MacDuff's Soap Company

Got it!  One might be pardoned in assuming Birch + Root is similar to, generically, "root beer."  You would be mistaken.  But in a good way.  If you squint your eyes and squinch up your nose, perhaps in a - very - distant way, but in the main this bears no resemblance to the bubbly root-flavored drink depicted on the label (but maybe the Canadian birch-beer version?).  In any case, it's a great, unique fragrance all its own, and a perfect Fall scent.  The fragrance notes from the label:  birch bark, blue spruce, fir balsam, vanilla, wintergreen, spice.  Yes, all of those, with a smoky, woodsy overlay, and maybe a hint of oud in the spice range, like the well lived-in interior of a north-woods cabin.  You might expect from all the trees a predominant resinous, balsamy fragrance, but not to my nose.  In fact it reminds me of Southern Witchcrafts' Samhain in many ways (although tallow and not vegan), again in a good way.  A great scent for the changing Fall season, and just the fragrance for sitting by the fire with a mug of hot buttered rum and the winds of Winter on your doorstep.  Fragrance strength and longevity was probably a 6 or 7 out of 10 on the SSNS (Scaramouche Spouse's Nose-Scale).  Performance was outstanding - slick and protective, easy to lather.  Not a "hard" soap, but not soft either, and not as soft as a croap, but like Goldilocks' bed, just right.  The AS is a witch hazel/aloe splash, soothing and not as harsh as sometimes an alcohol splash can be, again just right for protection from drying Fall breezes.  Very glad to have discovered MacDuff's offerings, and certainly not my last.  Well done!

Birch + Root (aka Root Beer) on the way.  

I second that. 

Got it!  One might be pardoned in assuming Birch + Root is similar to, generically, "root beer."  You would be mistaken.  But in a good way.  If you squint your eyes and squinch up your nose, perhaps in a - very - distant way, but in the main this bears no resemblance to the bubbly root-flavored drink depicted on the label (but maybe the Canadian birch-beer version?).  In any case, it's a great, unique fragrance all its own, and a perfect Fall scent.  The fragrance notes from the label:  birch bark, blue spruce, fir balsam, vanilla, wintergreen, spice.  Yes, all of those, with a smoky, woodsy overlay, and maybe a hint of oud in the spice range, like the well lived-in interior of a north-woods cabin.  You might expect from all the trees a predominant resinous, balsamy fragrance, but not to my nose.  In fact it reminds me of Southern Witchcrafts' Samhain in many ways (although tallow and not vegan), again in a good way.  A great scent for the changing Fall season, and just the fragrance for sitting by the fire with a mug of hot buttered rum and the winds of Winter on your doorstep.  Fragrance strength and longevity was probably a 6 or 7 out of 10 on the SSNS (Scaramouche Spouse's Nose-Scale).  Performance was outstanding - slick and protective, easy to lather.  Not a "hard" soap, but not soft either, and not as soft as a croap, but like Goldilocks' bed, just right.  The AS is a witch hazel/aloe splash, soothing and not as harsh as sometimes an alcohol splash can be, again just right for protection from drying Fall breezes.  Very glad to have discovered MacDuff's offerings, and certainly not my last.  Well done!

What a descriptive and excellent review!  I'm honoured!

I agree that was an excellent review Scaramouche .  After reading it I went right over to the website and bought a set!    I have several MacDuff soaps and they’re all great. They are, to my nose, the most outdoorsy nature great smelling soaps out there. And they’re all complex enough without being so complex that you get a muddied melange of indescribable smell that bears no resemblance to the scent notes or descriptions. Even the bay rum. Very well executed.

I got my Birch + Root set in the mail yesterday. It smells great    It’s funny how scent is so subjective because this one smells very much like root beer to my nose. It’s a little more complex and subtle but it’s unmistakably root beer for me. I’m looking forward to trying it out as I have not tried MacDuff’s v4 soap base yet.

