Thoughts on scent - Stirling Glastonbury and/or Varen?

[Sam Hanwich]

I really like the performance of Stirling's Sheep Tallow soap but neither Scot's Pine and Electric Sheep are great scents for me. I'm reading the descriptions on the Stirling Website and both Glastonbury and Varen sound like scents I would enjoy. Curious if anyone here has tried them and what you think of the scent. Can you try to describe the scent?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Owen Bawn]

Stirling Glastonbury smells like its name- imagine it is 1971, and you're at a concert in a muddy field in England. Fairport Convention have just finished their set, and the roadies are setting up the stage for the next act, Jethro Tull. Barclay James Harvest go on at 4.00 but they're calling for rain by that time.

It smells like patchouli oil and mud.

 

[Sam Hanwich]

Stirling Glastonbury smells like its name- imagine it is 1971, and you're at a concert in a muddy field in England. Fairport Convention have just finished their set, and the roadies are setting up the stage for the next act, Jethro Tull. Barclay James Harvest go on at 4.00 but they're calling for rain by that time.

It smells like patchouli oil and mud.

That sounds delightful! I have fond memories of many Jethro Tull concerts but (sadly) not in the mud.

 

[ewk]

Both are pretty strong scents that you might love or hate. @Owen Bawn pretty much nails the Glastonbury description. Earthy, but not in a B&M Petrichor soil/dirt way. It works for me as a soap, but the aftershave sample I tried does not suit me at all.

Varen is Dutch for "green." It is a strong fougere-like scent but not pungent. It is not a sweet scent. It is a less grassy scent than their Hatian Vetiver Port Au Prince, another mutton tallow.

FWIW, I like Pine Scots and Electric Sheep. The only Stirling scent I do not favor so far is the one with mesquite and smoke, something like Texas Nights or something like that.

 

[Sam Hanwich]

Thanks for the excellent descriptions.

I think the mesquite smoke one is called "Texas On Fire"

 

[kaufdrop27]

Varen smells like Irish Spring to me.

 

[GR5233]

Both are enjoyable scents. I personally prefer Varen over Glastonbury

 

[JCarr]

Both are enjoyable scents. I personally prefer Varen over Glastonbury

This ∆

 

[Barbarian80]

Varen is very nice. It's green but I wouldn't say a bright Irish spring green. I think of tweed and clean fresh soap.

 

[Sam Hanwich]

Varen is very nice. It's green but I wouldn't say a bright Irish spring green. I think of tweed and clean fresh soap.

Thanks for this. I am not a fan of Irish Spring so the previous comments had me ruling it out - now I'm still interested
I like green/outdoors/woodsy/mossy/rainy-Pacific-Northwest but usually not the really bright scents.

 

[Barbarian80]

I think Varen would be right up your alley.

 

[GR5233]

Thanks for this. I am not a fan of Irish Spring so the previous comments had me ruling it out - now I'm still interested
I like green/outdoors/woodsy/mossy/rainy-Pacific-Northwest but usually not the really bright scents.

I would definitely describe Varen’s scent as green/outdoorsy/woodsy/mossy

 

[ksblazer]

I would definitely describe Varen’s scent as green/outdoorsy/woodsy/mossy

X3

This is one of my favorite scents. Not to dark or light on the green scent.

I hope Stirling never discontinue’s it.

 

[GR5233]

X3

This is one of my favorite scents. Not to dark or light on the green scent.

I hope Stirling never discontinue’s it.

I know there had been some talk of them discontinuing their mutton tallow soaps due to price increases of mutton tallow but it seems like they found a solution to that. Varen is one of my favorites too

 

[ksblazer]

I haven’t tried their soap.

Just the aftershave and edt.

If stirling ever discontinued the varen line. I’d definitely stock up on it. Or have them make it as a custom order for me.

One of the few scents that I’d spend the extra $$ to do so.

 

[Jayson74]

I really like the performance of Stirling's Sheep Tallow soap but neither Scot's Pine and Electric Sheep are great scents for me. I'm reading the descriptions on the Stirling Website and both Glastonbury and Varen sound like scents I would enjoy. Curious if anyone here has tried them and what you think of the scent. Can you try to describe the scent?

Thanks in advance!

Where abouts are you? I can scoop enough Glastonbury for 3 or 4 shaves into a ziplock and send it your way to try.

 

[VintageGent]

I’m weird in that I sense/describe fragrances with colors. So I would describe Glastonbury as a bright, light green. I would describe Varen as a dark, almost black-green (like a dark, British racing green).

Both qualify as “aromatherapy” scents for me when I use them. They just make me happy.

*Note: the AS splashes in both tend to come off too strong for the people I regularly test new fragrances on. But the soaps are heavenly.

 

[Sam Hanwich]

Where abouts are you? I can scoop enough Glastonbury for 3 or 4 shaves into a ziplock and send it your way to try.

That would be awesome. I'm in California. I'll PM you. Perhaps I have a soap you are curious about and could do the same back to you

 

[CJB3]

I prefer Varen, which is a nice Fougere scent. Also, my wife does not like Glastonbury.

 

[Norman Gunston]

Haven't tried Glastonbury. Varen is a favourite - a sharp fresh fougere.