Number Six
Caswell Massey
Caswell-Massey is a storied American fragrance and grooming house founded in 1752 in Newport, Rhode Island, and is often cited as the country’s oldest continuously operating fragrance and personal-care brand. The company was founded by Scottish physician Dr. William Hunter who created its flagship scent, Number Six, introduced in 1772 and promoted as George Washington’s signature fragrance, as well as the longest continuously manufactured American fragrance. Another enduring classic, Jockey Club (launched 1840), is frequently associated with John F. Kennedy in Caswell-Massey’s own storytelling. Today, Caswell-Massey is privately owned by The Equitium Group and operates out of Edison, New Jersey, with a lineup that spans fine fragrances, triple-milled and bath soaps, candles, and a full suite of men’s grooming and shaving essentials.
Scent Description
Number Six dates to 1772, and you can smell that long lineage immediately. Its structure echoes the early citrus colognes that defined the genre, most famously Farina’s Eau de Cologne (1709): a brisk, high-voltage zesty opening, an aromatic herb thread, and a softly floral finish. Where classic Eau de Cologne often feels more rounded and nuanced, Number Six turns the brightness up even further. On skin it reads less “bergamot and neroli” and more a direct, lemon-forward blast, the kind of snap you get from traditional European splashes like Pitralon Classic or Epsilon’s Blue Mediterranean.
As the initial zing settles, rosemary adds a sublte herbal note and lavender arrives as a powdery floral veil, although both lighter than in many cologne archetypes, making the scent feel more straightforward and linear than multi-layered. In warm weather that simplicity can be a virtue: bright, refreshing, and unmistakably “just showered.” The one caution is that the cleanliness is assertive enough to flirt with an antiseptic edge, and in certain moments can nudge towards a clinical or medicinal feel.
Still, for fans of traditional citrus aromatics, Number Six delivers exactly what its history suggests: a crisp, nostalgic, old-world cologne character that feels neat, dignified, and time-tested.
Available For Purchase From
Scent Strength
9
Longevity
6
Scent Family
Fresh
Subtype
Citrus
Suitability
Daytime, Home, Work
Inspiration
Unique
Country of Origin
USA
Menthol
Non-menthol
Companion Products
EDP, Splash, Bar Soap
Base Description
The Caswell Massey shave soap base is somewhat unique in that it's a true cream, although denser and wetter than other well-known creams like Taylor of Old Bond Street or Castle Forbes. Upon lathering, it begins wet but requires significant hydration to gain volume at which point it becomes a dense yogurty paste, although never achieving a high loft. Glycerin aids glide, but overall slickness is on the lower end of most premium brands, as is cushion due to the modest volume. Where it shines is density due to its pasty wetness which feels substantial on the face. Vitamins E and A add antioxidant and renewal support, while aloe, chamomile, and allantoin help calm post-shave inflammation and encourage recovery. Thyme contributes mild antibacterial benefits, a nice touch for freshly shaved skin.
Lather Properties
Cushion
5
Density
7
Slickness
4
Stability
Lather Type
6
Yogurty
Base Type
Base Name
Vegan
Caswell Massey
Skin Food
Glycerin, Aloe, Vitamin E, Chamomile, Vitamin A, Allantoin, Thyme
Top Notes
Bergamot, Rosemary, White Narcissus
Heart Notes
Clove
Base Notes
Lavender
IIngredients
Water (Aqua), Myristic Acid, Glycerin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Stearic Acid, Fragrance (Parfum), Triethanolamine, Potassium Hydroxide, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Chamomilla Recitita (Matricaria) Flower Oil, Thymus Vulgaris (Thyme) Extract, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin E), Retinyl Palmitate (Vitamin A), Allantoin, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Lecithin, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Limonene, Linalool, Coumarin, Geraniol, Eugenol, Citral