Description
“When the Dutch explorers first encountered New York, they missed Manhattan by a matter of yards, landing instead on a hickory-, oak- and chestnut tree-laden offshore island. Soon enough, the local Lenape Indians ceded its 172 acres to the new settlers—marking the official start of the State of New York. And then the British took over, turning this little island into home base for its royal governors—which is how it got its name, Governors Island. Fast forward to the 21st century, with much of the island open to the public every May through October, offering incredibly unspoil’t pristine greenery just a 10-minute ferry ride from Wall Street. Oh, and you can’t overlook the jaw-dropping panoramic views of Manhattan.
Governors Island today has not only become New York’s quickest canoeing, zip-lining, rock-climbing, and picnicking getaway, it’s also the scene of open air summer galas. Such as a Poetry Festival; a lavish Dîner en Blanc, where guests wear all white; a rosé-wine-themed Pinknic revelry, where attendees dress in pink and white; and the notorious Jazz Age Lawn Party, with guests in flapper attire sipping ‘20s cocktails, and dancing the Charleston.
Of course, all these galas need to be scented. Bond No. 9 is on it, with its latest eau de parfum, Governors Island, arriving on counter June 1. Hypnotic, seductive, addictive, this incense-filled scent at first seems at odds with an island famed for its recreational activities—its bike paths, its picnics, its kite-flying potential. But at Bond No. 9, we welcome this off-kilter dissonance–which is one important direction for fragrances (as well as for fashion) today. And besides, the deep, magical allure of Governors Island, the fragrance, actually invokes the smells of the island’s dense woodlands.
All in all, it’s a rule-breaking symphony of tenacious forest notes—the kind that are typically used in drydowns. But here, they constitute the entire composition, starting with warm, concentrated resin incense. This soon segues into a heart of dark, honeyed ambrox (simulating ambergris) and dry, tobacco-like cedarwood, creating a halo-like glow. The base notes? Animal-like white musk, combined with muscenone (a booster musk), and a soft, feminine version of that crisp tropical grass, vetiver. While the sum total may at first present itself as a male fragrance, which men assuredly will love, we can guarantee—women will also adore this hypnotic brew and claim it as their own.
The seaworthy blue and gold visuals on the pure white Governors Island bottle are the Bond No. 9 token on one side, and on the other the printed names of must-see island venues—not least Hammock Grove, its red hammocks offering a superlative view of the Statue of Liberty.”
TOP NOTES: Incense, Resinoide
HEART NOTES: Ambrox, White Cedarwood
BASE NOTES: White Musk, Ferminized Vetiver, Muscenone
The fragrance is available from June 2018 as a 100ml Eau de Parfum.
ryamow – :
Bond No. 9 Governors Island is a nice resinous release, a simply mix of incense, honeyed ambrox, and cedar, but does not add a particularly new or interesting angle to the resinous/woody genre with which many of us are comfortable.
Sure, it’s nice, a cold-weather unisex jack of all trades, as it’s sweet, woody, slightly dark, and quite pleasant, but it doesn’t provide anything that cannot also provided in abundance, and more provocatively, in other recent offerings dominated by resins.
At $200 for 100ml on one grey market site, La Belle Perfumes, it’s a bit more modestly priced than some of others that I had in mind, like Fort & Manle Suleyman Le Magnifique ($230 for 50ml) or even Le Labo Benjoin 19 ($310 for 50ml), though Shazam by 4160 Tuesdays is a more affordable alternative to either. These are a bit all over the place as well, the point being that there is an abundance of resinous options. Try Governors Island, certainly as it hits a lot of the right spots, but I just don’t see it being a stunner, simply a fragrance that is quite good and a safe bet.
7 out of 10
дсгг – :
Love The Scent! Simple But Freakin Awesome!! Last 12+ Hours But Projection Is Lacking Just A Bit. A Top 5 Fall Scent For Sure.. But With All The Good Stuff Being Said, I Still Won’t Be Buying This Unless They Release A 1.7 Size Bottle.
LeksyDF – :
This is essential oil of incense, nothing else, possibly costs a few bucks but of course, customers must be ripped off to pay for marketing of another disappointing fragrance.
Amouage, am returning to you…
Thumbs down!
xzn857speagoessenda – :
We’re all waiting for the next launch, Rikers Island.
BTW, 350 usd is not very expensive. Why not 1000 dollars? 😉
pauk1 – :
Having tried some Bond’s I wrote them off until I saw this. The notes attracted me, until I looked at the price. $350 !!!!!!!! Is this a limited edition or does it come with a dewey button?!?!?!?!
pompybel934Unlogrere – :
After further testing, this is a skin scent after an hour but that skin scent will last 8. No projection of this scent is a real let down. This could’ve been really good but not worth 350 a bottle. I’ll pass.
ssv1977 – :
Reminds me of By Kilian Amber Oud but woodier and more depth. Just a sample but smells great and I will get a full bottle when available.