Upper Ten by Lubin c2015

"Upper Ten Thousand", or simply, "The Upper Ten", is a 19th-century phrase referring to the wealthiest 10,000 residents of New York City. The phrase was coined in 1844 by American poet and author Nathaniel Parker Willis. At the time, the term spurred several perfumery companies to release their own "Upper Ten" fragrances, including Lubin.

Formularies from the mid-19th century offered various Upper Ten recipes that apothecaries and perfumeries could produce. These formulas generally followed the same recipe and included the same ingredients in varying degrees:

• Top notes: citron oil, lemon oil, orange oil, bergamot oil, geranium
• Middle notes: rose, jasmine, orange blossom, orris, cassie, violet
• Base notes: ambergris, musk, civet, rosemary, vanilla

Lubin probably released their version in about 1850 or so, and was a scent that could be worn by both men and women. Upper Ten was a popular scent throughout the Victorian and Edwardian eras, but might have been deemed too old fashioned by the 1920s period and was most likely discontinued at that time.

Fragrance Composition:

Lubin revived the name Upper Ten when they released a new men's fragrance in 2015. Created by Thomas Fontaine, it was classified as a floral woody musk fragrance for men. It is only available in one size, a 100ml (160 €) Eau de Parfum Spray.

• Top notes: bay rose, cardamom, pink pepper, juniper berry, saffron and bergamot
• Middle notes: cinnamon, peach, orange blossom and geranium essence
• Base notes: sandalwood, leather, cedar, white musk, amber and patchouli

 

From Lubin:

"No one, before they changed the world, had imagined a New Civilization born solely of audacity. 10,000 men had, one morning, like millions of others, left their homelands for Freedom. They had no hope of return. But unlike their fellow travelers, the dreams they carried were larger than life. Dreading no obstacle, they would celebrate every moment of their lives. Within 100 years, they built a country where nothing is set forever: the United States of America. They became: The “Upper Ten”."

In 2016, Lubin released Upper Ten for Her. Created by Delphine Thierry, it is classified as a floral amber fragrance for women. The fragrance is available in 50ml (106,00 €) and 100ml (148,00 €) Eau de Parfum Sprays.

• Top notes: Isabella grapes, elemi resin, wormwood and bergamot
• Middle notes: raspberry liqueur, Sichuan pepper and Bulgarian rose
• Base notes: frankincense, dark chocolate, precious woods and amber

From Lubin:

"Marion skims through the Gotham City night in her sleek Duesenberg, kicking up her heels and sipping bootleg cocktails at the Ziegfeld Follies and whisky at the Savoy. She dances the Lindy Hop then strikes languorous poses, smoking Turkish cigarettes while Sweetheart pouts sulkily – but life’s too short, and there are so many parties to go to! ‘Upper Ten for Her’ is the fragrance that lingers in the wake of these stylish flappers during their extravagant evenings on the town."

These modern fragrances do not appear to have an resemblance to the classic Upper Ten formulas of the Victorian era, save for the men's formula which does have several of the traditional ingredients (bergamot, orange blossom, geranium, musk, amber), but times are always changing and perfume companies need to keep up.