Maurer & Wirtz

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Matcha & Frangipani

Cut glass cologne bottle with pale green and gold label, and box with green tea illustration.

I’m really enjoying this one from 4711’s Limited Tea edition.

Soft and sweet green tea over milky tropical florals in a soothing cologne with surprising projection and staying power.
Usually 4711 Acqua Colonias are gone in ten minutes with almost no sillage at all–and that’s part of their charm, a secret personal pick-me-up–but this floats around the body for a good half hour with matcha mochi coolness, and the frangipani lingers on silk all day.

Leans to the feminine in a fluttery skirts way.
Also brilliant on bath towels.

*

This song always soothes my soul. A lot of folks have covered it, but Eva Cassidy’s version is my favorite.

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Pink Pepper & Grapefruit

4711 Pink Pepper and GrapefruitA 4711 Acqua Colonia mini that didn’t come with the sampler set, but I had to have anyway because give-me-all-the-matching-things.

Nice fresh squirt-in-your-eye grapefruit and peppery bite that slowly fades to brisk rose on the skin. I like the masculine zing–this one has a bit of a bristly mustache.

I’ve always loved this weirdo group, though I did squirm a bit when my mum asked me the name of the band playing on my “pick-me-up playlist.”

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Lime & Nutmeg

Mini bottle of Lime & Nutmeg with chartreuse label edged in gold.

The last mini from the 4711 Acqua Colonia sample set.

Lime and dark spice, with a frothy hit of Ivory soap, but there’s a Coca-Cola vibe to it, too.
Green citrus projects a yard off the skin for five minutes, then the nutmeg slowly settles to the skin and disappears, over the course of an hour.

I dumped the whole bottle in the tub and it was marvelous.

Harry Nilsson was a such a brilliant (and strange) musician. His parents were Swedish circus performers, which makes me happy.

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Saffron & Iris

4711 saffron and irisAnother enjoyable and unpretentious 4711 Acqua Colonia that lasts only minutes–as it’s meant to.

A vodka splash opening that immediately warms up with the saffron, then eases into a flowery-herbal tonic water.
There’s earthy powdery feel at the bottom that I would enjoy on a guy, too.

I went looking for the “I’m just mad about Saffron” song by Donovan, and stumbled onto this little gem.

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White Peach & Coriander

4711 white peach corianderFrom the 4711 Acqua Colonia line–

All the fruity citrus breakfast brunch drinks (garnished with parsley) in an instant spritz, and I love it.

The peach dries to powder in five minutes, and the green coriander lingers for another ten, and then it’s gone with no residue, leaving one refreshed in that magical burst that only 4711 has.

Beck is also magically refreshing.

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Blood Orange & Basil

blood orange and basilI got a sample set of 4711 Acqua Colonia and I’m having so much fun with these clever and quick little splashes–I grew up on the original.

This one is bright–a soap-bubble pop of herbal cleansing that finishes with brisk citrus.
The basil sticks pleasantly to cotton for several hours after the orange is long gone.

More Blood Orange pleasant herbal-pop cleverness–

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4711

4711 and limes
Coin shaped flask with iconic gold and turquoise label, red and gold cap, and cut limes in the sun.

A splash of limeade and orange zest, a rub of basil and flower petals, a breath of cedar, and then it’s gone.

The brevity is a strength–4711 glories in its opening moment, the interaction of refreshment, the awakening.

Many of us grew up with this one in the medicine chest rather than the vanity, used to disinfect cuts and soothe burns. It’s still one of my favorite comfort scents.

Haydn’s Surprise Symphony (No. 94) came out in in 1792 too.