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sarada

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Posts posted by sarada


  1. Although my tastes do not run toward the sweet side of the scent spectrum, this is a sugar-dusted, not-too-sweet cake scent that really appeals to me, as a person who likes my sweets to have a touch of the savory. I do not smell strawberry as strongly as many other reviewers do, but there is a mixture of floral and fruit that I would best express by recalling that scent when you open a tin of sugar-powdered fruit pastilles. There is a cloud of faintly sweet dry sugar dust with the colorful fruits just beneath.

     

    The cake itself seems to have a touch of anise, to my nose, and the tartness of the strawberry blends nicely with the faint dusty sweetness of the other notes. I think the only way I can take cake scents is when they are like this -- dry and without a hint of butter; and the way I prefer floral scents is when they are blended with something sweet that gives them a little extra body. But the idea of "flower cakes" is wonderful and I can imagine candied flowers or whorls of chalky frosting made to look like petals, and this makes me quite happy.

     

    I happen to be testing this later in the day after applying the Mlle Lilith Fortune Teller scent and this happy accident works out very nicely, giving a hint of incense to the blend as well.


  2. This is my favorite of the honeys that I have tried. It has just right mix of notes -- there is the dry wooden evergreen scent of sun-warmed pine needles and warm tree resins, and a faint kick of fruitiness that lingers as a hint of golden honey. I wouldn't think "honey" if I smelled it without knowing the notes, but there is a lingering sweetness that catches those other dry evergreen notes and makes them sing. The slight tart fruity splash of a berry scent when it is first applies, mellows quickly, but the dry boughs and glossy sweetness linger on and on. Ever after bathing it stays strong on my wrist. You don't need to apply a lot of it, but it is marvelous. I don't associate it with any particular time of year, because I don't remember when I obtained it, but it really works well in these warm southern autumns where the sun is stlil bright and warm in the forests of cypress and evergreen and I am really enjoying it in that context! It is not overwhelmingly evergreen to me in the traditional sense, but another reviewer remarked on the astringent, sap-like quality and that is what strikes me as well. As a person who likes to rub tree sap on my wrists, I approve!


  3. I got this about a year ago in a swap and it is one of my favorites in the past three or four years that I have tried -- it manages to be unlike any other wood scents I can recall. Glossy with resins and infused with a deep tangy smokiness, I wouldn't think there was honey in it except for the faint sweetness and shimmer that suspends the other notes in a golden haze.

     

    The impression I get of this scent is of a man in a smoking jacket in a wood-paneled room, years of pipe smoke staining the rich wood, with prints of Japanese art in the walls and interesting curios on ornate tabletops. It is both natural and refined, and although it is definitely masculine, it has that glowing halo of sweetness about it that lifts it from being a purely brown, wooden scent. I'm very glad I was able to obtain some since I have so many wood scents I might not have otherwise tried to go out of my way to get another.


  4. I don't like Caterpillar either, I think it's the jasmine and other floral notes in that that make it disagree with me since I mostly think of that as being a mossy floral headache scent. (It's the first BPAL I ever bought, too -- it took me a couple more months of experimenting before I found the right blends for me!) But jasmine has a distinctly...er, septic aroma to my nose as well, although I do like it in fruity blends it really doesn't work in other contexts for me. I think you'd like a lot of the blends that are all wood/vetiver notes in that case!


  5. vetiver is my favorite note; i find that the limited editions are probably the best source for it, and many of those can probably be found at cheap prices in the sales section of the forum since we vetiver lovers are apparently in the minority. :) although since i especially love it paired with patchouli it's hard for me to remember which actually don't have patchouli prominent in the blend as well. the ones you listed above do not have enough vetiver in them for my taste (except for Death Adder, but the coconut puts me off a bit in that); the others have more of a cologney feeling for the most part and lack the deep earthiness that i crave.

     

    i like to smell rich, deep, thick loamy soil -- or sweet, damp, muddy earth. here are the ones that are earthy/vetivery enough for my taste but most of them contain patchouli. i find that it merely accentuates the earthy, sweet qualities of the vetiver though so it might be worth a try for you:

     

    A Countenance Forboding Evil was probably the best for my purposes although that is also patchouli, i really only notice the vetiver.

