Brooklyn
Gallivant (2017)

My contrarian take: Brooklyn doesn’t smell much like Brooklyn. Apart from the citrus top and the white musk bottom, the notes are indistinct but clean, neither of which is Brooklynesque. That aside, it’s not unpleasant, but neither is it special. And, at $3/ml, I think it should be special.

Joyful citrus scent, like a melted lemon hard-candy.

Excellent fresh, floral musk with individual character and excellent longevity. More a feminine, so not something I will revisit, but I imagine would be terrific as casual wear for those who like their white musks to do something interesting. A whole range of hesperides, plus a hit of iris, but not too much so.

This was in the “Nomad Set” sample box of Gallivant EDP I received. I really wasn't crazy about the beginning of this one, but I am glad I didn't scrub it off because I loved how it ended. It is definitely not linear, and it moves very quickly.

The opening is very fresh, perhaps a blast of...neroli? A bit sharp, too bright; if it were a colour, it would be blinding white. To my nose, it's a bit unpleasantly harsh and synthetic at first, but that part mellows out pretty quickly and settles down to something more powdery. Weirdly, I don't hate it even though I usually dislike powdery scents.

It keeps morphing and morphing which makes it really interesting, and it progresses within one hour to the musky, ambery dry down, which is just lovely.

If the beginning is white, the ending is golden.

I should wear it a few times before I commit, at least through to the dry down once--but I'm not gonna. I have an idea this one gives it best punch in the heart because it's quite distinctive--a smoky, lightly sweet, slightly floral, powder.

I see other comments about top notes but I didn't notice any top phase. It seems to me it shot right into the heart and has stayed there for an hour. I can't recall another fragrance that has so starkly combined incense and powder. It has an underlying dirtiness--from smoke and musk contrasting with a fresh sweet powder. I'm finding it very interesting--almost challenging, which I tell myself is absurd but I can't get away from the slight sense of strained contrast.

Interesting is good. Hence, thumbs up!

Brooklyn was my very first impression of Gallivant and so it seems appropriate to fully sample and review this one first.

Brooklyn is, at first, a strong citrus opening but the underlying, contrasting woody/powdery/musky element quickly creates a juxtaposition that conjures the idea of an urban garden, the concrete and brick of a city mixed with the plants that inhabit it. The duality of the sharpness of the citrus and orris and the relative mildness of the musk and resins keeps Brooklyn in balance, suspended between being a true summer freshie and something heavier and earthier.

Its performance is very good for a fragrance that has a lot of freshness. Even a most number of tiny squirts from a sample sprayer on each wrist yielded a significant scent could for a couple of hours and had above average longevity thereafter.

7 out of 10