Hawk
Mennen (1981)

Hawk by Mennen (1981) was released near the end of Mennen's run as a maker of standalone men's fragrance, as the men's fragrance boom of the 1960's and 1970's was a battle mostly won by designers, which existed in between value-oriented high-street/drugstore brands like Mennen and "haute parfumerie" houses like Guerlain or early niche outfits. Most men didn't see enough value in fragrance as a status symbol at the time to really patronize the top-end stuff, but designers offered a "level-up" option that suited most working class stiffs and their white collar bosses, since these were scents guys had learned to spray or splash on heavily before going to a disco or pool haul for maximum attention. Therefore brands like Mennen, which had for decades prior been primarily known as reliable value-priced grooming products and didn't have gimmicky marketing like Jovan or an instilled fanbase like Avon, didn't fit much anymore into the aspirational guy's wardrobe by the early 1980's, as designers had almost monopolized that space. My father used to wear Hawk, and probably because he also used Mennen Skin Bracer (1931) after shave, but that kind of brand loyalty was starting to patina into the 80's as well and only the older generations like him still believed in being "a Mennen man" et al. I like Hawk from a purely sentimental and nostalgic point of view, but there really isn't much going on here you haven't smelled before (and done better) if you're into men's scents from this era. Additionally, Hawk has one of those kinds of smells that is going to remind you of a dozen other things you'd rather wear, so there's that too.

Hawk is pretty simple stuff, coming across like a spicy and ambery leather chypre, with a rounded spiced citrus and herbed opening that falls into said amber, oakmoss, and an isobutyl quinoline leather note with bits of tobacco-like manliness thanks to tonka. The opening is bergamot, orange, and some sage. Coriander and cardamom make an appearance into the clove/carnation eugenol and ylang-ylang/rose heart, mixing in some nondescript woodiness and herbs that helps strike a balance between the top and the aromatic base. Patchouli, the aforementioned leather notes, amber, tonka, and something a bit powdery in the later stages emerges, with typical ambery musks of the period finishing this off. Hawk rests somewhere between something like Avon Öland (1970) or Etienne Aigner No. 1 (1975) and later sweeter leather chypres like Coty Stetson (1981). Hawk feels very late 60's through mid 70's for a scent released at the beginning of the 1980's, but again, this was one of the brand's last hurrahs releasing an actual mens' fragrance line, so this may have been something kept on the burner and then released to not waste the R&D on it. Either that, or this was one for the older guys not into smelling like "the fancy Chanel stuff" everyone else was falling for by then. Wear time is about six hours, and projection is rather quiet unless you bathe in the stuff, but considering the original prices this sold for in every Woolworth or 5 and Dime across middle America, it's far from a ripoff. If you still got some of this, you're probably not using it, so no suggestions on that, although it feels best for cold weather when outdoors. Hawk came in a suite of products like just most Mennen fragrances, so an aftershave, deodorant, and talc also existed, in case you wanted to go all-in on smelling like my dad.

Hawk by Mennen is a blast to the past, back when there were 31 flavors of Skin Bracer, and people were caught in a "Satanic Panic" over heavy metal getting popular. Apparently not many people are looking for Hawk these days, as it is one of the few long-discontinued Mennen colognes that has taken its sweet time rising in price. This means Hawk will eventually reach extortionate prices, and may by the time you read this, but it will have done so much after the rest of the line which already has. I just don't think people outside of collectors of antique drugstore scents are really still looking for this, and since Avon made literal millions upon millions of their products during the same period while Mennen fragrances never quite caught on the same way their legendary grooming lines did, surviving specimens of the latter are commanding a premium that only attracts the hardcore gotta-have-it types. I'd love to sample Mennen Millionaire (1979) too because my dad also had it, but that one is approaching niche prices in the aftermarket, making it too costly a venture just to briefly relieve days when I poked around in my late father's medicine chest and discovered smell-good things like cologne or after shave. If you're a fan of early 80's masculines, this isn't for you, and if you're looking for retro wet shaving smells, well this really isn't for you either. But, if you were born in the early 80's and had a father who used this, then you may end up flying the fragrant skies with an old bottle of Mennen Hawk just like me. Rest in peace Charles Carroll Mohr Jr (1939-2008). Honorary Thumbs up.

Long discontinued and insanely expensive for a bottle of vintage. I have a 2/3 full giant tester bottle of this stuff that was given to me by my grandmother who presumably got it from a friend who used to work at a department store. Sweet and musky. Almost oppressive when first applied. You don't need much. Had it on about an hour and you can just begin to detect a bit of woods underneath that. I didn't like it when first put on but I guess its OK. I may or may not wear this one, seems bit sweet for me.

I'm switching this to a negative. I tried wearing it again and its so insanely musky, sweet and powerful you smell like a 70s wannabe. One spray is almost too much. Nothing balances out the musk.

I have but a few drops left of mine. I did find a pic online that could be used in the description of Hawk cologne for men by mennen.

My wife introduced Hawk from Mennen to me some years ago and for once we both agreed that it was for me. I only have a few drops left in 2 small sample bottles but hope that there still might be a supply out there in this great country of ours for purchase. Better yet, it would be great if Mennen started to maufacture this great fragrance once again. I'm sure it would make a lot of people very happy, myself and the wife included.