Targhee Forest

One of my fave fragrances from one of my favorite houses. Targhee Forest is decidedly old school and at the same time, thoroughly modern. The word, "Forest" should be your first clue as to what's going on; it's a green, woodsy fougere. The initial blast brings back my experiences of trying my dad's aftershaves back in the '60s when I was a little kid. A little animalic as it starts to dry and then the green, powdery floral thing starts happening. This fragrance is like time traveling back to a classic barbershop, having a shave and then getting a good slap in the face with a great fragrance when the barber's all finished. The ingredients here are pure class as is the fragrance; no harsh chemicals or anything fake smelling. Targhee Forest is totally office/workplace safe (get ready for people to be impressed) and absolutely perfect for weekends at home or away. It's also my fave night out fragrance lately. Kudos to Manny and Rogue for making this. Great job! babepdx: in a world where just about everyone walks around smelling oh, so thoroughly modern (oud, amber, more oud, more amber, even more oud and let's really pile on the amber... man, talk about overdone modernity; give me a break) it's refreshing to have a house like Rogue and their incredibly traditional (did you even try this stuff?) fragrances out there. Boring? You couldn't be more wrong.

This was a love at first sniff for me. To my olfactory senses, this is Manuel Cross’ interpretation of Creed’s Bois Du Portugal, which, ironically, I don’t like whatsoever. Creed’s Bois Du Portugal exudes a sense of datedness and an overly masculine aura. Targhee Forest, however, elevates all the positive aspects of that DNA and enhances them to an even greater extent. If you are familiar with the notes, you will find pine, fir, oakmoss, cedarwood, moss, musk, and a hint of amber present in this fragrance. However, none of these elements stand out individually, and it is safe to conclude that this fragrance surpasses the sum of its parts. The blend is exceptional. The fragrance itself exudes a sense of upliftment and, dare I say, majesty. It represents a contemporary interpretation of a classic DNA, and it undoubtedly succeeds. In my opinion, this fragrance exudes a sophisticated and mature aura, appealing to individuals aged 25 and above. It evokes the memory of colognes worn by distinguished men during one’s formative years. Regarding its performance, the scent projection is moderate, and its longevity on my skin is approximately 6 hours. While I appreciate its current performance, I would welcome a longer-lasting fragrance with an ever so slightly enhanced projection. Overall, I’d give this an 8.5/10. Excellent perfumery.

If 1978 Polo Green were made with all naturals you would have something close to this with maybe the amber a notch higher and with sage brush note. wonderful. Polo does list leather and Tobacco but they are supportive notes that are not so much at the forefront. Targhee forrest does not mention either leather of tobacco in it's composition yet I find the two fragrances very much alike , Not the current formulation of Polo but the one from the 1970's-80's Cosmair-Warner formulations. I have never tried Bois du Portugal or some of the Fougeres that others have mentioned so I have no clue if they smell close to those or not. I did check the ingredients of BDP and of Polo green and this fragrance by Rogue Perfumery shares more with polo than BDP in fact everything in this except "fir" is in Polo. This one doesn't have lavender like BDP and neither does Polo. I really like this one because it does bring me back in time to my high school days.

One of the most exciting independent perfumers in the United States, Manuel Cross moved Rogue Perfumery from Whittier, CA to Idaho recently: this fragrance is inspired by the Targhee National Forest in that latter state. This is his first fragrance inspired by a place rather than perfumes of the past, but it retains his characteristic splendidly liberal use of oakmoss, in contravention of the inane IFRA rules severely restricting that substance. This also has cedar and fir and pine, and lovely geranium, and is really refreshing and lovely. This is one of his best scents, and is very versatile, although if you don't like oakmoss, you won't be happy with this, or with most of his exceedingly mossy fragrances. UPDATE, 9/7/23: I was wearing this today, and someone came into my office and said upon leaving, "This office smells so wonderful! I never want to leave this office!" That's how nice this smells.

