It's a well known fact amongst my circle that I have somewhat of a clothing and shoe fetish. I suppose it's permissible since I've been working in fashion since 1995. While this also supports my incredible yen for design, well aware of the ever-changing fashion cycle, I often find myself in need of a new slim cut this or a trim tailored that. So my constantly bombarded mind runs to my go-to neighborhoods for shopping like Soho and NoLita to satisfy my sartorial fixes. However, being the particular gent that I can be, I often run into problems where I can't find the right color, fit or price point to satisfy the dandy within. That's usually when my mind starts racing and I forget that everything considered cool fashion doesn't necessarily reside in the neighborhoods below 14th Street. Before they opened their Soho outpost, Original Penguin became my hidden little go-to uptown across from Bryant Park that gave me just the right amount of color, whimsy and pec-skimming fit. I kind of considered them my often-overlooked always-appreciated sweet little menswear outpost.Well, with their latest foray into mens fragrances, my often-overlooked sweet little bird brand once again makes a great stride to be burned into my dizzying mental rotation. Now it need be said that since discovering the ecstasy of gaberdine and gum soles, I have also developed an incredible affection for scents and fragrances. So my secret little cherry on top brand Original Penguin releasing an eclectic new fragrance, Premium Blend, seems kismet.
Why eclectic? The packaging features a bottle that is similar to the icy-frosted glass of a nice vodka bottle which gives it a nice old-fashioned and special apothecary-like feel to it. Then the eclecticism furthers on with the fresh scent. Master Perfumer Harry Frémont created a refined arrangement of notes for Premium Blend. It features top notes of eye-opening soothing bergamot, the citrus pop of fresh lime peel and the coolness of sweet wild spearmint. The background notes balance off the sweet top notes lovely with the infusion of a full-bodied spicy musk, herbal woody vetiver and clean smoky driftwood.
Premium Blend is a very interesting scent to smartly take with you into this Spring/Summer season. I must say that this is a very balanced fragrance that can work well for either day or evening. The sweet familiars of the bergamot and lime remind me of my favorite morning tea with a hint of the garnish of my most beloved cocktails. The musk, vetiver and driftwood work well together to allow the sweet notes to pop without overpowering them as they come through with a deep, sexy and quite masculine secondary aroma. So it appears that now I have a new fragrance that, like my coolly colored Heritage Fit shirts, give me the best of both worlds of fun & fresh and bold &sexy. Original Penguin 'Premium Blend' is available now at Nordstrom, Dillards, Lord & Taylor, The Buckle, Boscov's and at all Original Penguin boutiques.
