Bigelow Barber Cologne Elixir White No. 1585
C.O. Bigelow Apothecary

I owned Elixir White and loved it. However, it was such a headache inducer for me that I had to give it to a friend. It is an amazing fragrance for the price, as already mentioned. It definitely has the old barbershop vibe...perhaps more so than any other frag I've tried. I may have to pick up another bottle and see if I can make it work with just a few light sprays. It really is a nice fragrance.

Elixir White is a decent fragrance on it's own, but for the price I'll say it's a fantastic fragrance. It's very fresh and has a just from the barbershop vibe about it. EW has a tangy citrus opening with hints of mint. Nothing too sharp, but very clean and bracing. It slowly dries to a soft woods and spice. At cologne strength, it doesn't overly project and longevity is about 3 hours. EW is faintly reminiscent of Mugler Cologne, but not as soapy, and Lanvin Sport, but much softer in the dry down.

I really like this as a gym or clubhouse fragrance. Would work excellent after a workout, round of golf or tennis match. Pairs well with that beer or cocktail in the lounge or patio deck. At this price, a great little find. Thumbs up.

One of the best offerings from C.O. Bigelow Apothecary, a nice citric opening with Bergamot being the dominant note with hints of Grapefruit and Mandarin.
If you haven't smelled Bergamot all by itself, this is the best cologne to get to know that note (Bergamot is one of the most common notes in perfumery, but usually is buried among other notes because it is a great "support" note, but not so much as the dominant note), but in here, it performs the dominant role beautifully.
The drydown is woodier and spicier, but the citric notes still remain present, but not as strong.
For the price you have to pay for this cologne, I have to agree that it is a genuine bargain.
Sillage and longevity are typical of an EdC.

I smelled a few of the C.O. Bigelow colognes (Elixir White, Blue, Green, Black) and I was only really taken with White, which has a surprisingly natural smell, contra the very synthetic blue and green smells, of, well, Blue and Green, respectively; Black didn't do anything for me, either.

The opening is a strong mix of citrus, most prominently grapefruit, with bergamot and mandarin as detectable subordinates. It's relatively linear, as those notes remain throughout the dry down, though it does get slightly sweeter than acerbic, typical of citrus fragrances, though I can' t place the sweetness. Projection is beyond a foot and longevity is in the 4-5+ hour range. Elixir White seems best suited for a summer day and I'd argue is a great addition to a warm weather fragrance collection, particularly with its emphasis on grapefruit.

Difficult to argue with the price, as well, at under $20 for 75ml at Bath and Body Works.

7 out of 10

In my opinion, the best of the C. O. Bigelow Barber line of men's fragrances - and they are all pretty good. This is the one that is light and citrusy. Every time I wear this I get compliments. The main notes are bergemot, grapefruit and mandarin, and the citrus character is not overpowering and is toned down with something else ... perhaps agar wood or tonka bean? It's dry and sophisticated. Many will say it's merely inoffensive and rather generic, but to me it is reminiscent of classic historic Victorian gentleman's cologne like Guerlaine's Eau Imperiale or Herme's Eau d'Orange Verte.

White is the best of the Bigelow Elixirs and represents a good value. They're readily available at your local mall for the price of a couple of coffees. Others lament the longevity but I don't experience those woes. On me it lasts damn near all day, surprising for a citrus fragrance. Simple but effective and a good work fragrance that nods to the barbershop while not smelling, as they say, "dated." Nice work.