Bootlegger's Aftershave Reviews

[TomG]

Now that I have compiled all the ingredients and commenced blending, I will regularly be posting Bootlegger's Aftershave reviews on this thread.
First cab off the rank will be the Original Bay Rum.

 

[alfredus]

Can't wait @TomG

 

[RustyBlade]

Looking forward to this one. Nice work in capturing the base aftershaves to make this work.

 

[TomG]

Review - Bootlegger's Original Bay Rum

Background

Bootlegger's Aftershaves are a product of the good members of the Badger and Blade Forum community, with the initiative spearheaded by @OkieStubble, who I am delighted to see has joined our Aussie Forum.
The Bootlegger's concept is to blend together a combination of drug-store aftershaves to produce a derivative product, hopefully with synergy such the blend results in a final product that is superior to the sum of its parts.

Recipe

• 1 part Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum
• 1 part Master Bay Rum
• 1 part Superior 70 Alcoholado Bay Rum

Scent and Performance

It seems clear to me that much thought went into this blend. The Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum has a very robust scent, with cloves and spices doing the heavy hitting. Conversely, the Master and Superior 70 Bay Rums are fresher and lighter, with the Master having a slight sweetness, and the Superior 70 having a very pure bay leaf note. This results in a very satisfying blend that is versatile and can be used in warmer weather, whilst remaining faithful to the Bay Rum genre. I would rate the scent of this blend as having medium longevity as an aftershave splash.

The blending philosophy carries through with face feel and performance. The Pinaud Clubman Virgin Island Bay Rum is again robust, giving a resounding sting upon application, but can be a little drying. The Superior 70, whilst high in alcohol, seems to have a mitigating effect, and this is further enhanced by the Master Bay Rum, which contains substantial glycerin. On its own, I find the glycerin in the Master Bay Rum a little cloying, but the Bootlegger's blend thins this out, such that there is an initiative feeling of lubricity, which immediately dissipates leaving no residual stickiness. Nicely done indeed.

Summary

Outstanding work from @OkieStubble and the assisting B&B community members. The Bootlegger's Original Bay Rum blend satisfies the Bootlegger's prime directive - a product that is superior to the sum of its parts. The scent is beautifully balanced, and the face feel is refreshing, whilst having a moisturising effect without any residual sticky feeling. It has shot to the top of my Bay Rum aftershave list as equal favourite alongside DR Harris.

 

[Holiday]

Thanks for the in-depth review @TomG
Will we see some Bootlegger's original aftershaves in the TKM Charity this year?

 

[TomG]

Thanks for the in-depth review @TomG
Will we see some Bootlegger's original aftershaves in the TKM Charity this year?

That sounds like a great idea .

 

[borked]

Will we see menthol added to the experiment?

 

[Mark1966]

Will we see menthol added to the experiment?

BURN THE WITCH!

You do NOT mess with the Bootlegger's recipes ...

 

[Holiday]

That sounds like a great idea .

Sounds like an awesome idea for fellow P&C members to experience Bootlegger's blend without having to source al the individual parts and from the look of it those three bottles would make enough Bay Rum to last 10 years unless you plan on opening an old school barbershop that is

 

[SpeedyPC]

Will we see menthol added to the experiment?

BURN THE WITCH!

You do NOT mess with the Bootlegger's recipes ...

Yes, he can @Mark1966, @borked can make his own Bootlegger's Bay Rum by adding menthol, if, he wanted to.

 

[TomG]

Actually, Gents, @borked is absolutely on the money. Several of the Bootlegger’s blends are cooling aftershaves with Osage Rub as a key ingredient, thus adding a very decent cooling effect. I have also experimented with addition of menthol crystals to some blends, including some that have no menthol in the original recipe, with very pleasing results. As my wet shaving journey has continued, I’ve grown fonder and fonder of menthol. Apart from the cooling sensation, I have found that it has a positive effect on my skin.
All will be revealed in forthcoming reviews.

 

[TomG]

Review - Bootlegger's Perfecto Virginia

Bootlegger's Aftershaves are a product of the good members of the Badger and Blade Forum community, with the initiative spearheaded by @OkieStubble, who I am delighted to see has joined our Aussie Forum.
The Bootlegger's concept is to blend together a combination of drug-store aftershaves to produce a derivative product, hopefully with synergy such that the blend results in a final product that is superior to the sum of its parts.

Recipe

• 1 part Master Bay Rum
• 1 part Superior 70 Alcoholado Bay Rum
• 1 part Vitos Colonia Tobacco

Note: Vitos have recently changed their bottle and label, but there is no mistaking the colour and scent.

Scent and Performance

As noted in the Bootlegger's Original Bay Rum review, the Master and Superior 70 Bay Rums are fresh and light styles, with the Master having a slight sweetness, and the Superior 70 having a very pure bay leaf note. The addition of the Vitos Tobacco gives the scent depth and warmth, with a touch of sweetness. It is a very masculine scent with a touch of sophistication, with the Bay Rum notes interplaying well with the Tobacco notes. Again, this is a very versatile blend that can easily be used in warm weather. I would rate the scent of this blend as having medium-high longevity as an aftershave splash.

The face feel and performance is very good. It has a refreshing rather than savage sting upon application, and the glycerin in the Master Bay Rum provides a nice moisturising effect upon dry down.

