Boreal today - it's maybe what Canadians do best - trees! Great forest scent - not a hit-you-in-the-face Pine-Sol scent. Very subtle, with hints of mint, fir and cedar to me, but not like your Gramma's cedar chest - well blended and matched. I really like it, another keeper. And the AS is perfectly matched. I could be persuaded from alcohol splashes with T&S - well done!
Tallow & Steel: Weirdly Excellent
- Thread starter rodmonster
- Start date
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
oh thank you Canada Post!
I received Dark two today ..... oh boy the aftershave smells so delightful .... i get tobacco and chocolate out of the bottle every time i smell it its slight different ... dark but light. very pleasing. the soap smell is more challenging for my sniffer. im not sure if its the same or similar. i cant wait to fire these up.
I received Dark two today ..... oh boy the aftershave smells so delightful .... i get tobacco and chocolate out of the bottle every time i smell it its slight different ... dark but light. very pleasing. the soap smell is more challenging for my sniffer. im not sure if its the same or similar. i cant wait to fire these up.
Used Dark II today. Wonderful stuff. I love the way I can smell all the various scents popping in and out. The V.3 base seems to have more residual slickness too. At least for me. I hope they do Rainforest and Grog. I know the scents won't be identical to their first release, but the scent notes in those two were possibly my favorites of all time. Off to order the Sicily combo now.
Finally had my maiden voyage with dark II. First I have to say that I keep trying to convince myself and make excuses for why my other favorite soaps are better than Tallow + Steel, but after using them for the last couple of weeks I think that Tallow + Steel is my favorite soap and aftershave combo. For me personally, nothing makes my face feel this good after a straight razor shave. Obviously there are other top tier soaps in my den that are equal in quality and comparable in feel, but I just love these soaps, and the aftershaves are amazing. Now as for the Dark II, it performs the same as the other tallow+steel soaps, outstanding. The scent to me is outstanding it is a wonderful blend of bitter cocoa, coffee, wood, and mint. I love this scent. Boreal and Dark II are now my two favorite Tallow + Steel scents with Sicily right behind. One thing I notice about Tallow + Steel is that unlike all the other soaps in my den, these soaps smell only of essential oils just like they claim to be. I do have many fragrance oil soaps and FO/EO blend soaps and I have no issue with either fragrance oil or essential oil. However, my wife has quite the essential oil collection (which I encourage do to my SAD) and I have grown to love the scents of these essential oils. I think that a lot of the problems that people have with the scents are that they lack fragrance oil. Essential oils on their own are not as familiar or fragrant. They are certainly an acquired taste for some. Happy shaves! Cheers!
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Dark 2 is an amazing unique scent. I keep getting different fragrance. Chocolate leather wood now almost a black licorice.
i had a tad difficult time making a great lather with the soap possibly not having enough water in my brush.
i had a tad difficult time making a great lather with the soap possibly not having enough water in my brush.
- Thread starter
- #106
And we have a winner........
I cannot speak for anyone else, but I am very scent sensitive and, no matter how hard I try to make good choices, perfectly good soaps sit in the corner of my cupboard waiting to be sold because I don't like the scent. Posters on B&B often ask: "Is this soap a good value?" I can tell you, the worst value is a perfectly good soap that goes unused because the scent is offensive.
Back to the story: My order of Sicily, West Indies and Dark II arrived yesterday. I felt confident that I would like Sicily and West Indies since both fit my favorite scent profiles, and I was right. Sicily is a complex citrus scent. The pettigrain, lavender and rosemary form a great base. Really nice. West Indies is traditional with a nice hint of Allspice, West Indies Bay and Vetiver in the background. Dark II was the mystery soap. Many described the original Dark as a "peppermint patty" scent. I was nervous. If find, all too often, peppermint can dominate and overwhelm. And would the chocolate add a sweet candy profile to the soap? The answer is that the peppermint is subtle and the chocolate is not sweet. The soap has many complex notes but is very interesting and much to my liking.
Could it be? 3 soaps ordered - 3 winners??
I Win. I Win. I Win.
I cannot speak for anyone else, but I am very scent sensitive and, no matter how hard I try to make good choices, perfectly good soaps sit in the corner of my cupboard waiting to be sold because I don't like the scent. Posters on B&B often ask: "Is this soap a good value?" I can tell you, the worst value is a perfectly good soap that goes unused because the scent is offensive.
Back to the story: My order of Sicily, West Indies and Dark II arrived yesterday. I felt confident that I would like Sicily and West Indies since both fit my favorite scent profiles, and I was right. Sicily is a complex citrus scent. The pettigrain, lavender and rosemary form a great base. Really nice. West Indies is traditional with a nice hint of Allspice, West Indies Bay and Vetiver in the background. Dark II was the mystery soap. Many described the original Dark as a "peppermint patty" scent. I was nervous. If find, all too often, peppermint can dominate and overwhelm. And would the chocolate add a sweet candy profile to the soap? The answer is that the peppermint is subtle and the chocolate is not sweet. The soap has many complex notes but is very interesting and much to my liking.
Could it be? 3 soaps ordered - 3 winners??
I Win. I Win. I Win.
You don't feel West Indies to be too much orange forward scent? Especially the AS I feel the wild orange to be dominant.
- Thread starter
- #108
I don't know how to answer your question since I prefer citrus soaps. West Indies, with its bitter citrus top notes, is perfect for me.
It's great to hear that you found three scents that are going to work for you. Enjoy!
