The manliest cologne isn’t necessarily made from tobacco, wood, whiskey or even motor-oil (yup, it exists). Though all fine, the true measure of a manly cologne goes much deeper than the business of fragrance (itself a word unbecoming of manly men). We’re talking about build, gentlemen. As in a solid cologne; no dainty sprays, messy splashes or strange oils, just a waxy brick of swell smelling stuff. Perfect for travel, cramming in over stuffed drawers, dropping and making it so you never, ever have to spritz.
Solid colognes aren’t anything new, but they haven’t always been good. Till now. Specifically those from Fulton and Roark, a young indie business out of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, which has three scents that star wood, cedar and something like the ocean spray. Our favorite is Shackleford,a warm sandalwood that’s made a nice home in our carry-on bag. This particular solid cologne was most recently helpful during a train ride on a rather foul smelling Amtrak train—even if you don’t want to wear cologne, at the very least you can dab a little on your mustache or beard and create a force field against the rancid world around you.
