At least in my neck of the woods (the frigid winter confines of Brooklyn, that is), I value reliability, warmth, comfort and style — especially when it comes to the best flannel shirts on the market. But in the doldrums of winter, it can prove tricky, at times, mix up your style rotation consistently.

And yet all the while, you still want to retain that critical balance of warmth, style, comfort… you name it. And that’s where Le Alfre arrives to save the day in matters of menswear.

The young New York City brand already makes one of the best Oxford shirts on the market, using high-quality fabric and production via a family-owned factory in Portugal, one that makes some of the finest shirts on the planet. And the Le Alfre Blackwatch Flannel builds on that pedigree in a distinct way, one that’s a nice change of pace from other classic flannel shirts on the market.

Le Alfre took the classic “banker’s shirt,” with a contrasting collar and cuffs, and put a fun, fresh spin on the look — turning it from a dress shirt into one you can even rock untucked with chinos or perhaps with a rugged shawl cardigan. And the Le Alfre Blackwatch Flannel fits the bill nicely in terms of eye-catching style. It comes from the company’s partners at Portugal’s oldest shirting mill, and it’s handmade by the country’s oldest shirtmaker, and things only get better from there.

The Le Alfre Blackwatch Flannel boasts a lightweight, super-soft handfeel that should prove comfortable on its own, yet well-suited to layering over one of the best men’s henleys, for instance. And because the style is modeled after timeless Oxford shirts, it’s got a more refined look and feel than flannel workshirts, for instance.

Taken altogether, it’s an updated take on the flannel shirt that works as well with dark blue jeans as with your favorite chinos. And for winter style with variety in mind, you can’t quite top the Le Alfre Blackwatch Flannel, my friends.