Marinate in a New Trio of Fragrances Inspired by Booze

By Katie Dickens Published March 7, 2016

Sure, Robert Graham’s sometimes loud, Euro-flashy designs aren’t for everyone, but at least one of his fragrances, a first for the designer, will probably appeal to you. They’re inspired by the hard stuff, after all, and you all like that. Graham loves it too and so he looked to his favorite fancy whiskey, to come up with essences that are aged and single blended. Each of the fragrances is poured into a decanter-like bottle and topped with an ornate cap that reflects the scent within.

Courage refers to what you need whilst driving your very fast, very fancy sport car around miles of cliff-side hairpin turns. Weirdly the top note is a bit of liquid courage, Vodka Citron, which you definitely should not imbibe before hopping into said vehicle for a joyride. That alcoholic note is blended with Bergamot and smoky wood as a nod to that coastal drive. Atop the intrepid scent is a leather stitched base reminiscent of a steering wheel and a replica of a hood ornament from the 20s, a nonplussed driver who clearly eats fear for breakfast.

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An English bulldog, nattily turned out in a purple bowtie, apparently best illustrates Valour. The pup lords over a fragrance that’s an unexpected mix of clary sage, coffee and amber wood.

Finally, Fortitude is a man cave-like blend of tobacco, patchouli and tonka bean. And what could be the symbol of strength, determination, and possibly sexual stamina? A ram with glittering green eyes, of course. The horned creature’s head is mounted on a “steampunk gear” to convey Graham’s love of racecars. No matter which fragrance you pick, once you’ve drained the bottle, it’s a pretty awesome addition to your bar cart.

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Katie Dickens is a Manhattan-based beauty and grooming writer. She has held staff positions at Glamour, In Style, People…

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ALTAIA’s Woo(E)D features exotic international fragrances

ALTAIA is an Italian company with an international approach to fragrances

ALTAIA WOO(E)D men's cologne

With a product name that leans heavily into the concept of seduction, ALTAIA is taking an intriguing approach to masculinity in its latest eau de parfum release. There’s more than a little ambiguity behind the “who seduces who?” question behind the name, and the foundation fragrances are designed to enhance and deepen that mystery.
ALTAIA is an Italian company with a flair for internationally-based fragrances, so it isn’t completely surprising that the foundation here consists of a combination of Atlas cedar, Gaiac wood, and cistus. This combination is well worth exploring, so let’s go there.

Not the usual woody foundation fragrances

While cedar might feel familiar as a foundation ingredient in men’s fragrances, this particular version is different. Atlas cedar is native to the Atlas mountains in Algeria and Morocco, and it’s prized for having a warm scent that also offers a hint of delicate sweetness.
Gaiac wood is equally unique. It comes from a tree native to South America, and its smoky, sweet scent blends with both its woody cousin and the leather in the next layer. It offers traces of amber, too, and in its natural form this versatile, super-hard wood is used in both tool handles and traditional medicine.
Cistus has its own special origins, too. It grows wild in the areas around the Mediterranean, and it produces labdanum, a sticky resin that’s a staple of the perfume and fragrance world. It’s often used to support wood fragrances in the base layer, so it’s not surprising to see it turn up here. Perfumers see it as both cozy and romantic, hence the appeal in a fragrance that seeks to evoke this level of romanticism.
After an early April release, WOO(E)D is now available in the US. It is available in 100 mL quantities for $230. It’s an expensive offering, but ATLAIA is hoping it will entice younger buyers, especially, to try some of the company’s other unusual fragrances.

Grooming

GUESS releases iconic new men’s cologne

GUESS ICONIC's new men's cologne is all about brand imaging

GUESS ICONIC

In the world of men’s fragrances, some brands niche down to appeal to a specific “type” and demographic, while others try to be all things to all people. The latter is especially true when they include the word “ICONIC” in their brand name, which is the case for this release from GUESS.
It's called GUESS ICONIC for Men, but GUESS isn't a company that's gender-specific when it comes to its scents. Its counterpart, GUESS Woman, was launched last April, and GUESS also designs, markets, distributes, and licenses a large collection of lifestyle products, including apparel, handbags, watches, footwear, and other consumer goods.

GUESS the iconic scent

Grooming

DedCool releases Mochi Milk fragrance to a waiting list of 5,000

Like DedCool's other products, expect Mochi Milk to become a household staple

DedCool Mochi Milk

Innovative concepts tend to be few and far between in the fragrance world, especially when it comes to men’s scents and colognes. But Carina Chaz has always been an innovator when it comes to fragrances; DedCool’s latest release, Mochi Milk, dropped to an eager waiting list of over 5,000 customers.
The product and the company are well worth exploring, so let’s go there. Chaz’s superpower is integrating her scents into the everyday household world, and making them expressive while still painting a functional, accessible aspect. Mochi Milk is no exception to this unique approach.

The Mochi Milk scent combination