Hidey Ho folks. This weeks chat is going to focus on yet another budget priced diamond in the rough, Flag and Sail Classic Scent. Found scattered throughout surplus warehouses, dusty gas station shelves, dollar store chains, and stuffed into Grandpa's stocking every year by grandchildren that are too cheap to spring for real Skin Bracer- it's actually a pretty solid contender. "Flag and Sail" as we know it today is just a name. Similar to Ivy Club, Reyatta Club, Phoenix Labs, etc; it's just a brand name that licenses "store brand" scents that are mainly manufactured by the Phoenix Labs/Vi-Jonn group (makers of the well-liked Old Spice knock off sold at Family Dollar, CVS and Dollar General). I personally buy my version at Dollar General, but I've seen it all over the place in one incarnation or another. Back in the fifties and sixties, though, Flag and Sail was a popular brand. Nowhere on the level of Aqua Velva or Skin Bracer, but this was (according to what I was told) a "supermarket" scent. That is, if a grocery store was going to carry only one aftershave brand, it was going to be Flag and Sail. Sometime in the late seventies the name was bought out by another company that had no plans on continuing in the aftershave business, so Flag and Sail disappeared for a few years before reappearing at Dollar General during the eighties as generic versions of popular scents. This brings us to my choice for this weeks chat, Flag and Sail Classic Scent. Looking at the bottle, you would think that it was a straight up Brut clone. Well, sort of. It's almost a 50/50 balance of Brut and Skin Bracer. Now, I initially hated it, but after sitting in my cabinet for a couple of years I decided to give her a spin the other night and was surprised to find that I like it now. It has a small dose of menthol, and it gives a good burn. Initially it smells more like Skin Bracer but the drydown is Brut clone. FWIW, I love Brut, hate regular Skin Bracer. This strikes a good balance for me. Since it's classed as an aftershave/splash, I splashed some on my chest and the back of my neck and got pretty decent longevity out of it, I mean, for 1.50 a bottle, impressive longevity. I actually got compliments on it. Some girl at the gas station standing behind me said "Dude, I don't know what you're wearing, but it smells hawt!" So, if you're a cheap joker like me or if you just want to impress young girls, get some Dollar General brand Flag and Sail Classic Scent. This is one that smells entirely different out of the bottle than it does just sniffing it with the cap off.
wow! thanks for the history behind the label. This is the other a/s I picked up on the run where I got the Barbasol Musk. It's really grown on me. I want to repeat and confirm that the scent really does last. I don't wear a cologne when I use it, it lasts that long. It's a pleasant, mellow scent. And yes, I am a cheap joker, but then, I have to be. Thanks for reviewing this. You did a better job than I could have.
Ya know, it's amazing how good some of these "knockoff" scents smell. I've got the Ivy Club Spice and really like it. Only lasts about 15 minutes on me though. A it's price I can keep the bottle with me and splash as needed. Looks like I've got another to check out now.
Nice job Rob. Never even heard of this brand, but then I rarely hit the dollar stores. Sounds like a decent bargain splash.
thanks:thanksI cannot thank you enough for leading me to Flag & Sail After Shave. We've looked off the beaten path many times, but have never found it. I'm going to check out the dollar stores tomorrow! My husband wore it back in the mid 60's to early 70's then it disappeared from the shelves of our local K-Mart. It had a wonderful clean, sweet lime scent and he got just as many compliments on it as he did his expensive colognes. (I made him wear the cheap stuff for his "everyday" scent, doing chores, taking care of the horses, running errands, etc. He always smelled good! Whatever he was doing.) Then he would come home and get cleaned up, splash on some of that good stuff, put on his uniform, his badge and gun and we'd head off to our 3-11 shift feeling pretty good! So, again, thanks for helping us find something we've looked for for years, and for helping to bring back some special moments too!
It's a Dollar General stores brand and the only place Dollar General stores are located, is in the United States.
The legend that is/was Clubman Rob, here and on other forums he had fanstastic posts, one knowledgeable man with definite and informed opinions. Anyone know his whereabouts?
Unfortunately, no. Dollar General stores do not operate a retail web site - not to mention postal service rules that prevent mailing colognes and aftershaves that contain alcohol. You could of course try eBay... For reference I also see a chain in the Northwest called Bi-Mart carries Flag & Sail Brisk. Bi-Mart has 72 stores in communities throughout Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. So I guess it's not an exclusive Dollar General-owned brand. And according to this IndiaMart.com web page, there is an exporter in Georgia USA that carries 3 kinds of Flag & Sail - Flag & Sail Brisk Aftershave (Mennen Type), Flag & Sail New Spice Aftershave (Old Spice Type), Flag & Sail Pre-Electric Shave Lotion
Hi! I was hoping you could help me out, I am looking for Flag & Sail Wild Musk Aftershave. I live in St. Louis so I tried contacting the Vi Johnson company with no luck. I tried a few different dollar stores and Kmart. My dad sent me on a hunt for this. This all he has used his entire life and is running on the last little bit and I can not find it anywhere. He has not been able to find any for a few years now. Please help me out.
