Onyx
Lenthéric (1964)

Onyx by Lentheric (1964)

This is a bracing, herbal, men's cologne splash from the mid 1960s.

It manages to balance floral, herbal and citrus notes in a suspension, softened by judicious use of woods. At the same time it is slightly spicy,

This fougere pretty much hits all the buttons for a masculine after shave/cologne. It dries down to oak moss, orris and carnation, providing a lingering effect of spicy, herbal leather.

This is impressively blended, as one would expect from a house of Lentheric's stature. One of the best fougeres I've experienced. Would that it were back in production.

Luckily, it seems to proliferate in mini-bottles on the internet, so it can still be experienced.

Carl999's description of Onyx as a "soft, smooth, clean and very green-smelling Aramis" is spot on. Although it lacks the heavy doses of artemisia, cumin, vetiver and oakmoss that give Aramis its punch, it has a similar dry, tangy citrus opening that unfolds into woods and leather in a very smooth transition. H&R's Fragrance Guide classifies it as a "Citrus/Fantasy" along with English Leather, Monsieur de Givenchy, Sergio Soldano Black and Tabac, rather than a Leathery Chypre like Aramis, and the differences become more apparent in the drydown.

The notes are listed as:

Top: Bergamot, petitgrain, aldehyde, lemon, lavender, orange
Middle: Jasmine, rose, carnation, orris, clary sage, patchouli, sandalwood, cedarwood
Base: Moss, tonka, musk, amber, vanilla, leather, labdanum

Great, fresh and clean fragrance. Last seen in that frosted rock effect bottle in Boots ! I initially bought a bottle of the after-shave balm as it was cheaper, in the early 70's because this was apparently Marc Bolans favourite scent ! Have recently bought a small sample sized bottle of it from EBay, and some 30 years later, the fragrance is still as strong and fresh ..... modern frags today just cannot compete and hardly last an hour ! Wonderful !

Nice, fresh, clean and masculine.It like a soft, smooth, clean and very green-smelling Aramis.I also get a Shaving-Cream note in it.To me, the closest thing to a "barber-shop" scent - mainly because of its slightly spicey, semi-green, semi-sweet Aramis-like Shaving-Cream-like smell.In my Nan and Pop's bathroom, this has been sitting in their Victorian-style wall-mounted shaving cabinet for 16 years (the same bottle). Every time I have been to their home on vacations I have given it a good sniff - and it hasn't changed one bit in 16 years! So obviously, it has kept very well.I only wish they'd put it back into production! I love it love it love it!!!!A very refreshing change to most crap on the market today.Masculine and gentlemanly. Very nice stuff!