Areffa Kentucky Bourbon

[Steve_in_CT]

I purchased this soap based upon some positive reviews here on Badger & Blade, and because I thought it would be a good thing to support an artisan struggling through some difficult circumstances in Ukraine. I also liked the idea of a Kentucky bourbon scented soap. It arrived yesterday, about 4 weeks after I ordered it, and the box contained the Kentucky bourbon soap, plus two small complimentary samples - a nice touch. The packaging is very attractive and contains an extra clear plastic lid inside the screw on top.

The fragrance is medium to strong and a bit sweeter than the bourbon I drink, but it is quite pleasant (although my wife is not a big fan). I would describe the consistency as a firm croap or soft soap. Today was my first shave with it, and I was extremely pleased with how easily it produced a thick, rich, and copious lather. It was slick and left my face well moisturized. For those who are into such things, here is the ingredients list:

Soap ingredients: stearic acid, coconut oil, water, beer, KOH, badger tallow, palm oil, glycerin, sorbitol, shea butter, lanolin, mango oil, avocado oil, NaOH, perfume composition, kaolin clay, sodium lactate, sodium citrate, jojoba oil

 

[Guido75]

Sounds like an Areffa soap alright. I believe @Jack Goossen was a fan as well.

Steve, you say sweeter, but if this scent more towards say the Proraso Green side or Tabac side? I.e. lighter or heavier scent?

Thanks,

Guido

 

[Steve_in_CT]

Sounds like an Areffa soap alright. I believe @Jack Goossen was a fan as well.

Steve, you say sweeter, but if this scent more towards say the Proraso Green side or Tabac side? I.e. lighter or heavier scent?

Thanks,

Guido

Hi Guido,

Here's the vendor's description of the scent:
Notes :
Top: orange, bergamot
Middle: clove, midnight orchid
Base: oak cask, musk, leather, patchouli.

I'm not very good with scents, and to me it seems more like a sweeter and less spicy version of Proraso Red and closer to the old Crabtree & Evelyn Sandalwood. That's interesting, because the one thing that is not in this soap is sandalwood. I don't detect much of a similarity to either Proraso Green or Tabac.

 

[Guido75]

Thanks Steve - give me some direction on where I need to place this.

Guido

 

[Jack Goossen]

Good choice.
Areffa soaps are top notch, some of the very best out there.
Difficult to understand why they are not widely used.
Folks spend a top Dollar on mediocre soaps, imho.
And apart from the positive gesture towards the Ukrainian artisan I feel the need to emphasize these soaps are of the highest possible quality. That's a win/win in my book.

 

[Steve_in_CT]

Good choice.
Areffa soaps are top notch, some of the very best out there.
Difficult to understand why they are not widely used.
Folks spend a top Dollar on mediocre soaps, imho.
And apart from the positive gesture towards the Ukrainian artisan I feel the need to emphasize these soaps are of the highest possible quality. That's a win/win in my book.

I agree wholeheartedly with you that this is a truly top-tier soap. After two days of use I have become extremely fond of the scent and thoroughly impressed with the performance.

 

[Jack Goossen]

Glad you like it, Steve.
Good taste

 

[purecro]

I have used this soap and a few others, it was thru this site that I found about them months ago. Every time I have shaved with them the lather was terrific! I am not great with scents myself but if I like the smell, I like the smell. The Kentucky Bourbon soap is great, to me is a soft soap, which is totally fine like a Tobs sandalwood (in terms of it being a soft soap, at least thats how it was for me).

The Discoverer is a hard soap but one that does lather easy still and a really good one, all of the Areffa soaps I have used I have really liked. All of the Areffa soaps I have used lather easy and I am mostly a face latherer, with them it was all face lathering. Much like with alot of things wet shaving as you add more stuff, you its just harder to add in your rotation as you accumulate more stuff but if someone was to ask me 1 unique soap to buy, this brand would be it. Its not just to help someone in Ukraine but also the really positive reviews as well plus the value you get for the money, its a terrific product, it really is.

All of the Areffa soaps I bought have bear and badger tallow in them, they do not disappoint. I did buy a good amount of them and planned I using it for my next shave, I think, it was in the queue and that it would be either the Kentucky Bourbon or The Discoverer rofl. I do have the splashes for both as well.

Regardless I know I repeated all the comments above but yes, I am a big fan.

 

[Guido75]

I think, it was in the queue and that it would be either the Kentucky Bourbon or The Discoverer rofl. I do have the splashes for both as well.

Discoverer might just be my favourite overall shaving soap. I mentioned to the LOTH the other day that I will get more Areffa soaps. She wholeheartedly agreed.

Guido

 

[Tathlum]

The Discoverer is a hard soap

How hard is there hard puck? Sterling type hard or MWF hard. Been wanting to try this soap but don't want to purchase if it's not really a hard puck.

 

[purecro]

How hard is there hard puck? Sterling type hard or MWF hard. Been wanting to try this soap but don't want to purchase if it's not really a hard puck.

Well I have Stirling but their samples like their smaller puck size, 1 ounce, in metal containers, which I did not find to be that hard of a soap but its been awhile since I used Stirling but I have not used their full size containers.

I have yet to use MWF but I plan on doing it with my next shave, likely tomorrow but based on my hand I'd say MWF seems to be harder mind you this is just me using my finger to see. The Discoverer is a harder puck for me or what I consider a hard puck and my puck is dry right now. I say that because when I used it before and did do some blooming, it would take some work to get the brush loaded, later on when I would bloom less the puck would be dry to touch fairly quickly after the brush was loaded. I hope that helps.

 

[Tathlum]

I hope that helps.

Yes very helpful.
Thank you