The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
The official inspiration pulls from a specific moment: 1925 Chicago, a billiard room inside the Press Club, where journalists and social buccaneers gathered to chase the next scoop. The aroma of woods and spices drifting over the table, celebrities and sharp-witted orators trading stories late into the night. Perfumer Michelle Bruckmann translated that atmosphere into fragrance, not through literal recreation, but through the materials that would have existed in that world. Artemisia's bitter herbalism. Rosemary's green heat. Bergamot's citrus brightness. A composition that captures the feeling of being in the room when something important is happening.
The combination of wormwood and bergamot is unusual, typically bergamot appears in fresher, more benign compositions. Here it serves a different purpose: citrus that doesn't smile. It cuts. Artemisia, also known as wormwood, brings a mineral bitterness that evokes ink and tobacco rather than any pleasant aromatherapy. The heart of cypress and saffron is where the vintage character deepens, dry, slightly medicinal woodiness meeting saffron's honeyed spice. Cloves add the kind of aromatic heat that suggests a room full of people, conversation, and the particular warmth of bodies in close proximity. This is not a solitary fragrance. It's built for the opposite.
The evolution
The opening announces itself within seconds, bergamot's citrus brightness immediately tempered by artemisia's bitter herbaceousness. Rosemary follows, adding green heat that sharpens the edges. The first thirty minutes are the most confrontational: fresh, green, almost medicinal. Then the hand-off begins. Cypress emerges from the heart, bringing dry woodiness that replaces the green sharpness with something more settled. Saffron and clove arrive together, adding warmth and spice that slow everything down. By the second hour, the composition has transformed from sharp and green to warm and amber-laden. The drydown belongs to frankincense and amber, a resinous, slightly smoky warmth that stays close to the skin. Respected by enthusiasts for its vintage-inspired complexity, the fragrance maintains a loyal following among those who appreciate its distinctive character.
Cultural impact
Press Club joins Blocki's Heritage collection, a line of fragrances inspired by true stories behind original Blocki compositions from the early 1900s. The 2023 release channels 1925 Chicago journalism through an aromatic, amber, fresh spicy, and woody lens. Bergamot, rosemary, artemisia, cypress, saffron, and clove make up the core, materials that connect to the American masculine perfumery tradition without imitating it. The 50 ml Heritage bottle sits at a moderate price point, positioning this as an accessible entry into vintage-inspired American fragrance.
The House
BlockiBlocki Perfume Co. stands as one of America's oldest continuously operating fragrance houses, founded in 1865 by John Blocki in Chicago. After a six-decade run ended in 1950, the brand lay dormant for decades before Tyler and Tammy Kraemer, great-great-grandchildren of the founder, resurrected Blocki in 2015. The revival brought the Heritage Collection to life, with new interpretations alongside archival favorites. Today, Blocki occupies a distinctive position as both a historical artifact and a living creative force, producing fragrances that capture American sensibilities through classic craftsmanship and contemporary vision.
The Creator
Michelle BruckmannHer signature leans toward lush floral compositions with a clear structural logic. Bruckmann demonstrates particular skill with tropical florals, handling the volatility of materials like Brazilian Lily with careful modulation rather than heavy anchoring.
