Britain, and London in particular, certainly attract some of the world’s wealthier citizens to its shores. There’s fine hotels, shops, landmarks and a long history as a global hub. Unsurprisingly there are perfumers that cater for this luxury market - or indeed to those who just favour the finer things in life.
But do the most expensive British colognes automatically make for the best investment? Well, let's put it this way - if you've got a spare $974 you could get a flight to London. But you could also get three fantastic ultra-premium fragrances from the finest British scent houses without the carbon footprint and redeye.
Decisions, decisions...
1. ROJA PARFUMS - ELYSIUM
We'll start with Roja Dove, a British perfumer famed for using luxurious ingredients and presenting his work in top notch packaging. You’ll find his colognes in the finest department stores in London as well as in his own boutique in the Burlington Arcade, Mayfair.
Elysium is our pick from his men’s range. A bright, juicy cologne with pink pepper and juniper berry, leading to a deep, sensual cedar wood base. This one has real staying power.
Get it: available directly from the brand for $315
2. THAMEEN - RIVIERE
London-based luxury house Thameen uses a higher concentration of perfume oil in their ‘extrait de parfums’. What that means in practice is that your cologne should project further and last longer - if that’s what you’re after.
Riviere is a rich, opulent scent leading with saffron, Ceylon tea, leather and oud.
Get it: available for US delivery from Harrods online for $264
3. CLIVE CHRISTIAN - C WOODY LEATHER
The Clive Christian brand was established in 1872 and were granted permission to use Queen Victoria’s crown on their bottles. It’s an image they still use today and this fine British house is the byword for luxury and premium raw materials. C Woody Leather is a smoky, woody amber with mandarin, saffron and tobacco. It’s made up of 20% perfume concentration, putting it in the ‘extrait’ category, so the highest level of fragrance intensity.