Summary

I knew I would like this blend, as I already am a fan of the Vitos Tobacco splash. Bootlegger's Perfecto Virginia has become my equal favourite Bootlegger's blend alongside El Dorado.
It makes me think of holidays, which can't be a bad thing! Outstanding work from @OkieStubble and the assisting B&B community members. You've kicked another goal with this one, Rob .

 

[OkieStubble]

Actually, Gents, @borked is absolutely on the money. Several of the Bootlegger’s blends are cooling aftershaves with Osage Rub as a key ingredient, thus adding a very decent cooling effect. I have also experimented with addition of menthol crystals to some blends, including some that have no menthol in the original recipe, with very pleasing results. As my wet shaving journey has continued, I’ve grown fonder and fonder of menthol. Apart from the cooling sensation, I have found that it has a positive effect on my skin.
All will be revealed in forthcoming reviews.

Great reviews @TomG!

So I don’t know a lot about the climate in Australia, is it always hot in Australia, or is there a Winter season or colder months?

When I created the Bootlegger’s Series of aftershaves, The idea was to not only create better, more expensive feeling and smelling aftershaves from cheaper aftershaves, but also, my intentions was to design specific aftershaves that would coincide quite nicely with different seasons of the year.

Bootlegger’s Green Freeze and Bootlegger’s Artic Lime Blast is loaded with menthol goodness which will take a bite out of the hottest Australian Summer Days.

While Bootlegger’s Lime Bay Rum and Bootlegger’s Perfecto Virginia, are perfect for warm and balmy summer nights or cool Fall Days.

Bootlegger’s Perfecto Virginia’s Authentic bay rum foundation, with it’s hints of green tobacco flower and orange citrus, will have you imagining a humid night in Cuba, sitting on a veranda while sipping a bourbon and smoking a Cuban cigar, while wearing a straw hat and guayabera shirt.

Bootlegger’s Original Bay Rum smells like Thanksgiving and Christmas with it’s wonderful warm scent of clove, cinnamon and spice. Images of a snow covered log cabin with a crackling fireplace comes to mind.

Bootlegger’s Perfecto Maduro and Bootlegger’s El Dorado are very masculine and rugged yet also are refined and sophisticated all at the same time.

Both designed to attract the fairer sex. Which simply means, they are perfect for anytime of year, in any kind of weather or climate.

 

[OkieStubble]

Yes, he can @Mark1966, @borked can make his own Bootlegger's Bay Rum by adding menthol, if, he wanted to.

I agree with you @SpeedyPC, adding menthol crystals to any of them could be interesting and menthol crystals will not change the Bootlegger’s ingredients other than make them colder.

However, I also concur the thought of what @Mark1966 posted. While Bootlegger’s isn’t an official brand due to the fact that they are not for sale and are individually mixed from other known aftershaves.

The moniker “Bootlegger’s Series” is an unofficial, individually thought up brand by me, in order to identify the series of the individual mixes I created. Changing the ingredients would change what they are, hence they wouldn’t be Bootlegger’s and calling them that wouldn’t be a correct identifier of whatever else it turned into.

Because of it’s popularity, many mistakenly think, the name Bootlegger’s is a name or definition of whatever anyone who decides to throw a bunch of aftershaves together is called.

But Bootlegger’s isn’t a definition, instead it is merely an unofficial brand which recognizes the quite a few years worth of research, effort, experimentation and testing and reviews that went into the 7 different aftershaves which are identified and widely known and acknowledged, as the Bootlegger’s Series of Aftershaves.

At one time years ago, when all of these products that make up the Bootlegger’s Series could be easily obtained at really low prices, one could easily mix up lifetime supplies of extraordinary aftershaves in scent and performance for very little and ordinary prices.

 

[Gargravarr]

So I don’t know a lot about the climate in Australia, is it always hot in Australia, or is there a Winter season or colder months?

Both. At the top end, we're well into the crocodile-infested tropics, while down the bottom, there's nothing to break the freezing gales except for the occasional penguin.

Good work with the blends

 

[OkieStubble]

Both. At the top end, we're well into the crocodile-infested tropics, while down the bottom, there's nothing to break the freezing gales except for the occasional penguin.

Good work with the blends

Wow, such extremes in climate makes it very interesting. I will have to research the geography and climate more.

I think I would really like to visit the land down under one day.

 

[Holiday]

Thank you for your contribution to wet shaving communities around the world @OkieStubble

 

[OkieStubble]

Thank you for your contribution to wet shaving communities around the world @OkieStubble

Well, I don’t feel like some great contribution was made, I think it was more of just an obsessed hobby that kind of took off on its own.

While I own over 200 vintage and modern aftershaves, I haven’t purchased another aftershave In quite sometime. That should give an idea of how much back stock I have to make future Bootlegger’s. .

And while I am getting older and my aftershave obsession is diminishing,
It does still give me joy that there are people out there who really love a bunch of cheap aftershaves I threw together years ago that is called The Bootlegger’s Series.

I never ever, get tired of reading the reviews of people who enjoy them.

 

[borked]

Bootleggers Iced series to distinguish original and mentholated versions?
I recommend 1% volume by weight.

I would be curious how it works with the greener versions and if it takes on a similar accord to Alt Innsbruck.

 

[SpeedyPC]

@borked have you ever thought about adding menthol into brut, imperial leather and old spice aftershave, this would be right up your alley

PS. Sorry for asking above for not related to this topic.