As somebody who is a giant fan of heritage, and a pretty big fan of bois du portuagal and new york intense, this is absolutely fantastic. You might be tempted to think "this must be like polo green" due to the name and marketing, but out of everything ive just named its most similar to heritage with less sweetness and more woods (i think manny did the polo green style already with mousse illuminee) As usual with Rogue, the oakmoss is to die for. Its different enough from heritage that you could certainly own both, assuming you enjoy that DNA. Another smash hit from rogue, wish i had bought a big bottle. P.s. another funny way of describing this is that when i first experienced bois du portugal, this is what i expected it to actually smell like. Id have to say manny outdid creed here.

After wearing this many times, i have come to see this as Quorum-adjacent but to be honest this is like the old school Creed treatment version of (even vintage) Quorum. For perspective, i love this. This really doesnt smell exactly like anything, but brings to mind many awesome vintage fragrances from the 70s or 80s. Another fragrance it makes me think about is R de Cappucci, targhee being the darker or perhaps more concentrated brethren. P.s i agree with the reviewer below about this not really accomplishing the "forest" aesthetic, it does have the notes listed but theyre either too well blended or not strong enough depending on if you expect this to be polo green re-incarnate or not

Wow, turned up today after ordering at the weekend and this is so so green! I absolutely love this and the use of real oakmoss, not in line with IFRA (I know, it's not the be all and end all), this is so reminiscent of an old school fougere, it is amazing. Love the woodiness, the pine really comes through with the citrus and the fir is sublime. This is so well blended it hurts. Manuel Cross has created a modern masterpiece and this is one that will be used sparringly in my collection! Very manly, very green and perfect for this time of year (spring in UK)

Crisp pine, fresh juniper, and aromatic fir sit atop oakmoss to create an intensely green and woody experience, covered in a mysterious white fog of clean musk. It certainly smells of a coniferous forest, but powdery sweet overtones give it the feel of a fantastical enchanted forest more than the invigorating briskness of a real one. Moderately strong initial projection settles after a couple hours to a soft scent bubble for 3-4hr, longevity 16hr+.

Targhee Forest is rugged and yet elegant at the same time. It draws comparisons to BDP, and I can see why. However, this fragrance is less spicey and dank than BDP. It also misses out on BDP’s beautiful lavender note. In return, you get a fragrance that is greener and fresher. Performance is very decent. I’m on my 3rd full wear, but so far, I’m really liking this Rogue creation. I’ll update if my opinion changes.

Fresh forest scent, not so tough or masculine as other perfumes of Manuel Cross. Instead sophisticated and balanced, to a degree where I hardly can distinguish the various tones of pine, fir, oakmoss etc. It's a good blend. Although nostalgic, it's also modern in some odd way. I like it very much, even though it might be a step away from the usual path of this brand.

Some fragrances are so beguiling initially that you become slightly obsessed, but then the love fizzles out quickly. Some, like this one, slowly grow on you and before you know it, the sample's finished, the full bottle comes and you're making a real dent in it. This is amazing - masculine, fresh, elegant - so easy to wear and the powdery woods dry down is so smooth.

I got a sample of this with one of my purchases. After wearing the sample, ordered immediately. Old school feel with mossy woods, camphorous notes, and piney touches. Has a good amount of florals which makes me think of entering a clearing of wildflowers after walking through an ancient forest of pine and sequoias. This will get a lot of wear!

This is the perfect piney, forest(y), woody scent for any of the cooler months. This scent is simply amazing, a modern masterpiece which I simply need to get another bottle of as mine is wearing thin. The opening is so green, so full of pine and woods, it is simply marvellous. Longevity wise, this lasts a long time on me.

Ive really come to love this alot. Its in the same vein as some other fragrances but not quite like any of them to any crazy degree. The opening is the most unique, and then the mid/drydown is like you bought a brand new classic fragrance with all the good banned ingredients from the 80s or so.

It's another outstanding offering from Rogue. Performance is great. I get about 12+hours and it has good projection in the first few hours. You get the signature Rogue Oakmoss, with Balsam, Pine, and Juniper. It's a real foresty experience and really enjoy it.

I don't see much similarities with bdp may be a little bit (soapiness of equipage) but for me it's a classy soapy shaving foam. Masculine refined. can be worn all year around. average longevity and projection. One of the best soapy perfume IMHO

One of the finest and most realistic pine fragrances you can achieve. Smells like freshly crushed pine needles, so comforting. My favorite perfumer has done it again.