     

    Sloth (if you like Myrrh as well) might fit the bill though i never really clicked with it.

     

    Malediction (again, it lists red patchouli, but it's largely a vetiver scent to me)

     

    From the Salon scents, you might want to try Mad Meg, which is a nice earthy vetiverness to it.

     

    from the LEs, Hessian of the Hollow from last year comes to mind in particular, and from Carnaval Diabolique: The Grand Inquisitor's Heretics Fork.

     

    From the Neil Gaiman scents, The Potter's Field (Graveyard Book) is another one.

     

    "Dirt" is another favorite note of mine, but again that might be because I find it to be simialr to patchouli in many cases. Many of the best dirt scents also have a strong floral note (Zombi, Deep in Earth) so finding some Graveyard Dirt from last year's Halloween line might be a good bet if you don't want the floral. althoguh another good earthy scent is Penny Dreadful, or Death Cap, come to think of it.

     

    good luck! i find that vetiver is a note that positively sings -- it is a deep, glossy polished wood, with a sweet (almost chocolatey sometimes) earthiness. but on the other hand, if it's in a blend with a lemon or citrus note, it becomes bitter and cologney so i try to mainly look for it in earthy or woody blends to accentuate its best qualities.

     

    eta: oh yes and Samhainophobia is my favorite scent of all. :)


  6. This is going to be a short review but I just had to throw my thoughts in here, since I notoriously don't care for foody or 'cakey' scents, so I wasn't sure how this would turn out for me.

     

    Cake Smash is very much like the original Beaver Moon when I sniff and first apply it -- it has a sparkling sugary bright cake scent, not something cloying and thick. That is precisely what I was hoping for! At first I thought it was going to be a near-dupe for the original Beaver Moon, which would be fabulous, but as it dries, the Snake Oil and a hint of the bright warmth of Dorian peep through. Absolutely marvelous. As someone who doesn't care for foody scents, and who has a lukewarm relationship with Snake Oil in general (love it in combos, but not so much on its own)...this is fabulous. I am very glad to have some because it will become the default scent to wear on birthdays now!


  7. In the bottle this starts out strong with fresh-cut cedar, dark woody tobacco, and faint but bright notes of clove. I was in this for the cedar and tobacco notes -- it promises to be a bold, dry and dark wood and an inviting, incensy tobacco on first sniff. On my skin, a note like clove comes out and now it smells like some of my favorite clove incense (Airs used to make some...it was great), burning on a cedarwood stick. A bit heavier on the tobacco-y clove than anything else as it dries down. I would say it is most similar to the clove/wood/tobacco notes in Count Dracula, but a bit more dry and dusty, and less menacing. I agree that it is not smoky, but it is more of a tobacconist's shop as far as that note is concerned -- but clove incense in a cedar box is my main impression. I breathe deep to get my cedar fix -- I am looking specifically for it since it's one of my favorite notes, so I can't tell how prominent it would be for someone who doesn't like that. I'm just lookin' out for myself! ;) And I am quite pleased!


  8. vellg-panther.gif

     

    Dark musk, star anise, agarwood, styrax, vetiver, gaiacwood, King mandarin, violet leaf, and black vanilla.

     

    I took a chance with this one, since I don't like vanilla, but I thought the many woods might be worth it. So far, I think it's worth it for me. To those who don't care for woods: I don't think they are so strong and pronounced as to dominate. The soft sweetness overlays them like a caress -- beneath that smooth sweet surface, a core of the glossy woody notes glisten and sparkle. None of the other notes push forward into the foreground: I don't smell anise, I don't get a strong sense of mandarin or violet, there is just a general soft, purring sweetness with a dark core. In the bottle I do smell the mandarin as a top note -- bright and glossy, sunlight reflecting on dark fur. It may be a feline cousin of Hellhound, without whatever notes in that one smelled like chemicals and burning hair to me. Strong, muscular purring softness. Not an overly masculine blend, I think it would work fine on either gender (though personally I favor masculine blends myself).


