A Supersonic Scent of Gin and Tonic

Fragrance brands usually draw on familiar notes: flowers, woods, citrus, vanilla, sandalwood, leather, and smoke. Escentric Molecules has always worked from the other direction. The brand, founded in 2006 by perfumer Geza Schoen, made its name by foregrounding the molecules and chemicals that usually sit within a formula, especially Iso E Super, a synthetic woody aroma molecule used to give perfumes radiance and a close, skin-like warmth. Instead of hiding those building blocks behind a familiar story, Escentric Molecules makes them the point.That makes Cologne One interesting. Their first release branded under the familiar label of a cologne, they’ve instead reversed engineered a familiar scent — albeit, outside of fragrances — and bottled it: the fresh smell of a gin and tonic. It might seem kitschy, or that to wear it would be to involuntarily label oneself a drunkard, but it’s one of the most charming, new summer-scents I’ve tried. Juniper gives the opening its bitter gin snap, and it has a slightly watery, floral heart, but the two work to highlight the light, citrus top notes, of lime, lemon, mandarin, and bergamot. It’s airy, clean, and slightly sharp — as a good summer-cologne should be — but without collapsing into the brutal simplicit of a generic sport-cologne.The base is where it feels most like Escentric Molecules, with it’s Iso E Super, Ambroxan, and musk. But this just adds a slightly earthy, woody base note; it makes the citrus feel lighter and brighter, through contrast, rather than dampening it. It’s hard to describe a cologne without smelling it yourself, but together, it makes a cologne that captures the dream of sipping a G&T by the water in summer. It’s strong and long-lasting without being dominant, distinct without being controversial, and relaxed enough for a T-shirt, the beach, after the gym, or indeed an ordinary day.At $175 for 100ml, it is well priced for a niche fragrance, and I expect it to be one of my go-to scents over the summer.

A Supersonic Scent of Gin and Tonic

More from the New York Sun

‘Ask E. Jean’ Is a Hagiographic Look at the Gonzo Writer Who Has Twice Bested Trump in Court

Apple Is Hoping AI Will Solve Its Siri Problem

Switzerland Votes on Whether To Cap Its Population at 10 Million

More from the New York Sun

‘Ask E. Jean’ Is a Hagiographic Look at the Gonzo Writer Who Has Twice Bested Trump in Court

Apple Is Hoping AI Will Solve Its Siri Problem

Switzerland Votes on Whether To Cap Its Population at 10 Million

Designer Fashion Gets Increasingly Expensive as it Delivers Diminishing Returns

With Lawsuits Cleared and Tempers Flaring, UFC Readies for Trump’s Birthday Bashing at the White House

Critics Look to States To Block Paramount-Warner Bros. Deal After Justice Department’s Approval

White Students Are Now a Minority in American Schools, New Analysis Finds

Trump’s Name Removed From Kennedy Center After Federal Judge Rules Rebranding Unlawful