I got my Birch + Root set in the mail yesterday. It smells great    It’s funny how scent is so subjective because this one smells very much like root beer to my nose. It’s a little more complex and subtle but it’s unmistakably root beer for me. I’m looking forward to trying it out as I have not tried MacDuff’s v4 soap base yet.

Yep, fragrance is very much a shared memory!    Example - try describing the color blue to someone congenitally blind.  You need a common frame of reference and memories to describe a fragrance.  I remember root beer from my Grandad's soda fountain - very much sassafras root and spice, sharp and sweet.  But that experience is my own, and might be totally different to someone else.  There is a faint semblance to me, as noted, to "store bought" root beer, or perhaps real "birch" beer (which I've never smelled), but nothing like I remember, and actually when lathering it mostly dissipates for me.  The performance (and scent) is great regardless, and I used it again this morning - a great find, and I can't wait to sample the rest - enjoy!

I got my Birch + Root set in the mail yesterday. It smells great    It’s funny how scent is so subjective because this one smells very much like root beer to my nose. It’s a little more complex and subtle but it’s unmistakably root beer for me. I’m looking forward to trying it out as I have not tried MacDuff’s v4 soap base yet.

Yep, fragrance is very much a shared memory!    Example - try describing the color blue to someone congenitally blind.  You need a common frame of reference and memories to describe a fragrance.  I remember root beer from my Grandad's soda fountain - very much sassafras root and spice, sharp and sweet.  But that experience is my own, and might be totally different to someone else.  There is a faint semblance to me, as noted, to "store bought" root beer, or perhaps real "birch" beer (which I've never smelled), but nothing like I remember, and actually when lathering it mostly dissipates for me.  The performance (and scent) is great regardless, and I used it again this morning - a great find, and I can't wait to sample the rest - enjoy!

Yes, very subjective.  For me root beer is the smell of the stuff we got at the A&W drive-in when I was a kid.  The car hops still served customers on roller-skates back then.  Ryan of T+S nailed that one for me with his un-released Root Beer soap.  Birch + Root is more complex in lather and also the splash.  I found it to have some musk undertones  which also came through in the splash after dry down.  I'm very impressed with the v.4 base.  Its top notch. 

I thought I'd post here - I received Haunted Cabin yesterday and will be using it tomorrow.  Its a really nice pumpkin fall scent a little darker than Autumn Cabin to my nose.  If I were to make a comparison to an existing soap it would be PAA Atomic Pumpkin  - its not identical but they are similar.  I like Atomic pumpkin and I like Haunted Cabin and then of course there is the awesome Macduff's v4 soap base    I'll do an update tomorrow after shaving with Haunted Cabin to report on how the scent opens up with lathering.

I shaved with Haunted Cabin today. It was a nice shave. If you haven’t tried MacDuff’s v4 soap base yet you’re missing out on an excellent soap. 

As I said yesterday, nice scent off the puck and of course, lathers beautifully. I found it a little mildly scented once lathered. This is the one if you have or live with a sensitive nose.  Finished with the matching splash which has a little more scent than the lather. MacDuff’s splash base is very nice as well. Plenty of face nurturing stuff. 

I find it interesting that MacDuff’s does a cabin series. Word wise. In western Canada people with a rural recreational property will usually call it a cabin whether it’s spartan/rustic or not. If it’s on a lake they’ll usually just refer to it as “the lake” as in we’re heading up to the lake this weekend. In the Toronto area they call it a cottage while in northern Ontario it’s usually referred to as a camp. I’m not sure about the west coast although it often is referred to by the name of the island or part of the coast it’s on. All interesting to me. My impression of Haunted Cabin is that it’s a trapper’s cabin  north west of Edmonton. If you know any trappers then you understand the various things that haunt their cabins

I shaved with Autumn Cabin this morning. I think it’s my favourite MacDuff fragrance and one of my flat out favourites too. Again, love that v4 base. Awesome   

I finished with Autumn Cabin splash and it’s a great, soothing post shave splash with plenty of nurturing face goodness and that great scent. It lasts all day.