11/12/17 Proraso Green Pre Shave Cream Reef Point Peerless Vie-Long 12705 11/16 Opinel Tony Miller 3" Heirloom Steerhide Strop Omega Alum Stick Pitralon (Swiss) Nivea Post Shave Balm Montblanc Starwalker
Ralf Aust 6/8 Spanish Point Tony Miller Heirloom Strop Shavemac 2-band Silvertip D. R. Harris Marlborough Shaving Soap Speick After Shave Lotion Antonio Puig Quorum EdT
PAA PRE SHAVE SOAP ROCNEL ELITE TITANIUM COATED FEATHER (3) MORRIS & FORNDRAN ALIBABA FINE AMERICAN BLEND FINE AMERICAN BLEND SPLASH CHANEL ĒGOÏSTE EDT
SOTD November 12th
Razor: 1906 Gillette SR
Blade: GSB
Soap: Barrister & Mann reserve spice
Brush: B&B 10th Anniversary Boar
AS 1: Dickinsons WH
AS 2: Old Spice
Storybook Soapworks - Shaken
Kent V8
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE
I've used Storybook Soapworks' "Shaken" soap four times, now, and the splash a bit more than that. I typically speak up right away when I encounter a fragrance I like. My delay comes out of my trying to discern the promoted "paper money" note (pun-intended). I haven't found it, yet. There is a little musk, that may be masking it from me, but more on that later. Shaken opens with a spicy note approaching cinnamon or possibly clove, but not quite. This stage is bold, but quite pleasant. As the shave progresses, the spice mellows to a more obvious tobacco that's accompanied by a clean juniper/gin note. Nearing the end of the shave, the overall accord warms up with a shrewd use of sandalwood and musk. At this point, the fragrance is absolutely exquisite, but it's one of those alluring fragrances that you realize there's more to be had if only the soap were the proper medium. Fortunately, the splash comes next, and with it are more subtle notes that cleverly fill out this already sexy fragrance. The tobacco is more forward and the cinnamon/clove peculiarity is probably the documented carnation because it does have some floral component. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I smelled a carnation, although I'm aware it's not an uncommon element in fragrances. I can detect a small amount of gun powder, but only because I'm tipped off to it. The juniper/gin note is more alcoholic than the soap. All of this is well-seated in a pleasant, but again, judicious musky and warm sandalwood. At some point, I get intermittent suggestions of new leather, but it's not documented. I get this each time I use Shaken. It's such an artfully crafted accord that it's possible my brain fills in facets of the story. After a couple hours, at best, the gin exits as does any remnant floral component, but the spiciness holds on longer than expected as does the tobacco and of course sandalwood. Alas, the "paper money" fragrance eludes me. This is a sexy fragrance, indeed. The only problem I have with it is that it just doesn't last long enough. Sure, four hours is a reasonable expectation of a single-duty aftershave splash, but there needs to be more of this. "Shaken" is a night on the town, so it should at least close a bar or two. It's my sincere hope that a Shaken EdP will some day see the light of day.