I have a love-hate relationship with it. When I began the wet shaving journey I heard the hype and bought a bowl. I too gagged on the scent, and I thought it irritated my skin (in retrospect the irritation was more likely due to bad technique). I sold it on shortly thereafter.

Two years later I took the plunge again, and my bowl of tabac is now three years old...and the scent has calmed substantially. In fact, it on my rotation tomorrow morning.