The Colognes of Famous Men

I’m always looking for ways to really get to know famous men from history. It’s why biographies are one of my favorite genres of books and why some of my favorite trips are visiting the homes of famous men long dead. I like to uncover the small details of their lives. 

What did they carry in their pockets? 

What books were in their library?

What sorts of items did they keep by their bedside?

What was their daily routine like? 

Such small details, stitched together, can really give you an idea of who the person was. 

There’s one biographical peculiarity about a dead person that can particularly bring them to life for you: what they smelled like (you know, when they were still alive). 

Smell is one of our most potent senses and is strongly connected to our memory. The cologne or fragrance a man chooses to wear, consequently, becomes part of his immortal identity. If you want to know what it was like to stand next to Winston Churchill, just take a whiff of the cologne he wore. 

Below we highlight eight famous men and their signature fragrances. Knowing what cologne they wore will give you an idea of what it was like to be in their presence. It also might give you some ideas for fragrances to add to your own collection; nearly all of those we list below are still made and available today.

George Washington: Caswell-Massey Number Six

Founded in 1752, Caswell-Massey was the first personal grooming and fragrance company started in the United States. George Washington was known to wear their fragrance Number 6. He liked it so much that he gave it as a gift to friends. Number 6 opens with the scent of citrus, neroli, rosemary, and amber. As it fades, you’ll start smelling rose, musk, and myrrh.

George III: Creed Royal English Leather

Whilst King George was trying to manage unruly American colonists, he was likely wearing Creed Royal English Leather. At least according to the perfumer who still makes the stuff. Creed is a perfume house that started in England in 1760. According to the in-house legend (also known as marketing), Royal English Leather was the first scent that founder James Creed created, and he made it just for King George. The cologne was designed to be applied to the king’s gloves so that whenever His Majesty rested his chin in his gloved hand, the rich scent of the fragrance wafted into his nostrils (and disguised the scent of the not-so-hygienic courtiers and plebes he was surrounded with).

The bass note has leather, of course, along with sandalwood. The top notes consist of orange and lime.

Napoleon Bonaparte: Jean Marie Farina Eau de Cologne

What does conquest and empire-building smell like? It evinces top notes of citrus and rosemary before fading to cedar, vetiver, and musk. Or at least that’s the fragrance that French commander and emperor Napoleon Bonaparte wore during his campaigns and political maneuvers. Known as Jean Marie Farina Eau de Cologne, it’s a nice fragrance to sport in warmer weather due to its fresh scent.

General George Custer

Besides being a commanding Army officer during the American Indian Wars, General George Custer was also a dandy. He wore a fancy uniform, a bright scarf around his neck, and his curly, golden hair