Agua Lavanda by Antonio Puig

Agua Lavanda (dry Lavanda version, vintage) I recently had the good fortune to get a 90 ml bottle of this perfume in an old pharmacy in Mexico City. Many of you will understand the kind of excitement I felt when I saw such a rarity! I myself did not even know of the existence of this perfume until I came to this site, since, in Mexico, Puig’s offering, as far as I remembered, centered on Agua Brava and later on the successful Quorum. Well, it turns out that in the 70s the story was not like that; in the first third of the 1970s, this fragrance was introduced in parallel to the popular Agua Brava. Well, this rarity, at least in Mexico, used the same drop-shaped bottle and the characteristic wooden cap of Agua Brava, but on the bottle it reads in a circular way “Agua Lavanda” Puig and in the center “Dry Lavanda”. The bottle contained in a battered pine-green box gave me the confidence to ask the shopkeeper if he would let me smell its contents, to which he agreed by handing me the bottle which I opened after removing a small plastic stopper, since it is not a spray version, first interesting point since in the 70s “spray” presentations were not customary. I immediately noticed Puig’s characteristic intensity, but even so, I asked the gentleman if he would let me apply a little on the back of my hand, which he approved, and it was very interesting to notice an opening similar to that of Agua Brava, even almost the same but with something that definitely made it different, and that is that this perfume, with at least forty years in its bottle, transformed on my hand releasing its spirit, which turned into a delicate but intense lavender with green tones as well as a subtle and long sweetness, almost a powdery lavender, which really won me over. What followed was paying something like 13 dollars (today it sells for up to 55 euros, if it is found for sale). It seems that Antonio Puig created this perfume with the same ingredients as Agua Brava, but replacing the citrus notes with a fine French lavender. Just like Puig’s creations are, this Dry Lavanda shows a medium complexity, which surely gained many followers in its time and which today, 40 years later, may have conquered the last human being under the original formula. I currently consider this bottle one of my treasures, if you would like to know this version of Agua Lavanda in more detail, in your Google search engine you can see the bottle. Note: In Mexico Agua Lavanda does not exist in Puig’s catalog, therefore, it is not possible to buy the product illustrated in this Fragrantica technical publication.

I finally got lucky and found a 90ml bottle of Agua Lavanda Dry Lavanda vintage at an old pharmacy in CDMX. What an emotion to see such a rarity! I didn’t even know it existed here, as Puig’s offerings in Mexico were focused on Agua Brava and then Quorum. Turns out, in the 70s it wasn’t like that; in the first third of the decade, this fragrance launched alongside the popular Agua Brava. This gem, at least in Mexico, uses the same dropper bottle and classic wooden cap as Agua Brava, but with the circular name ‘Agua Lavanda’ and ‘Dry Lavanda’ in the center. The bottle, inside a well-used pine-green box, gave me the confidence to ask the shopkeeper if I could smell it. He handed it over, I removed the plastic cap (it’s not a spray, which wasn’t common in the 70s), and immediately noticed the typical Puig intensity. I asked the gentleman if I could put a little on my hand, and he approved. How interesting! The opening is very similar to Agua Brava, almost identical, but with something that makes it unique: after forty years in the bottle, on my skin it transforms into a delicate yet intense lavender, with green notes and a subtle, long-lasting sweetness, almost a lavender swamp that fell me in love. I paid about $13 (today it’s quoted up to 55 euros if you can find it). It seems Antonio Puig made this with the same ingredients as Agua Brava, but substituting the citrus with a fine French lavender. Like his creations, it has medium complexity, surely had many fans in its time, and today, 40 years later, maybe it has conquered the last human with the original formula. Now I consider it one of my treasures. If you want to know more, search for the bottle on Google. Note: in Mexico it doesn’t appear in Puig’s catalog, so you can’t buy it here.