C.O. Bigelow
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The lemon strikes with minty brightness—a sharp, almost bitter citrus quality amplified by the cooling menthol sensation. Neroli adds a genteel floral lift, but this opening is decidedly brisk and herbaceous, with little of the sweetness one might expect from a fragrance wearing "Lemon" in its name.
The artemisia and wormwood ascend with quiet authority, transforming the composition into something distinctly green and slightly austere. The jasmine appears as a delicate counterpoint, offering minimal sweetness, whilst violet settles into the background like a trailing vine—the interplay between herbal bitterness and subtle floral restraint becomes the fragrance's true identity.
Olive wood and vetiver emerge with a dry, almost woody-herbaceous character, anchoring the remaining wormwood and a whisper of patchouli. The musk provides gentle skin-warmth, but this is a fragrance that fades gracefully, its final hours marked by quiet, understated herbal greenery rather than lingering sweetness.
Lemon No. arrives as something of a paradox—a fragrance that wears its citrus designation like a misdirection. Yes, there's lemon in the opening, sharp and insistent, but Annick Ménardo has constructed something far more architectural than a simple splash cologne. This is a fragrance built on green, herbal bones, with the citrus and neroli serving as illuminating accents rather than the main event.
The real character emerges in the heart, where artemisia and absinthe wormwood take command with a distinctly botanical intensity. There's an almost medicinal quality here—reminiscent of vintage herbal aperitifs and apothecary counters—yet the jasmine softens the edges with a subtle indolic warmth, whilst violet adds a whisper of powder and restraint. The spicy accord (likely from the wormwood's peppery undertones) creates friction against the floral sweetness, preventing the composition from ever settling into comfort.
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3.6/5 (102)