galahad

In the Vial: Red musk and patchouli On the Skin: Starts with a burst of juicy red musk and then quickly the patchouli makes this very dry. As it settles I get wafts of bergamot and vanilla which flit in and out. On the Drydown: On the drydown this melds into a cohesive sweet and woody red musk. The vanilla has rounded the whole blend out and the saffron becomes a little more obvious. Lovely for any red musk fans out there (like me!)

Red musk with a bit of a metallic tang to it. Spicy with the subtle carnation and a spicy kick (apparently from the urfa pepper). I had to look urfa pepper up because I love the bite it gives and it's a Turkish chili. The patchouli is there of course but it's all about the musk. Love it.

Dark, dusty blackberry and greenery. Wild and ripe. Almost an apple vibe as well. I do get a bit of char as well. Moody and wonderful. Great for winter

Divine. This is very carnation forward to start off. I don't specifically get bay but I do get an overall simmering booziness and the woods are grounding, keeping this from becoming thin and high. Cozy but high-brow :-)

This is just too awesome! Initially it's brown sugar and tobacco but quickly becomes a refined tobacco with warm caramel notes and amber and is very dry Just stunning and would love this in a perfume oil as well. It sticks around for ages!

In the Vial: Sweet mild booze On the Skin: Surprisingly soft on initial application. Sweetened rough bourbon. No mint On the Drydown: The mint just provides a light freshness to this but overall the scent is not very robust. Pleasant but not spectacular.

In the Vial: I get fresh ginger, lime and something a little funky but elusive On the Skin: Strong sarsparilla with fresh and zingy ginger. Interesting. The sharp edges settle down quickly to leave a cologney sarsparilla and a slight creamy smoothness underneath. On the Drydown: This is a surprisingly compelling scent. It really is effervescent and surprisingly clean. The smokiness just rumbles very slightly under the surface and is most evident on the late drydown. I don't like the drydown when the initial funkiness (the gear lubricant?) comes back.

In the Vial: Very faint herbaceousness On the Skin: Immediately amps up slightly blackened amber. The carnation spiciness comes through faintly. On the Drydown: A mixture of sweet ambers and darker ambers (fossilised amber in here?). The apple blossom is softly there but a bit overwhelmed by the other components. The carnation is lovely on the deep drydown. Not a bottle for me

In the Vial: A salty aquatic. A little sharp and dry On the Skin: Water-logged wood, a combination of dry wood and green sappy wood. The violet comes through to sweeten the blend a little On the Drydown: This is a little too one-note aquatic for me. If the kelp had been there I might have been more interested.

In the Vial: Deeply fruity musk and vanilla On the Skin: Patchouli, musk and apple. Rich and dark. The vanilla provides a grounding and the rose emerges not long after application but appears to be kept in check by the resins and vanilla. On the Drydown: A lovely antique rose and musk with a woody dryness on the background. The apple isn't particularly evident but provides a slight acidity and sweetness. The neroli is barely noticeable and not obvious bergamot. I like it but not a bottle.

In the Vial: A faint almost soapy musk On the Skin: Cool spiced musk and tobacco. Thin and refined. Definitely more brassy metallic as it settles in On the Drydown: The slick coolness becomes drier and more powdery. Sniffing the wrist becomes a hunt for the scent but it actually has great throw so it's one of those ones which creates an aura of scent but indefinable when smelled directly. Quite nice.

In the Bottle: So good in the bottle. Dark leather, dry tobacco and patchouli with a little dirtiness. On the Skin: Initially a little brown sugar sweet and dark but quickly becomes incredibly dry but with a musky powderyness. The red sandalwood is divine. On the Drydown: This is just a sexy, super dry tobacco/leather scent. Dark and sultry. Fresh it goes through a celery seed phase deep into the drydown which I am hoping will fade with age.

In the Bottle: I love the lab's narcissus note so snapped this one up. In the bottle, that wonderful, almost new plastic scent of Sol D'or narcissus - heady and rich - with a coolness blanketing everything. On the skin: A sumptuous rich floral and slushy snow. On the Drydown: Almost a fruity sweetness to this which will mellow with age. The green of the stems and leaves peek through. Just a great cool narcissus blend. Probably not a regular wear but will be enjoyed on occasion

In the Bottle: Really intriguing in the bottle. Lilac, cream and a strange meaty savoury note On the Skin: An absolutely gorgeous lilac, tempered by the thick cream and with cardamom spiciness. Very unusual and beautiful. On the Drydown: I think I would prefer this without the cardamom which crashes and grinds against all of the other notes to give that strange savoury note. It's almost like a slightly off orange. I'd like to hope that things settle down with a bit of aging because the opening is so stunning

In the Bottle: Musk and tea with a soft backing of coconut On the Skin: Initially quite harsh with musk and tea but the vanilla comes out very quickly to smooth things out. The tonka is a support note but the suede leather emerges as a gorgeous element mingling with husky patchouli. On the Drydown: This is nice but has been outshone by the other Lupers. At the end of the day it's a nice warm leather and musk with a sharp astringency from the tea leaf. I am hoping it will smooth out with age

In the Bottle: Lovely honey and rich, dry oudh On the Skin: A little slow to warm up, as you would expect with a resin heavy scent. The oudh is so awesome. It is an element I love so I may be super aware of it. Smells like an old wooden box polished with sweet polish. On the Drydown: The vanilla emerges just a little to add some weight to the scent but overall it is a close to the skin sweet oudh. This is a golden, warm and comforting blend. Outrageously decadent in an understated fashion. Multiple bottles should be hoarded.

