"Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which loveliness arises." – Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Being an Irish police officer, it wouldn't be difficult for someone to guess that my favorite holiday is St. Patrick's Day. But being a fragrance-loving Irish police officer, I know that March is more than a time for green beer, it's a perfect time for green fragrances! In more time than it takes to march up Fifth Avenue from 44th Street to Central Park, I rummaged through my collection and carefully selected my favorite green scents of all time. Can I get a drumroll from the NYPD Emerald Society Pipes and Drums, please? Here we go:

10. Black March (2006) from CB I Hate Perfume

Christopher Brosius' ultra realistic, yet wearable, interpretation of winter into spring. This haunting scent, inspired by a March burial, conjures images of new buds emerging from thawing earth. Others may perceive the dankness of a long-abandoned greenhouse, or the first drops of rain falling on snow, as the composition slowly reveals its floral heart. As brilliant as it is heartbreaking, Black March is an ode to both life and death. 

9. Green Man (2012) from Skye Botanicals (Monica Miller)

As part of last year's DevilScent Project, wherein a number of popular perfumers created fragrances inspired by Sheila Eggenberger's novel Quantum Demonology, Monica Miller, a/k/a the Perfume Pharmer, takes us deep into the forest as we chase the mythical Green Man. Known for her palette of natural ingredients, Ms. Miller paints a forest of color and light: fir absolute, peppermint, tuberose, clary sage, and geranium. Sandalwood, labdanum and frankincense provide a sense of serenity and calm, yet no one knows exactly what's lurking behind the next tree. A stunner!

8. Vetiver (1961) from Guerlain

If you think you're too young or too cool to wear this 1961 classic, you just wait. The day will come when you realize that Guerlain's green monster is all that we old fogies say it is. 

7. The Bug (2012) from Gorilla Perfumes/ Lush

I recently learned that when Mark and Simon Constantine of Gorilla Perfumes/ Lush composed The Bug (as part of a bold line of new releases), they were inspired by music, disconnect, paranoia, big brother, and civil unrest. Knowing this, it is clear that the titular "bug" is a reference to an Orweillian surveillance tap, yet, had I been unaware of this background story, I would have guessed this uber-green composition is an innocuous reference to an insect. I'd imagine that this would be how the world smells from an insect's point of view: sweet green grass (acres of it), a touch of dirt, tree and plant resins (huge doses of galbanum and elemi) and a woody base. Like the rest of Gorilla's new line, The Bug takes a bit of time before it's understood (I'll concede to their vision of disconnect), but it's well worth the effort. 

6. Forest Walk (2012) from Sonoma Scent Studio

This is Laura Erickson's woodland reverie; a captivating composition that takes us silently into a lush, blooming and tranquil forest. Despite a few drops of black hemlock, there is nothing unsettling about this forest, there is no danger here (not even a mosquito), simply a meditative stroll on a perfect day. It's merely you, the forest, and an opportunity to journey through a place where plants, trees and animals are no longer attached to encyclopedic words. Ms. Erickson has taken us to the space between words.  

5. No. 19 (1971) from Chanel

There's a wintry chill that rustles the greenery in this masterpiece from Chanel. Refined and confident, No.19 takes no prisoners, be it in the jungle or the boardroom. 

4. Eau Sauvage Parfum (2012) from Christian Dior

The buttoned-up gents of Mad Men just got a little madder in this dark reinterpretation of the 1960's classic. Perhaps my favorite designer scent of last year, Eau Sauvage Parfum is a dignified, classy affair with a touch of the Mad Hatter's Tea party.

3. Cologne (2001) from Thierry Mugler

Thierry Mugler created this one based on the memory of a soap he used as a child, Cologne is a happy escape from the problems of the adult world. A bright and clean vetiver, this electric green concoction could be used to wean someone off of Prozac. 

2. Memoir Man (2010) from Amouage

The darkest, most mysterious fragrance I ever smelled. Brilliantly conceived and executed, Memoir Man and Woman were inspired by the concept of The Black Swan, the black shadow of one's alter-ago. Wormwood, tobacco, leather, incense, smoky woody take us deep into a sinister landscape, be it a haunted forest or a moonlit city skyline.

1. Green Irish Tweed (1985) from Creed

When it came to the number one spot, I originally expected the stunning Memoir Man to take the prize. However, several days ago, I felt the first hints of spring in the air and I decided to break out the old Green Irish Tweed. One inhale of GIT's opening and a big smile spread across my red Irish face. This is Ronan Tynan's Danny Boy. This is a vast, dewy green Irish countryside under a cloudless sky. This is first days of spring after a long hard winter. Wherever you're from, this is home. 

–Michael Devine, Contributor