Bon Monsieur Rogue 2020

Important backstory: I was actually quite happy with my updated collection, having tried countless samples until I really filtered out the cream of the crop for my taste. Only to realize that a fougere or a proper barbershop scent was missing from my collection. I had given away Platinum Égoïste Eau de Toilette and Beau de Jour Eau de Parfum a while ago, somehow lost interest in both of them, or was particularly bothered by a certain note in the PE, especially in higher temperatures. Then I tried Beau de Jour again and found pleasure in it once more. Perhaps it’s the season. Then I thought: Why limit myself to just Beau de Jour, maybe there are other fougères out there. So I tried all sorts of things. The masculin Pluriel was unnecessary because I have the Signature pour Homme Eau de Parfum and find that much better. The Scandal Parfum Cologne did not convince me at all, no special DNA, poor performance. I find Invasion Barbare quite good, but not good enough to shell out 250 euros. I didn't like New York Intense at all, I find it not modern, rather old-fashioned with a sharp, unpleasant note. I think Fougère Royale (2010) Eau de Parfum is quite good, soft, elegant, nice, but still not quite what I was looking for, and I don't find it better than Beau de Jour. So the search continued through the fougères and barbershops...

Then finally I received the Bonded Perfumery Sharing samples, many thanks to VeritasAUT at this point. Bon Monsieur and Bonded another masterpiece, for which I will also write a review. Bon Monsieur is already very fresh and bright in the opening, a transparent high-quality scent that, as previously described, is not really green, more like a modern shaving foam, almost shower gel-like but not blue. I could try to describe nuances here like some YouTube influencers and pretend that I could really pick out the components. I can't really do that. The patchouli in Beau de Jour is noticeable, especially in the drydown, but not here. I can smell lavender and definitely the oakmoss, but they are beautifully rounded out by all these other components. It remains an elegant, masculine, classic yet very fresh and relatively linear, modern barbershop. One radiates a permanently freshly showered, shaved, and well-groomed vibe. A scent that makes you want to slip into a suit right away. It is pleasing, yet a bit sharper and more distinctive, as well as more performant than, for example, the Houbigant Fougère Royal, which is softened by chamomile and comes across as gentler.

I must also honestly say, I have longed for such a scent. I don't want to smell like honey or cotton candy, I don't like to scent like vanilla ice cream and candies. I have searched for a truly classic masculine yet modern scent for so long. Only a few manage to achieve this: Signature pour Homme by Zaharoff, Bon Monsieur, Beau de Jour, which others? Bonded, also by Rogue.

Back to the paradoxical headline: King of the classic modern fougères. Yes, after testing so many others, definitely. Bon Monsieur takes the top spot, alongside Beau de Jour. Hats off, Mr. Manuel Cross!