Tallow + Steel "Maya"
Wolf Whiskers | Raptor | Black Wolf
Ever-Ready SE | Gem PTFE (1)
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Since I've commented extensively as to how pleased I am with Tallow + Steel's new soap formula, I'll just briefly convey my thoughts on Maya's fragrance.
Cocoa and coffee arrive at the same time, but they fall short of dominating the fragrance which is soon mitigated by the rich, spicy notes presumably offered up by the allspice. These intermingle with the cocoa and coffee on an almost sinister scale. By themselves, these notes wouldn't typically be described as dark, but the accord is indeed dark but clean and crisp. There is zero cooling effect, but it smells like there should be. A gentle minty metallic fragrance is detected. I was initially inclined to call it anise, but it doesn't quite make that leap. The sharp lime along with a bitter citrus keep the fragrance from being sweet. As the shave progresses, the coffee becomes more discrete giving way to cocoa. I do note a hint of tobacco, but it's quite subtle and intermittent.
The splash starts like most Tallow + Steel splashes with a transient creaminess that I assume is from the base ingredients. With the exception of the still light tobacco, the other notes of coffee, cocoa, and cardamom are more clearly defined with equal showing from whatever the effervescent fragrance is. The drydown reveals even more of the lime and bitter orange. This fragrance seems to last longer than the other new Tallow + Steel splashes I've used thus far (Himalaya and Morocco), still detectable 6 hours out.
For me, Maya pretty much fills the void left by Dark's departure. While it's hardly the same fragrance, it fits in that category.