Artillery No 1 Le Premier

The opening is straightforwardly citrus: bergamot and Sicilian lemon, bright rather than sweet. Rosemary and mint sharpen it into something closer to a barbershop cologne than a fruit note, and neroli sits underneath adding a light floral roundness that keeps the whole thing from turning austere. Angela Flanders bottles this scent at two strengths. The Eau de Toilette is the lighter of the two: the brand's own guidance is that the Eau de Toilette is for applying more liberally and more often, while the Eau de Parfum is for people who spray less frequently and want greater longevity. The composition is the same; what changes is how long it stays and how far it carries. Le Premier is the first of the Artillery Collection, the line Angela Flanders built around historical colognes and apothecary formulas. It sits in the same territory as a traditional 4711 or an Acqua di Parma Colonia, though the rosemary and mint push it drier and greener than either.