I am a born and raised Brooklynite. I’m one of the many that screams out in the party when the DJ asks, “Is Brooklyn in the house.” Every time someone mentions they’re looking for an apartment, I recommend Bk. Why, because its a borough rich with history, culture, food, multitudes of people, etc., etc. The borough has made me who I am and I’m so proud of that. So when I heard Bond No. 9 was launching a fragrance called Brooklyn, I couldn’t have been happier.
I recently received my press kit with all of its literature and my sample, but I had to sit with this and really let it do its thing. I respect Bond and love many of their scents but if you’re going to rep for Brooklyn, I really wanted to see what they were going to come with.
Let me start by saying I am not a fan of the bottle’s grafiti design. Brooklyn is gritty, for sure, and that sort of expression is part of the boroughs history; but there’s so much more beauty that represents its character. What would be cool is if they commissioned some Brooklyn-based artists to design some limited edition bottles with proceeds going to local charities.
At first, I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the scent because of its very distinct nature. However, as I sat with it, it grew on me and I realized how much I appreciated its composition. Its very earthy and up front, I really pick up sweetness with grassy and leafy notes. That can be attributed to the Juniper Berries, Guaiacwood and Geranium Leaves. But the body of the scent is nicely rounded out with woods, namely Cypress Wood and Cedarwood.
What comes to mind for me as the scent nestles in are mossy wet woods and the sound of rustling leaves that saturate the air of Prospect Park. The earthiness and strength of this scent makes me wish I had a yard to rake. I find the scent to be extremely masculine but not in a traditional, bravado kind of way. There is virility here in a classic sense, i.e. men work with their hands. But it also possesses a softness to take off the edge. I can really see how a woman could really take to this on a man because it has a natural feeling about it without being overly perfumed.
Brooklyn by Bond No 9 will be in stores in March.
fragrantmoments.net 