American Crew Classic Fragrance
American Crew

American Crew is a fairly commonplace brand in most salons and even some supermarkets, where they specialize in men-specific hair care products, but also branched out into fragrances as well when they expanded into general men's grooming. The story the company gives was the company got it's start when founder David Raccuglia walked into a Chicago distribution office with a clear jar filled with maple syrup. Somehow.. that translated into an upstart men's hair care company? I don't know, and don't really care frankly. What I do know is American Crew Classic Fragrance is as it sounds: the classic scent used to make their original shampoo lines smell good, and although I can't say whether or not they still use this fragrance for the current shampoos, they did for a time bottle the scent by itself, presumably in beefed up form for some complexity and longevity. American Crew Classic Fragrance isn't made anymore, but there is so much of it in abundance because nobody really knows it exists, that finding it shouldn't be hard. You might be thinking "why would I want a fragrance that smells like shampoo?", but the fact is it's the other way around, and the standalone scent is so much more than it ever was mixed with conditioner or pomade. In fact, American Crew Classic is exactly what the name implies: classic masculine barbershop to a fault with a modern twist. It's cheap as chips yet still relatively well-made, and it's a shame nobody knows who made it for American Crew or when it actually launched, as the stuff was just kind of there, then gone after a number of years. I suspect this came out in the early 2000's, because it fits the time frame of when these kind of masculines were briefly popular again. It's a very "under the radar" barbershop revival scent, just obviously more synthetic than some of it's competitors due to the price range, but I doubt anyone knowing this going in will find much fault.

American Classic Fragrance blends the mid 20th century barbershop dynamics with recent Y2K barbershop revival styles, so it's a bit of something like Avon for Men/Avon Original (1949) with a dollop of Rive Gauche Pour Homme (2003) and Cabaret de Grés Pour Homme (2004), creating something simple, timeless, but likely considered "mature" for a modern nose. Perhaps that was the reason the stuff never took off on it's own; the fragrance as part of a hair care suite was perfectly pleasant to young guys who were gonna throw on their own juice afterward anyway, but on it's own was just too conservative and boring be worn as a fragrance. Fortunately, conservative and traditional scents are right up my alley, so this is an instant thumbs up for me. The opening forgoes the usual lemon or bergamot, which is the only bit of modernism here, since it uses grapefruit instead, which was all the rage in ozonics of the early 2000's. Combine this grapefruit with some mandarin for sweetness, and you probably won't miss the lemon or bergamot. The middle is lavender, geranium, and rosemary, which recalls the aforementioned debut Avon masculine. The Cabaret comparison comes in the form of the sweet soapiness brought about by the middle phase, but it isn't quite the blatant "Coast Soap" of Cabaret by being instead more sage-forward, and avoids much negative criticism from me because this stuff is $10 in the aftermarket for 50ml instead of $70. Rive Gauche Pour Homme is recalled in the slight creaminess of American Classic, which is taken in a drier direction thanks to a sandalwood, clary sage, and coumarin base. It goes on citrusy and sweet, then turns a bit herbal and floral, before settling in on woods and tonka. It's the Fougère Royale (1882) for the Walmart generation, and despite how that sounds, it's quite likeable.

The same simple soapy fougère archetypes I criticized Cabaret for I praise here, but only because here, they aren't lifted on some insane pedestal by collectors post-discontinuation that drives prices nearly past designer levels, but rather, keeps these simple tones well within reach, since something this comforting others should be able to enjoy often without the anxiety of using a precious, finite, and costly commodity. Plus, nobody in the slightest will even begin to guess what you're wearing when giving American Crew Classic a daily spin, and upon hearing it's the former marquee scent of the hair care brand, will likely garner some impressed blank stares, giving it a sleeper aspect that I can appreciate. It's not terribly sophisticated nor is it of powerhouse proportions, but as an easy-going modern barbershop scent, it's more than welcome in the collection of anyone who fancies more recent interpretations of vintage masculine styles. It's a bit synthetic because of it's price point, but due to that price point, it shouldn't be too much of a worry unless you're the snob that only buys fragrances that can list the provenance of their ingredients. However, be warned that some aftermarket sellers will scalp this up to over $100, especially for newer 100ml glass bottles (older production was only in 50ml steel tubes styled much like Rive Gauche or Montale bottles but without paint on them). Niche fans will likely disregard this as plebeian drivel, as evidenced by it's mostly negative reception on Basenotes among the perfumistas here, versus more positive feedback from the decidedly more populist crowds that frequent other sites like Fragrantica or Parfumo, but drugstore aficionados will eat it up like candy. Any barbershop or fougère fan can't go wrong with a blind buy due to the asking price, just make sure to go in with the knowledge of this being a purposely basic and inexpensive everyday affair that won't blow the doors off, but won't let you down.

A very clean, slightly spicy, slightly citrusy smell which is nice when sprayed.
However beware it has the longevity of a fruit fly... more of a spicy cologne than anything else.

A so so fragrance with a so so price.
It will offend nobody, but it wouldn't set the world on fire either.
I would say that is an adecuate fragrance for the young starving college kid, it is better than many cheap drugstore colognes and it is at reach for a tight pocket.
It is a pleasant scent that will be better appreciated by an unsophisticated nose, but to old farts like me it is too simple to be enjoyable.
Sillage and longevity are below average.

Originally I thought this was not bad, in the mold of Oscar or Halston's letter fragrances. Upon further wearing, I find it falls apart and stays so close to the skin as to be like I'm wearing nothing. Why pay for that?

There are too many options to choose from to waste with this stuff.

Tried the sample on the counter before getting a hair cut after my wait and the hair cut, smelled my wrist again and immediately bought a bottle when paying for the cut. It smells very classic and masculine. It is strong and projects well, doesn't last incrediably long but gets the job done for sure. It smells unlike anything in my collection and fills a void for fresh new school barbershop scents. Rive Gauche smells like a razor, scissor, hot towel barbershop and this smells like a clippers and gel one. Not bad just different.

I like it !!Classic - nearly timeless !! and this one is not 2009 as it is not 1990 !!Not your average lovely fruity/lemony - it has got some citrus but it has been fuelled with spicesIt has got a great smell of well groomed and it does go well with all the Classic line from American Crew>BUT in my opinion it does have a little bit of wildeness in it - just enough to make really interesting and naughty !! - I would explain this by saying that this scent goes very well with men's natural scent.So this will not break ground or your bank account - but this is well made and it has a bit of an animal punch into itI recommend it