as it's so cheap, then again, it's so cheap....

[sjg3839]

L' Occitan

[Sparky]

I voted 'other' as in HdP 1725!!!

[Profumo Saggio]

I have always liked Royal Scottish Lavender since I blind bought a tester a few years ago. On me it is a good masculine lavender that retains the lavender note from beginning to end.

[Mistertaz]

Serge Lutens Gris Clair... I love this stuff, but I don't like lavender, so don't listen to me!

[rbaker]

Creed and Patou equal first.

[odysseusm]

Czech and Speake Oxford and Cambridge for me in number 1 position -- dry as a bone, wears very well.
After that, I'd rank as follows: Crabtree & Eveyln, Trumper, LOccitane, ELDO.

[Papi Le Bon]

Others: Azzaro pour Homme & Mouchoir de Monsieur

[mikeperez23]

Hard to pick between Caron Pour un Homme, Jicky (vintage parfum) and Mouchoir de Monsieur - which is why I own all three...and numerous others in the poll also.

I think lavender is my VERY FAVORITE note of all notes...so it's difficult to pick just one, since I own/love so many.

[mrcologneguy]

Other. Winner for me is Roger & Gallet Lavande Royale. First runner up is Creed Royal Scottish Lavender.

Should point out that I haven't sniffed all the ones on the OP's list.

And if you haven't tried Lavande Royale, give it a sniff. I am very fond of it.

The Creed is worth having for the snob appeal alone. Good thing the fragrance actually backs that up.

Overall, love lavenders. Thanks for starting this fun thread.

[MJM_77]

Mine is Gris Clair.

[mikeperez23]

Other. Winner for me is Roger & Gallet Lavande Royale...

Good stuff indeed. And so affordable too.

[pluran]

I voted for Patou pour Homme Prive.

My favorite is Yohji Homme, which was also made by Patou (Jean Michel Duriez and Jean Kerleo).

[googl.plex1]

+1 Yohji Homme, which I finally succumbed to over Christmas..

Being a licorice lover, did someone forget to mention Hermes Brin de Reglisse?

[Larimar]

I ADORE Jicky, but I also voted for a second under other, which is Fourreau Noir, another big love.

[FullCollapse]

Caron Pour Un Homme and Mouchoir de Monsieur, although I have yet to try Jicky. I think this note will be the next for me to explore more extensively.

[Marais]

Mouchoir de Monsieur, Le Troisiemme Homme, Mauboussin Homme, Gris Clair.

[professor goggles]

I like Caldey Island Lavender very much, and often spray it on before bed. It's not really something I wear out. Lavender is very calming for me, and it's one of those scents I prefer mostly on it's own. I think it shines best directly from a freshly pinched sprig, where its resinous and floral qualities can be best appreciated in tandem. I find in many compositions the lavender note is overwhelmed by other notes and loses its identity. In Caron's Pour un Homme, the vanilla just nicely warms and relaxes the lavender, allowing it space to breathe. I do like the dry astringent quality it brings to fougeres such as Rive Gauche PH, Pascal Morabito Or Black, and Azzaro, to name three where lavender works well. L'Occitan is just a bit too barbershop soapy for my taste. I do like Brin de Reglisse which delightfully reveals the resinous intersection of licorice and lavender. Strange to be thinking about lavender in the middle of winter.

[gandhajala]

Jicky, MdM and Oxford & Cambridge.

[alfarom]

I like several from your list but Jicky is, by far, my favorite.

[indianwells]

Caldey Island Lavender. I live 10 minutes from the boats that take you to the island.

[Ken_Russell]

From this list: Caron pour un Homme,
also: Yardley Lavender.

[Kaern]

I don't particularly like this note as a main player, but I have an unexplainable love for Antiheros

[Igorbg]

Jicky ...

[dougczar]

Love Creed Royal Scottish Lavender. I was recently able to get my hands on a bottle of this. I have not yet tried all of those on the list however... Still trying to find Patou.

I was disappointed in Gris Clar - based on the BN love, I had high hopes. On me it smelled like electricity - like a hot circuit board or something - like heated metal. Was not very pleasant.

