Resort Islands

Resort Islands chases Bond No.9's Hamptons, the 2005 unisex citrus-floral that captures a breezy, sun-and-sea-spray mood. The dupe opens just as the original does: a crisp bergamot lifted by green lime blossom, fresh and a little zesty. The heart softens into the romantic florals that give Hamptons its charm - a clean jasmine alongside a creamy magnolia, pretty and unisex. Then the base, where the two converge: a warm sandalwood rounded with amber, giving the fresh top something soft to settle onto. Where the Bond No.9 kept its drydown creamy and well-rounded, with musk smoothing the woods, Resort Islands leans the citrus and florals brighter up front and lets the woody-amber base settle close to the skin sooner, so it reads a touch more linear and a touch flatter than the original's polished blend. It loses a little of the Hamptons' refined creaminess but keeps its sunny, elegant citrus-floral mood intact, which makes it a genuinely versatile, easy-wearing spring and summer scent for casual days, the office and relaxed dates. Longevity is moderate, settling closer to the skin after the first hours, broadly in line with the original's own variable performance.