The Bootlegger’s “brand” is the brainchild of B&B member OkieStubble (Rob). The idea behind Bootlegger’s is to mix a few common aftershaves together to create a synergistic* blend that is well rounded and on par with more expensive brands. The real beauty of Bootlegger’s aftershaves is that they are made with inexpensive aftershaves, so you can make a great performing aftershave for a very low cost. For example: A batch of Bootlegger’s Bay Rum will average around $0.70 per ounce (depending on your source for materials). Most of the common and popular brands of Bay Rum on the market today average between $3 and $10 per ounce!

OkieStubble rates aftershave in 3 main areas: scent, longevity, and skin feel. If an aftershave is lacking in one of these three areas, or it would help an otherwise lacking aftershave to achieve greatness, then it is a candidate for mixing. That and it needs to be inexpensive. Expensive aftershaves should stand alone on their own without any “doctoring”. He spends a lot of time researching & experimenting in order to find just the right mix, before finalizing the recipe and ultimately giving it the Bootlegger's moniker**.
* What is "Synergistic"?
Synergy is the interaction of multiple elements in a system to produce an effect greater than the sum of their individual effects or parts. The term synergy comes from the Greek word synergia meaning "working together".

**A side note on the use of the name “Bootlegger’s”:
OkieStubble came up with the moniker "Bootlegger's" to describe his recipes. He spent many hours toiling away in his lab (shave den) mixing and sampling aftershaves to achieve just the right balance before posting his recipes on B&B. While there is no trademark or copyright on the Bootlegger’s name, OkieStubble is well known in the B&B community for it. In fairness to OkieStubble, other folk's aftershave mixes and recipes should not be labeled as Bootlegger's.

Bootlegger’s beginnings go back to late 2010 when OkieStubble mixed up a batch of PinMaster Bay Rum (50/50 Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum & Master Bay Rum), that he had read about on B&B. It was good, but he still felt it was lacking something. After trying other bay rums he had at home (that weren’t quite right), he discovered Superior 70 Bay Rum at his local Walgreens. When he added Superior 70 to the PinMaster he realized that it was exactly what he was looking for. When looking for a suitable container to decant his concoction into, OkieStubble found an Avon “Little Brown Jug” aftershave decanter which is shaped like a moonshine jug and has “XXX” printed on the side. It looked to him like a jug that a bootlegger would use, and so he called it “Bootlegger’s Bay Rum”.

In May 2011, OkieStubble posted his recipe for Bootlegger’s Bay Rum, for the first time, on Badger & Blade. TheVez2 (KJ) had tried PinMaster Bay Rum and was intrigued by OkieStubbles’s Bootlegger’s recipe, but could not locate Superior 70 Bay Rum locally. OkieStubble PIF’d a bottle of Superior 70 Bay Rum to TheVez2 in June of 2012 and an unofficial partnership began. Over the next few years, OkieStubble created and posted about several new blends he created. TheVez2 sampled all of OkieStubble’s creations and provided valuable feedback along the way. His blends have gone through minor changes in recipes and the names changed slightly over the years, but he always made sure the recipe was perfect before he published it on B&B. In April 2014, OkieStubble decided to label all of his creations under the Bootlegger’s moniker, officially solidifying it as a brand. In late 2014, OkieStubble officially appointed TheVez2 as the Bootlegger’s CEO. This was due, in part, to his valued input in product testing and the recipe finalization process, but also from his fanatical devotion to, and unwavering support of the brand.

1 Part: Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum
1 Part: Master Bay Rum
1 Part: Superior 70 Bay Rum

This is the original folks, accept no substitute. Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum, while long lasting, has a very strong burn, and is very clovey and spicy. The Master has real bay oil and a nice scent (although too sweet for some), but has so much glycerin that it can feel tacky or sticky, by itself. Superior 70 is wonderfully cheap, has real Puerto Rican bay oil, and a very high alcohol content (70%), making it more a medicinal rub than an aftershave. But all 3 bay rums mix together for a synergistic bay rum utopia! The alcohol in the Superior 70 cuts down the glycerin in Master, making the glycerin level just right, while it's Puerto Rican bay oil gives it an authentic bay rum scent. The Master’s glycerin nourishes the face and calms down the high alcohol levels in Superior 70 and spice of Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum, making the amount of burn just right. And lastly, the Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum gives the mix its perfect color and longevity of scent, unlike the fleeting scents of some of the higher dollar bay rums. It is the perfect bay rum for the holidays!

