Stirling Black Cherry soap

[Blackie]

My soaps arrived from Artisan Arcade a couple of days ago. I bought the Bay Rum, and the Black Cherry.
First shave this morning and used Black Cherry.
To my nose it's more of an almond scent. Similar to but milder than Cella.
The tub is a generous 5.8 ounces of hard soap. Having read through @StratMan thread about Stirling I knew how to work up a nice lather, and 30 seconds later was happily shaving.
Plenty of good thick lather, with decent slide and glide.
The scent was more subdued now and smelt less like Cella.
I'm not sure that I get any Cherry smell but it is very nice though.
I used my usual Yaqi 26mm Rainbow with Pony knot brush, and the WR2 with x4 Dorco ST301 blade.
Well, I'm a happy camper.
I had a great shave, and still some scent lingers after 2 hours. Face feels nice and smooth but binning the blade now...won't try for 5 shaves with it.
I really like this Stirling soap.
Will try the Bay Rum in a couple of days but for now I can certainly say the Black Cherry is worth getting.
Good lather, nice scent, great face feel after.
I hope this helps enable any of you who haven't tried Stirling soaps yet.

 

[nsavage]

My soaps arrived from Artisan Arcade a couple of days ago. I bought the Bay Rum, and the Black Cherry.
First shave this morning and used Black Cherry.
To my nose it's more of an almond scent. Similar to but milder than Cella.
The tub is a generous 5.8 ounces of hard soap. Having read through @StratMan thread about Stirling I knew how to work up a nice lather, and 30 seconds later was happily shaving.
Plenty of good thick lather, with decent slide and glide.
The scent was more subdued now and smelt less like Cella.
I'm not sure that I get any Cherry smell but it is very nice though.
I used my usual Yaqi 26mm Rainbow with Pony knot brush, and the WR2 with x4 Dorco ST301 blade.
Well, I'm a happy camper.
I had a great shave, and still some scent lingers after 2 hours. Face feels nice and smooth but binning the blade now...won't try for 5 shaves with it.
I really like this Stirling soap.
Will try the Bay Rum in a couple of days but for now I can certainly say the Black Cherry is worth getting.
Good lather, nice scent, great face feel after.
I hope this helps enable any of you who haven't tried Stirling soaps yet.

Stirling Bay Rum is amazing!

 

[rhodes96]

I just did a small test side by side with Cella. A big sniff of Cella, coffee beans reset sniff, and a sniff of Black Cherry. To me they smell nothing alike. Cella I instantly smell the almond, with subtle notes of vanilla and cherry.
Smells similar to an Italian mazipan

Stirling Black Cherry I smell a strong sweet cherry aroma. When I lather this I know the scent increases. I don't get any almond scent.

I repeated the test again with no coffee, and this time both scents more alike but still very different. I know if keep doing this the scent would become even more similar, as my scent of smell has become tainted from getting high on my own supply.
I also had a sniff of cow in space (another cherry soap), and it smelt similar to Stirling Cherry but instantly different from Cella.

Smell is subjective, and there are many variables which can affect one's perception of smell.

 

[Blackie]

Yeah, I can't trust my nose too much now. Had bad hay-fever for years and had a nose rebore a couple of years ago to help that.
I tried again today and still get that marzipan scent, not the cherry scent.
Doesn't worry me as it is a nice scent still.
Tried a Dorco Prime blade in the WR2 today plus used Black Cherry again...what a difference.
My previous Prime shave with scraps of Proraso wasn't smooth. With Black Cherry the blade was transformed. Very smooth shave.
I can see me getting more Stirling soaps one day, and more Dorco blades too.

 

[SpeedyPC]

Yeah, I can't trust my nose too much now. Had bad hay-fever for years and had a nose rebore a couple of years ago to help that.
I tried again today and still get that marzipan scent, not the cherry scent.
Doesn't worry me as it is a nice scent still.
Tried a Dorco Prime blade in the WR2 today plus used Black Cherry again...what a difference.
My previous Prime shave with scraps of Proraso wasn't smooth. With Black Cherry the blade was transformed. Very smooth shave.
I can see me getting more Stirling soaps one day, and more Dorco blades too.

Maybe you’ve got too much cat hairs up your nose Horse, not to worry, Aunty Dolly can pluck those bloody hairs out for ya with her rusty tweezers

 

[Blackie]

I wonder if the soap has a changed formula. Just read another review (Maggards, 2020) and it was mentioned there that it was a marzipan/almond scent with no cherry scent, yet a 2017 review mentions the lovely cherry scent.
I don't mind the scent, but for sure I can't find cherry in there.
I'll email Stirling and ask about it.

 

[rhodes96]

I have used a total of 3 tubs of Black Cherry. First purchased in 2015, then again in 2017 when I was in the US.

My latest tub purchased this year from Artisan Arcade smells, lathers, and performs exactly the same as the previous two tubs.

I just had a quick read on the Stirling site and someone mentions it smells like cough syrup to them. They also mention no slickness in the shave. The comment about no slickness is most likely user error.

Smell is subjective. What smells like sweet cherries to one person may smell like marzipan or cough syrup to others. That's what makes us all individuals. Each of us giving a our unique experience and sharing it with others.

 

[Holiday]

I have not tried it myself but all this talk about black cherries, almond and marzipan is making me hungry for a cherry bakewell

 

[Razor Burn]

I look forward to trying it out once it arrives and comparing it to the cherry cola scent from Captain Choice's 45th Parallel soap.

 

[SpeedyPC]

I have not tried it myself but all this talk about black cherries, almond and marzipan is making me hungry for a cherry bakewell

 

[Phunk]

My soaps arrived from Artisan Arcade a couple of days ago. I bought the Bay Rum, and the Black Cherry.
First shave this morning and used Black Cherry.

Mate, great timing.. All of my soaps I want are sold out on BB and TheStray.. I've found Artisan Arcade and been pondering on black cherry!

I really want to try A&E Asian Pear or Plum.. as I loved their Vanille, not sure if I should just wait!

 

[Blackie]

No, no...you really need to buy now!
Get the Stirling Black Cherry. You know you want to.
Then get the A&E soaps when they are available.
This is normal P&C advice...if you have a choice, always get both.

 

[ollietwo]

Yeah, I can't trust my nose too much now. Had bad hay-fever for years and had a nose rebore a couple of years ago to help that.

Ain't that the truth. I've had two of them and I swear my nose changes its mind about what it can smell on an almost hourly basis.

That being said, I'm interested to hear more about the Black Cherry as Black Forest cakes are one of my favourites...

Mate, great timing.. All of my soaps I want are sold out on BB and TheStray..

I know right! I'm in the same boat, however, I've been considering a decent sized purchase from Top of the Chain in Canada as they have a few of soaps that aren't available here (to my knowledge). I'd much rather support an Aussie business though, I'm open to pointers...