Thread: Castle Forbes: Gentlemen's Cologne

Packaging: I received this as a sample so I cannot attest to how well the product is packaged. However, many SRP members' have said the packaging is excellent for Castle Forbes products. For this I have rated the packaging at "N/A".

Price: $112 - 4.2oz/125mL. All of the Castle Forbes colognes' are at this price with an exception to the Castle Forbes Neroli.

Longevity of scent: When used in conjunction with aftershave the Castle Forbes line of colognes will last far longer than without. This particular cologne, Gentlemen's, lasted far longer than I had expected and in this case, wanted. About 4-5 hours after I applied this I could still smell it.

Scent: If you LOVE sage this is for you! I'm serious. When I first applied this in conjunction with Castle Forbes Cerdar and Sandalwood aftershave balm I could instantly smell citrus and sage. After 4 hours the smell of sage was still there but the under notes of cedar and sandalwood was brought out slightly more with the use of the balm I mentioned. It was quite pleasant if you get past the sage.

Burn/Bite: This one bit me. I think it's time I sent my Dovo Micarta 5/8 off to be honed. I had a nick or two and with the aftershave balm there was no problem with application, in fact as I have mentioned with previous Castle Forbes aftershave balm(s) I am happier than a kid in a candy store, however when I applied the Gentlemen's cologne it quickly let me know who's boss on those nicks.

Maybe I have made this sound worse than it should be but it's not as bad as you think when used with a balm. I've used other department store brands that have me crumble to me kness but the bite this cologne offered I was still standing and it didn't last much longer than 2 seconds. Cues song chorus by Elton John - I'm Still Standing.

Personal note: If you love the smell of a freshly built deck made of cedar wood in the high plains with sagebrush then you'll love this cologne and I would recommend this product to you. However, if sage is not your thing then read on.

If sage is supposed to ward off evil spirits then I should have been happy I was well protected and in the land of the Heaven's. Or maybe I'm evil? When I first applied this with my lady in the bathroom getting ready for our weekend date night and I hear "Oh my God" and watch her scurry out of the bathroom after seeing me cringe from the tiny bite it offered to my noobulous (noob-u-lus) razor wounds.
Now... you should know my lady doesn't like to see pain on the face of anyone for anything but I don't think she was leaving for this sole reason. Until the scent of sage calmed down my lady was playing hard to get for a mere hug much less her thoughts of this product. Needless to say, she wasn't impressed by the smell of sage (as she started taking allergy medication) and was rather shocked given the track record of the other Castle Forbes products'.
After 4 hours after this cologne was applied I could still smell it over my Jack Daniel's BBQ sauce burger complete with chips and a bold cup of coffee. It should be noted I could smell this as my lady couldn't while sitting on the other side of the table.
Please, don't get me wrong as this product wouldn't be available if people didn't enjoy the scent.

In conclusion Castle Forbes Gentlemen's cologne is an excellent choice for those that love the smell of sage with a nice citrus scent when first applied. The under tone of cedar and sandalwood is really brought out more in conjunction with the Castle Forbes Cedar and Sandalwood aftershave balm but the sage was just a tad too much for my lady and I.
Thank you for reading and happy shaving to all!

Sample provided by and many thanks to:

Colonial Drug
49 Brattle St., Harvard Square
Cambridge, MA
02138
(617) 864-2222
Colonial Drug - the hard to find fragrance specialiste
SRP Members: Mention SRP and get FREE SHIPPING to US and Canada with any order.

Stellar review, for which many thanks!