Created by perfumer Euan McCall (Jorum Studio), The Grudge is inspired by the ‘white gold’ that appears occasionally on Scottish beaches and the alchemy of time and tide. It finds beauty in the unexpected: the journey of ambergris from the craw of the sperm whale, rolled on the tide, retrieved from a beach and tinctured into a bottle. A metaphor for the alchemy of presence. It features top notes of wormwood, frankincense and copal resin; middle notes of tea, seaweed and calamus; and base notes of ambergris, tobacco, oud, musk, oakmoss and labdanum absolute. The Grudge is an eau de parfum, edp.
Reddit: "The inspiration: the journey of ambergris, from whale to sea to shoreline to perfume ingredient. At the outset, this is very dark and bitter. There's a light resinous sweetness to offset that, but it's still very dank and pungent. My initial thought was that it was like clothing that has got wet then has been allowed to moulder rather than drying out. As I got used to it though, I realised this probably represented the whale, and once that realisation came, it clicked in place. It really does conjure up the image of this huge, somewhat fearsome creature, submerged in the coldness of the ocean. And that smell, the dankness, is the smell of the sea, not the polite lapping of waves on beaches, but the deeper water, which does indeed smell harsh and fetid. The bitterness slowly recedes and turns to something softer. There's a waft of frankincense, and the briefest hint of something fecal. Seaweed too, which gives it an unexpected sweetness. Then it turns really light and airy, with the slight pungency of seaweed still present, along with seawater. The base is oud and there's a sourness, almost vinegar-like, mixed in with elements that are floral, musky, and musty. It smells quite strongly of oakmoss at one point then finally there's an ozonic quality, still a little pungent. It's like the smell of the sea in the distance, caught and carried by wind. This is the strangest of the three releases, certainly the least conventionally attractive smelling. It really does suggest an alien environment, and although it's challenging, I think in time this may become my favourite."
Fragrantica: "Yeah this is a veeeery realistic ocean water. It's in the same family as things like Squid, Megamare, etc. but this one is less fantasy conceptual and more outright smells literally like the smell wafting off the high tide ocean water, no incense to go with it like Squid, no citrus like Megamare. You're just getting ocean water."
Fragrantica: "Seaweed washed up along the jersey shore during low tide. Gulls squawking and pecking at bits of dead crab scattered along the coastline. Barnacle-encrusted wooden posts from structures long demolished rising up from the water like monolithic reminders of a lost civilization. What a gorgeous oceanic scent. Nothing synthetic here. No “perfumey” interpretation of the beach, no unnecessary coconut or citrus — just the brine of the saltwater and the cold, hard slap of the waves against the jetties. The most evocative marine fragrance I’ve smelled. Great longevity, too — I can easily detect this scent on my skin after 10 hours of wear. The one and only fault I find with The Grudge is its intimate projection. If I could smell this at arm’s length, it would be perfection. Regardless, this is a masterpiece. I blew through my sample in record time and now own a full bottle."
Fragrantica: "This is the closest I've found to being a proper salty marine scent, rotting seaweed and all. An absolute experience, but would not recommend for those new to niche, nor those that insist on traditional marine designer scents (this is a long way from traditional 'marine' scents). Very good longevity, 12 + hours, but becomes an intimate skin scent after 4 hours or so. One of my favourites from the house - 10 out of 10"
Fragrantica: "Beautifully done work. I will review all three of these new Force Majeure scents from Beaufort, which are in my book all solid successes. This is the best one and the most challenging one. The Grudge might be the most oceanic fragrance I've ever smelled. Call me Ahab, but I've been searching for this. This is a viciously blunt scent which in no way whatsoever resembles a "perfume" or a "cologne". What we get here is a massive crashing wall of bitingly frigid ocean air, in all of its naturalistic, salty, funky splendor. There are no apologies and no concessions being made to "freshness" or "aquatic" vibes; this is just straight cold ocean. No one will ever compliment you on this. This is a single monolithic accord, brilliant in its non-perfumery. I can see why people would make a comparison to Megamare here: philosophically and conceptually, these scents are aligned, but where Megamare smells like an aggressive blast of blue-themed port-a-potty cleaner, The Grudge smells like the literal jaws of a sperm whale; a leviathanic exhalation. So, how is The Grudge constructed? - Ambergris: Primarily, ambergris. Ambergris dominates this scent from the gate to the drydown. It's a dirty, stinky, animalic ambergris which reminds me of Ramon Monegal's Ocean Oud (but less challenging) and Zoologist's Squid (but darker) – however it's not so dirty that it's unwearable. It has a bit of effervescence to it, but it's not as sparkly as Squid. It is legitimately salty. I love the ocean (grew up next to it; live by it now) and I've found very, very few fragrances which successfully replicate its cold, bitter, mineral scent. Oftentimes they try to use piquant and bitter herbs to approximate saltiness (a la Acqua di Sale and a slew of imitators) which to my nose has very little to do with the ocean at all. While this type of animalic ambergris doesn't smell precisely like ocean water, it comes closer than many other fragrance notes do. It has a strong mineral, metallic facet to it, which evokes the scent of water vapor. Like cold ocean spray on a beach of cobble stones. - Seaweed, Resins, Oud: The ambergris note is enhanced by some supporting actors. They are in the background, blending into the accord. There's a bit of vegetal seaweed wafting in and out like a ghost. The sour tang of oud lurks like a distant foghorn. And the colder smelling resins – frankincense for sure, and apparently copal, and maybe some labdanum – form a supporting structure. Amazingly, I don't think there's any calone (or like molecules) here at all. So, no fear of a shower gel scent with The Grudge. This is raw nature. It's like the skeleton of so many other "marine" perfumes I've smelled. Strip away all the pleasant florals, woods, and whatever floofy accords they've added to make them palatable for the masses. The Grudge is the raw, haggard, and bleached bones of a marine fragrance, and just what I was looking for. Total aggression; but an elegantly silent, deep, and watery aggression of cold indifference. Smells like a ghost ship disappearing into a thick fog. Incredible art, somewhat challenging to wear. Easily one of the best Beauforts."