  9. vellg-cthulhu.gif

     

    Wasabi, pu-erh and Touareg teas, green cedar, myrrh, white sage, khus, frankincense, and coriander.

     

    A perfume with pu-erh tea notes is the kind of thing that would make me wake up panting and sweating -- add in all of my other favorite notes lined up neatly in a row and I definitely think I'm still dreaming.

     

    For all of the dark and woody or incensy notes listed it is a very green scent -- think the swirling green globby glow from "That! The Thing Over There!" or "...Vampire from Planet X" but with a nice deep base. As it dries the initial ectoplasmic blast begins to throb with the warmer resin and woody notes beneath though they are always understated. It is like walking into a glowing, phosphorescent stand of cyclopean tree trunks on an alien planet. The wasabi electrifies my nasal passage when I sniff it close -- ZOOM! It's amazing! Kind of like that shock of sensation you get when you touch your tongue to it. Electrifying is the best way I can describe it. But that is short lived and now I am having tea in a glowing forest. The wood notes are not, however, prominent -- they are very much simmering in the background. An almost lime-like greenness continues to shimmer for some time, with the soft buzz of wasabi keeping it aloft.

     

    Stunning, an instant favorite, just as I expected.


  10. Number smeared on label -- XX (20) is clearly visible but it looks like there might have been more numbers before or after it that were erased during its travel.

     

    In the bottle: something bright and lemony, perhaps herbal, with an undertone of musk. On my skin: incensy, strong black musk -- definitely, absolutely black musk. Which I happen to love. The lighter herbal tones are an interesting contrast. It's bright, stimulating and still sultry, sinuous, sweet and with an undertone of that sort of 'mothball' musk feeling. Fascinating. I really like this. Yeah, I'll definitely be doing this again! I don't like Snake Oil on its own but I like variants -- this is unlike anything else I've tried in the Snake Oil family.

     


  11. LXXX (80)

     

    Penitence is a favorite blend of mine -- frankincense and myrrh are two of my favorite notes. So it's easy to please me with variants on this. In fact I shuddered at the thought of how many bottles I'd "need" in order to feel satisfied. My ultimate dream would be a piney Penitence.

     

    The one I got is quite undefinable though. I don't really smell the base in it at all at first, though as it dries I get a hint of something resinous. I think after testing this several times over several days that the top notes are fruit. It's a wet fruit -- perhaps melon, or pale apricot, or just a splash of fruit cocktail. Then again maybe it's got a dash of a floral. But I am leaning toward a melony fruit. It's not really me but since it's got Penitence in there somewhere I'm thinking it could grow on me. It's surprising how well the deep resins can be masked by the lighter notes, but it does deepen and mature a bit as I wear it.

     

    edited because I randomly inserted the word "not" where it didn't belong, completely changing the meaning of a sentence. SORRY! :blush:


  12. LXXXIX (89)

     

    I admit that when I first sniffed this I couldn't distinguish it from regular Dorian, though comparing them one after the other now, there is a difference. But what is it?

     

    I think it might have a strong bergamot note. In fact it's a bit as though someone splashed The Dormouse over Dorian. Overall the feeling is a sort of Dorian Earl Grey. The bergamot is very light, a refreshing splash...and then, well, the Dorianness of the blend is a bit stronger than my regular bottle. Since I like Dorian and have made a big dent in my 4-year-old bottle of the same, I like having a back-up bottle of something slightly stronger and with that nice hit of bergamot. Seriously, if I just convince myself it's Dorian Earl Grey I am very happy.


  13. whoa, i haven't ordered a GC bottle in a long time, i had no idea the labels had changed! the last one i got was Rumpelstiltzchen. i am tempted to 'upgrade' some of my favorites for new labels now since my old (non-glossy) labels on the 4+ year old ones are generally stained. thanks for the Irish bards photos! i hope i get mine today!


