Republic of Men
Banana Republic (2009)

This and RL Purple Label were my only 2 colognes for about 15 years. They’re actually similar. They’re both fantastic. Mysterious, luxurious, complex and sophisticated. The balance of fig and plum is sublime. The herbal heart cuts just right into the creamy, sandalwood dry down.

I have a little left in my OG bottle, that I rarely spray anymore since going down the fragcom rabbit hole and buying about 100 bottles of juice. Honestly, not many smell BETTER than Republic of Men.

A nice fruity-woody scent with a light, non-nauseating plum note and a decent sandalwoodish drydown. There's a hint of ripe banana in there but I suspect an olfactory illusion due to the name (or maybe because I ate a banana soon after applying my sample).

Rather sweet, it smells a bit like a less bombastic version of La Nuit de Chav by YSL. However, I would not be ashamed to present this as a gift to one of my grateful goggle-eyed libidinous nephews.

I enjoyed this fragrance, as well did my girlfriend. I sampled nearly all the BR scents available, and this is the only one I would consider bringing home. A mature, masculine scent. Seems suitable more for formal wear and cold weather. Price tag is fairly cheap $45 for 1.7oz (50ml). It can be found in 1oz (30ml) bottles for a reasonable price as well. It's not a staple, but a decent addition to any collection.