In the Bottle: Tonka, musk and a very faint tint of cinnamon On the Skin: Surprisingly light and sweet. Mostly tonka and a sweet, light musk. The leather emerges gently soon after application. On the Drydown: This almost has a lemony vanilla vibe to it with slight cinnamon backdrop. The fig emerges eventually and that is when it becomes magical and almost gourmand. Close to the skin.

In The Bottle: Slightly boozy subtle rose and vanilla On the Skin: Pretty rose and vanilla. The booze notes in the background giving some depth. Almost a banana vibe. The leather comes out to play a little and makes this a little more grown-up where previously it had been a little candyish. On the Drydown: I definitely like the drydown better as the scent becomes drier but still with the roundness of the vanilla keeping from becoming too astringent. The rose is pretty and subtle and gets a green edge to it as it dries down. I don't get much tobacco, per se, but it is there with it's peculiar dry sweetness. Becomes decidedly boozier on the deep drydown. I like it a lot.

In the Bottle: Definitely vetiver but smells nice and smooth. Very woody On the Skin: The mahogany oudh is the note evident at first, not the vetiver but the vetiver kicks in pretty quickly. I do pick up on the musk as well which keeps this from going too earthy. The shadow musk is really lovely and cool. The patchouli (and it is a lovely smooth patchouli) is late to the party but more than makes up for it. On the Drydown: Everything merges so well in this blend while each element still retains a distinct presence. The shadow musk is the master stroke, elevating this blend to dark, night-cool elegance. Although, if you are a vetiver-phobe you might want to avoid.

In the Bottle: Not sure how to describe this. Very lovely and inviting in the bottle. I think the cashmeran is throwing me off On the Skin: Such a beautiful and elegant scent, almost fruity but not. Deeply musky. The dryness of the black amber and patchouli emerge after a few minutes but never fully take over. The tobacco adds a husky edge. Just outstandingly elegant without being thin and sharp-edged. On the Drydown: Definitely drier but the cashmeran keeps it from becoming dirty. Becomes a little more animalic further into the drydown. A warm and elegant scent and sure to age well.

In the Bottle: Deep and faint. Definitely patchouli and musk On the Skin: A wonderful, if faint, earthiness to start with. It's all dry, dusty dirt (not a bad thing, for me) which very slowly sweetens up with the honey and musk. The juniper and oakmoss become soflty evident. The ambrette gives a grey overlay. Very subtle and beautifully earthy. This is a grower not a shower. On the Drydown: At times on the drydown this smells of hot concrete in a brief summer rain shower. It has a deep amber glow to it without having amber in the mix. It's not until well into the drydown that it gains any kind of throw and even then it is subtle. Absolutely gorgeous and sure to be a spectacular scent when aged over a few years.

In the Bottle: Wow! Definitely purple. Candy purple. Kind of sweet On the Skin: The beeswax is immediately evident and the purple note becomes definitely rose (somewhere between rosewater and full on rose). The tobacco is just in the background On the Drydown: The beeswax really amps in the drydown (and I LOVE the lab beeswax note) and a whiff of smoke darkens the rose (which is still purple). Just stunning and such a different rose experience.

In the Bottle: Smells like a fine fragrance. Very slightly smoky and strongly tobacco On the Skin: Surprisingly light (as in not dark). The honey note is making this somewhat powdery, in a good way and the leather is not overpowering but definitely gives a rich edge. I can't pick out cinnamon particularly until later on. On the Drydown: Really lovely and slightly unsettling. Very dry with a sharp powdery edge. The leather darkens and the cinnamon peeks through just slightly. Pretty gorgeous

In the Bottle: Smells so good in the bottle. I am loving the tobacco incense note off the bat. I love the lab rum accord and can pick that out too On the Skin: This is definitely a warm and golden scent. It is sweet and the mahogany adds a dry and rich woodiness. It reminds me a lot of Mahogany Hall atmosphere spray. Overall, sweet and resinous verging on gourmand at times but never fully. The Drydown: This seems to have great throw and lasting power, as you would expect from the resins. It has a spicy and elegant oriental feel to it. Definitely multiple bottle worthy.

In the bottle: Overwhelmingly frankincense with a dry touch of patchouli On the Skin: Surprisingly the vanilla kicks in early to tame the frankincense and a few minutes into the drydown lets the leather, champaca and patchouli shine through. Overall this has a rich ritual incense vibe. Definitely an autumn/winter appropriate blend. It is a strongly fragrant blend but doesn't seem to have a lot of throw in the early stages. The Drydown: The clove doesn't peek through until well into the drydown and it is pretty subtle but adds a delightful warm spiciness and petitgrain becomes quite prominent on my skin in waves, disappearing now and then. The blend becomes quite dry and dusty in the extreme drydown. The leather is restrained. I love this.