Ode to Aramis

When I was sixteen or so, my Mom, who was a beautician, brought home an Aramis bottle that had been given to her by a salesman. This was '64 or '65 --the first year Aramis came out. I wore it through high school.

I still love Aramis, and wear it occasionally, but for some reason I never tried the other formulations they marketed.

Years went by. Made some money, got older, and drifted toward the Penhaligon scents-- Endymion, Hammam, Blenheim, Raquets.

I found an old bottle of Tuscany at a discount fragrance shop a few months ago. Tried it, a little spicy, but my wife decided it was her favorite scent on me, so I've been wearing it for her.

When the Aramis "classic" line was reintroduced, I decided to try the Havana and JHL, based on what I had read here and elsewhere. I expected to prefer the Havana, but in fact like the JHL better. They're both great, however.

Never thought I would say this, but if I had to choose between Penhaligon or the Aramis line, I'd go with the Aramis. I realize some of this may be based on almost a lifetime of scent associations with this style, and not everyone will agree, but that's my experience.

I, too, happen to really like the scents from Aramis. Tuscany was my first "expensive" cologne and I wore it for years. I've got Havana already coming (the Mrs. said she liked it) and plan to get Aramis, Devlin and a couple others as well. I figure if she doesn't like them, I can sell them here - and if not, they won't break the bank.

I've also "rediscovered" Aramis, although I didn't wear it much growing up. It's been interesting to see that Aramis is praised in Luca Turin/Tania Sanchez's new book "Perfumes: the A to Z Guide". I also heard an SA who is very knowledgeable of fragrances and works at a store that sells more "high end" fragrances say that Aramis was a great fragrance. Also, both this lady and Turin spoke highly of Stetson. I'm glad that these "experts" aren't fragrance snobs!

I also like some of the old scents.

I really like Aramis, too. The original, which I would wear only with some irony, but also these recent re-issues, particularly Havana, of course given everything I have posted on Havana, but also JHL, for sure, I think Devin, and perhaps New West.

In googling Aramis some interesting things came up. Apparently, Aramis itself won industry awards (Fifi) back in the day, I guess as men's scent of the year, but so did Devin and JHL. Aramis itself in in the "Hall of Fame" along with such scents as Polo.

What I was trying to track down was the Robert Downey Jr. character in the movie "Black and White"'s explanation of why he wore Aramis. It was considered old school at the time. it gets him a boyfriend in that moviie.

EDIT: Meant to add that I have not been too tempted to buy some Stetson, but based on what Luca Turin says maybe I should. Anyone out there a big Stetson fan?

Luca Turin does seem to have biases though. He does seem to like some classic scents that are now inexpensive, but not things like Aqua Velva and Clubman, which I think are great in their own right. And he is way too hard on Creed and Pen's.

I was able to try JHL in a department store this week. I'll be buying that at some point. They had all the newly released fragrances except Havana. I still really want to try that one. I think I'd like it. Thank you to cstrother and Randy for introducing me to the Aramis line of fragrances.

-Andy