A naturalistic forest I don't get, but a dang good modern chypre I do! *After comparing it with Chypre-Siam, I guess this is a middle ground 🙃

This just makes me feel confident and I get so many compliments. For an EDT it performs like an Extrait on my skin. LOVE IT!

I have most of the classic comparison fragrances listed above and, yes, Targhee Forest is similar. But I like all of the classic comps more. Especially Bois du Portugal, Heritage, New York Intense and Pour Monsiur. Targhee Forest just doesn't resonate with the aromatics as much as those classic comps. It's earthiness just sits. Someone below wrote it "doesn't feel lush and alive to my nose- it feels heavy and dead", and I think we are smelling the same characteristic. Targhee Forest's composition could use the addition of lavender. It is fougere-esq as is, but lavender would further strengthen its fougere identity and help liven it and impart some vibrancy. But it's fairly decent as is. Now, on second wearing, I appreciate it more. The mossy accord is very strong, and should be listed higher on the accord stack than conifer. If I were to place it's scent profile, I think it would be between Bois du Portugal and Floris Elite.

Targhee Forest is a great fragrance that, from the start, brings to mind a classic 1980's style fougere, although done with a more artistic hand. Very subtle florals are present at first, but quickly disappear. The oakmoss, pine, cedar, resin and musk rule here resulting in a very smooth scent. In addition, there's also an earthy accord that brings to mind the forest soil but not in a heavy way, allowing Targhee Forest to retain some freshness. A very masculine fragrance that strikes as being very versatile as well, working for most occasions, day or night, winter or summer and in between. Longevity is very good. I got about 9 hours out of it. Projection is more moderate. After the first half hour or so, Targhee Forest clings close to the body.

What really stands out to me in this fragrance is the musk. It smells like the musk of the forest floor, aka the ground. Is it aromatic? Yes but in a subtle way. The pine, balsams, cedar, geranium and moss are all there but they have been filtered through musk and a warm sweet amber. It creates a loam like affect on the composition. Citruses and spearmint (not listed in the notes here but I smelled it right away checked the website and low and behold I was right) keep this bright, like the sun's rays filtering through the tall majestic trees. A walk in the woods but through the eyes and nose of a perfumer. Inspired by nature but still a true perfume.

First thoughts - just got my bottle half an hour ago. This certainly differs from my expectations after reading reviews. I was expecting rugged, foresty smells, nothing perfumey or pretty. Instead, what I get reminds me of Guerlain's Heritage: sweet, musky woods, fine lines, classic French perfumery. This is beautiful, distinguished and elegant, not rugged or coarse. A gentle, musky forest.

A very fresh, enjoyable barbershop scent. Lavender is not listed, but something similar gives the fragrance lift and sweetness in the drydown. Evokes Penhaglion’s Sartorial without the fresh steam accord. Better longevity than the former.

Beautiful light fougere: a lot of pine, fresh citrus. Very classy and classic but on the lighter side. Amazing skin scent dry down! Adding after a few more hours wearing it for the fifth time: the dry down is divine.

After the green opening, this smells like a high quality but generic fougere. Surprised no tonka/coumarin or lavendel in the notes.

A much lighter version of Bon Monsieur. Doesn't last very long for me. I would get Bon Monsieur instead.

My initial impressions are really no different than many of the reviews below. Targhee Forest is disappointing precisely because it doesn’t smell like a real forest. Having spent years in forests from Wyoming's Targhee high, resinous pine stands to the damp, moss-heavy woods of Bainbridge Island, I expected a fragrance rooted in place and atmosphere. Instead, this feels like a polite, stylized idea of greenery. The opening lacks the immediate hit of cold air, wet needles, and decomposing leaf litter that defines an actual forest. As it develops, the scent stays linear and overly clean, never capturing the shifting layers of resin, moss, earth, and air you experience when moving through the woods. The drydown is especially safe, missing the depth of soil, decay, and subtle smokiness that lives on a real forest floor. In the end, Targhee Forest reads as a generic woody accord found in 1990's Dove style bar soap rather than a true woodland experience. It’s not unpleasant, it’s just disconnected from the lived reality of forests it claims to evoke. It's the kind of perfume you would find along Jackson Square for the tourists below Targhee. An hour into the application I decided to layer with Holy Stick from Chapel Factory to mellow out the soapy smell with incense, cloves, and palo santo.