  14. The combination of bitter, smoke-tinged vetiver; a clean, green ivy/vine/stem scent; the whisper of sweetly resinous dragon's blood and a hint of metallic tears is definitely something to sit back and try to wrap your head around. While i like the scent, it does command your attention for a bit as you comprehend how all of these disparate elements are interlocking. Like many BPAL scents, it tells a story as it unfolds.

     

    That clean ivy/stem scent constrasts sharply with the darker, bitter ashen/smoky vetiver. It is both clean and dirty at the same time. The 'clean' note suggests innocence; the salt and dragon's blood connote sadness and tragedy. But the darker, ashen notes add an additional ominous touch. I normally find vetiver (one of my favorite notes) to be a smooth, sweet deep polished wood, but this particular perfume comes a cross a bit more like dampened ashes. Sweet, almost fruity dragon's blood constrasts nicely with the salty "tears" and gives it a metallic tinge.

     

    It is more of a conceptual scent than something for everyday wear, I think. The odd juxtaposition of salty, fresh and resiny notes with the woody/burnt background is not exactly something I'd find wearable, since I always find myself a little annoyed by dragons' blood, and I don't like salty notes at all. I would wear it for walking in the woods on a winter day, or to a meeting in a wood-panelled room. Although I prefer masculine scents, personally, I find this blend to be almost a little too serious for me.

     

     


  15. It's nice to see that after all these years I can still try an imp of a new GC scent and immediately race to the computer thinking "I need a bottle right now!!" -- and that, true to form, about 15 minutes later after it's dried and I've had some time to think, that I calm down and realize that I might not need one after all.

     

    The Witch's Garden contains some favorite notes of mine (sage, parsley) along with some that I am eternally curious about (carrot -- I always want more things with carrot in them), and anchored with some interesting earthy, rooty or green notes like hemlock, wormwood and mandrake. The immediate sensation is a fresh, wet, heady bouquet of herbs. Some medicinal, some fragrant, some floral. That first rush of wet greenery and disorientating, medicinal herbs is quite lovely.

     

    As it dies the main note that captures me is very similar to a pungent, soporific jasmine. Jasmine makes me fall asleep. I feel as though I am falling facefirst into the wet garden while bunnies look at me curiously, chomping on carrot greens. I have to assume this is what morning glory contributes to the blend. The jasmine-like odor becomes overwhelming as I wear it, and then the sneezing begins.

     

    I went from wanting a bottle of this, to feeling a bit woozy, very quickly in this case. The pungent, almost medicinal floral aspect is just a little strong when I was hoping for more of a wet, fresh herbal scent so it will probably stay in the imp case for now as a curiosity.


  16. THAT! THE TERROR FROM OVER THERE!
    A swarm of chittering greens, smooshy kiwi, and wasabi.


    Yes, I'm a fan of green scents! Chittering greens? That makes me think of a glowing glob of protoplasmic green goo, which tastes faintly of sour apple and kiwi when I lick a glob that has fallen on my spacesuit. And yes, this smells quite like I imagined it would! Take the glowing, crisp, slightly sour melon/green fruit notes from thingsl ike 51 or Green Phoenix, but this is very crisp, plant-like, aloe-like with the round, squishy green fruit. I don't smell anything that resembles wasabi but there's a bit of a zing to this that I quite enjoy. A perfect green scent -- a fruit-bearing, man-eating monster plant; a glowing glob of alien goo; the lime green backdrop of an alien sky in an old Star Trek episode.

  17. Gift with purchase of the forum-only Election 2008 scents. No description available.

     

    GOP! What does that stand for again? Something octopus something, right? I was hoping to get this one because I heard it might be woody. It does have a bit of a woody cologne feeling. It is masculine and, yes, conservative, but more of the polished wood of a boardroom wall than a wild wood. There is a musk in here -- maybe not dark musk, but a clean, smooth musk, anchoring some light woods, perhaps sandalwood and the slightest hint of a masculine spice. Very clean and formal, and as it dries it becomes a warm, musky scent suitable for nuzzling. Like taking out a suit that has hung in a warm wooden wardrobe and pressing your face against it. I prefer masculine scents and while this is a bit more cologney than my tastes usually run, I am still fond of it.


