Description
This Fall (2010), Bond No. 9 launches two eaux de parfum – Cooper Square and Washington Square.
“For a century and a half, it’s modestly served as the front yard to Cooper Union, that world-famous architecture and engineering institution, and as a strategically located sliver of a park where traffic barreling down from uptown swerves and merges to form the start of uber-Downtown, otherwise known as the Bowery. But today, Cooper Square itself is in motion, zooming into the 21st century—and acquiring a new image as the latest New York hot-spot”. (press release)
This is a contemporary warm and intense eau de parfum with the lightest notes of juniper berry and vetiver. The key notes are: Cognac, lavender, patchouli, and an ambery, feral Mediterranean flowering plant called ciste labdanum.
scorpion457 – :
Questo profumo è molto serio, cupo e affascinante.
La parte liquorosa esplode all’inizio ed è calda,mescolata a ginepro altrettanto liquoroso e poi le spezie piccanti.
Ricorda un cielo grigio piombo ma calmo,silenzioso,il sottofondo è ricco di incensi e odori spirituali,avvolgente nella base,introverso.
Probabilmente è molto diverso dagli esuberanti chiassosi e luminosi e forse piace di meno per questo, ma io lo trovo affascinante e affatto banale.
kartel – :
Bond No 9 Cooper Square – This is really nice. I can see the comparison to CALVIN. I had a bottle of Calvin in High School/College. This takes Calvin a step further though. There is a smoky booziness to this that takes it somewhere else. It enhances the fragrance very nicely. This came to my work, and everyone around me kept asking what that fragrance was, and to be honest I was hesitant to tell them, because I wanted this to be my signature fragrance. I plan on this being my secret gem in my arsenal of fragrances. My go to when I want to stand out.
Also, it has a really beautiful bottle too. One that displays nicely and shimmers in the light. Nice Fragrance. I will definitely be keeping a bottle of this as long as they make it.
Update: Since, I got this yesterday the response from everyone, that has smelled this either on me or from the bottle, has been ‘You smell good’ or ‘That’s nice! I like that better than anything else you’ve worn before.’, etc…
INFINITI1001 – :
I have a 1/4 full bottle of Cooper Square as well as a 3/4 full bottle of Bond No.9 NY Amber for sale.Both are 100 ml sized.
Sydney Australia only.Inbox me if you’re interested.
saharu – :
Excellent take on the barbershop fougere class. Soft juniper, smooth cognac and creamy lavender with a nic touch of patchouli make this one to add to my “barbershop collection”. I am enjoying the whiffs of this as I go about my day. This one deserves much love in a world of ambroxyn and cardamom bombs.
temich333 – :
How good is Cooper Square? It has some of Red for Man by Giorgio Beverly Hills on one hand, but on the other hand it has something from Clive Christian 1872 Men: patchouli, lavender and musk. So, if you have no money to buy a Clive Christian perfume, you can buy this one. The ingredient cashmere wood is lovely. The sillage is not so enormous and the power is not so very long lasting like in 1872 Men, but the price is better. Enjoy Cooper Square!
playingg0d – :
Was able to sample at Saks. A dead ringer for Calvin. I’ve been looking for something under $100 but now I think I’ll just save up for this because I’ll enjoy it way more than anything else I sampled at the frag counters.
osa – :
This has a huge dose of juniper berries, which I don’t like for myself. I find this too masculine for me. It’s not bad, but it’s not for me.
sokol120378 – :
Spicy, dark, boozy. This reminds me of Houbigant royal but with a darkness and booziness. It does not smell dated. It smells quite sophisticated and would appeal to people who like masculine scents but without feeling like you’re wearing Kouros. I can certainly understand the comparisons to barber shop-type scents – but this one goes a few steps further in its development as it begins to turn dark and spicy. While I’ve only smelled around 10 or so bond fragrances, this is my favorite, and easily the most masculine of the bunch (that I’ve tried). For the price (89.99 full presentation, eBay) this is a lot of value for the money. To those looking for a masculine cold weather scent that doesn’t fog the room, this should go directly to your short list.
egen973 – :
First of all, I don’t understand such a long Dislike bar on this page. I really don’t.
Cooper Square is quite masculine and serious type of a fragrance. It somehow reminds me of Bottega Veneta Pour Homme series (but darker) – must be because of juniper.
It’s quite versatile in terms of possible combinations with different attires – I could wear it with business-style suit and with biker-sporty kind of clothes as well. But only in cold weather.
Oh yes… It’s not for guys in their 20s. At the same time, it’s not one of those Grandpa’s Colognes type.
Baldessarini colognes has a slogan: Separates boys from men. Now, this is the scent that could be rightfully sold under this slogan!
