D by Alfred Dunhill

Dunhill in the low-cost segment is always worth it, even though they have mid and premium options. Like Lapidus or Bogart, they sometimes make vintage 90s references, like this D (I already own the beautiful Black Edition fougère). Well-combined notes, several intense ones (moss is one of my favorites), with a solid, aromatic masculine floral vibe. There’s no sugary youthfulness or gourmand here; it’s floral in the style of three decades ago, always leaning towards the ‘macho man’ side, though a bold lady could use it without problems. It’s versatile, good for day and night, more autumnal, perfect for elegant informal wear, and has an accessible price. It’s an Eau de Toilette without great projection, but it doesn’t fade to skin-level quickly; with generous applications, I get about 5 or 6 hours. It’s not an old-school barber-shop scent for mature men, but it will be great for anyone who was a kid in the 90s. Thanks to Dunhill for this scent, which I perceive as different from Tommy Hilfiger, to my nose and according to what’s indicated there.

A very pleasant surprise. Dunhill usually makes classic scents; it’s rare not to find a fougère or semi-fougère, although in the 2000s they went a more festive route. Dry, mossy, powdery colognes with that cardboard-like hesperide touch and a hint of dirty comb or stale shirt, reminiscent of Eau Sauvage. With D, they became more modern and youthful, perfect for straight out of the shower. It feels young as it was styled back then, but a mature, cheerful man can wear it too, diving into the aromatic-spicy currents of the mid-90s. It blends the woody, musky base of CK One or Penhaligon’s Quercus with the spiced glass-cleaner vibe of Tommy. It’s not as unisex as Calvin Klein, nor as heavy and mineral-cucumber-like as Tommy; D is the perfect mix of both. A crystal-clear, floral-spicy water very much of its time, when fresh perfumes stopped looking at Kenzo’s marine lavenders or Cool Water. This one, like Hugo and Tommy, felt youthful, sharing that slightly dizzying aromatic-spicy cleanliness, like a fridge loaded with sulfurous lettuce and apples, or a cascade of fresh, calcareous water. Old styles today, but fresh and novel back then. Nothing more than the scent of a guy in sport jeans, a white tee, Nike sneakers, and Ray-Bans. Imagining D is easy: a beautiful bottle in a classic matte tone. Tommy Hilfiger but more loaded, floral, and musky. There’s an addictive moment with a creamy, herbaceous clash of cedar, mandarin, and cypress; the drydown is very musky but keeps that cold, spicy tone, even seeming like a unisex water at times. The only downside is it feels synthetic, but that’s redundant because all EDTs from that 90s current were synthetic.