Douro

Created in 1911, this elegant cologne was created for Sir Percy Croft of the Croft port dynasty and named after the port producing region in Portugal; the Douro Valley. This stylish and mellow delight begins with sharp green limes and soapy bergamot, blending with garden fresh geranium and lily at the heart. Then the base notes of musk, oakmoss and sandalwood start to assert themselves, imparting a leathery quality. Underpinned with labdanum, a bitter resin that conveys a unique leathery note, Douro Eau de Portugal is a deep and intensely aromatic cologne.

Described as the epitome of court barber fragrances – in modern terms the equivalent of the Savile Row suit for men and women. The sharpness of green limes and soapy bergamot burst forth from the bottle onto the skin. The fragrance then slows as it blends with garden fresh geranium and lily for a moment of floral contemplation, lending Douro both sharp piquancy and a comforting depth. Finally the base notes of musk and sandalwood start to assert themselves. Each of these three stages are underpinned with labdanum, a bitter resin that imparts a unique leathery note, smoothing the fragrance into a mellow delight.

Douro was inspired by the aromatic labdanum (gum cistus) plant growing on the famous Quinta da Roeda estate in the Douro Valley in Portugal, acquired by Croft & Co in 1875.