Fougère fragrances are known for having that vintage, classy vibe, and I love them because of that. Built upon aromatics such as lavender and cypress, woods and oakmoss, fougère fragrances are easy to identify. And here we have a more modern take on this style -
B-612. But 'modern' doesn't necessarily always mean better too.
You're first met with a strong dosage of cypress, which brings the essential fresh, crisp, aromatic accords with an undertone of coniferous woodiness. The lavender further supports it with a touch of soothing floral-herbaceous attributes, as well as a mild sweetness. It is all nicely balanced by the geranium with more herbal touches, but also a mildly spicy and lemony quality in the background. Overall, a very convincing fougère opening.
As things gently settle down, dry and warm woodiness comes into play. A musky accord also tags along, with the patchouli and cashmere wood being the main representatives. The patchouli, to me, seems nicely integrated, not being too strong, nor taking a step too far back. It brings just the right amount of its distinct musky/woody/earthy accords. And it works like a charm with the rest of the woody notes and the herbaceous characters from the opening.
The musky accord becomes more and more potent as we reach the base, which is paired nicely with a damp and bitter oakmoss - another important note for a fougère. The tonka bean here doesn't seem to sweeten things much, at best adding a nutty quality to the blend. But instead, a faint hay-like edge seems to result from its addition. Overall,
B-612 does a nice job at showing what makes a fougère fragrance truly a fougère... or does it? Well, as stated, this is a more modern take on the genre, and while that's a good way to garner interest around what some may see as a "dated fragrance genre" today, it also automatically means that the qualities which made fougères really stand out - the dirty, animalic, bolder, more intense qualities - are nearly completely ditched. I feel like
B-612 takes a more mass-appealing approach to the genre, and while that's not a bad thing per se, it is not exactly what fougère diehard fans will be looking for.
Performance does seem to match that of reformulated vintage fragrances, A.K.A. "grandpa juice", where many fougères from the '80s and '90s also sit in. I got around 5-6 hours of longevity on my skin, with projection not surpassing any more than 2 feet for the first half an hour, afterwards mellowing down gently up until a skin scent around hour 4.
Versatility is a strong suit here, but it also depends on whether you like being perceived a bit more "old-school", which I'm sure you do if you're looking at scents such as this in the first place. This works perfectly as a leisure/daily wear, office and/or school pick, and even for some formal events. There's not exactly a place where this wouldn't fit; it's all about if you make it work, if you wear it confidently.
So, if you like fougères, then this is worth a look. But I don't think it would be worth getting. Sitting around the $200 price range,
B-612 faces stiff competition, for many fougères of old can be found for cheaper today. Yes, heavily reformulated and yes, performance is usually lacking. But
B-612 doesn't seem to be a stand-out performer either, and some of these truly vintage fougères still hold up today, in the market where the genre is barely alive anymore. If you prefer a slightly more mass-appealing fougère which still thoroughly captures the style, then
B-612 does a remarkable job. But otherwise, if you want a more raw depiction of the genre, then something like
Paco Rabanne pour Homme Eau de Toilette or
Quorum Eau de Toilette should be on your list.
Overall Rating: 5.6/10
Top Notes 
Lavender
Cypress
Geranium
Heart Notes 
Cashmere wood
Cedarwood
Patchouli
Sandalwood
Base Notes 
Oakmoss
Musk
Tonka bean
BertolucciK
StinkSultan
MrMoustache
TheDunkPapa
Crazyups
Jlundo
FreshKatsu
NicheOnly
JMWeed
BoBoChamp