A fragrance that for once is sort of similar to the fragrances listed in the "reminds me of" section, just much rougher. Just like the reviewer before me, my gripe is that this is another Rogue perfume where the notes seem muted. Also, it is very evocative of coniferous and foresty hand soap. The type you would find in the men's bathroom of a restaurant.

I don't leave many negative reviews, but felt compelled to for this one, only because my expectations for it were so much greater than reality. The brief for Targhee Forest is specific- it's an attempt to capture the moment of sunrise in a mossy pine forest. Now, I love my pine, green, and woody scents; they're the center of my collection. So I was looking forward to this, but especially looking forward to the sagebrush note. I have strong memories of the intense, aromatic scent of sagebrush from growing up in Wyoming, but have not yet found a perfume that does it justice. Where Targhee Forest falls flat for me is that it's not at all what it claims to be on the tin. It's not a naturalistic evocation of a forest; it's a soapy fougère that's ever so slightly green. I'm not a fougère person, so take this with a grain of salt, but even for a fougère, I'm not a fan of the construction. It feels quite soapy and musky, lacking breathing room, maybe some more florals to lift it up, or something woodier in the base to give it some texture and dryness. It sure doesn't feel like the breath of clean mountain air from the brief. I'm sure there're better green fougères out there, but I'm not personally well versed. If you're looking for a fresh, green pine forest scent, I'd recommend House of Matriarch Bonsai, CdG Sugi or Yoyogi, Dusita Issara, Santi Burgas Toroella de Montgri, Ormonde Man, or Rook Forest. If you're looking for something that feels like a classic masculine fragrance AND evokes the forest, I'd recommend Les Abstraits Des Cendres. Unfortunately, Targhee Forest may not please fans of either genre. But hey, perfumes with a high percentage of naturals can vary wildly based on skin chemistry. Maybe if other green, piney perfumes haven't done the trick yet, this will be the one for you. TLDR, I'm not mad, just dissapointed.

Disappointed by Targhee Forest. It doesn't smell like any forest I've ever been in. The metallic taste of real oakmoss is prevalent as it is in Rogue's Mousse Illuminee, which I can't tolerate either because of the metallic taste in my mouth that both of these fragrances produce. There is also a powdery nature to this perfume that feels odd and doesn't represent the forest's I hike through either. Sadly, this is a big thumbs down for me and I was hoping to love it.

Another scent reminiscent of a specific vintage, but in a different tone, with a successful lift toward a certain direction. Yet again, it’s a fougère in the style of Nobile or Kipling... very soapy, perhaps a bit rough, maybe somewhat like Sung... but it feels rather ordinary and very similar to something else. Definitely not New York or Bois, as some suggest, but maybe 1881? I think so.

Been wearing for a couple days now. Old school dna similar to Lalique Pour Homme. Good longevity and quality, but I was hoping for more with the price point. Doesn’t come close to other offerings from the house in my opinion.

smells like my italian barber that i went to as a kid who would never stop talking about jersey boys

- 80's masculine frag - sweet and green - the longer it dries down, the smoother it gets

This house is meant to bring a modern take on traditional colognes, but I find this incredibly traditional and boring. We've all smelled this a million times from a ton of different perfumeries.

I hate this fragrance. Blind bought it from reviews. Smells of old aftershave and the scent is strong.

