Item of the Week: Courvoisier Men’s Cologne

As people who read my blog know well, I’ve been working on an article about cologne in general and how specialty stores can add men’s fragrances as a high-margin, small-footprint category specifically. When fragrance blogger Barney Bishop (who’s also a PR rep for the men’s shirt line Rufus) and I went to the PXA perfume trade show recently, we noticed the Courvoisier booth. We were skeptical at first. Could a cognac brand launch a successful men’s cologne?

But it was obvious when we spoke to the reps, Paul Baron and his father Zack, that this was no hasty brand extension. Paul pointed out that the blending of fine spirits and the mixing of fine fragrances have a lot in common.

And while Courvoisier has a storied history dating back to Napoleon, it also has the distinction of being a favorite of the hip hop world—at least since Busta Rhymes, Sean Combs and Pharrell Williams came out with “Pass the Courvoisier” in 2002.

The fragrance itself doesn’t smell like cognac, nor can you drink it. Courvoisier eau de parfum has woody notes with floral hints on a base of leather, smoked tea and amber. It’s a very fine, elegant men’s scent. As my friend Barney described it, Courvoisier the fragrance evokes “Low lit, walnut lined gentlemen’s clubs filled with beautiful leather chairs and soothing music.”

Bergdorf Goodman currently carries it, as do a few assorted independent men’s specialty stores. The highly-concentrated eau de parfum is available in 2.5 oz bottles retailing for $110 and 4.2 oz bottles for $165. There will also a lower concentration version coming out for less.

For more information, contact Paul Baron at 973-985-1593.

Each week, MR’s editors will comment on a product we’ve seen in the market. It could be an emerging trend, a novel take on a classic or something that just caught our eyes.

Previous Items of the Week:

Ichiban Sweats

Dion Ties to Fight Prostate Cancer

Copper Bracelets

PF Flyers classic baseball shoes

Sportshirts from Arbitrage

T-Box Compressed T-shirts

James Bond Cufflinks

DC Shoes / SSUR

Utilikilts

Lacoste Packable Duffels

Nat-2 Convertible Shoes