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Castle Forbes

As it has been said it isn’t that much more expensive over here in the UK as the likes of T&H and Trumpers. I’ve worked it out and it’s about 25% more expensive but it is super concentrated and a pea sized amount gives you a luxurious lather where other creams you need about an almond size amount. Don’t get me wrong I love the 3T’s as much as anyone but Castle Forbes uses higher quality ingredients. Like everything though YYMV.
 
I am not that impressed by it. For one thing, the lime has a very odd sort of shoe polish smell behind the bright lime that I find off-putting. I don't know too many people that still shine shoes the old fashioned way with classic shoe polish, but that's exactly the scent that is under the lime in CF.

If you want a similar cream with a similar consistency but with a better lather and better skin care, as well as a better scent, pick up a tub of Ethos in the Bergamotto scent. Heavenly. CF approaches this stratosphere only in its most unrealistic dreams.

Ethos is also expensive, but slightly less so, and you get a lot of product. If you really want to experience the best of the best and you like citrus scents, the Bergamotto is your best friend.
 
I struggle to nail the lather with Castle Forbes compared to some other creams. This evening, I started with Castle Forbes (slightly off) switched to Atkinsons for Gentlemen (nailed it) and then returned to Castle Forbes using seltzer (better). It seems as if my hard water prefers the Atkinsons.

BTW, I love the Castle Forbes lime scent. Funny how different people prefer different types of lime scents.

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Castle Forbes isn't a bad cream, by any stretch of the imagination.

However, it isn't extraordinary either IMO. Especially in a marketplace that has moved on significantly from the days when it would have been regarded as the pinnacle.

I've used and enjoyed CF in the past but there are simply too many other cheaper alternatives that provide an equivalent, or in some cases superior, experience to warrant it's cost.

Perhaps if I lived in Scotland I'd use it more? 🤷‍♂️
 
I filled up my water bottle with New York City tap water when I went into the Manhattan this week and just used it to make an incredibly rich lather of CF Lime. What a difference the water can make. Now I get why people love this cream. Absolutely top shelf!
 
I’ve been enjoying Scottish Single Malts so much lately that I couldn’t help but pull the trigger on this CF 1445 cream. Will post an opinion once it arrives (I will shave with it, not taste it). 😎
 
The Castle Forbes 1445 cream smells pretty damn amazing. I can’t put my finger on the scent, but it’s like what Fine American Blend would smell like if the individual scents were better quality and tweaked by someone with a great nose. This stuff smells downright expensive, and no doubt a large portion of the price tag is what we’re paying for here, which is worth it, every single penny.

Spread a fingertips worth of cream around my chin and went to work with the Simpsons FiftyFive. The knot felt a little tight today, but made perfect abundant lather in no time at all. Will bowl-lather and paint it on the next shave.

The fresh Gillette Guard slid nicely through this cream. It wasn’t ice-skating-shaving, but easy and pleasant. Tried the Superspeed for a stroke, but it dragged too much (no surprise there). I did use it around my nose though, the only area where the Guard suffers, too bulky to get the nose corners.

This cream rinses off very nicely, minimal rubbery vibes and zero drying whatsoever. My face felt totally relaxed by the time I left the bathroom, which almost never happens. One squirt of Coach Green was very fresh and perfectly contrasted with Castle Forbes’ delightfully bold and fresh scent.

This cream is worth every penny. The scent and post-shave experience are unmatched by the British cream competition as far as I’m concerned.

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