Here's a copy/paste of my "review":
Barrister and Mann - Fougère Gothique
DrivenLegend Red & Black | APShaveCo Tuxedo 30mm
Ever-Ready 1912 | Delta Echo | Gem PTFE
![[Image: yPXlrmd.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/yPXlrmd.jpg)
Fall, and more specifically, Halloween offerings are in abundance this year and the gloves are off. Barrister and Mann's "Fougère Gothique" came with its share of hype. The question is, does it live up to it?
I preface every review regarding limited editions with my obligatory statement about how I'm a sucker for packaging. Well, one more peculiarity about me is that I abhor samples. I have such an abundance of sometimes unopened soaps, that I haven't the time nor the desire to entertain samples. Some of you were already using the Fougère Gothique by way of samples weeks in advance of its release. Will Carius, being fully aware of my aversion to sample soaps, kindly surprised me with a decant of the unmacerated EdP. Being a total amateur in this whole fragrance thing, I had no idea what unmacerated meant. He explained that it simply hadn't had time to age in the alcohol so it would not have fully melded, and strength would likely be affected. Regardless of whether or not I was supposed to, I did note a transformation of the fragrance over that time period. For the first week of use, I wouldn't have categorized the decant as dark. Fougère? Yes. Dark? No. More recently, presumably secondary to the time elapsed or the education of my nose, it is clearly as-advertised and that is a "dark fougère". Given that I'd been using this EdP on a frequent basis for about 6 weeks, now, I fully knew what to expect from the Fougère Gothique line.
Because I don't know what I'm doing, I'll just start by describing in my own amateur way how the retail EdP unfolds to my nose. Then, I'll comment on what doesn't come through so well on the soap.
Fougère Gothique (EdP) actually opens with a thick, earthy, non-animalic musky note. Given my nose and body chemistry, this pleasant note remains non-specific for almost an hour. At which point it becomes identifiable as mushroom. Mushroom that's just pushed through damp earth and moss. The musky earthiness maintains its presence, but it is soon brightened by a full floral that's very close to rose. I have a sensitivity to rose, in that despite my affinity for it, rose proper gives me a headache. In this fragrance however, it deviates just enough to avoid that issue. I can't say for certain, but I've been told it's likely the tuberose that I'm detecting. This floral window plateaus for a good portion of the arc, but the accord doesn't abandon the dark undertones. The floral peaks with a sweetness interwoven with a green character akin to nectar as opposed to candy. In relationship to the longevity of the fragrance, the sweetness is relatively brief and relents to the original earthiness which, upon its resurfacing acquires a woody lavender, leather, and finally an understated smokiness. As this complex journey fades---and I'm talking at least 10 hours---it lays down a warm woodiness with periodic sharp or bitter notes which are probably cedar and bergamot pushing though.
The documented notes are, "ash, lavender, smoldering flame, balsam, bergamot, geranium, vetiver, mushroom, sandalwood, leather, oakmoss, cedar, tonka bean, tuberose, (and allure)." Marketing embellishments aside, there's no way I could say I picked up all those notes, but it does give you an idea of the range to expect from this masterpiece of a fragrance.
The soap off the dry tub (or coffret) is a confusing cluster of floral, musk, and earth. So, please, lather it before making a judgment. Certainly, having experienced the EdP first, my understanding of the soap comes more quickly. Like the EdP, it opens with an earthiness, but to my surprise, the mushroom is much more identifiable. I suspect this is because the balance is thrown off in light of the limitations of the soap base medium, thereby muting the full spectrum of the ensuing floral. Frankly, if all this soap did was stop at the dark earth aspect, I'd be happy. It's quite enjoyable, but there's more to be had with longer exposure. The floral does come, but it's less rose and more geranium. There is some sweetness and even perhaps bitter citrus, but it's brief. The leather is more specific in the soap as well. In musical terms, the soap's display of the Fougère Gothique fragrance is played straight. The notes are there, but the piece is devoid of the flourishes and transitional turns that come natural to the master.
The Fougère Gothique soap uses the Reserve base. I've commented extensively about the exceptional performance of this base. While there are several other artisanal soaps that match the Reserve performance, none surpass it. Where Reserve does stand out is in its tolerance for hard water. I can achieve a luxurious lather with any of my preferred soaps despite my hard water. However, with Reserve, I can get there more quickly.
I commented on the impressive longevity of the EdP, and to be honest, 10 hours is probably necessary to fully appreciate the complexity and unfolding of this fragrance. However, the matching tonique does a remarkable job of approximating this in a shorter timeframe, which for me is roughly 5 hours depending on activity. In fact, some will no doubt use the splash (tonique) as a replacement for the EdP. As far as performance, the tonique is on par with most other alcohol-based splashes. I don't typically register the effectiveness of a splash unless I have a sub-par shave, and given the Reserve base, that's unlikely.
The presentation of this set speaks for itself. The fact that I address this aspect last is a testament to the product, as my allure to unique or extravagant packaging is well established. Barrister and Mann partnered with a very talented artist, Rebecca Graves Pottery, to carry through the gothic vision, handcrafting brush handles with Declaration knots, razor holders, and coffrets filled with soap. While I desperately desire to have my very own 30 mm Declaration Brushworks brush, I couldn't justify going full-tilt because despite their beauty, they just didn't seem practical. The coffret, however, is a unique blend of theme, whimsy, and function. These are quality pottery down to the last detail, and designed to fit perfectly in either hand with a horn serving as a thumb rest to facilitate your grip while loading your brush. Each piece is numbered and signed by the artist. This same artist created the motif across the line including the tonique, jars, and t-shirts. The jars/tubs are the same as the rest of Barrister and Mann's updated packaging except the art is silk screened directly onto the jars. The tonique carries on the devil motif, but inverts the red/black scheme. Such attention to detail was paid that even the glass tonique bottles are smoked grey as opposed to the usual amber apothecary style. One minor faux pas was the unexpected inclusion of child-proof caps for the toniques. Also of note is the erroneous ingredients listing on the soap tub. The listing is for the Glissant base as opposed to the Reserve. This is remedied by the inclusion of a card denoting the correct ingredients. (The Hallows curse apparently lives on.) The EdP is presented in a quaint but elegant box, that blends with the theme but is absent any devilish image, thereby lending an air of sophistication. Nestled within the box is a classic cylindrical, heavy glass bottle with a concave starburst base that effectively scatters the light through the amber product, essentially allowing it to speak for itself. The text on the bottle is apparently screened, but in such a fashion as to appear to be etched and subtly blends in as to avoid belying its simple elegance. It's topped with a clear plastic cube reminiscent of vintage fragrances.
Even if the extras aren't your thing, you must appreciate the thoughtful design and artistry surrounding this set, let alone the complexity of coordination and cooperation involving at least three busy artisans. That said, all would be for naught if the core product failed to be worthy of such efforts. Realistically, when your soap and splash are spent, and your coffret is relegated to a whimsical yet beautiful candy dish, you realize the EdP is what's left standing. Fougère Gothique does stand alone in this regard. Fougère Gothique is truly a masterpiece, and I suspect a sign of more to come from Barrister and Mann.
In case you missed it, here's an album of my glamour shots of the set:
https://imgur.com/a/Llwg1
