Robb Recommends: Claus Porto’s New Cologne Smells Like Sailing in the Summertime
Welcome to Robb Recommends, a regular series in which our editors and contributors endorse something they’ve tried and loved—and think will change your life for the better. If you purchase a product or service through a link in this story, we may receive a small commission.
When it comes to brand legacy and product quality, Claus Porto is peerless. The 136-year-old Portuguese grooming brand still folds all of its paper boxes by hand, but innovates as though it were a nimble startup. It’s launched some of the best fragrances of the last decade, and keeps its offerings fresh with new scents, too.
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Before I wax poetic on its excellent new launch, Alto Mar, here’s what else you should know about this brand: If you want to give someone a great housewarming or stocking stuffer, look no further—especially if your recipient values high-quality shaves, beautifully scented soaps and lotions, or the aesthetics of Iberian tile. I consider the company’s Lisbon barbershops and Porto flagship a must-visit attraction whenever I visit either city, and I recommend a hot towel shave to guys within striking distance of any of the locations. (If you’re traveling in a group of 10 or more, consider their soapmaking workshops.) And of course, I never leave their shops empty-handed.
With Alto Mar, Claus Porto is paving new paths with its men’s assortment, called Musgo Real. It is the first of three new scent families to launch that will launch this year, and smells like an Atlantic sea breeze. The initial Alto Mar launch includes a body soap (5.6 oz.), a soap on a rope (6.7 oz.), and an EDT (3.4 oz.). The scent is of course a marine-tinged one, opening with notes of aquatic calone with a dash of mint and anise. Absinth and rosemary give it the sense of a refreshing cocktail, while it coasts to shore on cashmere and vetiver, with a splash of gourmand tonka.
Claus Porto Alto Mar Eau de Toilette
I love the excuse to attach the included bulb atomizer to the fragrance, to spritz it on post-shower like our grandfathers would with aftershave cologne. That’s the essence here—all of Musgo Real is a nod to classic barbershop culture—though of course, it’s more of a modern Eau de Toilette than an aftershave.
Buy Now on Claus Porto:
Claus Porto Alto Mar Soap
Each soap is made with a vegetable oil base, and infused with soybean oil and algae extract to keep skin smooth and soft, and the soap on a rope has a cotton cord that stays sturdily braided until its final lather. Scent aside, I could be describing any of Claus Porto’s signature soaps, which last a lifetime compared to most soapmakers. (Right up there with the Marseille brands, if not better.)
Buy Now on Claus Porto (Soap on a Rope):
Buy Now on Claus Porto (Bar Soap):
And with two more Musgo Real scent families launching this fall, there’s more to look forward to from Claus Porto—both for myself and my holiday giftees.
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