Targhee Forest Rogue Perfumery (75ml., Green Ribbon bottle) First Impression. I find Targhee forest is (qansi-) Woody / Leather-Chypre, Barbershop fragrance. Rather than the replica scent of Forest. It might fail as an encapsulation of scent inspired by actual forest. But I do understand the feeling of Tranquil and in the manner being Chypre, I think this is really good one. I am not so sure, but my assumption. By the way of heavy dose of actual Cedar that build warm wood feel. With soft smoky tone, almost IBQ type leather fragrance but not quite. Smoky Pine and Greeney Fir, something almost Sap like. Oozing in the scent. It's really Tranquil with Dash of "Kind of Floral Heart" that lead the nose. Before it is becoming Cedar / Oakmoss (Sweet, Woody, Coumarin) hybrid. Cedar naturally contains dose of natural coumarin, so it become more sweeter as it wears. It kind of powdery. In this context I believe is Virginia cedarwood. Somehow - these woody materials highlight the oakmoss and soft rose so well. It gives a vibe of Forest Jacket vibe, somehow. I think I can definitely call this a hybrid vintage-modern chypre. The concoction of Oakmoss, Soft Balsamic Amber with Patchouli. It not as dry, but still minimal gorgeous. This is my 2nd favorite scent from Mr. Manuel Cross, the first one is Champs Lunaries. Always delicate with strong material. I think this is his style after all. I think his original creation is really something I love to put my nose on. In my personal interpretation, this is his 2nd fragrance that he creates with inspiration of the place (most of his creation names after fragrance). But the first one is "Champs lunaires" or Lunar fields. I really enjoy Barbershop - when it comes to Chypre structure. I will dig deeper in this topic. Knize Ten & FumaBat might be my next stop. Keep up, Mr. Cross. You are one of the hopes for modern perfumery. ===== A comment on Chypre-Siam I also have a chance to own Chypre-Siam. Which I believe on the very late of formulation. I understand the appeal, but I don't find the balance seems right. It goes so heavy on Brunt Aroma and Kind of Wired Powdery Mass. I believe there is something with Mr. Cross adjust formular to IFRA compliant. The original Chypre-Siam, I truly believe contains natural Civet and do not go so heavy on synthetic moss material. One point of Targhee, is hind these synthetic nature under cedarwood so well. Thus, I enjoy this more.

I've received a swap from another gentleman in the Facebook groups, and I got this as a little .5ml vial or so. Let me tell you -- the item I purchased that I was looking forward to was a flop compared to this. It arrived with about 6 other samples, along with a full bottle of another item and this little 0.5ml sample took the limelight immediately -- this turned me on to Rogue. I've purchased the sample set and I notice the sample set Targhee Forest isn't as treemossy, but maybe the sample at first slapped me in the face so hard, my subjective experience is offset by my expectations, not expecting this at all and it hitting a note within me that resonated very, very loudly. I'd label this a solid 8.5/10 and I can foresee wearing this often. It's missing some type of 'zip' to it, falls flat a bit, isn't as piney/fresh as some others I've had and I can imagine a but more 'mute' as intended by Manuel, but it's stellar nonetheless. Unlike Bon Monsieur, and Fougere L'Aube that seem to parabolically unload and develop with your skin warmth in the first foreseeable 5-10min, this one has a low reverb, lower energy about it that I am totally about. It seems to be empty somewhere, that would benefit from another darker, deeper item (maybe vetiver?) or something that takes it up (lavender?) -- but it's solemnly beautiful. Almost an A, I'd give this a solid B+ and maybe only because Bon Monsieur and Fougere L'Aube slap so hard. This is going to replace a few in my rotation and I plan on buying a 75ml bottle. Out of the other dozen or so items in the lot, this is solidly 3rd place with Tabac Vert being 4th place, for my preferences. AMAZING JOB MANUEL.

The opening of Targhee Forest is a peaceably coniferous fragrance; a scent evocative of forested regions in the Great Outdoors. Smelling it now in January reminds me much of cold, dark seasons. in the boreal and montane. A suggestion of pine tar lends a smokiness reminiscent of distant campfires. All the same, I also look forward to trying this in summer when the pines' sweet green pitch should rise more strongly off my skin, as it does from the trees themselves. Rogue Perfumery's most admirable dedication to Evernia prunastri will likely mean that a number of imprecisely similar scents will be among their offerings. So at first, Targhee Forest's construction did somewhat recall Rogue's much more classically fougere, Bon Monsieur, ...but of course with one hugely fundamental difference: the aromatic invigoration of lavender being replaced with the resinous calm of pine. A single change that makes the two scents suitable only for very different moods. On a quiet, winter evening Targhee Forest becomes the obvious choice. Yes, the deeper drydown does become less foresty and more florally rose-geranium. This must be the part that has caused others to compare Targhee Forest to soap, though of course soap can be scented in everyway. So while no longer a perfect cliché of Rocky Mountain timberlands, this softly-sweet rosy afterglow makes for a soothing sunset. One that does not fatally shatter any olfactory illusions.

