No. 89 (1950)
by Floris

If anyone wonders what the Floris house note is, smell no. 89. This is THE citrus house note. Nice eau de cologne. Kinda just there.

This is not a fragrance to write home about. The type of gentleman this was intended for would consider that vulgar. He's one who expects this fragrance to serve a clearly defined purpose: smell unobtrusively decent, as an English gentleman should. Fresh citrus on top for a morning perk up, settled before the Georgian door of his home snaps shut behind him. Subtle rose and soft spices for the office. Quietly stated quality, no surprises. Like the crisp white Sea Island cotton shirt by Turnbull & Asser and the pinstripe suit by Anderson & Shepherd he's wearing. From a bygone era, but nice to have around.

To say that "No. 89" "reeks" of funeral parlors is unfair; it is a quiet, dignified fragrance that doesn't reek in any way. But evocative of those unhappy places? Yes, maybe. Firstly it is a quintessential 1950s scent: although I typically hate the shorthand of the decade attribution as imprecise and overly impressionistic, I find it apt here. It very much reminds me of one of my mother's perfumes of years ago. As for the embalming vibe, maybe it's on account of the scent's passive quality: this is not a sporty fragrance. Indeed, it's hard imagining anyone having the energy to pilot a nuclear speed boat or dodge bullets or fight off Russian temptresses while wearing "No. 89." The floral notes are just too quiet, and too pretty--like a spray of pink roses on a simple pine box.

To my taste this is a slightly dated scent, one that does not appeal to my taste. Not too strong but with an odd lingering note. Definitely wearable but I would agree with some of the other comments in the sense that it is more likely to suit an older clientele. I heard that Floris was going to discontinue it before long.

I can appreciate its English sensibilities overall but the nutmeg note is too off-putting for me to wear. Its strongest asset is the unfortunately, short-lived but wonderful, citrus/floral melange. The nutmeg/orris/sandalwood connection is prominent throughout the entire course.

The clearly evident, earthy-dry, floral orris note definitely conjures up images of some kind of institutional stuffiness. No. 89 seems more likely a purchase for a mature person.

Notes:

Top: Bergamot, Orange, Geranium, Nutmeg
Middle: Orange Blossom, Rose, Jasmine, herbal notes
Base: Sandalwood, cedar, vetiver

No. 89 is Floris' flagship fragrance and the favorite of Ian Fleming, James Bond, Inspector Gadget, Kim Jong Yil and few other high profile celebrities and fictional characters. It also shares a few properties with No. (89 - 1).

No. 89 is based on a formula which is intended to represent what an english gentleman is smells like. Some say it also "reeks" of funeral parlors. I haven't been to a lot of funeral parlors, but I don't think that they would smell like No. 89, which is a grand yet understated aromatic woody floral. This is no "old man"/"dead" smell, nor is it a sombre scent. No. 89 opens with a complex citrus-floral-spicy accord which then gives way to a prominent flowery middle notes phase. However No.89 is never overly floral because of a well assimilated nutmeg note which provides a spicy kick to the mix...yes, the overall impression is still of a gentleman's rich aromatic floral fragrance, but its never overbearingly like Enya's garden.

Comparisons to Czech & Speake no. 88: No. 88 and 89 share some similarities. Infact the notes pyramid share a lot of notes. Both open with a burst of bergamot; No. 89's opening is more elaborate, but the heart notes are what sets the two apart. No. 88's luxurious and powerhouse notes of rose otto, cassie and frangipani in concert with sandalwood introduce a distinctively full-bodied accord which is missing in No. 89. Instead, no. 89 has a less potent rose note, and features an equally dynamic if less ravaging spicy-floral mix as its distinctive accord. No. 88 also has a longer march to its drydown, which richer and fuller than in No. 89 due to its richer concentration of oils (its an EDP). No. 89 has a soft woody floral drydown - I don't get a lot of vetiver or cedar, but instead there is an outlier of a sweet floral note which is kind of interesting and lends a certain powderiness to the drydown.

No. 88 and 89 do share some similarities and No. 88 was probably inspired by No. 89. If you find the rich composition of no. 88 too much to handle, try the floral-spicy concoction of no. 89; the reduced potency and the diluted rose notes alongwith the nutmeg might feel fresher and less daunting. Eitherways, No. 89 is a fine fragrance in its own right, and a true classic. I can't picture the grim reaper handing it out at anyone's "going away" party.

Rating: 8.6/19