  18. Florals can be very difficult -- but if there is one way I like them, it is in an absurd profusion. Like Flower Moon, we have here an explosion of flowers -- pastel colors flying in every direction, tinged with a hint of greenery. Wildflowers in dusky shades shadowed in the twilight, not too strong, but the closer you get, the greater variety you can see.

     

    There's a level in the game "We (heart) Katamari" where you go through a fairyland rolling up giant beds of flowers while soothing, dreamy music plays...that's kind of like what this smells like. Occasionally a fairy screams when you roll her up, too.

     

    The floral palette that has appealed to me in the past includes Flower Moon, Phantom Queen and Poisson d'Avril. Given that a great many floral notes give me a headache, it's a hard mix to achieve, but this falls into that category -- a plethora of wildflowers spiked with a few herbal/green notes. No attention hogs here -- everyone quietly files into place and takes a seat in a field to watch the sun set -- a choir of a thousand voices united in sustaining a single harmonious note.


  19. The voting tablet. Herbs and flowers that represent democracy, justice, leadership, and power: olive blossom, frankincense, tobacco flower, benzoin, Little John, bergamot, galangal, angelica, fig, sage, and ginger.


    I'm going to suspend my usual calm descriptive manner to just say very quickly OMG SO GOOD!!!!!!

    In wearing this I would swear there was beeswax or honey in it, as there is a soft glowing golden honeyed sweetness just pouring off of it, suspended in a resinous, woody haze. The image that comes to mind is a little green sandalwood box with a lump of beeswax and a big, crumbly chunk of frankincense inside. I can imagine holding it close and prying it open for a blissful sniff.

    The herbal notes give this a bright, vibrant green top layer, riding over that voluptuous, natural sweetness. Sage happens to be one of my favorite notes, but the combination of soft herbal greens and the earthy sweetness of fig remind me of elements in last year's wonderful Sagittarius blend, minus the dandelion.

    Fans of Luperci might enjoy the combination of golden sweet, crumbly resin and pungent herbal notes in particular. It really stands alone in my mind as a beautiful golden scent that make me want to go out and vote all over again!

    ETA: After having this in a locket for a long time today I can also compare it to Faiza -- that must be why 'green sandalwood' came to mind. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes Faiza.

  20. Dirt, cumin, clove and leather together are very enticing to me, and I imagined this might turn out like something from the Wunderkammer. It is quite unique though, I can't think of anything to compare it to in the BPAL catalogue but what it really reminds me of, on first sniff -- is cola. I don't drink soda, but this smells like the fizz and pop of a freshly poured effervescing drink as the bubbles burst sharply on your nose. The spice notes capture it perfectly, and the light, pungent note of ginger soars above all the rest. It could be ginger ale, or pepsi, or some odd store brand, I'm not sure, but it definitely makes me think of cola.

     

    I do get the heavier notes slinking beneath -- the dry, scorched skin and leather crawl out after the fizz dies down. Perhaps the ghoul has come along to lap up the remains. The leathery notes beneath help to hold this in place so it doesn't fly away on a fizzy cloud.

     

    Fans of ginger and spices who might be backing away from the dessicated skin and blood, should take a step back toward it and consider this unusual scent! It might be a little too soda-poppy for me, but I am going to keep it around for a bit since I haven't come across anything quite like it in BPAL so far.


  21. Silas walked across the path without disturbing a fallen leaf, and sat down on the bench, beside Bod. "There are those," he said, in his silken voice, "who believe that all land is sacred. That it is sacred before we come to it, and sacred after. But here, in your land, they blessed the churches and the ground they set aside to bury people in, to make it holy. But they left land unconsecrated beside the sacred ground, potter's fields to bury the criminals and the suicides or those who were not of the faith."

    "So the people buried in the ground on the other side of the fence are bad people?"

    Silas raised one perfect eyebrow. "Mm? Oh, not at all. Let's see, it's been a while since I've been down that way. But I don't remember anyone particularly evil. Remember, in days gone by you could be hanged for stealing a shilling. And there are always people who find their lives have become so unsupportable they believe the best thing they could do would be to hasten their transition to another plane of existence."