All in all, it’s a great manly non-playboyish scent that can take a noticeable place in gentleman’s collection.
Cheers, Bond #9!
xichkok – :
Great Bond No. 9 selection. Totally masculine. Boozy, spices almost some patchouli. Great in the winter or at night. I wouldn’t rock this in the Summer during the day. Perfect for a cool night.
eev001InsuffBooni – :
Got this little gem today. Really nice scent very good performance and the cognac opening with the fougere accords is lovely. Has a vintage slightly dirty feel. The mid and drydown is identical to alexandre j western leather which I once owned
Gulyakevich1961 – :
Excellent Juice nuff said
малина0812 – :
It smells great, would buy again.
I got this as a sample from macys on 34th NYC.
Sillage 6 feet easy, after 6 hours.
last about10 to 12 hours.
shooter1985 – :
I got a sample fromSaks Fifth Avenue not a big fan though but I do respect the quality.
vochard – :
Cooper Square is clearly a masculine fragrance even if it is labeled as unisex. Very deep, complex, dark, spicy, classy and sophisticated, subtle sweet, very powerful, men’s fragrance, with a pinch of smoke, suitable for winter and autumn, mainly on night time. A juice for something formal, definitely not for jeans.
It opens with a strong spicy cognac note with mild juniper, very strong and deep opening indeed. Almost follows the wonderful lavender and a dark olibanum note. Vivid myrrh and patchouli give to the blend a luxurious feeling adding to the deepness with a mild sweed earthy-resinous warm note. There is also a hint of leather and traces of amber, I guess from the french labdanum. When the spices calm down, a wonderful warm note of cashmere wood appears adding smoothness, classy sweetness and depth. It is one of the dominant notes of this beautiful juice.
The longevity and the projection are both monstrous so with two sprays you can have it all day long. The dominant notes are cognac, spices, myrrh, cashmere wood. It reminds me a little old women’s scents of past times. Very strong and heavy for a contemporary woman. This intoxicating alluring scent is one of my best scents I’ve ever had. Very strong, very deep and beautiful! I love it!
BlackN1ne – :
Testing out a sample of Cooper Square today, and it’s not really my thing. I’ll give it a few more tries before I write it off, but I can’t see having a change of heart.
The top notes are incredibly dry, and a little unpleasant to me. What it actually really reminds me of is original Comme des Garcons if you replaced the cloves/spices (the best part) with sawdust. They both share a lavender/labdanum drydown, but the dry, dusty, sawdust-ish wood in Cooper Square is not very enjoyable to my nose. On the plus side, sillage and longevity are much lighter than CdG, which is just toxic for some.
This gets a solid “Meh…” from me. Not terrible, just not my style.
gribmm – :
skip this and reach for the Azzaro PH.
via64 – :
This is not a bad scent, per se, but it smelled strikingly familiar and I drew a blank as to what. I ordered samples based on reviews here that it smelled like original Calvin. It does not. This is 100% spot-on Santa Fe cologne from the 80s. That’s not a bad thing, but now I cannot psychologically fathom this being bottle-worthy.
Williamisfqh – :
Great stuff with good longevity and silage.
It is a little boozy and has a great woody dry down. My wife and I like it a lot. It is a touch sweet and for some reason I get a hint of lime but I am not sure why. It is just great stuff! It is a little green for sure. A little more masculine for sure but I think some women could pull it off no problem
hronik – :
A friend of mine posted (on another non-cologne forum) that he just bought his sixth bottle of Bond no. 9..i had never heard of this brand but was intrigued by his post so did some research online and went to investigate them the very next day. Based on the notes, i thought Cooper Square would be the best for me given that i have always been into leathery scents but lately have been experimenting with tobacco and boozey scents. To be fair I tried on all the ones available at my store (sadly no Success)…sure enough, i left with Cooper Square (and a travel bottle of Chinatown for a friend)! I love this scent, especially the cognac note, which comes through loud and clear, and have been wearing it every day since (about 3 weeks now). This purchase actually stopped me from buying my planned purchase of Tom Ford Oud Tobacco.
In terms of longevity, i did a little experiment of spraying Cooper Square on one wrist and Tom Ford Tuscan Leather on the other and doing regular sniff tests…in keeping with its reputation, the Bond lasted longer.
I love the whole concept of the brand, the unique (and powerful) scents, the fact that the rep was employed directly by Bond not by the department store, as well as their whole attitude (just received free samples with a nice note today).
