I want to acquaint myself with as many traditional "Eaux De Cologne" as I can.... By this, I am referring to fragrances whose spiritual grandmother might be the original «Kölnisch Wasser», 4711.

In other words, the colognes comprised mainly of citrus notes (and citrus analogues such as lemon verbena, lemongrass, lemon balm, lemon mint, etc.) usually with some aromatics involved (sage, lavender, mint, camphor, artemisia, rosemary, etc.) and only the most delicate of floral touches, if any.

Little or no pronounced spices or basey-basenotes to speak of (musk, amber, tonka, vanilla, civet, vetiver, leather, etc.)

Now-- given this definition, how many fragrances can you name?

Off the top of my head, I'm thinking:



EAU DES FLEURS DE CEDRAT

EAU IMPERIALE

Fath GREEN WATER

4711

JEAN NATÉ

HIERBAS DE IBIZA

Crabtree & Evelyn HUNGARY WATER

JICKY (granted, it does contain civet)



How many more can you name? Especially, what are your absolute favorites in this genre?


Thanks, Dave

My favourite is Eau du Coq. They have this huge bottle of it available in the Guerlain Institute and I've been tempted... It's similar to Eau de Cologne Impériale but drier, if you can imagine that. I love it.

By the way, rasputin, if 4711 is edc's grandmother, it's great great grandmother would be Hungary Water (Eau de la Reine d'Hongrie),dating from the 1300s, around 1370, I think. Rosemary was very prominent in it and I think it is credited for having been the first alcoholic perfume. Crabtree & Evelyn used to make a Hungary Water and I liked it very much. I was really sorry when they discontinued it. Don't know if anyone else does today.

Chanel Eau de Cologne from the Les Exclusifs collection. I'm not a big fan of EdCs but his one is very nice and very wearable.

I think Santa Maria Novella Colonia fits here too.

I find it interesting that you put Jicky in the EdC group - I get way too much base (ambery vanilla to be exact) from this which to call it a classic EdC but of course is the precise reason I love it.

Yes, heather, perhaps some fragrances are "borderline" to this category, such as JICKY.



Two others on the borderline might be:



Dior EAU SAUVAGE

ARMANI (hommes, the 1980's fragrance)


...both of which might be too "full" or "fleshed-out" to fall into the category I'm describing...

Chantilly

I always thought this was an aldehydic floral powdery, no?

Rasputin, from the Guerlain history I've read, Jicky was reportedly constructed upon a base of Impériale, so the edc note would definitely be in there. Then it said Shalimar was an embroidered version of Jicky, so it would have the edc note too--but definitely fleshed out, as you say.

Oops, I just noticed that you had already mentioned Hungary Water in your initial post. Sorry for the duplication.

Two others that I think would qualify are Eau d'Hadrien and Eau du Sud, and I think you could also make a case for the citrusy notes of Les Nuits d'Hadrien, although it is considered an oriental.

Roger et Gallet has a few eaux de cologne, including the one Napoléon was supposed to have worn, Jean-Marie Farina. (To skip the annoying intro you have to click on "Skip intro" and then on the next page, click on Eaux de cologne.)

http://www.roger-gallet.com/

O de Lancome might fit, very citrusy but it does have a bit of wood.

Bond has one as well. Shame on me for not knowing which one. I only know that I sniffed it at the tiny store in NYC with Laurice Rahme present and commented as much, "It's along the same lines as 4711..." She had a such a hissy. "It doesn't smell anything like that." It certainly did. I think most of us perfumistas will agree that it's a pretty unmistakable recipe. You just know it when you smell it.

I never thought that was an insulting thing to say in the least - I happen to like the format and am a huge fan of Aqua di Parma - another high-priced eau de cologne. I guess I should have compared it to something more in the same price range so as to not expose the emporer. hee hee

Miller Harris Citron Citron
Eau de Guerlain (different from Eau Imperiale)
Gold Medal by Atkinson's (now there is a perfume house that rarely gets mentioned. It has been years since anyone mentioned an Atkinson's perfume)
Bouquet Imperiale, also by Roger et Gallet


There are some others like Eau de Patou, Eau de Rochas and Eau Givenchy but they do have more than the simple base musks of 4711

MPG Baime seems like a spin on this genre.

Sisley Eau de Campagne, even though it has a bit of coumarin and is more grassy than tradition eau de cologne formulations, is centered around citrus and aromatic tomato leaf.

Since no-one has mentioned it yet, I'll add Thierry Mugler Cologne. This is a modern, and longer lasting, twist on the traditional EDC model...

Fragonard makes Eau d'Hongrie which is their interpretation of "Hungary Water." It's excellent though short lived on me.

Chris

Intimate by Revlon.
I still adore this vintage scent.

Karen

Caron Eau Fraiche

Perhaps. I get lemon and bergamot too.

Eau de Patou
Un Jardin sur le Nil
Eau de Rochas
The last is probably a bit of a stretch, as there are quite a few floral notes...

Katy, Eau de Guerlain is really wonderful, although I haven't worn it in a long time. It has a delightful haylike note. I also love the original bottle:





There was a time when just about every house had its own twist on classic eau de cologne. The edc was meant to be worn as a kind of after-bath freshener, more as the finishing touch of the toilette than a scent in itself, and then you would put on perfume later. Dior'sEau de Cologne Fraîche is another one.

Eau de Rochas is my favorite.

CK One would fit this type.

Also, Aromatonic by Lancome and Bulgari eau Parfumee.

What about Hermes Eau d'Orange Vert? It has oakmoss in it, but it's really not all about the oakmoss.

Clarins Eau Dynamissante

Guerlain's Eau Imperiale and Coriolan
Eau de Rochas Homme (more so than the one for women)