04/29/2020
FvSpee
249 Reviews
Translated
Show original
FvSpee
Top Review
19
Colonia instead of Corona. No. 5: Lehmänner.
The Berlin perfume house Lehmann, which is very much appreciated by other perfume writers here as well as by me, does not only offer a stately range of eau de parfums with typical Lehmanniade (very strong in durability and sillage, often very linear scent, often a bit angular, but still very beautiful and wearable). The second speciality of the house are light colognes. In between there is actually nothing.
Fortunately, I haven't commented on Harry Lehmann's basic Cologne yet, so it can find its place in this series. Lehmann is stingy with comprehensible information on the age and composition of his fragrances, but the "Pure Eau de Cologne" with its order number "2" in the company's nomenclature, which is not always logically structured, probably dates back to 1926, the year the company was founded (or at least is close to it), which doesn't rule out occasional reformulations.
How do we encounter this inexpensive (4 euros per 100 ml, plus bottle, if you don't bring anything to fill, minus the currently granted corona discounts) cologne? Of the four fragrances tested so far in this commentary series, let's temporarily omit Acqua di Parma's Colonia as an almost real perfume and Alpa's Cologne Classique because of its atypical, rather sweet base, and focus on the very volatile ultra-classical German cologne. Then we can draw a line from the very hard, a little shrill 4711 with its extremely characteristic bergamot-rosemary neroli sound to the "Fine Eau de Cologne" by Maravilla, which echoes this pattern, but takes this chord back and comes across as more lemony and thus also brighter and a little more harmless (which I like very much).
If we extend this line even further, we will reach the "Reine Kölnischwasser" by Harry Lehmann. I'd say it's guaranteed 100% free of grandma accords, making it the perfect cologne for people who associate unpleasant memories with 4711. No bergamot, no rosemary, I would want to vouch for that, and neroli and lavender, if at all, in homeopathic doses. Instead, a very beautiful, at times hyper-realistically authentically juicy yellow lemon (a little sharper than in the top note of Parma Colonia), which is at best surrounded by a delicate touch of mild, fresh, not too bitter orange. Besides that, I think I notice quite clearly fresh mint leaves floating on this cool, fresh homemade lemonade. It has a white-yellow scent, almost no green (except for some mint), almost nothing bitter, very, very little sweetness, almost pure fruity lemon. But it is not unpleasant at all, so you don't have to fear any biting acidity or sharpness.
How do I rate this - after a few minutes, similar to 4711 and Maravilla, the scent has evaporated? During several tests I had thoughts ranging from 7.0 to 8.5. I finally give 7.5, because I
a) already gave 7.5 spontaneously 2 years ago, when I tested this fragrance at Lehmann's in the shop;
b) although it misses the unmistakable characteristics of the 4711 freshness, this is compensated by the lack of hardness of this classic;
c) the competitor product of Maravilla with a score of 8.0 is just a bit nicer.
Now I would like to take the opportunity to briefly introduce some other Lehmänner who would fit into this series (they call themselves "Cologne", have a citric or other freshness, are rather fleeting and not too complex), but who cannot be discussed here because I have already commented on them.
5a) Harry Lehmann's Wasch-Eau-de-Cologne: This pretty little water is also very pale yellow and lemony and, in contrast to the cologne discussed today (86% alcohol), has only 50% alcohol. This seems to be a characteristic of the fragrances known as "Wasch-Cologne", perhaps to prevent the skin from drying out too much from all the alcohol, if you really do wash yourself with such a cologne for lack of soap and fresh water. By the way, the scent seems to me very similar to the one we discussed today; maybe a little softer and more fluffy. I could think it's the same scent with more water and less alcohol: My old comment is available here: https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/ParfumIndividual_Harry_Lehmann/Wasch_Eau_de_Cologne
5b) Laguna: A here on Parfumo for my terms clearly undervalued, highly original cologne, which I would smell out of hundreds. It's undoubtedly citrusy, but it has an extraordinarily witty note that I perceive as mineral-soapy, which I like very much and find almost as stimulating and refreshing as the 4711 chord. Here my old comment: https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/ParfumIndividual_Harry_Lehmann/Laguna_Eau_de_Cologne
5c) Cologne New York: For me, an exceptional Cologne that I have grown to love more and more over the years and have therefore just changed my rating from 8.5 to 9.0 (I usually don't like to change grades here afterwards). It's very fine and delicate, but (if you spray it on) it lasts for hours. And for all its citric lightness, it has a complexity and richness that is quite remarkable. For me an absolute insider tip, so to speak the "Springfield among the Colognes" with Lehmann. Here is my very old comment, which I would perhaps write even more differentiated and enthusiastic today: https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/ParfumIndividual_Harry_Lehmann/New_York
I have not yet commented on the other colognes by Lehmann and will perhaps do so later in this series.
What do I do with my 100 ml pouring bottle of "Pure"? This is a nice scent, but even in a warm spring/summer you can't use 10 different light citrus colognes, and my cupboard won't get any bigger. Since I read that a 70 % ethanol solution is absolutely sufficient as a hand disinfectant against corona viruses, I will put this "86-er" in my file backpack and use it as a mobile hygiene bottle after splashing shopping carts in supermarkets. But I don't want to devalue this scent with that. I will always come home from shopping refreshed and fragrant.