BTW, this whole experience led me to this great website and i am sooooo happy about that! I have already ordered my next scent and a bunch of samples based on reviews here.
snoopdog911 – :
J’été recherche pour un nouveau parfum pour d’hiver, et cela est proche. Malgré le cognac au début, y avait eu un classique odeur de parfum et je pouvais voir comment cela pourrait être porté par les dames . Il a eu beau projection et beaucoup d’épices doux dans l’ouverture.
DeLriS – :
I would like to encourage women to try this out as your skin chemistry might do wonders with this.
I did try this out. The opening does come out as very masculine barbershop scent, but the heart is where wonders happen for me – it is a warm, incensy, woody and a tiny bit boozy scent that for me is very comforting, it’s not sexy, nor dark, simply comforting and warm. At this point I find it to be purely unisex.
The drydown is again a bit more masculine, but women can pull this off easy enough – I get a rubbery leather and a beautiful lavander combo, very clean, simple and high quality. If you enjoy both lavander (the clean, not sharp one) and rubbery smell you will want to give Cooper Square a try.
Also I do think this is full bottle worthy. Bond no 9 usually comes out with crowd pleasers, which Cooper Square is clearly not. As for this fact alone it deserves a sample as it is not something you can sniff on every corner.
If we speak about the masculine quality if the scent – it is rather “fatherly”, not as oldish, but simply something you’d wear to be comforting, warm, not to lure women to your bed. Nothing sexy about this in my opinion.
Sillage is good and it has a very good longevity.
Artenchik – :
Love this perfume! Or should I say cologne 😉 its definitely NOT feminine and should be marketed as masculine for sure. Yet it is extremely good and women love it I believe as it reminds us of well groomed yummy smelling men 🙂 at least that’s what does it to me. This might become my husbands next cologne. I am obsessed with its smell. But not on me!
I would say it smells a little like a barber shop or good quality soap or shaving cream of the most exquisite Brand there is. Frankly it reminds me of my dad , he is a well groomed handsome businessman .
Artcrow – :
Can’t believe it isn’t labeled as a man s fragrance, it is so directly manly , masculine, strong, rugged almost..I would think men who like typical male scents will love it..it has nothing remotely feminine or pretty about it!!
A case of bottles being far more interesting than the juice…
IrrackEcorm – :
I would like to translate the review I did for the Spanish edition of the same website, just say I love this fragrance, and I, of the 16 I’ve tasted, is the best!
Very good reviews of the sekoujohnson and johngreenink.
alexchernom – :
Labeled unisex but leans clearly towards the masculine side, I own some colognes that are softer than this, pleasantly woodsy, can’t detect the Cognac in it, really good longevity, sillage being moderate is the reason that being female I feel comfortable wearing it, this fragrance has a strong character and not a daily wear one.
vladigen – :
I get a strong barber shop vibe from this, especially on the opening. During the dry down the wood, spice and slightly floral notes become more pronounced. I’m surprised this is unisex, as it leans way more towards masculine to me. Pleasant enough to sample, but I couldn’t wear this every day.
ixuedcmdkb – :
A very fresh scent, clean and elegant. One of my favorites from the house of Bond no. 9. It’s aromatic, balmy, and it just smells perfect. Great for any weather. Quality scent all the way. Well blended scent. Try it.
voland878 – :
This is a highly underrated fragrance out of the Bond No 9 house and is slowly becoming my favorite scent. From the opening, I get a warm vibe from Cooper Square. I’m pretty sure the warm vibe I’m getting is due to the Cognac note. I also detect lavender and spices with Cooper Square. Once Cooper Square dries down, I get a heavy woody vibe. The best way I can describe this cologne is Mature. Cooper Square is a no nonsence formal mature cologne. It reminds me of colognes that came out in the late 80s early 90s. I’m very surprised this is even considered unisex because this is very masculine. I would suggest wearing this with a suit and tie or on a date. In terms of longevity, I get 12 hrs (Beast Mode). Sillage is heavy so be careful with the trigger. For season, I suggest you pull this out during the winter and fall months. Overall, Cooper Square is an excellent mature cologne. If you’re looking for a sophisticated warm mature cologne, this one is for you. This is Bond No 9’s hidden jewel!
persik2412 – :
Overly manly imo to be unisex. Smells very fresh/light for being such heavy notes. Reminds me of a proper english fragrance.
Денис175 – :
A sophisticated scent, I would say far more manly than girly. It’s labeled unisex, so if it works for you – when it’s right it’s right!
I definitely pick up a lot of wood, musk, vetiver and myrrh. It’s more the drydown that reminds me of a man’s scent. At first it’s a little powerful, but it blends into a sophisticated, formal aroma. It’s definitely a scent for the dressy affair, not necessarily nighttime, but maybe a formal luncheon… never a beachy, playtime-outdoorsy scent. That being said, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun wearing this! It puts a lovely finishing touch on well-thought out outfit, with particular attention to detail. It just yearns to be put the the test, be it a tie and suit, or a cruise downtown. It has decent staying power and great sillage.
