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Greetings, gentleman. For the last week, I have decided to go for something a little sporty and wear Lacoste White, otherwise known as Lacoste Blanc, Eau de Lacoste L.12.12 or White Lacoste (pick whichever one you like best as they are all the same thing). For this article, I’ll refer to it as Lacoste White for simplicity. Now, if you love a polo shirt and a bit of tennis, you will like this one. Lacoste White is considered a woody aromatic fragrance for men, released in 2011.
A bit of history here for you guys. The Lacoste brand was founded in 1933 by the man himself, French Tennis Player Jean René Lacoste. His polo shirts, with the signature crocodile logo, were a game-changer for what tennis players wore during matches at the time. According to the company, they were the first example of a brand name appearing outside an article of clothing. Why the crocodile? The American press first gave René Lacoste the nickname “the Crocodile” after he bet his team captain a crocodile-skin suitcase that he would win his match.
Back to the fragrance…
I’ve bought a couple of bottles of this stuff over the years, and it never disappoints. There are a few other flankers in the lineup, which I’ll also briefly discuss later. This one, however, is my favourite of the bunch by far, but is it the right one for you? Well, that depends on your tastes and needs, of course. Nevertheless, here is my humble opinion for what it’s worth.
Price and where to buy
It’s available everywhere online and in-store, so no worries there at all. I have noticed the price creeping up slowly in recent years.
When it comes to getting the best deal, your best bet is almost always the discounters — especially when they’re running coupon codes. And the one that’s never let me down is FragranceX.
They ship worldwide, they only deal in authentic stock, and they’ve got a solid 30-day return policy, which keeps things risk-free.
Prices do move around (sometimes daily, especially during holiday sales), so it’s always worth checking the current deal. 👇
Appearance and Presentation
Now I am a polo shirt man all the way, and I have been for some years now. They form part of my spring/summer uniform, and I wear them more or less daily during those seasons. I love this bottle design because it actually reminds me of a fresh, clean, crisp polo shirt. It even has the fabric crocodile logo stuck to the front of the bottle.
It has an almost irresistible minimalist aesthetic and looks great on the shelf. If Apple made fragrances, I imagine it looking something like this.
The Notes
Top Notes – Grapefruit, Rosemary, Cardamom
Middle Notes – Ylang-Ylang, Tuberose
Base Notes – Suede, Virginia Cedar, Leather, Vetiver
Thoughts about the notes
The initial blast of freshness with the prominent citrus top notes in the opening certainly grabs your attention. As it progresses into the middle, the white florals begin to surface, giving it a casual cleanliness, and that is essentially what this fragrance is all about. It has a refined modernistic sweetness with slight tinges of greenery, which, although on paper, may sound somewhat feminine, is quite the opposite.
Regarding the base, I can pick up on the woods but not the suede or leather. I am still determining how they ended up on the note list, though it may be just my nose not picking up on those.
Unfortunately, Lacoste fragrances have a slight reputation for being boring and predictable, which I understand. Regardless, this is still a beautiful-smelling fragrance. My nose never seems to grow weary of it, and it’s always enjoyable for me.
Compliments
It’s the ideal casual/energetic fragrance that anyone of any age can start wearing and immediately get results. It’s highly likeable and inoffensive, guaranteed to get you compliments. A few guys in the office have asked me what fragrance I am wearing recently, which is always a good sign. The wife is also a fan.
Is it masculine?
As I said before, don’t be put off by the sweet floral notes because this fragrance has a clean and fresh masculine vibe, without a doubt. So yes, it is.
Performance
The performance is average to slightly above average. It is not a powerhouse, but it will do the job for the best part of the day. You can expect it to project moderately for roughly 2 hours, and most people within about arm’s length will be able to pick up on it. It will then remain close to the skin for the remaining 2-3 hours of its life before fading. It’s what you would typically expect from a designer EDT.
Want to try this fragrance on your skin?
If you’d prefer to sample it first, these are my two favourite
and most reliable places to get authentic decants:
When to wear
Freshies like these can literally be worn any time of year and are suitable for all weather conditions. Having said that, if you want the best reception and performance out of this, you will want to wear it primarily in the spring and summertime.
This is also a fragrance that is principally best suited for daywear. You could wear it in the evening, no problem, but better options are available. Spicy, oriental or woody scents tend to be more complementary to that setting.
Where to wear
Again, this is a universal allrounder and will work for any occasion as it is so inoffensive. It would be appropriate for casual social events, office or gym wear. You don’t need to overthink this one; just spray and go.
Flankers
I mentioned at the start that this one had a “few” flankers, although admittedly, that probably was an understatement. In fact, it’s had more flankers than you’ve had hot dinners, so I’ll touch on some of them and give you my thoughts. Here they are.
Lacoste L12.12 Magnetic (the blue one) This is a fresh, aromatic fragrance with similarities to the original in some areas, although it doesn’t have the same mass appeal. The bamboo and violate notes, in particular, make it stand out, giving it a degree of sophistication. I like this one, although it perhaps is more of an acquired taste for some.
Lacoste L12.12 Jaune (the yellow one) This is my favourite of the flankers, and it is a great scent for spring or summertime (second only to the original). It’s a bright, sparkly, citrusy scent. It has a lemony tonic water vibe with some woods in the base that has an overall vitalising quality to it. I would not hesitate to recommend this one, so go and check it out.
Lacoste L12.12 Blanc Eau Intense One of the more recent releases and in a similar fashion to all Lacoste fragrances, it’s a freshie and generally well-balanced. This one has a green, citrusy aromatic character with mandarin, orange, and turmeric notes in the composition. Again, it’s great for spring and summertime (no surprise there) and doesn’t disappoint.
Lacoste L12.12 Blanc Eau de Parfum Much like the EDT, the opening is citrusy, although finger lime is used here instead of grapefruit. It is fundamentally a green/leafy fragrance mixed with some woods and spices in the base. It has more depth and sophistication than the EDT, with less emphasis on the sweet, flowery notes and more on the woods. It has the same versatility as the others, although less casual and sporty.
There are too many flankers to discuss here, so I will leave it there for now, as this article is getting too long. Let’s move on.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Fantastic for spring and summertime
- Good balance of citrus and floral notes
- Clean, fresh and energising
- Pleasant and distinctively masculine
- Extremely versatile, suited for all occasions, seasons and weather conditions
- Inoffensive crowdpleaser
- Great compliment puller
- Excellent value for money
- Never gets old
Cons
- It could be considered generic and predictable
- Lacks depth and sophistication in parts
- Other fragrances have similar compositions
Conclusion
So there you have it, guys; this fragrance comes highly recommended by me and is well worth your time. Remember to let me know your thoughts and experiences with this one in the comments below. If you are in the market for a fresh woody scent like Lacoste White, be sure to check out some of my other recent reviews on fragrances I recommend, such as Nautica Voyage, Boss Bottled Night, Calvin Klein Eternity and F by Ferragamo Free Time by Salvatore Ferragamo.
READY TO GRAB THIS FRAGRANCE?
If you’re ready to add this to your collection, here are two reliable places to check:
- FragranceX – usually the best prices, discount codes, and a wide selection. They also ship worldwide.
- Amazon – great if you prefer Prime delivery speed, just make sure to buy from a trusted seller.
👉 Pick the option that works best for you.
No matter where you’re reading from, smell good, spend smart.
WANT TO FAST-TRACK ALL OF THIS STUFF?
I put together The Ultimate Fragrance Cheat Sheet—a no-fluff guide that covers everything from notes and families to shopping smart and applying like a pro.
It’s built for guys who want to smell sharp without overthinking it.