Stinkers

Caswell-Massey shaving soaps. When I first started wet shaving, about eleven years ago, this was the first shaving soap I tried. While they only had two or three basic scents, they were all wonderful. However, they simply did not lather. I tried everything and, thinking it was me, I actually turned to creams and used them exclusively for a long time. Finally, I found a good forum (the original DFS) with helpful folks and my first artisan soap, Prairie Creations, which I am not certain is still being produced. Both proved to be eye openers.

The reformulated Floris No. 89 shaving soap. For scent and performance, see my thoughts on Caswell-Massey, above.

5. B&M Leviathan: I have nothing but love for B&M. But this is one scent I have to poke fun at . If this was the only soap in market, i would grow a beard . What a monster .

I had the same reaction to Leviathan when I first tried it in 2015. Surprisingly a year later my perception of its scent changed 180 degrees and I like it VERY MUCH! in fact it is currently the only B&M soap that I have a back up for. An excellent case of YMMV.

Fo me the hardest smell to tolerate is the Hot Gun Rose by Ballenclaugh Shaving Soaps. I could not even stomach a test lather...

I am highly allergic to lanolin, so any product with that in it: A. I can't use and B. makes me want to scream because it's unnecessary to include.

Razorock Sandlewood. It was basically scentless to me. It lathers well, and gives a good shave if you add a few drops of glycerin to it. I grated mine up back into the original container and re scented it with Clubman aftershave.

Clayton

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Cella. It's the only soap I've ever had that I couldn't get to lather. I PIF'd it a couple of years ago.

Cella - Love the scent, didn't love the shave.

Dr. Jon's V1, it wasn't terrible, though I didn't get a smooth shave with it.

Razorock - granted, the prices are much lower, though I just haven't gotten smooth shaves.

Mystic Waters - very uncomfortable shave, may have gotten a bad batch.

Derby Shaving Cream - just didn't work for me.

The problem I notice (if you can call it that) is there are some really good soap makers churning out quality products right now. Mike's, Jabonman, L&L,CRSW and Tallow & Steel to name a few. The less than stellar soaps stand out more in this crowd.

Mine are RazoRock & Phoenix (PAA).

Their average at best performance and gaudy high school labels are no match for those above mentioned soaps.

Cella - Love the scent,  didn't love the shave.
Dr. Jon's V1, it wasn't terrible, though I didn't get a smooth shave with it.
Razorock - granted, the prices are much lower, though I just haven't gotten smooth shaves.
Mystic Waters -  very uncomfortable shave, may have gotten a bad batch.
Derby Shaving Cream - just didn't work for me.

Pete, that is a bit surprising as I have never come across a bad batch in the six years that I have been using it. However, anything is possible.

Cella - Hated the scent
Summer Storm - Same, hate the scent
L&L Grooming Puzzle - The scent... makes me want to throw up tbh.
Mystic Water - My third puck is ending soon and I hardly get a 3 passes shave without relathering. Too much effort.
Mitchell's Wool Fat - Unable to get the type of lather where everyone else seems to get, but I still manage to get decent shave off the soap.

Scent Department-Tiki Go West, something in it just throws me off, great performance though.

Performance(sort of)-The Holy Black artisan line - barley get through 2 passes due to crappy dissipating lather tried a couple of different badger brushes....until I tried a synthetic brush, bam great lather for 3 passes worked like a dream.