Ask Dr. Basenotes: Looking for my father's cologne

[Grant]

Ask Dr. Basenotes: Looking for my father's cologne


After a very long break, Dr Basenotes returns to help Jaclyn with a search. Jaclyn asks:* I am wondering if you can help me figure out what my dad used to wear in the 80's. *I think it came in a green bottle and may have had a name similar to Aqua velvet. *Anything information you have will be wonderful!!

More...

[castorpollux]

Very interesting! Thank you!

[Naed_Nitram]

But is it not also possible, I ask the estimable Dr. Basenotes, that Jaclyn pere may have worn Acqua di Selva, which definitely comes in a green bottle and also sounds vaguely similar to "Aqua velvet"?
At all events, excellent to hear once more from Dr. Basenotes and to learn of his parent's strange lack of smell and his friend Lionel's affinities with Toilet Duck.
My friend Marcel was apparently born smelling of Monsieur de Givenchy (his mother remarked on it) and my friend the Baron de Charlus claims to have smelled of Habit Rouge from the moment of his conception, however unlikely that may seem.

[kbe]

Hello Jaclyn:

I wonder if it was your father I knew long before you were born. A Man's Man all the way. Unfortunately he suffered from the Curse of Drink. If indeed it was he you remember seeing, the Aqua Velva bottle was one that was emptied almost totally, it's contents replaced with something called 'aqua vitae', an alcoholic beverage of high proof.

You see, he didn't wear it, he drank it.

This man was also clever enough not to fully empty the bottles of Aqua Velva, He left just enough in the bottom of each bottle to tint the replacement aqua vitae a slightly camouflaged lime green color mimicking the Aqua Velva, and not containing enough denatured alcohol to effect the poisoning such consumption often leads to (until much later in life).

I do hope this bit of info helps.

kbe

[Grant]

@kbe, bear in mind that jaclyn is real, as his her father... and probably reading this right now

@naed I will pass the information on to Dr Basenotes, He will be interested also to hear about the baron and marcel's birth/conception scents. Dr Basenotes himself always smells of Gin when he (rarely) comes in to the office though he claims it to be a demeter fragrance.

[kbe]

Oh,my.

In that case I would have to add that the gentleman in question would be well into his 90's by now, if he survives, and now that I think about it, unlikely to be Jaclyn's father, Jaclyn being too young to know about Aqua Velva.

Apologies all around.

[lannansidhe]

I thought that the whole point of drinking (Oh god, I started to write wearing!) gin, is that, like vodka, it really has no scent when mixed or after being drank (or is that drunk?) I thought that was part of why it is considered a "ladies" alcohol (no offense meant to James Bond) because it is not so detectable? Ah well1

Also, I had some relatives, who will remain nameless, who had major issues with alcohol. During dry times, they would pour their aftershave through pieces of white bread to strain out the additives and drink what was left! Needless to say, they are all dead now.
Sad story, but true.

[docluv45]

Aqua brava comes in a green bottle as well.

[everso]

my dad used to wear Pino Silvestre.....that was in a green bottle...shaped like a pinecone