# Crabtree & Evelyn — Hungary Water Eau de Cologne > Hungary Water Eau de Cologne is a 2013 limited-edition, now-discontinued unisex cologne from Crabtree & Evelyn's 40th-anniversary Heritage Collection. A rosemary-centered aromatic-fresh splash, it exp ## Essence Hungary Water Eau de Cologne is a 2013 limited-edition, now-discontinued unisex cologne from Crabtree & Evelyn's 40th-anniversary Heritage Collection. A rosemary-centered aromatic-fresh splash, it explicitly references the medieval L'Eau de la Reine d'Hongrie — one of Europe's earliest alcohol-based perfumes — and updates that 14th-century rosemary tonic with pink pepper, spearmint, cypress and geranium over a soft amber-sandalwood-musk base. ## Scent Profile The opening is a big herbal-floral whiff dominated by rosemary, carrying a rose-water nuance and sharpened by pink pepper and cool spearmint. It reads bright and bracing, the classic gesture of a traditional cologne rather than a modern designer top. The heart stays herbaceous and green — rosemary, cypress and geranium — keeping the composition crisp and bitter-fresh. Within the lineage of the older Crabtree Hungary Water, the style has been described as very sharp and bitter, a milder cousin of Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet. The base is a soft amber-sandalwood-musk that lends a gentle, faintly sensual finish. Built on volatile aromatics in an eau-de-cologne concentration, the fragrance is likely near-linear, so the rosemary-spearmint freshness with its peppery lift is the through-line rather than any dramatic development. ## Performance Performance reports are thin and divided. One engaged wearer describes excellent sillage and longevity, re-spraying only every six to eight hours and drawing compliments, while the cologne format and broader heritage-cologne norms point toward lighter, shorter wear for many. The reasonable expectation is typical eau-de-cologne behavior — fresh and bright but potentially fleeting — with the understanding that at least one user found it markedly stronger. ## Wearing Context This is a warm-weather, daytime, casual cologne: light, bright and fresh, well suited to crisp summer days and morning or refresher use. Its rosemary-forward aromatic character is genuinely unisex; one reviewer noted her boyfriend wore it too. It rewards anyone who likes classic eau-de-cologne splashes and does not pretend to be an evening or cold-weather scent. ## Comparisons & DNA - Penhaligon's Blenheim Bouquet is the closest stylistic anchor — the older Crabtree Hungary Water was likened to a milder, sharp-bitter cousin of it. - The broader DNA is the historical Hungary Water genre of rosemary-driven aromatic colognes, interpreted by various houses and in Aqua Mirabilis reconstructions. - Histoires de Parfums and other niche houses offer rosemary-citrus takes in the same lineage. - Within Crabtree's own 2013 Heritage Collection it sits beside the colognes Neapolitan Bergamot, Sevillian Neroli and Old Windsor. ## Reception Coverage is limited and mixed, so consensus is weak. The recurring theme among owners is the comparison between formulations: Crabtree made more than one version of Hungary Water over the years, and several feel the 2013/2014 Heritage edition is a watered-down, less rosemary-pronounced take versus an older, more distinctly fresh original — one owner was rather disappointed that the rosemary was so watered down, another said it was nowhere close to the scent of the original. Defenders still find it enchanting, uplifting and crisp. As a blind buy it is not well supported either way given its scarcity; it appeals mainly to rosemary and cologne enthusiasts and to Crabtree collectors. ## Versions & Reformulation Crabtree & Evelyn produced Hungary Water across more than one era: a version is catalogued as far back as 1975, and owners describe a distinct older formulation predating the 2013 Heritage relaunch. The catalog entry is the 2013 Heritage Collection cologne, a 40th-anniversary limited edition, with owners reporting a 2014 batch perceived as weaker in rosemary. Customer-service inquiries reportedly met confusion about the differing formulations. It is now discontinued. ## Acquisition Notes This is a discontinued limited edition, available now only through secondhand channels, typically in 100 ml bottles that retailed for about $88 at the 2013 launch. No counterfeit-prevalence or batch-code guidance was found, which suits its scarcity. Buyers should be wary of unauthorized recreation sellers marketing a Hungary Water type, and should verify the formulation era when buying secondhand, since owners report meaningful differences between the older and 2013/2014 versions. ## Notable Facts & Lore - The concept rests on documented perfume history: Hungary water was one of the first alcohol-based perfumes in Europe, built primarily on rosemary. - Legend holds it first appeared outside Hungary in 1370 when Charles V of France received some, formulated for Queen Elizabeth of Hungary, identified as Elizabeth of Poland. - That queen supposedly owed her beauty and longevity to the rosemary tonic, the source of its eternal-youth myth. - Crabtree & Evelyn's marketing leans directly on the promise-of-eternal-youth legend, framing rosemary as the ingredient at the heart of the original tonic. - It launched in October 2013 as part of the brand's 40th-anniversary Heritage Collection. - The collection sourced botanicals such as Spanish neroli, Italian bergamot and Sicilian lemon, reflecting founder Cy Harvey's ethos to explore everything and keep the best.