How could you not feel happy wearing such a bright and cheery scent as this? If you think that the packaging’s bright, you should smell what’s inside! It’s spicy, fruity and herby all at the same time – light and refreshing, as all colognes should be, but with an added warmth from the…what? Is it cinnamon that I can just catch a whiff of?

Colognes aren’t everyone’s cup of tea, but they do hold a special appeal for people who don’t like to wear strong fragrances. Colognes, by their very nature, tend to wear off quite quickly, so they provide a quick burst of freshness but don’t linger about unnecessarily. Good for a short-term cooling fix after the gym or for freshening up when travelling in hot countries.

Any cologne fans here?

I have to say that it’s not something that I’d choose to wear on a regular basis, but I do have a few lying about that I spritz every now and again. They always come in quite retro-looking bottles – I think that the Alvarez Gomez above looks like an old Rum bottle or something! – so I don’t mind having them on display.

You can get the Aqua de Colonia Concentrada at CarterandBond.com