The Scent of Departure

Probably the 20 cities essenced and bottled in the Scent of Departure unisex cologne line are real-life olfactory dreams. Mmm, Jovial Munich, hinting of fat yeasty pretzels and vats of malt and hops. Spicy Budapest, with its chicken paprikash meandering through the breeze. Who doesn't want to smell like Hefeweizen and homemade Eastern European dinner?

Yeah...I wouldn't either. Which is why The Scent of Departure's entire concept seems like a bit of a risk, even if all of its releases prove to be schnoz-friendly. I mean, do pleasant thoughts come to mind when news breaks that 1.7-ounce concentrated servings of metropolitan area smells are now available for purchase? Anyone ever heard of the Tacoma aroma?

But I suppose the allure of Eau d'International Travel Destination is just that. These are cities people descend upon in droves because they have, in one way or another, been kissed by magnificence. Because they merit a condensed and liquified alter ego. And thanks to Scent of Departure, those of us who have been to some of the greatest cities on earth can now inhale the spirit of our experiences whenever we want, while those of us who haven't can use colognes as our metaphorical tunnels to China.

Just a few spritzes of Paris, and we'll smell the white flowers and delicate leaves doe-eyed romantics take in as they walk the gardens of the Tuileries. A quick mist of Tokyo, and we're transported to a world of exotic flora and citrus splashes Armani-suited businessmen enjoy over a bowl of udon soup and mental calculations of the yen pouring in from the sales of their pee batteries. Or a wash of Abu Dhabi, and we're suddenly lost in the bergamot and light brushes of jasmine Odie smells from inside the FedEx store.

Follow the link below to see a listing of the 20 Scent of Departure cities. All use a melange of natural perfumes to build their distinct and distinguished aromas, except the Los Angeles cologne, which is crushingly perfect, but 100% fake.