Andrew French

United Kingdom Castle Forbes

Bright citrus, aromatic herbs and dry woods shape much of his work, often with a warm or spicy finish. The style draws on traditional British perfumery and gives familiar structures a clear material focus.

About

Andrew French is a perfumer and co-founder of Castle Forbes, the British fragrance and grooming house established in 1996. His work connects perfume composition with the practical demands of grooming products, from personal fragrances to shaving creams and aftershave balms.

His partnership with Jinny, Lady Forbes began with scents for potpourri at the family estate in Scotland. What started as an informal project developed into a perfumery in a former dairy building, where the pair could experiment with compositions. French brought the fragrance work to the venture, while the castle and its surroundings helped give the collection its identity.

As the business developed, masculine fragrance and wet shaving became central to its range. French has discussed the technical challenge of adapting a shaving-cream base to a chosen scent, rather than changing the scent to suit a standard base. His account of developing matching products also shows how he considers a fragrance across different uses, while retaining a recognisable character.

His perfume work often combines bright citrus with aromatic herbs, dry woods and spice. Clean, familiar structures remain important, but their development can be warmer or more textured than the opening suggests. The result sits within traditional British perfumery, with an emphasis on distinct materials and balanced compositions rather than fashionable sweetness or a uniformly heavy style.