A bit of a letdown. This doesn't feel lush and alive to my nose- it feels heavy and dead. Certainly there are dead things in a forest- rotting logs, mushrooms feeding off of the deceased, fallen leaves, etc. Targhee forest smells more like that, or like you dusted off an old jacket that's spent a year sitting in a wooden cabin. I get mostly colors of brown, with a murky spiciness in the heart. Maybe this dirty earthiness is your vibe, but it feels far from the dandy vintage charm of the brand's other fougeres and moss-forward barbershop styles, and more like a vintage leather or a concoction of naturals that smell like they came from a forest, but don't really paint a pretty picture of one. It's in the style of other indie brands that lean into heavy, natural coniferous extracts.

It's oddly barbershop for all the forest-y elements. Nice smooth oakmoss with musk and amber backing brightened and lightened with the juniper and citrus elements. I really like it but it’s too men’s barbershop on me to be unisex and not atmospheric enough for me to not care. I’m enjoying it though, a lot. As it dries further, I’m getting a sea salt air feel and I’m liking it even more. Will try again before final judgement, but yeah;Atmosphere has arrived! I tried a huge amount on the body mass: There’s the trees; resin, pine needles, nicely woody bark. Yeah, liking this a lot, but it’s not cheap. Likened to Creed’s Bois du Portugal (even more pricey), but there are oil dupes of Bois duP...might look at them!

Juicy, green, fresh pine - not dried nor brittle- liberal oakmoss (the real shit not the "everyone is amazing and wins a prize" variety) and cedar open this gorgeously yet rugged masterwork. The geranium, juniper and patchouli arrive perfectly and at the final curtain call - musk, amber and a myriad of light citruses send you home. Having walked through the Targhee Forest myself twice this is a beautiful homage to that wooded church. Manuel pitches yet another No-Hitter... if he keeps going this route the USA may just have its own Francois Demachy. Bravo sir, Bravo.

So this opens as a fougere..this is how most previous reviews describe the smell...soapy, barber shop, urinal, men's cologne, you get the idea....BUT....then it becomes a chypre. The masculine becomes feminine in the dry down and as a woman I much prefer this. A very powdery, mossy old lady perfume vibe takes over. This is literally Chypre Siam without the civet and I'm thrilled. If the civet turned you off in that one, definitely try this. This is better in my opinion for chypre lovers because the masculine fougere opening just doesn't last long.

Targhee Forest from Rogue Perfumery is the earnest, delighted musings of a daydreaming bryologist gnome who writes wistful poems of the pensive creepings of mosses, lichen, and fern. These literary herbariums are the inspiration for their side hustle, where they saponify the loamy greenery and gently mix in an essence of white musk to create charming soaps that smell of moss-covered stone basking in a beam of sunlight.

The way this has been hyped up, I was expecting something innovative and elite, but honestly... my first impression is "generic men's cologne". Nothing wrong with it, but from an indie house I thought I'd be getting something different than what I can get at a dept store.

As others have stated, doesn't smell like a forest and does in fact smell like soap (Cussons imperial leather). Weirdly, I've got another fragrance that smells just like this - Acca Kappa 1869 EDP. If you want a forest scent, get Rogue's Fougere L'aube instead.

This is somewhere between HdP 1828 Jules Verne and Creed Bois du Portugal. It's softer than both of those, less offensive, easier to wear. I like it. I already had 1828 and BdP and still bought this, even though it is similar to both.

You can read all of the gobadagoop below if you’d like but the fragrance smells like a urinal cake....Thats all you really need to know....very “perfumey,” not very appealing nor pleasing to the nose....a hard pass for me....

I agree with Calvin. This is a classic barbershop, fougere fragrance. with pine instead of lavender. I smell a little musk. so far it is not very strong on the skin. Good smell.