Sorry to be so late with today's post! And on top of being late, this one will be short. I'd read the notes somewhere--lime, lily of the valley, and sheer musk, accoring to the Bond No. 9 website--and this wasn't one I had on my list to try, but I got my hands on a sample of West Broadway after reading Colombina's review on Perfume-Smellin' Things.I'm generally shy about citrus in a fragrance, but I'm getting more bold, and Colombina promised in her review that this fragrance was oh-so-much-more than a paltry list of notes, and she was right. The opening is a bit sweet and quite citrusy, refreshing and a bit sparkly, but it dries down rather quickly into a soft incense. If I didn't know better, I would swear I smell a little cedar in there, but perhaps it's just the darkness of mate (pronounced mah-tay) tea that is apparently also part of the makeup. (Bond doesn't list this note on their site, but Beauty Cafe, where I got my samples, lists the tea and "crisp greens.") Don't let the green and citrus fool you--this is decidedly an incensy-woody fragrance. I also smell a soft sweetness underneath that keeps it a bit light and makes this scent decidedly feminine.
So far I've tried three other Bond fragrances (Chinatown, Scent of Peace, and Fire Island), and this is my favorite. (I need to give Chinatown another try...we got off to a rocky start!) I can see this being wearable year-round, which only adds to its appeal. Who knows...maybe this will be my Bond!
*photo from Bond No. 9