[SneezeFreeze]

I voted for other - My favorites are YSL La Nuit L'Homme and Creed BdP

[rubegon]

I voted Jicky, the EdP to be specific.

Eau Noire is a lavender? I don't get that at all.

[southerngardens]

I chose Caron Pour un Homme because I have not had the pleasure of smelling Jicky yet. Shame on me!

[mikeperez23]

..Eau Noire is a lavender? I don't get that at all.

It took me YEARS to detect lavender in EN, rubegon. It's buried under the behemoth immortelle note. But it's there, now my nose zeroes in on it instantly.

- - - Updated - - -

I chose Caron Pour un Homme because I have not had the pleasure of smelling Jicky yet. Shame on me!

The Guerlain Fan Club Membership Department would like you to return your membership card!

[lupo]

I voted for Caron and Gris Clair, Caron being my favourite lavender note.
I actually really love Hypnose Lancome pour Homme, where the lavender note is truly lovely

[Roper-Hall]

Voted for the Caron, but I haven't tried the Caldey Island.

[rubegon]

Looking back at the survey, there is a dearth of straight-up fougeres. I would have put a few in such as: Fougere Royale, English Fern, Gucci Nobile, Sartorial, Rive Gauche.

The Caron is ahead of Jicky? Really? C'mon people! The Caron is well executed, solid ... dependable. In France I suppose it's what the average man that wants to smell like lavender smells like. It's about as complex and rare as dirt though. Jicky is effin' magic. It's a voodoo witch doctors spell woven by Aimé Guerlain a hundred twenty some odd years ago. It has just as much juju as it ever did. It's a force of nature.

Basenotes - you've disappointed me. But it's not too late to make amends. Vote Jicky.

[Larimar]

Yeah, rubegon, I was thinking the same thing.

[chopwet]

Caron PH has a fantastic lavender opening that makes the note clearly discenible, I've not experienced anything like it.

- - - Updated - - -

Looking back at the survey, there is a dearth of straight-up fougeres. I would have put a few in such as: Fougere Royale, English Fern, Gucci Nobile, Sartorial, Rive Gauche.

The Caron is ahead of Jicky? Really? C'mon people! The Caron is well executed, solid ... dependable. In France I suppose it's what the average man that wants to smell like lavender smells like. It's about as complex and rare as dirt though. Jicky is effin' magic. It's a voodoo witch doctors spell woven by Aimé Guerlain a hundred twenty some odd years ago. It has just as much juju as it ever did. It's a force of nature.

Basenotes - you've disappointed me. But it's not too late to make amends. Vote Jicky.

While Jicky is amazing, I really don't find the lavender to be a prominent note hence my vote went to Caron. I will have to try Jicky again while keeping lavender in mind. The Caron struck me immediately and made the note very clear to my nose, I knew instantly that I was smelling lavender. After a while it fades into something that is sweet and a touch tobacco-y. I need to spend more time with Jicky though.

[mr. reasonable]

I voted the Caron.

I look forward to getting my hands on PPH Privé & Caldey Island some day and would like to try Lorenzo Villoresi's one, too.

Also own and enjoy MdM, Jicky (Extrait is my favourite), EdC du Coq and, depending on the situation, Oxford & Cambridge, Nicolai Pour Homme (both very cooling), Gris Clair & Taste of Heaven.

Eau Noire is an interesting one. The immortelle is a bit overpowering, but the Dior flagship here has a nice stand with examples of the individual ingredients used in the line. They are great and the Jasmin is superb - I could happily wear it as is. After smelling it 'solo' and then sniffing Eau Noire it just leaps out at you - enough that I might grab a bottle at some point.

High hopes for L'Heure Vertueuse - really looking forward to trying this one soon.

[Trauerkraut]

[CologneFan85]

ysl LIBRE

[rubegon]

I voted the Caron.

One moment ... yeargh!!! ... while I extract this rapier from my chest.

Mike & MR - I regret swapping my Eau Noire now, but I think of it more as an immortelle soliflor with some supporting notes as modifiers. The last time I smelled it I was pretty clueless, though.