1 Part: Pinaud Virgin Island Bay Rum
1 Part: Master Bay Rum
1 Part: Superior 70 Bay Rum
1 Part: Pinaud Citrus Musk

All the benefits of the original Bootlegger’s Bay Rum with the added scent of Lime! Lots of different lime scents were sampled and tested before settling on Pinaud Citrus Musk for this recipe. It blends perfectly with Bootlegger’s Bay Rum, like it was made for Bootlegger’s. The perfect summertime bay rum!

1 Part: Master Bay Rum
1 Part: Superior 70 Bay Rum
1 Part: Vito's Colonia Tobacco

Many bay rum lovers want a summertime bay rum, without the heavy, cloying scent of clove & spice. Bootlegger’s Perfecto is a light & breezy bay rum, with a light masculine scent of Virginian leaf tobacco, (hence the name "Perfecto") blended with a bright summer scent of orange citrus. Smells like Cuba!

1 Part: Master Bay Rum
1 Part: Superior 70 Bay Rum
1 Part: Vito's Colonia Tobacco
½ Part: Pinaud Special Reserve

Originally, there was only going to be one Bootlegger’s Perfecto recipe. Two recipes were created and samples were sent out to some B&B members for review. The masses spoke and the reviews were split down the middle, so now there are two! Bootlegger’s Perfecto Maduro gets a slight leathery and smoky scent from the addition of Pinaud Special Reserve, making it a darker and richer bay rum, well suited for colder months.

1 Part: Osage Rub
1 Part: Mennen Skin Bracer

Osage Rub is great. It’s a cold blast that feels great on your face, especially in the summer. But unfortunately it smells very medicinal (like Vicks VapoRub) from the menthol and eucalyptus, and it has no lasting scent after the dry down. Skin Bracer has a great scent with notes of vanilla, musk, powder, and lavender (but mostly vanilla). It contains menthol, but doesn’t offer the same punch as Osage Rub. Mixing the two makes the perfect combo! The vanilla from the Skin Bracer is a perfect summer time scent and perfectly masks the medicinal scent of Osage Rub. They both have menthol, but the extra menthol and eucalyptus from Osage Rub, gives the mix an extra cooling boost, taking Skin Bracer to the next, next level! This is a favorite of many members of B&B.

Originally Posted by TheVez2:
”Green Freeze” is The BOMB!

1 Part: Osage Rub
1 Part: Pinaud Lime Sec

If you are looking for a great lime scented aftershave with the added cooling of the arctic, then this is the blend for you. Pinaud Lime Sec is a sweet lime scent, very sweet (candy-like). Too sweet on its own, for many. Osage Rub tames the sweetness of Pinaud Lime Sec, and in return the great lime scent eliminates the medicinal scent of Osage Rub. Another great cooling summertime scent!

2 Parts: Pinaud Special Reserve
2 Parts: Pinaud Classic Vanilla
1 Part: English Leather

Pinaud Special Reserve is loved by many, just the way it is. However, there are some who just can't warm up to it, even though the idea of a smoky, leather type aftershave appeals to them. For some folks the cheaply made scent of Pinaud Special Reserve is just missing something. The dry down seems old and dusty. Some people call it an 'Old Lady' scent.

Bootlegger’s El Dorado maintains the leathery and smoky notes and what makes Special Reserve... 'Special'. While softening its edges and rounding out the dry down into something a bit more refined, with an added touch of class and a hint of sophistication. If you wanted to like Pinaud Special Reserve, but just couldn’t, then Bootlegger’s El Dorado could be the aftershave for you.

These labels were created by TheVez2 for his Bootlegger's aftershave bottles. These are not official labels, and there is no suggestion implied that these should be used by others. Being "Bootlegger's" everyone is encouraged to make their own labels for their aftershave bottles. These are shown here as an example, but can be printed off and used if desired. Recommended printing dimensions are 2" wide by ~ 2.5" high (for use on Cholula bottles).