Yes, Abercrombie isn’t really the place you go to when shopping for cologne, unless you’re the kind of guy who enjoys the smell of locker rooms mixed with Axe body spray. It’s a new day for the company, though, with a rebrand in the works, so everything is getting shaken up. That includes the scents, which is why the A&F Batch No. 46 Cologne is such a big departure from what you remember of their old fragrances.
No more of that ultra-strong Fierce scent that made you want to get up on a bench, thump your chest like King Kong, and rip up your shirt like 80s-era Hulk Hogan. You know, the kind you’ll spray in an elevator to smell nice for a job interview, only to send everyone inside scampering to get out as soon as the door opens.
The A&F Batch No. 46 Cologne is named after the 46 mountain peaks of the Adirondacks, bringing with it a scent they describe as being a “rich blend of warm woods grounded in dark amber and musk.” It’s fresher and lighter than what you probably associate with the brand’s fragrances, with hints of earthy elements that, A&F notes, “capture the energy of the great outdoors.” We’re guessing, it’s the outfit’s version of a fougère, that class of modern scents that are especially popular as fragrances for men.
At any rate, it’s apparently safe to shop Abercrombie for your fragrances and the Batch No. 46 is available now, priced at $48 for a 1.7-oz bottle.