Le Dandy (1925)
by D'Orsay

Boozy. More specifically, fruit boozy... plum boozy.

I much prefer over similars Nicole Miller & Carlos Santana (apple boozy), Michael (tobac boozy) all 'for men'. It edges out Frank #2 too, with its ambery as opposed to frank's woody drydown -- otherwise, these two share a whole lotta overlap in the open and heart.

Top hat & tails? The old stuff perhaps, but my re-intro'd silver-capped 100ml bottle doesn't come off as outdated, in contrast with that style of dress and the term 'dandy'.

Nevertheless it's a lark fragrance I'm glad to have found.

A bit over the top for me with its sweet peach/plum accord and its spicy clove, cinnamon, bay leaf concentration. Very much a barbershop splash in its heyday (1925), it has that explosive quality of an Old Spice or a Bay Rhum.

You have to enter the period of time it emerged and recognize it for something that would be splashed on, invigorate you, and then have faded in half an hour. Most "toilet waters" and "colognes" of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were just that, refreshers, not hours long scent applications.

An interesting period piece, and to be worn as a splash, not a personality-defining scent. Nice, but not great.

Dandy is possibly the least dandy scent I've ever tried – a dull woody-floral fresh generic fragrance, with several artificial and synthetic nuances, if not all of them (including also a load of calone – the refreshment – and something like melonal creating a cheap "fruity" feel), rounded by some vanillin and tonka, and finally supported by an unsubstantial note of suede. Metallic, plastic, quality-wise close to the lower range of mainstream masculine scents.

4,5-5/10

Genre: Leather

Sampling it blind, I'd have guessed Le Dandy to be a designer scent from the 1990s - which is, I suppose, exactly what the reformulation is. The top notes are fruit punch, with a few extra tablespoons of sugar thrown in just for good measure. It's way too sweet for my poor nose, and blatantly synthetic to boot. The whole Juicyfruit accord eventually fades a bit to reveal a scrawny base of woods. The merest hint of leather drifts by an hour or more into the development, and that's about it.

Given its reputation, Le Dandy is one of the most disappointing scents that I've encountered. The opening smells cheap and commonplace, the base is anemic, and what development there is is painfully clumsy. I find it hard to believe that Le Dandy of 1923 smelled anything like this travesty. If you want tropical fruits and woods, try either Creed's Virgin Island Water or Maître Parfumeur et Gantier's Bahiana. Both play this hand with far greater panache.

Different

I have the edt version. 50 bucks for 3.4 oz!! anyway it's similar to Casran by Chopard..

A nice quiet plum/rum accord that lingers but does not make a splash..

Very toned down and gentlemen like..

Can be a signature scent and worn year round..

A great comfort scent as well..

Pros: I got a great price
Cons: A bit subtle"