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The Complete Gentleman, Issue #009
October 30, 2015
Hello

Time Warp

As children reach and advance into adulthood their parents become viewed as old…even decrepit. The life they have led so far seems ancient and irrelevant compared to what is happening for hipsters today. The funny thing is, the parents were once like this themselves and while youth and energy is a great thing to have, there’s a lot to be said for the wisdom and maturity that often comes (but is not obligatory) with age. It is with this sense that I’m in a bit of a time warp, recent posts have had some degree of retro nostalgia feeling to them.

Smell it in the Air

We’ve just reviewed Estée Lauder’s cologne for Men: Aramis Classic. While I might feel it’s a case of “Hey, the 1970’s are calling, and they want their curly black haired chest wig back,” there is still something comforting to be found in this. Estée Lauder is run by her grandchildren, and they are continuing to find ways to make the company relevant for today. Meanwhile hipsters who may scorn Aramis in favor of an ozonic non-descript fragrance (which have their place) are really missing out on what is after all, a classic man’s fragrance of note.

A Fondness Revisited

We’ve just written a piece on the Mahón Gin Category, and as part of this had to (honestly) include tasting Xoriguer Gin again. The last time I tasted this was about 15 years ago in Menorca and one of the nice things about being older is having these memories, and this visit was a fond enough time to recall, with many smiles suddenly appearing from nowhere! Interestingly, our review of this Gin was only written two and half years ago and yet needed updating – so much so, it was a complete rewrite for Xoriguer Gin.

Clear & Present

Of course not everything old is good and not everything new is bad - and we have particularly enjoyed tasting and reviewing two relatively new (and not yet well-known) USA Gins from the west coast, although from opposite ends of the country:

Corbin Gin, uniquely made from sweet potatoes by a fourth generation Californian farmer David Souza, and named after his son (in preparation for the fifth generation).

50 Fathoms Gin, where the producers could be considered young to everything surrounding this including their home (Haines, Alaska), distilling and making Gin.

Old and New

Last month we reviewed (but didn’t include in the newsletter) a safety razor: the Merkur 180 (MK 23001) with long handle. This is another real classic and I can recall both my father and grandfather using just such razors (as I do today). Of course, many other wet shavers use cartridge razors and it was a pleasantly nice opportunity to review a modern day shaving tool to use alongside both types of wet shave razors: The Razorpit Teneo Razor Sharpener. I really didn’t expect it to work, but it just goes to show, you can teach an old dog new tricks!

Regardless of weather you are young or old, both can be relevant for today. The secret seems to be, to develop a mature outlook when young, and to never stop having the curiosity of a child when you are older.

Gentlemen, I’ll leave you with a toast: “Young and old, together.”

My warmest regards,

David “Woody” Schofield

President and Founder, The Complete Gentleman LLC.

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