PLATINUM BLEND by Atkinsons

The world of perfume is one that never stands still, whether that’s due to trends or regulations. Customers’ tastes change over time, and what's fashionable quickly becomes outdated. Similarly, a growing list of restricted ingredients means discontinuations and reformulations. Some classic perfumes have stood the test of time, even with tinkering along the way, so companies are once again revisiting the archives for renewed inspiration. One of the latest to dust off the formula books is Atkinsons, and the result is the successful Reserve Collection which celebrates “iconic heritage, pure preciousness and distinctive intensity”.

Atkinsons is a name that has had its fair share of highs and lows, from royal appointments right through to the shelves of the discount stores, but it’s also one that has successfully fought back. Founded in 1799 by James Atkinson, the company originally found fame thanks to its hair pomade and grooming products. However, it was the successful perfumes that would establish a reputation that stretched easily into the 1950s. The problem was that after the second world war tastes changed, and Atkinsons were not quick to adapt and embrace what customers wanted. So they started to struggle.

The company had been bought by Unilever in 1940, and they would hold onto it until 2002. For the next eighteen years it would bounce around a few owners until finally settling with Euroitalia in 2020. This was the moment when the future definitely started to look brighter. Their goal was to reinvigorate the brand whilst always honouring its history, and this resulted in some excellent new perfumes that were inspired by the life and times of the original owners. This commitment to respecting the past was continued with the launch of the Reserve Collection, and especially Platinum Blend by Pierre-Constantin Guéros.

The Reserve Collection is made up of three reinterpretations of classic scents (Born For Eternity, Midnight Scented Dream and Ambre Royal) along with two homage creations (Shine Despite Everything and Platinum Blend). This mix of reinvention and recollection provides a wonderful way to reference the past but through a modern lens. Platinum Blend celebrates London in the Roaring Twenties, which was a period when Atkinsons was enjoying major success. So, with the Charleston being energetically danced and the young set back in their diamond finery, are you ready to experience some scented joie de vivre?

Platinum Blend opens immediately with a delicious heliotrope accord, and its recognisable cherry-pie aroma, but there’s also a glittering diamond tartness from the bergamot. This then quickly welcomes the central “Balanis” ingredient. This synthetic molecule conjures notes of jasmine, golden saffron and liquorice, so you get delicious cocktail nuances coming through. Those Twenties vibes continue with a clove and sandalwood pairing, so the feeling of a young energy against a more traditional smoothness, before a dry cedarwood and patchouli bring you back to those well-worn dance floors. With a final touch of resinous labdanum and warming tonka bean, you’re ushered out into the moonlight with warmed bodies and lasting memories, before a gentle whisper of iris hints at the romantic London fog.

Platinum Blend is available from the Atkinsons website at atkinsons1799.com, and also Selfridges, priced at £230 for 100ml or as part of the Custom Sample Set priced at £10. [Sample provided by Aspects Beauty]