Lubin ~ Gin Fizz
Half the fun with some vintage fragrances is trying to figure out the provenance of inspiration behind them. The other half being to play the Name That Tune game with the notes. Gin Fizz is another older (and discontinued) Lubin, released in 1955, credited to perfumer Henri Giboulet (via Now Smell This.) The Lubin I previously reviewed, Nuit de Longchamp, felt dark and mysterious, whereas Gin Fizz is filled with joy and brightness.
Gin Fizz initially threw me. Whence goes the “gin” in “Gin Fizz?” It’s not really there. Nor is there even a hint of juniper berries.
However.
This isn’t a literal translation of a gin fizz drink. Nor is it plain ol’ gin fizz. When I realized it’s almost certainly a perfumer’s impression of a Ramos gin fizz, all was illuminated.
Citrus bursts off the top, lemonic mostly, but at turns I could swear I find trace whiffs of Rose’s Sweetened Lime Juice and something vaguely orange-y. (”Orange-y” may very well be neroli, but for whatever reason I always identify it as orange-y rather than as itself.)
It doesn’t fizz with gin and soda water. Rather, it tickles the nose with the buzz of woody-musk carbonation. The fizz smooths into an unexpected cream cake of flowers and grass. Within the drydown lurks a distinct rose and wood accord. I could make neither heads nor tails of the rose until I found a recipe for Ramos gin fizz that calls for rose water in place of the more commonly called for orange flower water. Drops of vanilla at the very base of the fragrance round out this Lubin cocktail.
Wouldn’t it be marvelous to see Gin Fizz revamped and rereleased? With the gains made in technology since it was first released, and in the hands of the RIGHT perfumer, I think Lubin could really do a bang-up job of it. A gal can dream anyhow, can’t she?
Image was manipulated, taken from an old Polident newsprint ad from the 50s
It would be fab if they re-released it. But they MUST make sure that the bottle would have the same thing, whatever it is, that makes the juice to hiss, bubble and become very, very cold when you spray it. Sometimes I spray it not because I want to wear Gin Fizz but because I want to ezperience that…whatever it is. It is lots of fun.
Marina
9 Aug 06 at 4:45 pm
It’s cool on me, but only at very first. The middle and drydown wear like a delighted and (more specifically) warm grin. It is a really fun frag, I agree… it’d be neat to let it live again. But you know, a REBORN live again, not a ZOMBIE live again. (Like some vintages.) Because that would not be fun.
Scentzilla!
9 Aug 06 at 4:58 pm
Hissing-bubbling- cool to the touch…hmmmm-
You wonder if they wouldn’t ruin it, relaunched…
A propos of relaunch, wait ’til you smell Rumeur… double feh!
No leather at all [and wasn't that the point?], lots of muguet [I recall only the merest wisp of it in the original], very jeune fille…
For all the trouble, you could have Muguet des Bois or Muguet de Bonheur, for all the similarity to the original…
chayaruchama
9 Aug 06 at 6:34 pm
Honey, if the juice makes a lady go wow-ee like the one in your illustration, I want me some of that! So, who do you/we write to encourage a relaunch? ;-)
I’m thinking I have to send you some of my vintage Vent Vert EdP to get you riled up to write –we need campaigns, I tell you, campaigns to get those juicemongers to bring back the good stuff!
(I think I just coined a new term - juicemongers - and I like it.)
Anya
10 Aug 06 at 3:46 am
Brava, Anya, brava!!!
Good wordsmithing there…
chayaruchama
10 Aug 06 at 8:53 am
Chaya, well, in all honesty, I personally got no hissing or bubbling effect, the fizz I found was by virtue of composition only. It was cooling though upon the opening. So the relaunched Rumeur is a dud, then? That’s really disappointing to hear. Pity to hear that. No leather.. how peculiar. I will have to wait and see for myself, I guess.
Anya, ach, who knows? Lubin seems to be on the right track with re-energizing the house, and Idole was a wonderful tease of what may be yet to come. Let’s just hope they don’t stop with Idole, and let’s hope that if they do relaunch any of those old Lubins that they take their sweet little time about it and continue to do it right :) Vent Vert is actually one I’ve ONLY tried in vintage, hehe! I don’t even know the modern version at all, though I’ve heard both love for it and disparagements. Most folks seem to appreciate both new and old, though admittedly most of them seem to prefer the old if they had to pick. It’s actually the new I should be sniffing at some point, isn’t it? Just so’s I can see what the hubub is about.
Scentzilla!
10 Aug 06 at 1:15 pm
Oh, it sounds fabulous! This is why I avoid trying vintage perfumes…but perhaps we’ll get lucky and it will be the next from Lubin.
Robin
11 Aug 06 at 4:04 pm
Does anyone at all know if this product is available anywhere to purchase? Or is it completely out of production? Do I have any hope at all?
Maria
8 Mar 07 at 5:40 am
Gin Fizz is totally out of production, unfortunately. Your best bet is to stalk eBay and local resale/antique shops if you’re looking for the old Lubins :(
Scentzilla!
11 Mar 07 at 3:30 pm