Bond No. 9 — Wall Street
Essence
Wall Street is David Apel’s 2004 Bond No. 9 aquatic, built around cucumber, seaweed, salt air, musk, and ambergris. Its unusual marine drydown makes it one of the house’s clearest love-or-scrub propositions.
Scent Profile
Lemon and mint meet watery cucumber in a crisp, airy opening. The heart becomes colder and more ozonic, with sea water and a metallic saline edge. Musk, ambergris, amber, and a briny seaweed undertone dominate the long drydown.
Performance
This is a strong, long-lasting EDP. It projects most in the first hour and can remain noticeable the next morning, which makes the seaweed accord a consequential part of the wear.
Wearing Context
Spring and summer daytime, business casual, and outdoor wear fit it best. It is genuinely unisex and more professional than seductive; keep sprays controlled in close settings.
Comparisons & DNA
Creed Millesime Imperial and Erolfa locate its salty-fresh idiom, though Wall Street is soapier and more synthetic. Sean John Unforgivable shares part of its opening lineage. Kenneth Cole Reaction and Nautica Voyage place it in the mid-2000s aquatic boom.
Reception
It is deeply divisive. Fans value its distinctive waterfront realism and strength; opponents find the seaweed phase fishy, damp, or dog-like. The boutique price makes sampling essential.
Versions & Reformulation
The original EDP has remained in production since 2004, with no documented reformulation. Note lists vary beyond the core citrus, cucumber, seaweed, sea-water, musk, ambergris, and amber structure.
Acquisition Notes
It remains sold through the house and department stores. Its refillable star bottle appeals to collectors, but a sample is the safest route. The composition is best understood through its full evolution on skin, rather than a note list alone.
Notable Facts & Lore
- It was marketed as the world’s first securities parfum.
- The black bottle uses NYC-transit-logo styling.
- A recurring but unverified story links it to Barack Obama.
- Many wearers repeat the idea that it smells like literal cash.