And of course the bottle is just beautiful!
asegreen – :
Once again, a OK fragrance that’s does not worth the price.
kirnorbi – :
green leathery vetiver, very masculine indeed, but loving it anyway. I’d adore this on my man. I often wear men’s scent, but this one is too masculine even for me. Still, I might sneak a little just to sniff during the day for a spirit lift. Great scent.
dest – :
From the beginning this reminds me of Kouros, with the burst of florals and spices. Kouros, but a cleaner, safer, more wearable, more versatile, and less controversial version of Kouros. Overall, this is a very good scent, but it never approaches the point where it is a great scent. Also, the scent, after applying it, starts to get faint and hard to detect (at least for the wearer).
Is this worth paying $150-200 for? Is Rive Gauche worth paying $200 for? This would have been great deal if it were priced at under $80, but at $150-200, this is very difficult to recommend.
7.5/10
adamadas – :
My nose must have been clogged the first time I wore Bond no 9 COOPER SQUARE. Or perhaps I was sniffing under dashed expectations. I was barely able to detect the lavender, usually a strong note to me, or the labdanum, one of my favorite notes. Today, for whatever reason–perhaps the heat and humidty?–the lavender and labdanum seem every bit as important as the myrrh, with the end result that this composition is far more likeable than I remember it having been.
I still feel that COOPER SQUARE is more masculine than feminine, but I can conceive of it as a sophisticated unisex fragrance as well–something that Marlene Dietrich could really dig. I would say Madonna, but now that she has launched a tuberose bomb, I’m not so sure whether she would like this or not… For sure this is too perfumey for Jennifer Aniston, whose favorite house I believe is Clean.
This is yet another of the many cases of change in view which make me wonder whether anyone’s review ever has any but momentary validity. I do sometimes find a consistency over time, but I am starting to think that to write a review on a perfume tested only once is not such a good idea. Why? Because we always bring expectations to a new perfume, and our very first perception either confirms or refutes those expectations, which becomes the focus of our attention, distracting us from the more important evaluation of the perfume as a thing in itself.
COOPER SQUARE is definitely worth testing and does not smell like any other perfumes familiar to me. I’m not much for lavender in fragrances, but here it not loud or abrasive and, with the labdanum, it smells rather nice. There is also an aromaticity imparted by juniper, which is light and harmonic but still detectable. I do not detect the cognac note at all, but I do think that this creation is a good one. Again, it will probably appeal more to lords than to ladies.
2401dd – :
First, great notes. Second, smart looking bottle.
And third…I lreally ike it but I don’t love it (yet). More hemme than femme (but not macho), this frag has a warm vibe but never quite envelopes you.
The top notes of cognac could be more pronounced (wishing for more). Lavender lurks around, which I am not the biggest fan of but does not offend. And, the patchouli is lacking for me.
Best for the cooler weather temps or casual evening wear.
Did not get the longevity that some referenced. Body chem being what it is I guess!
A better Bond but not quite a top Bond.
norton – :
To me this smells vaguely floral and lightly woody with a hint of lavender (or dihydromyrcenol), sort of like a watered-down, sweetened-up, soapy version of a classic commercial “man’s cologne”. The myrrh gives it an odd rubbery note that doesn’t really mesh with the rest of it. I don’t smell anything like cognac, juniper berries or labdanum until much later, when I can detect a little bit of juniper berry. I suppose most of the other notes are masked by the woody, lavender and myrrh components. After an hour or so I start to smell the musk in the base. Cooper Square is not bad, but it’s not something I’d be motivated to wear.
Oleg1402 – :
Spoiler up front: I truly like this scent. It’s original, has depth and character, and it isn’t like anything else out there. It also agrees incredibly well with my own chemistry. I can definitely detect the cognac, juniper berries and spices; the lavender is something that is really more a background, so I understand Sherapop’s difficulty in detecting it (it’s barely there). The olibanum and cashmere wood mixed with the myrrh seal the deal for me. While I love this, it’s a difficult fragrance to describe well to others.
I’m dating myself, but when I first tried this, I conjured immediate memories of how the original Calvin for Men (1980 or so). No particular reason, but there seemed a similarity for me – too bad there’s no way to smell them side-by-side.
