Rufus Hound's Triumphant

As I fall down the niche/indie fragrance rabbit hole, I'm often rewarded with little gems like this. I don't believe in gendered fragrances per-se, but from a old-world way of thinking, this would be considered more masculine. The clove-sandalwood with citrus is a tried and true combo for a vast number of "manly" concoctions, immediately recognizable DNA, but this wonderful tonic offers soooooo much more. I believe anyone could wear this, but for those out there who like the old-school shave scent experience, this is for you. Its barber shop, but not too soapy. Its green without being generic. It's floral, but not sickly and cloying (or distinctly "feminine"). It's spicy without being cheap drug store aftershave. Its citrus without being harsh. It packs some power, but won't fill the office or overwhelm those around you. It's classic without being "old" or too mature. It is extremely well-balanced, it layers well with more commercial or modern freshies - it actually will help tilt your summer favorites into the autumn/winter category. Initial spray: warm spicy, clove bergamot and lime immediately present. Totally familiar, but within 5 minutes, the ylang comes forward and smoothes the sharp edges with a rich and soft touch. The ylang will stick around for the next few hours, holding the citrus closer, keeping things mellow and warm. 1 hour in: the citrus takes a backseat, and the clove comes foreward with the top of the sandalwood. Again, recognizable, but the ylang keeps its smooth touch and injects freshness. The black currant and galbanum are mild supporting characters adding a green roundness without standing out on their own. 3 hours in: little change from the 1 hour mark. Its interesting, has a real sniff factor, but remains gentle enough. I do feel this can be over-used, I apply one spray under my shirt, and a light spritz on each wrist, and it keeps a firm presence in the air around me. The sandalwood is the dominating base note, but the musk and ambergris are there smoothing it all out. 8 hours later..... classic, gentlemanly, clean, but hasn't lost its freshness. It clung to my shirt, green and soft even until the next day. Really stellar. 10/10 for me.

Strong aromatic green fragrance with a sweet black currant note that makes it really stand out. It's fairly linear on me, which is a good thing. It's the kind of fragrances strictly for men, and it's got that impalpable proverbial ''barbershop quality'' to it. Personally I can't get enough of this crazy scent, but I would advise to use max 3 sprays, as this can get really offensive if oversprayed. It's a true masterpiece, but definitely not for everybody.

stinky and citrus-ish galbanum

Like almost every Captain Fawcett fragrance it's strong and aromatic, too strong for me, even offensive. It tingles insides of my nose and makes my eyes watery. I'm too weak for that fragrance.

Rufus Hound is one of the most irritating, obnoxious people on the BBC, from what I've heard this fragrance fits the bill.