Bond No 9 New York Musk

The Bottle

New York Musk covers a teal sculptural body in dense gold cursive, making the bottle feel almost like a piece of oversized calligraphy. Angled sides and a wide matching oval cap give the outline an eccentric liveliness, while the small NYC medallion anchors the decoration near the lower right. The lettering can become difficult to read, and it is certainly busier than the house's cleaner releases. That excess is also what makes it memorable. New York Musk suits a shelf that welcomes colour and ornament, rather than one built around discreet perfume bottles.

Original or Clone

The bottle gives New York Musk a strong claim to attention. Its woody, musky and powdery character has prompted two houses to attempt interpretations, making this release a recognised reference rather than an obscure target. That activity says nothing about how closely either interpretation resembles it, but it does establish a reason to take the original seriously. For readers deciding between them, the original is the more defensible choice when the bottle and the fragrance’s standing matter.