Ballenclaugh shaving soap

I have seen a few videos and read a few reviews all good on Ballenclaugh soaps yet I have no idea why there aren't more reviews, it's an excellent soap. I have been using Ballenclaugh soaps for the last 3 years and have purchase 4 soaps and some in multiples to stock up on and give as gifts to my boys. My first soap was the Woodsman which I feel is/was Chris's best soap. When the soap sold out 3 years ago he did not make it again, though I have very recently asked/requested Chris to please bring it back.

Some Ballenclaugh info

1- Ballenclaugh offers between 1 to 3 soaps at a time, when a soap is sold out it seems it is not made again (Hot Barrel Rose being the exception with the new 4.5 formula).

2- Packaging is good and has improved over the years

3- Soap ingredients is listed on the website, it is not listed on the new packaging (ingredients was listed on the old containers).

4- Ballenclaugh scents are unique, their strong when you open the lid, mellow out when lathering, dissipate within minutes after your shave, also there are no offering of after shave or balms.

As far as scents in general for my self are concerned my ability to distinguish the intricacies of a scent is pretty poor. I know what I like but have no idea what specific ingredient/s in the scent that attracts me. With that said I loved the scent of Woodsman and the original Hot Barrel Rose, the scent of the new formulated Hot Barrel Rose 4.5 is slightly different, I like it yet I'm partial to the original. Besides being an excellent shaving soap Chris's scents are different from all the other soap makers that I have purchased from. His unique scents are part of his signature.

The Woodsmen (I still have 3 tubs, 1 in use, 2 new, Chris promoted this soap as having Swedish Pine Tar as an ingredient) I feel is the best of the Ballenclaugh soaps great scent, great lather and cushion, super slick with an after shave moisturizing lubricant. My next 2 are Hot Barrel Rose 4.5 and Vanderpool 4.5 really like these scents excellent lather and cushion, excellent slickness and after shave feel. As far as Old Barber and Thunder and Linen I like the scents but it is the shaving experience that I love, these 2 soaps have what I expect of a Ballenclaugh soap.

Please remember I do not have a delicate nose for scents so what I may like you may not, and what I may not like you may love.

Ballenclaugh has been on my "to-do" list for some time but I have not tried to date.

Thanks for your thoughts. Added to the list in ink.

I love hot barrel rose. It has a very unique hot metallic smell that I can almost taste. The soap quality is top notch. I would love to try his other offerings some day.

Glad to see someone here with experience with Ballenclaugh Shaving Soap! I wish I would have known of the brand early enough to acquire some Woodsman. It sounds amazing!

I have Vanderpool, and have briefly written about it here on DFS a few times. See for instance:
https://damnfineshave.com/thread-sotd-12...l#pid67725
https://damnfineshave.com/thread-what-so...l#pid75947

Vanderpool is heavy on the scent, but also performance. It really works well for me!

I’d like to try the Honey Tobacco, sounds like an interesting scent combination. I wonder — has anyone reading this thread tried it already?

I just ordered Honey Tobacco, I normally don't like the tobacco scent but I like Ballenclaugh so I'm giving it a try. Will write a review after a weeks use of the soap.

I just ordered Honey Tobacco, I normally don't like the tobacco scent but I like Ballenclaugh so I'm giving it a try. Will write a review after a weeks use of the soap.

That sounds great, Steven! Do let us know how you like the scent on that one. I’m assuming the performance will be the same as in the other 4.5 soaps, but sometimes scent components (or menthol, in some soaps) can alter it a bit.

Never even heard of this soap until I read bijou's thread. Did some research and now I am eagerly awaiting for a tub of the Hot Barrel Rose!

Thank you to all enablers!

got the soap, but unfortunately the smell is not for me.

got the soap, but unfortunately the smell is not for me.

Sorry to hear that. It seems to be a polarizing scent, from what I’ve read. I kind of felt the same way about Vanderpool when I first got it. I left the jar open for quite a while, and that helped a little. After a couple of uses the scent has been tamed somewhat, and I feel the performance of the soap is worth keeping it around, even though I’m still not a big fan of the straight-up leather scent.

kwsher recently got the Honey Tobacco, and it sounds like that scent was quite pleasing right from the start.

The scents of Ballenclaugh soaps are not like other soaps they have their own distinct scents. Thunder and linen is very different then Hot Barrel Rose. I am not a fan of tabaco scents but i just purchased Honey Tabaco, not crazy about it but still love the shaving aspect of the soap.

If I were to think about it chris,s scents for the limited soaps he has made over the last 3 years are very much western ranchers scents, (open range, mountains, cows etc. It seems that I might just have an overly active imagination) the scents of horse,s, leather, cloths drying out by the wind and sun on the cloths line, a scent that wakes me up at 5 in the morning, gun powder and roses, leather and tabaco. As I said different off the beaten track. Just my opinion.

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