Bond No. 9 Andy Warhol Lexington Avenue

In spite of thinking several of the Bond No. 9 scents are nicely done, I´ve never felt moved to buy one.  My favorite is Chinatown, but I finally gave my decant away because it just doesn´t wear right on me – there´s some note in the drydown I find shrill and annoying on my skin, like a friend at a party who is no longer as amusing as the evening wears on.

Bond’s first in the Warhol series, Silver Factory, is really, really nice, and if Bond gave me a bottle (hah!) I´d probably wear it, but my heart belongs to several other incenses.  The second Warhol is some fresh-floral thing with a name I can´t even remember.  Given the good reviews for the third Warhol scent, Lexington Avenue, I thought I should give it a try.  I find the notes particularly intriguing — blue cypress, fennel, cardamom, pink peony, iris, crà¨me brà»lée, pimento berry, patchouli and sandalwood.  I think this thing is pegged by Bond as a floral chypre, but I´d call it a woody gourmand.

So here´s the humorous reveal – the first time I sprayed it on, I inhaled deeply and thought:  Serge Noire!   It bears a passing resemblance to the new Serge while feeling less … French?  Like if Estee Lauder made Serge Noire?  And I don´t mean that as a criticism – it´s more full-bodied and less subtle, if you will, while still being completely engaging.  I get a hint of delightful sweatiness, resin-y incense, and lightly spiced woods. (The typically vague notes for Serge Noire are patchouli, cinnamon, amber and dark woods.)  I would love to hear comments from anyone else who has tried both whether I am out of my mind?   The Lexington Avenue is more opaque, and smoother.  The fennel is pretty subtle and adds to the soft spiciness, and the florals seem really abstract.

As I was writing the review´s first draft in my head, suggesting this as an easier-to-get alternative to the Serge, there was an amusingly rapid shift to a gourmand – the quite distinct Part B of the scent.  This could be really jarring, but it isn´t – the sweet creaminess in the woods of the first part and the spices carry over to the gourmand part, making the transition interesting and charming rather than unnerving.  It´s the crà¨me-brulee phase I´d see a man having a bit more trouble carrying off, but in my general experience men tend to “butch” fragrances up on their skin, and anyway, I´m the woman who thinks all men should try wearing Fracas and Datura Noir for a change of pace.

When the transition is done, the drydown of Lexington Avenue ends up being strongly reminiscent of – wait for it – CB Musk on me, the sweet ambery warmth rather than the dirty bits, as if I were smelling CB musk layered with something like Sushi Imperiale or Organza Indecence.  There´s a vanillic, spicy sweetness still tempered enough by the woods to maintain a plausible unisex vibe.  Great timing on the release, too – a this would be a perfect fall scent.

I find myself wanting a bottle of this.  A lot.