I can’t answer your question, because it doesn’t taste like soap to me either. Just as you described, it tastes overwhelmingly strong and unpleasant to me, so I assume I have the gene. I do think sometimes it tastes appropriate buried in amongst other flavors though.

Slides. It solves both.

I looked specifically for balanced stuff for myself, but I’m doing a similar thing. I’m having trouble finding RSS newsfeeds generally, I had more luck with email newsletters, but those aren’t free. They include advertising and you have given them your email.

News is monetized. When it looks free, it’s sponsored.