Created by Javier Serra and launched in 1949, English Leather was a staple in every man's medicine chest in the 1960s. It packs a bit of a punch but dries down into a spicy chypre leather fragrance. This one takes me back immediately as, like a lot of other people, my father wore this one.

From one of their ads:

"You know that girl who says, “All my men wear English Leather, every one of them?” Well, I’m one of her men. Now, I know she dates other guys. So what. I go with other girls. Some like my English Leather After Shave. Some like Wind Drift, others like English Leather Cologne. That’s how it goes. And me? I like them all. Because all my women like English Leather. Every one of them."

And another of their ads from 1972:

"For a dollar you can find out what kind of man he is. Who is he? Steady guy...brother...father...teacher...guru? Whatever, this is a great deal. Send us a dollar and we’ll send you a set of four English Leather fragrances that cost you $2.00 if bought individually (Oh my gosh, they were only 50 cents each!!) Let your guy try then all: English Leather (a classic clean, honest aroma); Lime (smell great while you keep your cool); Wind Drift (it’s like splashing on a wave after a shave); and Timberline (it brings the outdoors, indoors). Then he can decide for himself which he likes (and you like). Or maybe he’ll like them all. In which case you’ve really solved your gift giving problems for a long time to come. And you’ll find a full line of English Leather grooming gear at all better stores in all four great fragrances. So why not fill out of the coupon now and send it on. The quicker you do the quicker you’ll find out what kind of guy he is."

MEM was founded in Vienna in 1883. The company moved to the US in the late 1940s and was eventually purchased by Renaissance Cosmetics in 1996.

English Leather is still available for purchase and is distributed by Renaissance Cosmetics.

We are decanting out of a bottle of cologne from the 1960s.