    Rich loam, fragrant grasses, murky vetiver, wild herbs, and dry cedar bark.


    This is the first one I went for, in the Graveyard Book, it sounds custom made for me as a scent.

    The Potter's Field is definitely an earth-lover's dream scent, with a very heavy dose of dark, scorched vetiver. A damp, sweet earth so black and moist you can almost see the worms wriggling around in it, lingers as I sniff it in the bottle. It's the loamy green-brown scent you can catch in blends like The Premature Burial. The vetiver is similar to that in the Hessian of the Hollow - so dark it sparkles.

    I don't quite catch the herbs, but the dry cedar must be contributing to the overall scent of dry, burnt wood lingering over the damp, rich soil that you can just about feel your feet sinking into. A swirl of smoke over a desolate field, where hints of life sprout in the wet soil, constantly renewing itself. Bare trees and grey skies, wild things growing in the darkness.
  22. Rat


    During luncheon -- which was excellent, of course, as everything at Toad Hall always was -- the Toad simply let himself go. Disregarding the Rat, he proceeded to play upon the inexperienced Mole as on a harp. Naturally a voluble animal, and always mastered by his imagination, he painted the prospects of the trip and the joys of the open life and the roadside in such glowing colours that the Mole could hardly sit in his chair for excitement. Somehow, it soon seemed taken for granted by all three of them that the trip was a settled thing; and the Rat, though still unconvinced in his mind, allowed his good-nature to override his personal objections. He could not bear to disappoint his two friends, who were already deep in schemes and anticipations, planning out each day's separate occupation for several weeks ahead.

    Orangewood, pine, wood moss, and vetiver.

    Something about this scent made me want to laugh when I smelled it. There's something stimulating and invigorating about these harsh pine and wooden scents to me. I can tell that this will strike many people as being something similar to a pine cleaner but it smells of wild nature to me. Pine resin from the deep dark woods, and glossy polished wood gleaming with orange oil lovingly rubbed into the surface for many years. Dark brown gleaming with orange-gold highlights, deep and faintly sweet. The strong resinous (turpentine, even, for a moment) notes are tempered by earthy, soft sweet vetiver. I love Rat. I think it will be too strong and piney for a lot of people but if you like these notes, you'll be pleased. I havent' had such a nice sharp jolt of pine resin since Stranger in Camp, though this is a bit different. I think the dark and wild pine trees have been fashioned into glossy wooden canes or ornate tables where schemes are hatched.


  23. Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,

    Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

    When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

    And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born.

    And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

    And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

    Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

    And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

    When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.

    When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

    And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

    And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

    And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

    When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

    And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

    Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

    Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

    In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

    But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,

    Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

    And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

    But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

    And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

    An offering of frankincense, gold, and myrrh, with coriander, cumin, ambergris, white wine grape, and vanilla bean.

    Now as at all times I can see in the mind's eye,
    In their stiff, painted clothes, the pale unsatisfied ones
    Appear and disappear in the blue depth of the sky
    With all their ancient faces like rain-beaten stones,
    And all their helms of silver hovering side by side,
    And all their eyes still fixed, hoping to find once more,
    Being by Calvary's turbulence unsatisfied,
    The uncontrollable mystery on the bestial floor.

    Wow, that's a long description.

    I almost can't get to a keyboard fast enough to record my impressions on this one. Frankincense and myrrh embrace me right out of the bottle and knock me over with a gritty golden punch. Oh rapture! It's different from Midnight Mass though, and many other resinous scents -- there is a light, bright fruitiness to it, and an incredible freshness that I will attribute to the coriander. Bright, scintillating and slightly sweet. It smells like the little bags of resin (frank/myrrh) that I buy at the occult store to burn on charcoal, but it also smells of cold winter starlight, or of golden light pouring in through a stained glass window. Crisp, fresh, glowing warm embers when outside is the bracing chill of winter.

    I would never have thought to pair my beloved resins with such a strange assortment of fragrances but they all play their part. A jolt of freshness and brightness from coriander, a bit of a warm smokiness from cumin...the golden amber light, sweetness of vanilla paired with the sweet-sour-crisp white wine grape. I may write more as I wear this. It feels too early in the season to be indulging something so very wintry in tone, but I will be inseparable from this one for awhile.


