As anyone who uses Barrister and Mann’s shaving soaps knows, their scents are fantastic. Just read my review of their “Roam” soap to see how great they are. Lucky for me the “Seville” was no different. While the actually fragrances used are unique to each type of soap, the level of quality in each soap is only equalled by the other Barrister and Mann soaps. The true craftsmen at Barrister and Mann create scents that send you from your bathroom or shave den to somewhere truly exhilarating.
When I first opened the “Seville” shaving soap and took a sniff, it smelled nice. The smell reflected exactly how it was described on the Barrister and Mann website; bergamot, lemon, patchouli, oakmoss, lavender and rosemary. However, once I wet my Semogue 1305 and began building my lather, everything changed. I was no longer standing in front of my mirror getting ready for a shave. I was opening the door of one of London’s finest barbershops and that classic, refined scent just wafted through the open doorway. Turning their heads to greet me from their own barber chairs were Sean Connery, Michael Caine and Cary Grant. That’s how masterful the scents at Barrister and Mann are, and that’s how sophisticated and refined the “Seville” shaving soap is. I really believe Barrister and Mann underplays the scent by describing it as “fresh” and “clean”. It is those things, but it is so much more. The “Seville” harkens back to a bygone era when gentlemen got shaves, not for any special occasion, but because that’s what gentlemen did. I cannot wait to experience it again.
Sean Connery
Michael Caine
Cary Grant
Of course talking about how a shaving soap smells is all well and good, but real shavers want to know how it performs. Some shavers (not myself) are willing to put up with with soaps with little or no smell provided they get exceptional shaves with it. I have even heard of some people using soaps that have a bad smell just because it works so well. I don’t think I could ever do that. What I really love about Barrister and Mann’s soaps are how well they perform in conjunction with how well they smell. The combination of tallow and lanolin is so perfectly balanced that Barrister and Mann’s soaps are incredibly slick and carry tons of lather. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever had as much lather from any soap as I did this morning when I used the “Seville” again. I used no pre-shave and a simple Proraso aftershave, and had one of the closest shaves I’ve had in weeks.
The Barrister and Mann “Seville” shaving soap truly is an experience. Not only will you have an out-of-this-world shave, but the fragrance is so exceptional that you will remember the whole experience, not just the shave. The “Seville” shaving soap is available on the Barrister and Mann website, or you could buy a sample back through Maggard Razors. Either way, you will not regret your purchase.
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Regards,