It has been a while since I did a review. In part because I’ve reviewed most of my shave gear, in part because others tends to do a better job. But I haven’t seen anyone do a review of this Turkish aftershave, so I guess I have to step up to the plate.

The sharp eyed reader will have noticed this aftershave often in my Shave Of The Day posts. I picked it up at my not-quite-local barbershop just before the pandemic, and it has been my go-to aftershave ever since… it meshes well with most of my soaps, and is a safe choice if I don’t feel like picking and choosing between my other aftershaves.

It is not, in my opinion, a particularly complex scent. But it don’t have to be difficult to understand in order to be easily enjoyed. It’s a pretty clean scent, and it does put me in mind of how much I enjoy my infrequent visits to said barbershop.

The base notes are woodsy and spicy – cedarwood and rosemary. Both of which are enjoyable scents by themselves, but they goes well with the higher notes of patchouli – not too much, as it can be a little overpowering – seaweed, and juniper. There are also hits of forests and citrus. The base notes linger on my skin, while the higher notes are well gone before lunch time.

The after shave from Marmara Kolonya contains a lot alcohol, which certainly can feel a bit rough if your razor has left a cuts and nicks. But don’t blame the aftershave for that. Blame your technique. Or your razor, if you’re still using a cart…

It is perhaps not a great aftershave. But it is, to my mind, a pretty good one. A nice, solid daily driver that pairs well with most things and great with some – like a sandalwood soap. And it is inexpensive too, comparatively speaking. I paid roughly 25€ for a 500ml bottle a little over three years ago. At my current rate of consumption, I have aftershave for another five years in that bottle.

You can read more about Marmara Kolonya – both the brand and the aftershaves – on their website.