Coney Island - Bond No. 9 - Review

Here in usually sunny Southern California, Spring seems to be noncommittal; one day calling for sandals the next for boots. It has never really felt like Spring for any length of time. Now that it is almost May, we are all wondering when it will come. But one whiff of Coney Island, Spring is bypassed and suddenly Summer is here!

Opening with a tangy margarita note to make your mouth water, with eyes closed, one can even imagine salt on the rim. At the same time there is a slight beachy aspect, or do I just imagine that as well? Whatever it is, it's quite bewitching and I've fallen completely under its spell. This will feel icy cool in the heat of the summer most assuredly. The composition eventually mellows into a very delish, lightly fruity, citrus that wears beautifully throughout the day. On my skin the mid notes never really appeared, not that I'm complaining. I had everyone in my office take a mandatory arm sniff and all agreed it smells quite delicious. Light vanilla and light wood appear much later in the drydown. Maybe on others the mid notes will appear, but I'm perfectly happy the way this one develops on me. I think it will work well for most. Another great, must have Summer scent! I have included the notes below that read like a summer cottage shopping list, as well as Bond's press release for your reading pleasure.

FROM BOND NO. 9:
First the Hamptons… then Fire Island… now Coney Island:
When it Comes to Summer Scents and Explosive Fun, Bond No. 9 is Covering All the New York Beaches.

What is the smell of fun—and how do you bottle it? That was our mission at Bond No. 9 when we decided to capture the essence of Coney Island and turn it into an eau de parfum. Why Coney Island? We were intrigued by the vintage allure of this century-old fantasy-land with its honky-tonk chic, its Mermaid Parade, its incomparable hotdog haven (Nathan’s Famous) fronting the Atlantic Ocean along Brooklyn’s southernmost edge. But we wanted to celebrate its future, too, just as a formidable revival is getting under way.

Coney Island isn’t just any amusement park. In its early 20th century heyday, New York’s premier people’s playground was a rowdy, mind-numbing pleasure-mecca that more than matched the energies of the city that contained it. Its daredevil rides—the legendary nine-hill Cyclone roller coaster … the Wonder Wheel … the freefall Parachute Jump—set a fevered, frantic pace, while its bathing pavilions were more like phantasmagorical gilded palaces that shimmered in the air. Not to forget the raucous nightspots. For a city that where glancing at strangers for more than two seconds has always been an impertinence, here was an escape hatch—a Bacchanalia where one and all had free rein to scream together in terror and joy. Sure, in recent decades Coney Island fell into decline, but today it is decidedly on the upswing, with brand new rides, a water park, and a mammoth glass atrium in the works.

Bond No 9’s Coney Island conjures up both the magical history and the reawakening of this beachfront paradise. Combined in this contemporary gourmand delight are the sugar-cool notes of margarita mix, hypnotically seductive chocolate and caramel, plus cedarwood. The high-voltage blue bottle recalls the Coney Island’s expanse of sea and sky, while the contrasting gold neck evokes the thousands of electric lights that once lit up its night sky.

Launch Date: June 1st 2007

Top Notes:
MARGARITA MIX, with fiery tequila blanco already poured in
Un-humble MELON that goes way beyond fruit salad
Freshly-ripened GUAVA that’s naughty but sweet

Mid Notes:
CINNAMON win sensual mode (fougedaboud apple pie)
CHOCOLATE – the stimulant with the tasty mega-kick
Pour-able CARAMEL, out to intoxicate

Bottom Notes:
Decadent, unredeemed MUSK
VANILLA that’s not minding its manners
Cool and collected CEDARWOOD … because somebody’s got to put on the brakes
Mellow SANDALWOOD, like settling down after a pulse-quickening roller coaster ride

Bond No. 9 - Website