River Fougère
Dua Fragrances (2020)

River Fougere is the 2020 Dua inspired expression of Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche from 2003, a special men's barbershop fragrance that's since been reformulated and discontinued. Upon first spray, the resemblance is very strong, the sort of fougere-meets-champagne-cologne vibe being very prominent, as Rive Gauche is one of the fresher of the variety, albeit less fresh than Dior Eau Savauge but still fresher than the heavier versions of Chanel Pour Monsieur, Ralph Lauren Safari, etc. With some dry down, however, River Fougere is a little spicier and less fresh than the original, and that's the main difference that makes River Flougere feel a little more appropriate for the evening or cooler weather. Overall, though, River Fougere is a nice embodiment of the original even though it shifts the balance slightly in favor of the heart and base notes, namely the anise, rosemary, woods, and vetiver, away from the top notes of lavender and geranium. Plus, River Fougere is on the more affordable side of the Dua catalogue, at $55 for 30ml, with discounts regularly available, and it's quite a strong performer.

7 out of 10