This isn't the first A&E soap I've tried, but it is the first I have bought. I was interested in the cream base, and frankly, though I didn't need more soap, the scent description is what really got me. It's also pretty good value for the cost! A lot of these evocative scents are hard to accurately nail, or they resonate for a very few. I love the types of woods, petrichor and forest wetness the scent profile promises, so I went for it. The challenge with capturing this particular vibe and putting it into a soap scent is that in nature, these scents are often quite subtle, and they undulate as you walk—you might get a strong pine or cedar smell, followed by some sweetness, musky damp or decay, etc. Rain brings out other scents and layers. Translating this to a shave soap scent is tough because these scents tend to combine at once, and you want to elevate the scent strength, taking it further from that authentic forest experience. I think Peter has done a great job at creating something relatable to here. I love the scent on this, and while it evokes wet morning forest, it is also its own thing—and something you'd want to wear that smells great on its own merit. Fresh, a bit of sweetness and almost some aquatic vibe. There's that petrichor too, grounding it and bringing it together. Performance is top notch. If anything, maybe not quite as much residual slickness as some of the other bases, but plenty for a phenomenal shave—the lather this produces is prolific. The matching splash is also great and the scent is a great match, and a decent strength (6-7).