  24. Perhaps he would never have dared to raise his eyes, but that, though the piping was now hushed, the call and the summons seemed still dominant and imperious. He might not refuse, were Death himself waiting to strike him instantly, once he had looked with mortal eye on things rightly kept hidden. Trembling he obeyed, and raised his humble head; and then, in that utter clearness of the imminent dawn, while Nature, flushed with fullness of incredible colour, seemed to hold her breath for the event, he looked in the very eyes of the Friend and Helper; saw the backward sweep of the curved horns, gleaming in the growing daylight; saw the stern, hooked nose between the kindly eyes that were looking down on them humourously, while the bearded mouth broke into a half-smile at the corners; saw the rippling muscles on the arm that lay across the broad chest, the long supple hand still holding the pan-pipes only just fallen away from the parted lips; saw the splendid curves of the shaggy limbs disposed in majestic ease on the sward; saw, last of all, nestling between his very hooves, sleeping soundly in entire peace and contentment, the little, round, podgy, childish form of the baby otter. All this he saw, for one moment breathless and intense, vivid on the morning sky; and still, as he looked, he lived; and still, as he lived, he wondered.

    Sublime peace, ecstatic joy, and thunderstruck awe: terebinth pine, patchouli, brown musk, linden blossom, honey, mallow, blood orange, heliotrope, and golden amber.

    Yes yes, I admit I am excited that this is also the name of the first Pink Floyd album. But it is an almost perfect collection of favorite notes for me as well, running the spectrum of the palest hints of dawn to the full golden brilliance.

    Shimmering dark blue-green pine hovers lowest on the horizon, cool and bracing, refreshing and sparkling with dew. The rich deep earthy patchouli and musk lay low, but keep the other notes balanced. Honey pours like warm golden light over the darker tones, brightened by the songs of bright, fruity heliotrope and crisp linden. The earthen, resinous, honeyed and bright floral notes evoke an almost unbearably beautiful mix of colors in my mind.

    Sniffing it is almost like watching a landscape painting being created, first with the darker tones at the bottom, then watching the brighter orange and golden colors come drifting in. It's a bit like a basket of many different kinds of incense, as well -- patchouli, pine and amber, but also a mix of mellow florals. I enjoy watching -- I mean smelling -- the different phases of this as it wears, but I imagine I'd also like it all jumbled together at once in a locket. It's not as heavy as I tend to like my scents, but I think this will be a favorite.

    Now I think I'll listen to the album that is this chapter's namesake, to complete the effect!

  25. Mole


    The Mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring-cleaning his little home. First with brooms, then with dusters; then on ladders and steps and chairs, with a brush and a pail of whitewash; till he had dust in his throat and eyes, and splashes of whitewash all over his black fur, and an aching back and weary arms. Spring was moving in the air above and in the earth below and around him, penetrating even his dark and lowly little house with its spirit of divine discontent and longing.

    Antiqued sandalwood, patchouli, and soft mosses.

    Moles are special for me...in addition to having loved WitW when I was a child, I also love a serious of books called Duncton Wood which were for moles what Watership Down was for rabbits. Anyway, I like moles. :) Though earthy and mossy, this scent makes me think of a scholarly mole with a pair of glasses perched on its snout, as it reads through parchments in a dusty library.

    The soft mosses are the dominant note, with sandalwood giving it a dusty feeling. Patchouli is not prominent, but anchors the scent in a dry, crumbly earth. I immediately thought of Two-Headed Goat, as it may share some similar mossiness, but there is no musk here in Mole. I also thought of Carfax Abbey, my go-to scent for dusty mosses in the woods. I don't know how long it will stay on my skin, since moss can be a fleeting note, but I can imagine in a locket it would warm nicely. It's a nuzzling, familiar scent, dusty and scholarly with the lore of the ancient woods. And as I wear it, the mosses are brushed away a bit and the glowing, warm woods become more prominent.

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