Brut
Brut (1964)

To me the only formulation of Brut to wear is the first or almost first formulation. The one in the green glass bottle with the tin medallion glued on the middle. It's beautiful, masculine and, to me, is sentimental because as a younghan I'd go over my much older brothers house and he'd have it on after his shower. I was only 10 or 11yrs old at the time and I was very interested in the scent. It's a very important part of my extensive fragrance collection, especially when it sits between such classics as Halston Z-14 and Grey Flannel, all vintage of course. I also have Brut 33 splash on lotion and that's a great compliment to Brut after a refreshing shave. These are the times when it's great to be a man


9/10

My Dad's staple on his bureau, along with his Old Spice, Brut was his date night or gig scent (he was a musician). Soapy, spicy, aromatic, with a slug of geranium in its heart and a mossy, musky base, Brut is the reason I love fougères as it was the first one I was exposed to in childhood. Sadly it has over time slipped further and further downmarket, and its formulation has suffered as a result. I have a vintage spray cologne bottle from the 80s and wearing it feels like burnished gold. 

For the few who don't know, Brut is one of the quintessential 1960s American-style barbershop fougeres. It was my late grandfather's signature scent for over 50 years. This is what old men wore during my childhood and youth, so to me it's the ultimate stereotype of a gentlemanly scent. Nowadays it is often snobbed, but is really that bad?

The citrus in the opening dies out quickly and you're left with the mother of all anisic lavender talcum powdery bombs. There's a fair amount of vanilla and creamy sandalwood, but they're overpowered by the talc. I don't get much of a shaving cream vibe from this one.

Those who used Brut in the 70s and 80s say a couple of sprays could fill a room. Well, maybe that's why it became the object of ridicule. My opinion is that the "weak" current formulation projects well enough as is. With regards to longevity, it becomes a skin scent within 2-3 of hours, and after a total of 5 hours it's gone. I can't really expect more for the mere €9 I spent at the drugstore.

Masculinity Level: Roger Moore wore Brut extensively in real life, which I think is fitting. I was never a big fan of his Bond, so here's a photo of him in The Wild Geese, a guilty pleasure of a movie if ever there was one.

I scored a mini bottle in an antique shop, so I suspect it is somewhat vintage. Very green, powdery and fairly sweet. Still, it is distinctive, with a pleasant soapy and aromatic quality. I get the herbal notes and definitely geranium rose. Bit of vanilla or coumarin. Creamy sandalwood in the dry-down. This was a mass market fougere in the day.

Fragrance In Three Words: Masculine Green Woods

Brut was one of the first fragrances I owned. I was given one with the silver paper label, along with what I think was Yardley Gold deodorant. I thought it was very strong. The version I bought last year and finished is a lot weaker.

Starts with a nice lavender and slight citrus. The prominent note is oakmoss, I suspect newer versions use treemoss and dry vetiver. It's mainly green notes. There are a lot of floral notes, but they get lost in the miasma.

Brut is a golden balled classic, I've recently been trying Old Spice again and I like that more. Sadly it has become watered down, but it still retains its core DNA.

Rating: old version 8 out of 10
Newer version 7 out of 10

From a Cheeseborough-Ponds bottle, I think 90's-early 2000's?

3 sprays is probably too much, I could get through the whole day on 1 or 2 sprays.

Beautiful fragrance, although after 8-10 hours it feels like it's "time for a change".

Lovely in the Fall & Winter, probably early Spring too. But, "friends don't let friends wear Brut in the summer"!