Governors Island
Bond No. 9 (2018)

I agree that the notes listed can each be smelled individually but it smells more complex than just three notes. A little smokey, but mostly this is woody, sweet and on skin becomes seductively spiced. It's one of those sexy scents that people will get closer to smell as it draws them in with notes that hang in the air but aren't heavy and cloying.


Best for cooler weather and nighttime wearing but it's not so heavy that Governors Island couldn't be worn with a lighter application of sprays. Also, I find this to be masculine but judge for yourself.

8-9 hours longevity with decent projection for 4-5 hours.

Long lasting incense, ambroxan & cedarwood blend in a sea breeze that linger around you all day.

Light but persistent fragrance...

Thumbs up!

Bond No. 9 Governors Island is a nice resinous release, a simply mix of incense, honeyed ambrox, and cedar, but does not add a particularly new or interesting angle to the resinous/woody genre with which many of us are comfortable.

Sure, it's nice, a cold-weather unisex jack of all trades, as it's sweet, woody, slightly dark, and quite pleasant, but it doesn't provide anything that cannot also provided in abundance, and more provocatively, in other recent offerings dominated by resins.

At $200 for 100ml on one grey market site, La Belle Perfumes, it's a bit more modestly priced than some of others that I had in mind, like Fort & Manle Suleyman Le Magnifique ($230 for 50ml) or even Le Labo Benjoin 19 ($310 for 50ml), though Shazam by 4160 Tuesdays is a more affordable alternative to either. These are a bit all over the place as well, the point being that there is an abundance of resinous options. Try Governors Island, certainly as it hits a lot of the right spots, but I just don't see it being a stunner, simply a fragrance that is quite good and a safe bet.

7 out of 10

One to be worn. Simple notes, great fragrance. My hat goes off to this one. Wood fragrance with a sweet aspect to it. Projection and longevity are above average. 8/10