P.S.: You also get 7.5 points for the name. Fine cologne, pure cologne, my goodness, what comes next? Little cologne?
Fortunately, I haven't commented on Harry Lehmann's basic Cologne yet, so it can find its place in this series. Lehmann is stingy with comprehensible information on the age and composition of his fragrances, but the "Pure Eau de Cologne" with its order number "2" in the company's nomenclature, which is not always logically structured, probably dates back to 1926, the year the company was founded (or at least is close to it), which doesn't rule out occasional reformulations.
How do we encounter this inexpensive (4 euros per 100 ml, plus bottle, if you don't bring anything to fill, minus the currently granted corona discounts) cologne? Of the four fragrances tested so far in this commentary series, let's temporarily omit Acqua di Parma's Colonia as an almost real perfume and Alpa's Cologne Classique because of its atypical, rather sweet base, and focus on the very volatile ultra-classical German cologne. Then we can draw a line from the very hard, a little shrill 4711 with its extremely characteristic bergamot-rosemary neroli sound to the "Fine Eau de Cologne" by Maravilla, which echoes this pattern, but takes this chord back and comes across as more lemony and thus also brighter and a little more harmless (which I like very much).
If we extend this line even further, we will reach the "Reine Kölnischwasser" by Harry Lehmann. I'd say it's guaranteed 100% free of grandma accords, making it the perfect cologne for people who associate unpleasant memories with 4711. No bergamot, no rosemary, I would want to vouch for that, and neroli and lavender, if at all, in homeopathic doses. Instead, a very beautiful, at times hyper-realistically authentically juicy yellow lemon (a little sharper than in the top note of Parma Colonia), which is at best surrounded by a delicate touch of mild, fresh, not too bitter orange. Besides that, I think I notice quite clearly fresh mint leaves floating on this cool, fresh homemade lemonade. It has a white-yellow scent, almost no green (except for some mint), almost nothing bitter, very, very little sweetness, almost pure fruity lemon. But it is not unpleasant at all, so you don't have to fear any biting acidity or sharpness.
How do I rate this - after a few minutes, similar to 4711 and Maravilla, the scent has evaporated? During several tests I had thoughts ranging from 7.0 to 8.5. I finally give 7.5, because I
a) already gave 7.5 spontaneously 2 years ago, when I tested this fragrance at Lehmann's in the shop;
b) although it misses the unmistakable characteristics of the 4711 freshness, this is compensated by the lack of hardness of this classic;
c) the competitor product of Maravilla with a score of 8.0 is just a bit nicer.
Now I would like to take the opportunity to briefly introduce some other Lehmänner who would fit into this series (they call themselves "Cologne", have a citric or other freshness, are rather fleeting and not too complex), but who cannot be discussed here because I have already commented on them.
5a) Harry Lehmann's Wasch-Eau-de-Cologne: This pretty little water is also very pale yellow and lemony and, in contrast to the cologne discussed today (86% alcohol), has only 50% alcohol. This seems to be a characteristic of the fragrances known as "Wasch-Cologne", perhaps to prevent the skin from drying out too much from all the alcohol, if you really do wash yourself with such a cologne for lack of soap and fresh water. By the way, the scent seems to me very similar to the one we discussed today; maybe a little softer and more fluffy. I could think it's the same scent with more water and less alcohol: My old comment is available here: https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/ParfumIndividual_Harry_Lehmann/Wasch_Eau_de_Cologne
5b) Laguna: A here on Parfumo for my terms clearly undervalued, highly original cologne, which I would smell out of hundreds. It's undoubtedly citrusy, but it has an extraordinarily witty note that I perceive as mineral-soapy, which I like very much and find almost as stimulating and refreshing as the 4711 chord. Here my old comment: https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/ParfumIndividual_Harry_Lehmann/Laguna_Eau_de_Cologne
5c) Cologne New York: For me, an exceptional Cologne that I have grown to love more and more over the years and have therefore just changed my rating from 8.5 to 9.0 (I usually don't like to change grades here afterwards). It's very fine and delicate, but (if you spray it on) it lasts for hours. And for all its citric lightness, it has a complexity and richness that is quite remarkable. For me an absolute insider tip, so to speak the "Springfield among the Colognes" with Lehmann. Here is my very old comment, which I would perhaps write even more differentiated and enthusiastic today: https://www.parfumo.de/Parfums/ParfumIndividual_Harry_Lehmann/New_York
I have not yet commented on the other colognes by Lehmann and will perhaps do so later in this series.
What do I do with my 100 ml pouring bottle of "Pure"? This is a nice scent, but even in a warm spring/summer you can't use 10 different light citrus colognes, and my cupboard won't get any bigger. Since I read that a 70 % ethanol solution is absolutely sufficient as a hand disinfectant against corona viruses, I will put this "86-er" in my file backpack and use it as a mobile hygiene bottle after splashing shopping carts in supermarkets. But I don't want to devalue this scent with that. I will always come home from shopping refreshed and fragrant.
P.S.: You also get 7.5 points for the name. Fine cologne, pure cologne, my goodness, what comes next? Little cologne?
15 Comments
