Bond No. 9 New Haarlem is the first mens cologne I’ve smelled from this house, and I wasn’t let down. Let me start by saying that most of Bond No. 9′s fragrances are actually marketed as unisex. If you decide to make a purchase of this online it may be labeled as unisex, male, or even a female fragrance. Just something to be aware of, as they are all the same exact thing. The Bond No. 9 fragrance all share the same styled bottles with minor differences. It’s a very nice heavy glass with a decent sprayer. The lid is plastic and admittedly somewhat cheap feeling. Let’s get to the juice. New Haarlem is a complex gourmand fragrance that is rather well done. The opening is a sweet coffee with an almost honey note with it. This fades and the coffee note fades to the back of the fragrance. You are left with an almost coffee cake combination of sweet honey, brown sugar, and vanilla. Again there is a coffee note in the back of this that is very fitting.
Projection is really good for the first hour or so, but then it begins to fade. After the initial blast it sits pretty close to the skin but is still recognizable. Longevity on this one is great for me, with it lasting 8+ hours. As with many gourmands, you’re not going to have issues with it lasting. There are some reviews online and bashing of this fragrance saying it smells just like Rochas Man. I can agree that there are similarities between the two. However New Haarlem is more complex, and less synthetic and sweet compared to Rochas Man. I see this comparison like GIT and Cool Water or Millesime Imperial and Unforgiven. In most cases the expensive line comes first, and then the intimidators. They often capture the overall idea but so much is lost in translation. It’s really all up to your nose and wallet in determining which is “better”.
With New Haarlem being a gourmand I normally only wear them in the fall and winter. This might be able to work on cool nights of Spring, but I’ve got other things for that. It can really be worn at anytime in the winter. It may not be the best for the bar scene but it could possibly work.
Bond No. 9 New Haarlem = Try
If you’re looking for a nice gourmand and like coffee this is a buy. However with it being a niche fragrance and costing upwards of $100 I can’t say it’s a buy. Sample Rochas Man and this and decide on which you like the most. You may just find that the money spent is worth it for Bond N0. 9 New Haarlem.
