Weil pour Homme (original)
Weil (1980)

This is quite proper. It wears tweed, a bow tie, and sensible Oxfords. A progressive thinker with a conservative disposition, this gent switches from classical to jazz when feeling frisky, he'll intently watch Open Mind on PBS but his guilty pleasure is British sitcoms. Weil Pour Homme is a trustee, a benefactor, and a patron. Opening up with aldehydes pushing forward grey-mauve hues, I discern citruses infused with lavender and rosemary, it soon settles into one of my favorite pairings: geranium and carnation. This duo was all the rage at the time, and here, it gives me the urge to thumb through old magazines. Yes, the smell reminds me of 70s issues of Harper's Magazine or Life, featuring ads for Saratoga cigarettes.

This is so lovably stuffy, I feel so bookish and square, I can't escape the notion that I am going to get lost in Tess of the d'Urbervilles as I begin to feel my skin manifesting a fine shaving soap and my body warming an oily, musty leather recliner, molding into it like very satisfied gelatin in a smoking jacket. At around page 510, I am a musky, wooden mass of contentment. This would be featured in my Top 10 fragrances to wear to your local library. I freaking love it.

The sort of thing worn by men in brown suits when negotiating Pay and Conditions in smoke filled rooms.
Bel Ami did it better, but that's not saying much.

*Not to be confused with the 2004 version to which this bares no resemblance*

After a brief burst of alcohol, Weil Pour Homme settles comfortably into a melange of citrus, lavender, and basil. The dry-down has loads of oakmoss, some cedar, and leather. It has a big soapy vibe at the end, like a bar of quality old school soap... Taylor Of London For Gentlemen comes to mind. It's all inoffensive and office-friendly, in the old school way Guerlain Vetiver is, if that makes sense.

Projection is low and longevity is decent. It's getting very hard to find these days, but well worth a look.

Masculinity Level: Batman wouldn't wear this, but Alfred would.

Weil pour homme is a good old school aromatic/herbal fougere. In the manner of Monsieur Rochas but not as well implemented upon development Paco Rabanne echoes as well.
The first 30 mn are a bit unsettling, could be from the age of my mini but Foetidus corroborates.
Early vintage mini

This is a review of the original 1980 production with the red cap. WPH is crusty, a little conservative, and lies somewhere between the geographically named fragrances of Capucci Punjab and Desprez's Versailles. As has been mentioned in a previous review, it has an unceasing oleaginous quality that will repel all but the hardiest of wearers. I have a soft spot for this musty leather and herb laced dreadnought, but the fact that a couple of miniatures have lasted me well over a decade will probably tell its own story.

Visiting my friend Marcel in his hospital bed the other day, I was pleased to see that he seemed to have slightly recovered his health and his spirits. "I must tell you, mon cher Nitram," he informed me eagerly, "I have latterly made the discovery of Weil Pour Homme. An old school fragrance, if you like, but you know that I do like that sort of thing. It puts me in mind slightly of Cellini by Faberge, although the analogy is far from exact, Weil Pour Homme being somewhat drier, more haughty and more subdued. But Weil Pour Homme has something of the same overture of citrus and herbs, and something of that same rather delightful resinous quality. Its later developments are definitively smooth, warm and distinguished, in some ways like an expensive masculine soap, yet still with that herbal and resinous resonance. For some reason, it rather reminds me of the interior of a Bentley limousine. A rather traditional, elegant gentleman's cologne, to be sure. But, if you will excuse me now, I really must eat up this tapioca pudding which these kind nurses have put before me. I hope to see you soon."

EDIT: Weil Pour Homme Old and New: So as not to mislead potential purchasers, I should say that my review was for the older version of Weil Pour Homme (bottle with a large maroon 'W' on front and maroon plastic cap). The newer currently available version, relaunched in 2004, I believe, (squarish bottle with silver cap and faint horizontal silver lines on bottle) is a different, and to my nose, less delightful affair, having been reformulated. Lemon, lime and lavender have disappeared from the topnotes, to be replaced by pineapple. Lavender has been transposed to the midnotes and nutmeg added to them, although basil and jasmine still remain. The basenotes are also different, sandalwood replacing cedarwood, and tonka being omitted.
The newer Weil Pour Homme is still quite a nice, subtle, elegant scent but lacks the rather delightful resinous and soapy quality which I liked so much in the older version, especially in the basenotes. The basenotes of the newer version are an altogether more weak and boring affair, to my nose. Any comparison, however partial, with the excellent, discontinued Cellini by Faberge is completely inappropriate for the newer version.

Very nice opening–a close-to-elegant citrus and lavender. It would be truly elegant if it weren't for the slight oily feel to it. The aldehydes do not seem to be very prominent, but it is a very winning opening. The mid notes are very typical of the 80's fragrances and are done as well as most of the others; it's a green / slightly herbal accord that is a little too old school “cologny.” I myself am not put off by this because this is what I used to think colognes were all about, but it does seem out of date now, and I doubt that I would be happy wearing it. The mid notes eventually settle down a little to a close-to-the-skin green / herbal experience that is still cologny, and it reminds me of Paco Rabanne Pour Homme. The dry down doesn't really lose that cologny tang because the leather, tonka, and labdanum are not strong enough to smooth out the accord–the accord remains sharply mossy / cedary and is in need of mellowing out. I don't mind this scent so much, but I think many would find it too old school; and if one wants old school, I think there are better choices.

Somewhere between Generic-Zegna mod elegant and Salvador Dali PH (yes, the one with the lips) very good development. An elegant and little known frag.