Washington's Signature Scent
A Historic 1752 Apothecary Created George Washington's Signature Citrus Scent
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George Washington smelled like citrus, lavender, and rosemary — with a hint of musk underneath. His signature scent was "Cologne Number Six," made by a Rhode Island apothecary that is still selling the same formula today, more than 270 years later. NBC Bay Area reported the fragrance was one of 20 created by a Scottish physician named Dr. William Hunter, who founded his shop in Newport in 1752.
The story of Washington's cologne is really a story about image and power. For the first president, smelling good was not vanity. It was a statement that he was a gentleman — and a leader worth following.
How Washington First Got the Scent
According to company lore, the Marquis de Lafayette — Washington's French ally in the Revolutionary War — gifted him a crate of Cologne Number Six around 1780. Washington liked it so much that he kept ordering it directly from the Newport shop. He continued to do so even after becoming president in 1789.
The fragrance was a deliberate break from the heavy floral scents popular in Europe at the time. Caswell-Massey's creative director Nick Castaldo has said Number Six was "a revolutionary fragrance" that moved toward something "more crisp and botanical, fitting for a new republic." The formula uses roughly 27 distinct aromatics, with bergamot, rosemary, and neroli on top, and musk and amber underneath.
Washington Obsessed Over Appearance From a Young Age
Washington's focus on hygiene and presentation started early. At around age 16, he hand-copied a list of 110 etiquette rules from a French Jesuit manual called "The Rules of Civility and Decent Behavior in Company and Conversation." One rule told him to keep his nails and teeth clean. Another said every action in company should show respect for those present.
He also hated wigs — a common fashion of his era. Instead, he grew his own hair long and powdered it white. That powder was often scented with rosemary or lavender, which happened to match the notes in his favorite cologne. His grooming routine was carefully built and carefully maintained, according to NBC Miami.
Cologne Was a Hygiene Tool, Not Just a Luxury
In the 1700s, full-body bathing with water was rare. Many people believed it opened the skin to disease. Gentlemen instead used "dry washing" — scrubbing the skin with linen cloths — and applied cologne heavily to cover body odor. For Washington, Cologne Number Six served a practical purpose as much as a social one.
Owning a fine imported fragrance also signaled wealth. Washington was a "prolific consumer" who regularly ordered fine goods to maintain the dignity of his office, according to curators at his historic home, Mount Vernon. His cologne was part of what historians call his "theatre of leadership" — the deliberate performance of power through appearance.
A 270-Year-Old Formula Still on Sale Today
The apothecary Washington ordered from is still in business. In 1833, two men named John Rose Caswell and William Massey bought the shop, giving it the name Caswell-Massey. The company still sells the original Number Six formula. A 100ml bottle of the Heritage Edition currently costs $160. NBC Boston noted the brand has become a centerpiece of American "heritage luxury" retail.
The fragrance gives modern buyers a rare, tangible connection to history. As one fragrance historian put it, Washington smelled "bright and medicinal" — a sharp contrast to the smoky, livestock-heavy world around him. For anyone curious, the answer to "What did George Washington smell like?" is a $160 bottle away.
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