Extra-Vieille by Roger & Gallet, much more than just Cologne...

Both chic and universal, and oh-so French in the design of its bottle, Extra-Vieille eau de Cologne by Roger & Gallet is an integral part of our collective and olfactive memory.

by François Garnier . 14/02/02

Based on citrus, orange and rustic notes, this light and stimulating fragrance symbolizes a highly sought-after simple and informal lifestyle. It's the "me-smell-good" of pampered French children, who get a good dab from a cotton ball soaked in this classic fragrance. Among the continual rush of new juices that have invaded the market over the past fifty years, Extra-Vieille is in a class of its own. Indeed, Extra-Vieille is the only eau de Cologne distributed everywhere from supermarkets and drugstores to upscale perfume shops. Yet this affects neither its reputation for quality nor its image of excellence. Its generous use by both genders and all generations is more of a "for yourself" ritual, rather than an outward manifestation of seduction with a fragrance. Unlike many other perfumes and eaux de toilette, where the emphasis is on the top and base notes, Extra-Vieille is more of a middle- and top-note fragrance.

A prestigious history

In 1695, Giovanni Paolo Feminis settled in Cologne, having first invented Acqua Mirabilis (Miraculous water) in Italy. The formula was composed of Esprit-de-vin (alcohol extracted from wine through distillation), melissa, rosemary, and essences of bergamot, neroli, citron and lemon. Feminis passed the formula on to Giovanni Paolo Farina, a Piedmontese distiller, who then gave it to his nephew Giovanni Maria. An ambitious and inventive man, Giovanni Maria Farina filed a patent application at the Cologne faculty of medicine in 1727. And Eau de Cologne was born. Back then, it was believed to have therapeutic virtues: a concoction just like the health elixirs one drank without restraint. With the invention of caster sugar in the 19th century, the famous Farina dipped sugar, (lump of sugar dipped in Extra-Vieille as a tonic) became very popular. In 1806, at the age of 21, Giovanni Maria Farina moved to Paris, to 333 rue Saint Honoré. Promoted to the position of official supplier to Empress Josephine, he also became the supplier to the royal families of England, Spain, Belgium and Russia.

A very good year

The 19th century saw the emergence of major perfumers supported by the industrial bourgeoisie. Armand Roger and Charles Gallet took over Farina's formula in 1862 and developed the brand by launching skin-care and make-up products. The maturation process, specific to Extra-Vieille, was explained in journals and magazines, just like the steps in wine-making. An increasing portion of the population began to use Eau de Cologne. Over the course of its history, Roger & Gallet's Eau de Cologne has come in twenty bottles in different styles and shapes, depending on the trends of the time. The 1895 bottle, wrapped in a wicker jacket, was re-released in a limited edition in 1999.
Today, half of the million bottles of Extra-Vieille produced each year are destined for exportation. Outside France, Roger & Gallet enjoys great notoriety. Very attached to the world of toiletries, most British subjects cherish the famous round soaps invented way back in 1872. Unusual in shape, the cakes of soap are made using a unique, traditional technique, which perfumes them "in the heart". Wrapped in pleated tissue paper with a colorful band around it, they become an affordable luxury. In South American countries, people buy Extra-Vieille by the quart to splash it on before dancing in the sun.