Chopwet - Jicky just smelled like Jicky when I first smelled it. After a while I realized that Jickyness is mostly lavender with vanilla, civet and maybe tonka? It's lavender softened and made "human". Funny that the BN FD doesn't list lavender among the notes.

[Dane77]

Looking back at the survey, there is a dearth of straight-up fougeres. I would have put a few in such as: Fougere Royale, English Fern, Gucci Nobile, Sartorial, Rive Gauche.

Good suggestions, thank you. And thank you for your comment. Yes, I could have included those and left others out - as always, I tried my best picking the scents for the survey and I always make sure to put in an "others" option so that people can still vote even if their preferred scents are not in the line-up which is not and can never be an exhaustive list. It is based on my very subjective and limited impression of what lavender scents are most popular or considered most interesting around here at the moment. For the same reason, I'm very happy and thankful for all the extra suggestions you and others have provided.

[pluran]

+1 Yohji Homme, which I finally succumbed to over Christmas.....

Glad someone noticed. A great fougere (my favorite one) and phenomenal fragrance with lavender done in the old Patou mannner (Patou made the first Yohjis).

Some of the richest, juiciest bergamot, too.

[Dane77]

Thank you all for your votes and comments. It seems we have two clear favorites here, classics Pour un Homme and Jicky fighting it out between them with the Caron leading narrowly. And then two much more recent releases, Gris Clair... and A Taste of Heaven vying closely for 3rd place. At the other end of the scale, Eau Noire makes a surprisingly poor performance with only two votes at the moment (one of which, as you know, is mine! ).
It's been both interesting and entertaining to follow the voting and the comments and I want to thank all of you for participating. And Please feel free to go on voting - the poll stays open!

[ROBERTO]

[jic]

Summerbee Products Lavender Cologne (not in the Basenotes database), which I absolutely love. It's very basic, just lavender with some vetiver to fix it, but it smells great. I often spray some on my pillow before I go to bed. Very inexpensive too.

[Kielecki]

for me from your list:
Hermès - Brin de Réglisse
Very unique

[LloydLlewellyn]

Sexy smooth Fourreau Noir

[Virtue&Sin]

for me from your list:
Hermès - Brin de Réglisse
Very unique

+1 here
Your list had the ones I love: Caron, Creed, Guerlain's Jicky! So many beauties, Jersey is unique too, btw. Yet, even if Occitane has great flat compositions with lavender, BdR is a non-linear, elegant, almost minimalistic interpretation IMHO.
Great thread!

[pelle]

I chose Royal Scottish Lavender and A Taste of Heaven, and on "other" I´d say Mouchoir de Monsieur and Ungaro II. And the new from Cartier - L´Heure Verteuese.

[Norstrøm]

Jicky

[Trauerkraut]

...oh, I forgot this one...

[lgarruda]

Till last month my favorites were Pour un Homme and Gris Clair but then I knew Taste of Heaven and to me now it's the best lavender due to its complexity, like a millefeuilles of lavender.

[RandolphCanuck]

Voted for Antonio Puig, Agua Lavanda. Love that stuff! Such a casual yet quality take on the genre. However, Prada's brand new Luna Rossa is also great and the bottle I bought late last month is fast becoming my signature scent. I'd call this one more of a "suit and tie" lavender. Very in keeping with the style of the Prada Ambers.

About a year ago I tried a tester of Royal Scottish Lavender at NM Orlando. Liked it so much that I bought a bottle on the spot. They had to ship it to me as only the giant flacon was in stock. Unfortunately, what I received smelled so different from the tester that I ultimately returned it.

[Mick_Trick]

I adore BK 'A Taste of Heaven' - cosiest frag I have

[Johnny_Ludlow]

My favourites are Mouchour de Monsieur and Helmut Lang EdC. Latter is not often classified as a lavender fragrance, but I think it's a viable classification.

[lanky]

On me it smelled like electricity - like a hot circuit board or something - like heated metal. Was not very pleasant.

i can picture that smell

[autumngleeman]

CZEOA1100_Czech_Speake_Oxford_Cambridge_After_Shave_Shaker.jpg oops, that was kind of small lol. Yeah, oxford and cambridge gets my vote.