The Definitive Bay Rum

[mike_gman]

The issue with a question like this is...just about every Bay Rum soap will have a different spin on "Bay Rum" even if it is only slightly different. I have so many.

My recommendations for Bay Rum soaps/creams would be:

Captain's Choice Bay Rum (Soap or Cream) - A very true Bay Rum scent without much complexity. But definitely true to the Bay Rum scent. At first I did not care for this, but it was one of those things that won me over in time. Grows on ya.
Chiseled Face Bay Rum - An interesting take on Bay Rum that has real Rum and Lime notes.
Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Atomic Age Bay Rum - Pride themselves on removing the clove scent. My wife is ok with Bay Rum, but this one she gives a solid thumbs up to. This is Bay Rum on steroids.
Barrister and Mann Bay Rum - In my opinion, one of the best on the market. They blend in all of the classic Bay Rum scents so well, the scent experience is just amazing...you're not sure which scent will reach out and grab you with each whiff.
Stirling Bay Rum - This is a nutmeg-heavy scented Bay Rum that's unique and wonderful. Stirling soaps often speak for themselves.
Wet Shaving Products Bay Rum - This is a Bay Rum and lime combination that is well done. I have the Formula-T version of this shave soap.

I could list others, but, in my opinion, the ones above are not only good Bay Rum scents, but also good performing soaps.

I really like the scent of the PAA Atomic Age Bay Rum - I actually just purchased it. I have the original formula, but I have to ask this forum who have used their soaps extensively - Do they seem pasty to any of you? The tub I just purchased literally loads to my brush more like a shave paste vs a nice creamy lather, is this their formula? Or am I missing something in the brush application?

From a scent standpoint - I really like this Bay Rum scent.

My favorites would include:
Stirling
Mike's
WSP

 

[DaveHStone]

I have never purchased a Bay Rum scented soap. Hard to believe I know. Recent discussions with the gang suggest this may be a worthwhile investment. The problem is...there are so many Bay Rum soaps out there. Would anyone care to venture a guess at what might be considered as the definitive Bay Rum scented soap?

Ask @JCarr

 

[Beefdrippings]

I get the best lather by loading a damp brush right from the container. In my bowl it’s pasty at first. Seemingly nothing going on but a sticky, pasty mess. I slowly add water to the pasty mix and it comes alive.
I guess the short answer is yes it does seem more pasty than other soaps

I really like the scent of the PAA Atomic Age Bay Rum - I actually just purchased it. I have the original formula, but I have to ask this forum who have used their soaps extensively - Do they seem pasty to any of you? The tub I just purchased literally loads to my brush more like a shave paste vs a nice creamy lather, is this their formula? Or am I missing something in the brush application?

From a scent standpoint - I really like this Bay Rum scent.

My favorites would include:
Stirling
Mike's
WSP

 

[mike_gman]

I get the best lather by loading a damp brush right from the container. In my bowl it’s pasty at first. Seemingly nothing going on but a sticky, pasty mess. I slowly add water to the pasty mix and it comes alive.
I guess the short answer is yes it does seem more pasty than other soaps

Thank you! I appreciate your advice. I probably have a collection of about 25 shave tubs, all various brands, scents, but this is my first PAA soap. I find it very hard to shave with, but I do love the scent. I will try the bowl, a little more water and try to mellow that paste out to more a cream.

 

[JCarr]

I really like the scent of the PAA Atomic Age Bay Rum - I actually just purchased it. I have the original formula, but I have to ask this forum who have used their soaps extensively - Do they seem pasty to any of you? The tub I just purchased literally loads to my brush more like a shave paste vs a nice creamy lather, is this their formula? Or am I missing something in the brush application?

From a scent standpoint - I really like this Bay Rum scent.

My favorites would include:
Stirling
Mike's
WSP

The brush is soaking while I'm in the shower and the soap also is sitting with a little hot water on it. When I'm out of the shower, I squeeze out the brush so it's just damp and pour the little bit of water off the soap into the bowl and then load the brush up from the soap container. Once I start whipping that loaded brush in that bowl with a little soap/water in it...BOOM...lather. Just a matter of whipping it until it gets to a creamy consistency.

I find PAA soaps to be very easy to lather using this method.

 

[emwolf]

I'll 3rd or 4th the Captain's Choice scent, one of the best and most powerful bay rum scents out there.

 

[Hannah's Dad]

Captain’s Choice!

 

[Ad Astra]

Excited to have ordered the PAA version, along with other (utterly unneeded) goodies, today.

Their Diver Down seems part BR, part Old Spice, perhaps. Like it lots!


AA

 

[muzichead]

Never understood why anyone felt the need to bloom a soap!! Since I found Stirling I guess I never found a reason to even try another soap because its just as easy to face lather directly as bowl lathering but IMO, more convenient!! The day I have to bloom a soap is the day I stop lathering with a brush and shave soap....

 

[Big Jim]

Mystic Waters. It is much like Stirling but a cleaner scent. Another one worth mentioning in a different light is Col Conk. It is very mild but very pleasing. They have recently reformulated it to have a stronger scent (I read somewhere that they doubled the scent additives). I have not tried it yet and may not for a while because I have several older style pucks to work through. I kind of want to though.

I shaved with Mystic Waters Bay Rum yesterday and it is as delightful as ever. I shaved with Col Conk Bay Rum this morning and it was absolutely delightful in how easy it was to lather and the quality of the shave.

One to absolutely avoid unless you love heavy clove is Ogawala.

 

[redrako]

Mike's Natural and Mystic Waters have been my Bay Rum choices.

They are both similar in scent and performance, which means wonderful and are both perfectly topped off with Bootlegger's Bay Rum and in the winter months Stirling Bay Rum AS balm.

 

[Drseid]

I am a big fan of Long Rifle's Bay Rum offering.