ShavingUniverse.com
Register a free account now!
If you are registered, you get access to the members only section, can participate in the buy & sell second hand forum and last but not least you can reserve your preferred username before someone else takes it.
bay rhum dr harris a/s
- Thread starter stalker
- Start Date
danjared
Well-Known Member
Argh, I need to remember to copy my post before clicking "post reply". Anyway, what I meant to say is that, while I do not know if this is the case for DR Harris Bay Rhum, the vast majority of so-call bay rums are not actually bay rums. These untrue elixirs use the leaf of the bay laurel, which is from the old world, rather than the leaf or berry of the West Indian bay tree, which is what a true bay rum uses. To be honest, the unauthentic ones have a culinary smell* to me--they make me think of soup. I wouldn't be surprised if there were products calling themselves "bay rum" that use neither the true bay tree nor rum. The real deal has a slightly different smell, which is one I find more agreeable outside of the dining room. St. John's is an example of an authentic bay rum. It is still made in the West Indies.
*If not overpowered by other notes, as the bay leaf, whichever kind it is, has a rather subtle smell.
*If not overpowered by other notes, as the bay leaf, whichever kind it is, has a rather subtle smell.
Emmanuel
Well-Known Member
Well mens. Here i can share a recipe of after shave bay rum splash. I learned from old Greek barbers,i can guarantee that it is great but is really time consuming.
1) You need an oak wood bowl or a very small oak wooden barrel.(one liter)In Greece is available.
2) Two kilos of fresh green bay leaves.
3)One liter of high quality rum or raki.
4)100 ml aloe vera
The leaves should remain in the barrel or bowl for six months to ripen like tea or cigar and pipe tobacco .Then you have to add the rum remaining one month sucking the oils from the leaves and the oak wood.Finally must be add the aloe.
That's all.
The result is amazing.The fragrance lasts and the sensation of the skin is gentle.
Best regards
Emmanuel
Note: The barrel or the bowl should be hermetically sealed. Concerning the barrel is easy closing the taper plug ,the bowl must be sealed with a piece of plastic film .
1) You need an oak wood bowl or a very small oak wooden barrel.(one liter)In Greece is available.
2) Two kilos of fresh green bay leaves.
3)One liter of high quality rum or raki.
4)100 ml aloe vera
The leaves should remain in the barrel or bowl for six months to ripen like tea or cigar and pipe tobacco .Then you have to add the rum remaining one month sucking the oils from the leaves and the oak wood.Finally must be add the aloe.
That's all.
The result is amazing.The fragrance lasts and the sensation of the skin is gentle.
Best regards
Emmanuel
Note: The barrel or the bowl should be hermetically sealed. Concerning the barrel is easy closing the taper plug ,the bowl must be sealed with a piece of plastic film .
geruchtemoaker
Well-Known Member
if you do so don't forget to send me some:w00t:decraew said:
decraew
Well-Known Member
geruchtemoaker said:
I will but don't get you hopes up Stijn, those leaves are really hard to find. I did make something out of the essential oil, but I'm not quite there yet.
Emmanuel, it strikes me that your aftershave has a very high alcohol content. Did you ever add something to make it sting less (demineralised water, rosewater, orange blossom water ...) ?
Emmanuel
Well-Known Member
decraew said:
It is hard find? No realy not Wim I saw them many times in the Belgium forest <feuilles de laurier>
in french.In short if is hard to find i ll send you some from greek mountains.
Normally rum has 20 to 22 degrees .Is not to much ,but if you like to dilute it you can add natural serum or demineralised water. Do not add rose water or orange blossom water because you will harm the natural aroma of bay leaves and oak wood and you know if you mix different smells and you are not
perfumer you achieve to carry out shit fragrance.
Best regards
Emmanuel
danjared
Well-Known Member
TM280 said:
I checked D.R. Harris' website, and they say that they use the oil of the bay tree added to the aftershave. So, technically it is still not a bay rum, as bay rum is made from the berry or leaf of the bay tree distilled in rum. This is the source of the meaning "double-distilled" in regards to bay rum. As such, the smell is probably weaker than one would get from a true bay rum. I've tried some authentic bay rums, and the scent of them at least lingers so that I can smell it for a while.
danjared
Well-Known Member
Emmanuel said:
I do not know French, but based on the name, I'm assuming "laurier" refers to laurel, meaning bay laurel. This is the same as the bay leaf commonly used in cooking and is an old world plant. Pimenta racemosa is a tropical plant from the Caribbean, particularly the U.S. Virgin Islands, where bay rum originates. I would be very surprised if it is capable of growing in Belgium let alone thriving there.
Unfortunately, thanks to the effects of the US Prohibition era and the rationing of naval resources during World War II, bay rum became very scarce and is now fairly uncommon at best. This is my personal conjecture, but it might explain the use of the bay laurel leaf instead in its preparation in many so-called bay rums. I would imagine that the low demand these days makes it rather difficult to source the pimenta racemosa leaf. Maybe this would explain why D.R. Harris uses the essential oil instead.
danjared
Well-Known Member
stalker said:
I got a sampler of sixteen from Barclay Crocker (many of the samples included used bay laurel, though), and I really liked the St. John's and St. Thomas bay rums. I didn't care much for Trumper's rendition, which had an unlasting scent and--if I recall correctly--stung more than usual.