I don't know who formed the notion that dry wood perfumes are masculine and do not belong in a woman's wardrobe. Why are bitter green perfumes or warm and very dry ones automatically labelled as manly? Seriously, I am and have always been as girly as they come, but I'm more likely to covet and wear cedar and cypress than magnolia and rose. And considering skin chemistry, my nearest and dearest should be thankful for that.
Krigler is one of those little NYC secrets, though the brand was actually born in Europe around the turn of the (20th) century. The house's archives include around 200 scents created over the span of one hundred years, but the perfumery as we know it today was reopened and reinvented in the NY Plaza Hotel in 2009. Cosy Cedar Wood was created in 1972 as a perfume for men. It's a straight-laced kind of thing. Dry, smooth and completely devoid of sweetness or darkness. But Krigler still managed to hide a little surprise there. Just as I thought I figured it all out and that Cosy Cedar Wood is all about warmth, spice and the inside of a long cabin in the woods, there's a second element, prickly-but-not-quite green, a whiff of incense and an almost conifer-like sharpness. Maybe someone opened a window and let the night air in.
It's the cypress and the rosemary that are a bit too sharp for my taste and take away from the smooth and dry feel of the perfume. It's not unpleasant and actually ends up smelling really nice on my skin, but I prefer the incredible comfort of the dry sauna (such a favorite winter treat) I get from the first hour or so of the scent. All in all, Krigler's Cosy Cedar Wood is, indeed, cozy, woody and incredibly nice. It smells well-bred and a little country club in the best possible way. It's not the kind of perfume that would make most weak at the knees but it's attractive and nicely done.The sillage is polite and longevity is excellent (a couple of drops last most of the day and longer than that on clothes).
Notes: Cedar wood from India, lemon, ylang-ylang, fig, cypress, rosemary, vetiver, nutmeg and incense.
Cosy Cedar Wood ($145, 1.7oz) is available from krigler.com where you can also order samples, as well as the small boutique in the Plaza (which is where I obtained my sample).
Image: Spinnerin 1967 from myvintagevogue.com.
