Wm. Neumann & Co. samples -

So I ordered these samples a while ago and so far have tried only half of them, but I will give my thoughts on the ones I have tried thus far and cover the others at a later time. Though so far I must say that I like them all, and if the others are as nice I wouldn't mind having a bottle of each at my disposal.

Signature 1907 - Mild fragrance, with a mild powdery smell, refreshing and nice. The fragrance lasts quite a while though it does fade off. I could still catch hints of it after working, though I do splash it on my face then wipe the residual on my hands and forearms. The wife likes this one, though it is not her favorite so far.

1911 - I liked this one a bit better than the Signature 1907. It doesn't have the powdery aspect, and is a bit stronger fragrance wise. My wife liked this one the most out of the 4 I have tried thus far. I will be ordering a bottle of this.

Bay Rum - Like others of the Bay Rum scent, but sometimes I think I catch a hint of black licorice. I quite like it, but I will have to use this and the other Bay Rum scented ones I have to determine which I like better. Though I do like the heat and burn of the "Cat of Nine Tails" by Captain's Choice.

Old Fashioned Soda - Well , it smells like old fashioned soda. This one my daughter likes the best, and it is quite a pleasant scent though I found myself wanting to drink a soda that I did not have. Not a big deal, but I recommend that you have a soda readily available just in case the cravings hit you while wearing this. I think I will put this one on my short list of "To Haves".

I'll post later as I try the others. I still have to try the "Absolute Zero' , "Heartwood", "Peppermint Clove" & the "Lime & Mint Rum".

~Gary

Today I am sporting the "Heartwood" , which is very mellow. I can't get a whiff when smelling my hands, but occasionally I catch a hint of it here and there. It is quite pleasing and I wish I could catch more of it than I have been able to. I don't have anything to compare it to as I have not used much aftershave/cologne since my Army days. I do like it, as does the wife, so it will go on the list, but most likely towards the bottom of it. Maybe I just need to use a bit more?

~Gary

"Lime & Mint Rum" - This one is quite refreshing. The scent is mellow and even though I can not discern the scents from it's name I quite like it. My wife says that she thinks this one is her favorite now, followed by the 1911. There was no major sting when applying it to my face, but I used a freshly honed blade this morning so odds are I had less irritation from my shave.

So far though I would use any of these regularly as I do not dislike any of the scents enough to not warrant using them. There are still 2 more scents to go ("Absolute Zero" & "Peppermint Clove"). If they are anything like the ones I have already put to trial then I will have to expand my storage to make these all fit.

~Gary

edit: I still catch a whiff of this and it has been over 8 hours now. I think this is the longest lasting of the batch I have so far. It is still very pleasant and mellow. Even had a coworker comment on it while in line for lunch. She had me email her info on it so that she could let her husband know and maybe try them out.

You and I are in the same boat... I like them all!

"Peppermint Clove" - This one is guaranteed to warm up you face. It doesn't get quite as warm as Captain's Choice - Cat o' Nine Tails" though. My wife loves peppermint, so this one is a close top on her list. I rate it lower than the others, but it is still nice. I would wear it, but not nearly as frequently as the 1911.

So far I have to give them high marks as I do not dislike any of their aftershaves. I will give the last one a shot tomorrow or the day after.

~Gary

I haven't gotten around to trying the last sample yet. I will eventually , but due to a kitchen mishap I am having to let my face heal up before shaving again.

Note to any who fry french fries in grease ,- DO NOT ALLOW ANYONE ELSE TO BE IN THE KITCHEN WITH YOU. My son decided to toss the frozen fries into the grease while I was standing near it tending to the mushrooms and onions. Needless to say that I had a lot of hot grease splattered on my right arm , neck and face. Only small spots mind you, but enough to cause a lot of discomfort.

I am now mostly healed up and will give shaving a shot tomorrow.

Absolute Zero - Well I finally managed to get a shave in. My skin is still a bit tender in spots, but nothing too bad that I couldn't complete the shave.

I found this one to be extremely refreshing , even with tender skin still. I don't know why , but I have not used any other post shave with menthol in it. I really liked the way it felt. It wasn't anything extreme , just really really cool. The scent is mellow and quite pleasing. It's going to be hard to try and decide which one I want to order now. If the wife would allow it I would purchase them all... but I know that is not bound to happen.

Anyway , I hope these thoughts on Wm. Neumann & Co.'s offerings might help someone out with decisions on what to buy. I would highly ... I mean HIGHLY recommend you get the sample pack though. Each vial is good for 2 shaves at the minimum , 3-4 if you use it sparingly.

~Gary

PHANTZM, I warned you!

Their scents are really great, but the aftershave itself is my favorite, their recipe is spot on on for keeping your face nice and soft without feeling oily from too much glycerin My personal favorite line period.

I ended up ordering a bottle of the 1911 to start. I'm not sure how well aftershaves last over the long haul so I do not want to purchase more than I can use before they start to lose their characteristics.

So can anyone pipe in to just how long a common aftershave will last before it no longer is what it was at the start?

~Gary