Himalaya - another complex scent today! Performance as I've come to expect was outstanding - probably some of my easiest to lather soaps, and they provides excellent cushioning and protection. Jasmine and vanilla up front to me, with a faint hint of smokey cedar in the back - an exotic, Eastern note. Interestingly, all combined reminded me distantly of B&M's Petrichor, slightly earthy but definitely more floral. It's a very light, subtle scent, as I've found most T+S scents, and I actually like that. I heard it might be discontinued, and that's unfortunate because it's a scent I would use regularly. T+S has a unique lineup, and I haven't found one I didn't like yet - glad I stumbled over this one.
I received mine pleasantly surprised I like the Dark and it will grow on me I'm sure but the winner for me was the Boreal. The last minute add was the Madagascar as someone seemed to love it from a older thread. It's a winner as well. I wouldn't do a very good job describing but it just smells pleasant. A greenish floral that doesn't veer and become something too sweet or even powdery which works for me.
I have owned Tallow & Steel soaps in the past but I'm not really up to date with them. It could be just me as I'm not that picky on scents but they don't seem like they would be that polarizing. I know they tweaked the Dark but did they update the other scents as well.
I have owned Tallow & Steel soaps in the past but I'm not really up to date with them. It could be just me as I'm not that picky on scents but they don't seem like they would be that polarizing. I know they tweaked the Dark but did they update the other scents as well.
West Indies, again my personal impressions - forward citrus: orange/lime, with Bay and spice following; summer scent with a mojito in hand, in the hammock. Great performance as usual. A subtle scent, pairs wonderfully with Ogallala's Bay Rum, Limes and Peppercorns spray if you crave a little boost to the AS, which to me is a perfect match. Wonderful soaps.
- Thread starter
- #113
I agree totally with your scent review. Citrus up front, so much so that the bay and vetiver seem to be secondary players. Once lathered, the scent profile reverses so that the spicier notes dominate and linger on the face for quite a while after the shave.
I am primarily a citrus scent guy so this is the perfect Bay-Island scent for me. The scent profile is wonderfully balanced between citrus and earth notes.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
Ive used dark 2 twice more and whatever i did the first time when i didn't get a fantastic lather i fixed. i think not a wet enough brush but who knows? anyway ya its fantastic
My first complex and unique scent i like. Its not trying too hard to be unique but just right.
I cant stop my spring summer excuse to buy stuff so i ordered Scilly now!
My first complex and unique scent i like. Its not trying too hard to be unique but just right.
I cant stop my spring summer excuse to buy stuff so i ordered Scilly now!
Sicily today - lemons and blood oranges from the Catania coast! A wonderful, deep citrus scent, not lingering, but a beautiful burst of Mediterranean sunshine in the morning - I'm in love with this scent! Great lather and performance in the soap, and a soothing finish in the aftershave. Close to the top of my list....
I've 2 T&S soaps in the old and new base, I read great things about the performance, and I partially share all good comments.
But sometimes I've feeling the post shave with these soaps is a bit "dry" (which sound impossible with all thet goods in thetINCI) and the face feel is not rubbery as with other good soaps.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Few water?!
Regarding scents, I've to say that are quite nice, but justjas shaving soaps and I wouldn't dress like a perfume or cologne, other artisan instead produce scents which can be easily a high class scented pwefumwp or colognes.
But sometimes I've feeling the post shave with these soaps is a bit "dry" (which sound impossible with all thet goods in thetINCI) and the face feel is not rubbery as with other good soaps.
Maybe I'm doing something wrong? Few water?!
Regarding scents, I've to say that are quite nice, but justjas shaving soaps and I wouldn't dress like a perfume or cologne, other artisan instead produce scents which can be easily a high class scented pwefumwp or colognes.
i must have had the original versions of Sicily and West Indies. I found Sicily overpowering and not at all subtle, and West Indies was something not even a mother could love. So for me, drop the "excellent" and just stay with "weird".
There are so many good scents these days which are subtle, clean and fresh that I have no time at all for the overpowering concoctions of a lot of the North American soaps. I've sold off all the B&M, DG and T&S soaps I acquired and believe me, they are not missed. The exception is Grooming Dept which are wonderful, and the odd WK like King of Oud. I generally prefer European soaps like SV, Eufros, PdP, Boellis, Pannacrema, Barbus, Klar Seifen, Truefitt and Hill and Fitjar. More subtle.
There are so many good scents these days which are subtle, clean and fresh that I have no time at all for the overpowering concoctions of a lot of the North American soaps. I've sold off all the B&M, DG and T&S soaps I acquired and believe me, they are not missed. The exception is Grooming Dept which are wonderful, and the odd WK like King of Oud. I generally prefer European soaps like SV, Eufros, PdP, Boellis, Pannacrema, Barbus, Klar Seifen, Truefitt and Hill and Fitjar. More subtle.
I learned recently that the new soaps are in V3 formula. I compared both recipe ingredients, and the omission of a few butters or oils gave me pause. T&S V2 is probably my very favorite out of every soaps base in my den but I have to test the V3 extensively just to see if this base would give me the same effects.
The aftershaves remains to be the best in my opinion.
The aftershaves remains to be the best in my opinion.
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
I just got Sicily today. Fantastic scent looking forward to using it!
Same thing here, I find myself more gravitated towards more subtle European soaps, you'd enjoy the scent but if you wish to wear a cologne, the soap scent would not interfere with that