Otherwise, this is a Bond well worth trying though it will certainly have more limited appeal than New Haarlem or Brooklyn (then again, the lesser-known Bond scents for me are always more interesting).
asmorod – :
I finally had a chance to test Cooper Square and I was really intrigued this scent. As one reviewer mentioned, it has a ‘men’s cologne’ quality to it, which I find warming and very stylish. It’s complex, with many different notes, but I mostly detect the juniper, cashmere wood, and frankincense. I’ve always liked modern fragrances that tip their hat to previous schools of perfumery – this is a new take on the eau de cologne style and it’s done remarkably well. I can’t single out the lavender note, but it makes sense that it’s here, since there is a very slight camphor undertone. Although this is fairly masculine, a woman could easily wear Cooper Square, but I think for either gender this is a not an easy-going fragrance. This is: winter in the city, business suit and laptop case, coffee in one hand rushing about.
Cooper Square balances green notes with spices very well – neither dominate, but instead they reside warmly together on your skin. Juniper makes it just slightly sour. The whole is a powerful old-school scent that says ‘confidence’.
sas10683127 – :
Another fantastic Bond! I can’t help but make an association with lavender baby shampoo–clean, herbal, subtly floral, green, soft, soothing.
Don’t let that put you off though, this is a grown up, urban scent indeed. I dare say that it might even appeal the most to younger males.
Cognac is presented as a tender grapevine blended in remarkably well giving just a trace of something intoxicating. The woods are clean, soft, a little dry and the labdanum and musk add a little flirtiness.
Overall, energetic and bright with soft, soapy evergreens and spice, with a subtle, sweet, earthy allure that will draw in the women–either to your neck to get a closer sniff, or right to your bottle to steal a squirt for herself (if she dares to wear something slightly masculine).
I feel like a giant glittery sequin when wearing Cooper Square, which is suggestive both of the bottle and the gleaming contents inside. Very nice!
DemonStrong – :
I have finally tried Cooper Square…
The bottle is beautiful…silver and glass meet in the Bond no 9 signature star shaped bottle…
The juice is nice…it starts with some pretty juniper and lavender notes that take you quite quickly into some myhrr and possibly mint notes that settle down gently into a long lasting green accord of musk and vetiver…it does remind me of Boston Man by Puig as some of the notes are very similar …
The ingredients are of top quality and incredibly long lasting…
Big Thumbs up !!!
Stildvata – :
This is my very first Bond experience! Hooray! So here is just my first impression. During a few sniffs, I get cognac and lavender. The scent smells mature and has this feel of an old fashion perfume. The lavender here makes the scent a bit soapy, I think. Yes, it’s a bit smoky but not spicy. Instead, I think it’s sweet and a little dry. And like Sherapop said, I do get the burnt rubber smell too, and it’s not bad.
I really like this scent tho. It is not too aggressive. It is different from the rest of my wardrobe. It has the old perfume feel which I couldn’t wear before, but this Cooper Square makes it easy for me. Now, I just have to find out if I’d get any compliment wearing it.
lemnocuga – :
Was lucky enough to get a sample the other day as it was being launched and wow, what scent!
Ok, the Lavender and Juniper come through on me sharp and strong held up by a nice smokey, spicey undertone… seemed very Old-World French to me.
I’m not sure why sherapop wasn’t able to get the Lavender, as it was very noticeable to/on me. But yeah, the cognac wasn’t there for me either.
This is certainly a masculine fragrance, but still very calming like those little baby lavender scented pillows and creams, but rich, heady and more grown up of course. Probably best for Fall..cooler days and nights. Cooper Square is long lasting…2-3 days still on my shirt, like a hint of the French countryside.
ndj792bedyWelty – :
Perry Ellis Portfolio Elite with a touch of Costes 1 and Le Artisan Timbuktu
Soft yet rich in a sweet way, slightly chipre
GENERAL – :
Bond no 9 COOPER SQUARE is another neighbor of BLEECKER STREET, still more masculine than feminine and this time with a strong tarrish note that verges on burnt rubber and which I found incomprehensible until I meandered over to the Bond no 9 website and learned that THEY say that these are the notes:
Cognac, juniper berry, lavender, *MYRRH*, oblibanum, patchouli, cashmere wood, musk, vetiver, ciste labdanum and timberwood
There they are, the tell-tale identity-making five letters of this fragrance: myrrh. I don’t find COOPER SQUARE very appealing, to be honest. I’m pining for some flowers right about now… The lavender is so light as to be undetectable except ever so briefly in the opening. But there are no significant oriental components either. The cognac is completely undetectable, totally masked by the tar-like myrrh. This is not a case of “less is more.” Instead, there’s something just missing. COOPER SQUARE altogether lacks, sad to say, and to be perfectly frank: beauty.
The bottle, however, is quite nice, once again!