Disclaimer: Everyone's tastes are different 2 Week Rundown of my first go at Stirling soaps: Day 1 Almond Creme followed by Stirling Spice A/S splash Didn't have a matching aftershave or anything even in the neighborhood. Smells like almond cookies. Nice, but wouldn't want to smell that way for 2 or 3 hrs, so not a go unless could find another suitable A/S. Not sure if Black Cherry would fit the bill, since it's supposedly pretty sweet smelling in its own right. All in all 6/10 Day 2 Arkadia followed by Stirling unscented P/S Balm One of my fav's. Already ordered matching A/S Splash. Looking forward to using this more 8/10 Day 3 Baker Street followed by Nivea A/S Balm. Not very strong of a scent (but that's what matching A/S and/or Colognes are for). Also like this very much. Maybe not a top 5, but well enough I ordered the A/S Splash 7/10 Day 4 Deep Blue Sea followed by Davidoff Cool Water A/S. Really like this, maybe love it. Not as strong a scent as I'd like, but again that's where the A/S and/or Cologne would complete it. Likely going to order Classic Match Electric Blue cologne, another bleau de chanel dupe. (Classic Match is a brand that makes some excellent dupes) 8/10 Day 5 Gin & Tonic followed by WSP Olympus A/S Splash. Nothing wrong with it. I can see some people liking it, but wasn't for me. Maybe On the Rocks version 5.5/10 Day 6 Pharoah's Dreamsicle followed by Stirling Unscented Balm. Another favorite from the first whiff opening. I admit won't know for sure if I'll love this scent prolonged, but I think I will, so I went out on a limb and ordered the matching EDT 8/10 Day 7 Mountain Man followed by Nivea A/S Balm. Nothing wrong with this, but didn't make my cut. Maybe because I've already got a lot of blue/green/fresh aquatics I like more 6/10 Day 8 Piacenza followed by Stirling unscented P/S Balm and Classic Match Polo Black Cologne. I tried this with Polo Black after reading somebody's review that the sandlewood in each made them a good match. That wasn't the case whatsoever; the Polo Black just took over the scent. But oh well, things like that are worth one try. Anyway I like Piacenza, maybe a lot. Not sure. Will order A/S at a future date to find out. 7/10 Day 9 Ozark Mountain followed by Stirling unscented P/S Balm. Really really loved this. Ordered matching A/S Splash 8/10 Day 10 Lemon Chill followed by Stirling unscented P/S Balm (don't have any menthol aftershaves yet). This was outrageously good. My first time with a menthol anything, and had no bad reaction whatsoever. Was a pleasing experience. Definitely need some similar or matching menthol A/S for this. 8/10 Day 11 Vanilla Sandlewood followed by Stirling Agar Splash. Not that those 2 matched. Just had the Agar sample so thought I'd give it a go. The Vanilla Sandlewood is nice, but not great. I sometimes like vanilla. Here, doesn't seem needed. May get a straight Sandlewood A/S at a future date, prob Proraso Red. 7/10 Day 12 Sandpiper followed by Stetson. Saved the best for last. The Stetson of course didn't match at all. Just made me realize all the more, I've got to get a matching A/S and.or cologne right away for this great scent. Definitely a keeper 8.5/10 Closing thoughts: The generous amount and affordable price of the soap samples is such a great idea. Over half of these were keepers for me. A pleasant surprise. And who knows, by being able to repeatedly use the samples, I may change my mind about a few others I first didn't like as much. Also, to make any of it worthwhile, I can see now why matching A/S and/or colognes are a must (as you can tell I hardly had any A/S on hand that matched the soaps). For me I don't need a thousand different soap scents and definitely not a 20 yr. supply, but am feeling good about this start and will definitely add some select others in the coming year or 2 or 3.
Nice work here. Perhaps you saw one of my Stoylin posts where I said that when I ordered my first sample A.S. set, Sandpiper came out #1-atop Sharp Dressed Man and Xecutive Man.
LOL I read thru all 500 and some pages of this thread and don't remember that one, but yeah your fav's make sense. Coming from WSP products I've still got some of their Olympus stuff, so when I get that far Executive Man may be absolute fav. Also from WSP their copy of GIT, Irish Tweed, sampled that one time and thought it was too sweet for me, so I prob won't be in a hurry to try Sharp Dressed Man (unless you or some others tell me Stirling's version isn't as unisex sweet)
By the way, #2 of the sample set was Gentleman, and I recently bought the aftershave. Very nice indeed, but Sandpiper still wins.
Got a sample of that soap coming. LOVE Tobacco scents! We'll see how that one compares to the WSP counterpart called, what else? Tobacco.
I blew it with a soap from a now defunct company. Their Tobacco Lounge was a burnt form. Like Cigarette Ash tobacco. Gentleman is much better, "calmer".
SOTD March 2nd Stirling Mentholated Pre-Shave Soap RazoRock Game Changer .68 Zorrik Super Platinum (2) 30DCLE (26mm, Frigate Class) SP Dottie lather bowl Stirling Iced Pineapple soap and AS Sent from my Galaxy using Tapatalk
Hey guys new to the forums. Just ordered a puck of Haverford to pair with the Tru Gent cologne and aftershave from Avon my wife got me. I seen Stirling Gentleman was also a tobacco scent. Did I choose the right one?
Welcome to the Hotel Stirling--you can check out any time you like... but you can never leave Awesome write-up and report, Jay!
I get some burn too, but still splash it on and focus my mind on the heavenly scent. The burn dies off quickly for me. I have no idea which essential oil is the hot one, but I’m ordering a couple large bottles if it ever comes back.
I have no idea what Tru Gent smells like (or that Avon was still a thing!) but BOTH Haverford and Gentleman are fantastic scents. Gentleman is a better daily scent. Definitely a tobacco, but lighter and morphs into a sweet and almost powdery scent after a few hours (with my chemistry anyway). Haverford is richer, heavier, with strong vanilla notes, and smells more like a great pipe tobacco blend. It’s a dupe of a Tom Ford fragrance, and would be perfect for a hot date on a cold night. I believe Gentleman is a unique creation of Rod’s, and can be worn as a daily scent without becoming THAT guy.
Tru gent I believe is also a dupe of the Tom Ford tobacco scent. Sounds like I'll have to pick up both.
Haverford is the tabacco vanille from Tom Ford. Have tried it for the first time a couple of days ago. Strong scent that keeps lingering. Don't have the splash because of shipping restrictions. Verstuurd vanaf mijn GM1913 met Tapatalk
Ehhh LADIES and uh GENTLEMEN: To help celebrate Patriot's Day here in Massachusetts(Boston Marathon, parades all over the map-of Massachusetts that is(chuk yuk yuk)....we'll have the 2nd edition of this season's Stoylin Tony Awards nominations. The date: April 16. See ya then!!
