Dunhill Nordic Fougère.
Notes:
Top – basil, cardamom, black pepper.
Middle – bamboo leaf, kumquat, geranium.
Base – vanilla, sandalwood, patchouli.
I had never tried Dunhill’s higher-end line (Dunhill Signature Collection) until I sampled Nordic Fougère. Strictly speaking, I’m not entirely convinced it qualifies as a traditional fougère. However, a couple of elements hint at that category. Primarily, the herbal quality of the opening, led by basil and what smells like minty geranium, could—if I squint—give the impression of the basic elements of a barbershop-style scent. In this case, Dunhill substitutes basil for lavender.
There’s no oakmoss (or mossy facet) here, either. But, given current restrictions, I didn’t expect there to be. The citrusy note, listed as kumquat, introduces a pine-like tartness that enhances the polished, well-groomed theme. And, I suppose this pine-like facet makes up for the lack of oakmoss. The other notable component is a green, watery note of bamboo leaf. Add it all up, and I dont think shaving soap. Rather, it veers dangerously close to generic shower gel territory, but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt. It’s a neat and tidy scent, without any obvious harsh edges.
Nordic Fougère recalls Michel Almairac’s Starwalker for Montblanc. Coincidentally, he’s listed as co-perfumer for Nordic Fougère alongside Jérôme Epinette. It’s a solid perfume, though it’s hardly setting the world on fire. However, the $100 price tag offers good value, making it a suitable alternative/replacement for the discontinued Montblanc fragrance.
Dunhill Egyptian Smoke
Notes:
Top – black tea, pink pepper, ginger.
Middle – tobacco, cacao, Grasse rose, papyrus.
Base – vanilla, tonka bean, palo santo, patchouli.
Egyptian Smoke, on the other hand, is well worth checking out. It has a similar beautiful, sparkling rose that I love in Ambre Nuit. Indeed, it’s not as intense as the perfume colour and name would suggest. Dunhill threw me a bit of a curveball with Egyptian Smoke. The sweeter, smokier notes linger more in the background. It’s primarily a rose fragrance.
The smoky component surprises, too. It doesn’t smell like Ambre Narguilé by Hermès, but the smooth, airy tobacco note reminds me of the way Ellena incorporates it into that fragrance. It’s not brash, loud, or overly sweet (certainly less sweet than the Hermès), as some tobacco perfumes tend to be. Instead, it’s herbal and only a touch honeyed, with notes of black tea and palo santo providing the simmering backing vocals.
If you’re seeking a tobacco scent, Egyptian Smoke might not meet your expectations, as the rose note dominates throughout its entire development. It almost starts to go in that rosewater/Turkish delight direction, but again, never too saccharine. Tobacco merely provides warmth and depth. Gradually, Egyptian Smoke dries to an enveloping, resinous ambery/vanilla finish. Fantastic work from Jérôme Epinette.
Summary
My first foray into the line has been relatively successful. I think Egyptian Smoke is well worth seeking out for rose lovers. The bottles look classy and somewhat reminiscent of the “Icon” series. I’m not sure how easy this line is to find, though, as Dunhill fragrances seem to have been completely phased out of stores in my area. However, they are readily available at discounters, and their prices are more than competitive compared with other mainstream, higher-end lines. I’ve seen them listed for around 100 Australian dollars for a 100ml bottle. Based on these two, I’d like to track down more to sample.
Note: Photos are my own. Samples were purchased by me.