Freshman (1815)
by Truefitt & Hill

This is T+H's Cool Water clone, but like CM Greenbriar, it comes across as more natural in the top notes, with more realistic florals and herbs. Here, as in 1805, "barbershoppy" elements start to manifest themselves very soon, in the form of a clean but spicy wintergreen that takes over after a few minutes. It intrigues me how much their clones of popular designer scents are so true to the original at first but then deviate into more traditional, "gentlemanly" territory, like a Trumper's scent. The wintergreen becomes more dusty over time, but gains a new sweetness like honey, and doesn't bother me like most wintergreen because it's warmer and greener, rather than icy and sharp. Because of this, the scent manages to be warm and cool at the same time like Geir. Toward the base, the florals come back very strong, with one that's very perky and natural that I only notice after not sniffing at it for a few minutes. The only problem is a bit of a metallic tinge on the sweet basenotes, Ultimately, this is a very nice entry into the Cool Water family, with some hidden surprises.

5th December, 2011.

Another knockoff from T&H. This one is a straight up aquatic in the likes of Coolwater. A citrusy sweet opening that picks up some mint along the way. A fresh, modern scent that is more reminiscent of department store offerings.

9th August, 2011.

Cant agree more with the comparisons to Cool Water, much moreso than GIT to CW. You'll have to own both to notice any real differences with a smell test. But even then it's hard to distinguish. Freshman smells a tad more minty, while CW is more floral, but they both have a little of each anyway. Freshman projects much better. Overall, a very refreshing scent, perfect for Spring. Stick with Cool Water because of the noticeable price difference.

And obviously CW is the knockoff because Freshman was "launched" in 1815. ;-)

30th April, 2011. (Last Edited: 14th October, 2011.)

Freshman = Cool Water in a different bottle.

There's a well-known placebo effect in medicine where a patient is given an inert substance with no ability to produce any physiological healing (see homeopathy, for instance) and yet the patient claims to feel better afterwards. This same kind of wishful thinking may explain why someone who pays two or three times the price of Cool Water to receive it in a bottle adorned with regal crests from barbers to British royalty under the name Freshman thinks it smells better.

To my nose, and probably to anyone who catches a whiff as you pass by, you're wearing Cool Water. But if it makes you feel better, wear Freshman.

Does anyone else detect a "fishy" note in this fragrance? That fish smell really keeps me from enjoying it.

5th March, 2010.

This soapy aquatic opens with a measure of promise, but then becomes sour on my skin. The sourness dissipates, but at this point there is nothing particularly interesting to this fougere.

28th February, 2010.

Kahuna hit the nail on the head, this is very simil;ar to my old 90's bottle of Cool Water.
Both have nearly every note in unison, but Freshman has a thicker base, much like the synthetic ambergris base of Drakkar Noir.
Freshman is also more "fun and playful", and has a note in it's middle-base that is similar to grape kool aid.
Freshman is an excellent casual scent, and in the heirarchy of the GIT/Coolwater family, I rank it high:
1. Green Irish Tweed
2. Truefitt Freshman
3. Chez Bond
4. Cool Water (early formulation)

21st June, 2009.