Royall Bay Rhum (1962)
by Royall Lyme of Bermuda

Bergamot, Lavender, Lemon, Neroli, Orange, Rosemary
Carnation, Cedar, Nulg, Orris Root, Tonka
Amber, Musk, Oakmoss, Tonka

I’ve long been a fan of bay rum scents, Royall’s Bay Rhum has a really nice thing going on in the opening with the citruses, lavender, and bay – a complex bay rum accord that is invigorating, lively, and bright. A part of the invigorating liveliness is the clove note that maintains a respectable subservience in the opening accord. The bay note stays through the middle level of the fragrance where it joins with cedar and carnation, and, with the combination of all these spicy things, the accord becomes too clovey… the clove takes over the accord and reigns supreme: It becomes overbearing in middle notes. The fragrance seems depleted shortly after the arrival of the base. There is really not much of a drydown except for a clove dominated skin scent that lasts at most an hour on my skin. This is a nice scent – well constructed, very good notes, not the worst longevity, but I’m still looking for a traditional bay rum that doesn’t turn into cloves.

Gentlemen, I have called this meeting to discuss the overlooked element in Royall Bay Rhum. That, dear colleagues, is C-L-O-V-E-S! I am not talking about a little bit of a spicy note. I am talking about a great big guy banging a huge brass gong labeled ‘cloves’ until my head hurts. I am more than a little surprised that no one has mentioned this 800-pound gorilla. One reviewer’s phrase “medicinal harshness” hints at it. Think of the infamous scene in the movie “Marathon Man” where the Laurence Oliver character (a dentist) is torturing the Dustin Hoffman character. He alternately probes an exposed tooth nerve and then applies oil of cloves, which soothes the pain. Well, here the cloves IS the pain and the torture, and it is a medicinal harshness indeed. I don’t get green bay-leaf notes, nor menthol/mint ones, nor coniferous or pine notes. Any of those would be nice. Oh, did I mention that I do get clove notes? Now, a little clove can add a charming barbershop aura to a scent, and I like some fragrances with that hint. But this is relentless, over-the-top, and a scrubber. Peace be unto those who like it, I am not among that select crew. If, as one reviewer suggests, there are worse ones than this… I shudder to contemplate such a thing.

Objectively, a crisp coniferous scent. Not powdery. Not sweet. Crisp. Like those scented pinecones you see in the stores around Christmastime. A nice scent and well-balanced... just needs to last longer.

Bay Rhum harks from a strange and distant land . Faded Hemingway photos, San Juan Hill, forgotten rituals of masculine virility. A terpene, medicinal harshness far removed from what the contemporary incarnation of the beau would think of labeling as "fragrance." All-purpose lotion, a very 19th-century concept, diametrically opposed to the notion of hi-tech eye-wrinkle cream for men over 40 (one for the left, one for the right eye). Disinfects minor injuries, kills bugs, polishes boots, will do if whisky is not to be had. Don't forget your bottle when you go out roughin' it with Mark Twain.
Quite honestly I prefer Royall Spice.

A fine, sturdy and well-balanced fragrance. The Royall perfumers know how to make great stuff (except for the Mandarin which, to me, reeks). But the Bay Rhum, the Lyme and the Spice are unique and finely-crafted. You just can't miss.

Scent of our Fathers, and their Fathers before them.

So unfashionable you will stand out in the crowd. Not much competition. Look up Bay Rum in the search engine and you'll find:

Bay Rum Burt's Bees
Bay Rum D.R. Harris & co.
Bay Rum Aftershave Cologne Colonel Ichabod Conk
Bay Rum Geo F Trumper
Michelson Bay Rum Caswell-Massey
Bay Rum Taylor of Old Bond Street
St Johns Bay Rum West Indies Bay Company
Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum Pinaud

And that's it.

(Skip Michelson, an el cheapo and pass on St Thomas, which is not mentioned, oddly enough, but is only slightly better--in fact skip on any plastic bottles)

Royall has complexity, and that rarest of qualities in Bay Rum: Longevity.