Gentleman's Cologne

Gentlemen's Cologne is arguably the signature scent in the not-very-well-known Castle Forbes range, along with 1445 perhaps. The opening is easily one of the most breathtaking there is and it is just so simple. The combination of the three "L's", lemon, lime and lavender, conjure up a majestic accord that creates a resinous-pine effect. The woods join the party not very long after, making this scent one that is firmly centred at the masculine end of the spectrum. It's not a very long lasting scent as you might find from most designer scents with their bucket loads of synthetic molecules. Instead, Gentlemen's Cologne feels very natural and easy-going. The similarities with 1445 are definitely there, though Gentlemen's Cologne is the easier one to wear and has much more citrus overall. It does cross a few paths with some other scents: Patrick by Fragrances of Ireland and Acqua di Parma's Colonia Futura for their luscious greens; to a lesser extent Aramis Tuscany for the woods and Azzaro Pour Homme for the lavender. All in all, this is a bargain everyday scent for any vintage or wet shaving enthusiast. The 100ml size is an EdP strength and should last a while.

Lovely fougere with a pleasant drydown that retains its profile even in higher temperatures. Sillage drops fairly quickly, but it lingers on the skin for a few hours. Versatile, office-friendly, with a citrus twist. I can't pick out the bergamot in the top notes: if it's there it's overwhelmed by all the citrus, but the lavender and pine give this a fantastic drydown. I actually think the quick fading of the top notes works quite well here, as some other citrus EDPs end up smelling like cleaning products in a white tile bathroom. Despite the official description, I'm not sure I'd class this as a winter scent, but I tend to prefer gourmands for winter anyway. I've worn this in heatwaves, but it really shines once temperatures cool to spring or light summer breezes. Any slight wind, really.

Very unique and natural smelling. I have edt not the edp. I gave this stuff a blind go because I absolutly love the Castle Forbes shaving products which are really top shelf. I found the edt on the big O for relatively cheap and figured what the heck. As for the scent, I'm still on the fence about it. I also get a pine note that is not in the pyramid above. There are a lot of notes going on with this that just don't play in harmony in my opinion. Sometimes it is an absolutely wonderful scent reminding of springtime outdoors with the floral citrus woodsy pine with also a faint spice. I hate to say this, but sometimes to my nose, I get "deep woods off". My wife disagrees with that statement and actually really likes it, but it had to get said... With that over, I must say it smells very natural and it is far from any of the chemical mess that most fragrances at the mall seem to be. I hope some more people review this product soon, and look forward to other opinions. I plan on giving it another try as the weather gets nice and hot.

I absolutely love this. I was searching for a citrus smell and this hits home. The smell is clean and refreshing.

Lavender, coumarin, oakmoss, vetiver and pithy, very zesty citrus fruits. Classical but so pleasant, with a touch of sweetness to balance out all the aromatic notes. Lovely shaving cream-style aromatic fougere!