Here it goes: my first review. Hope I'm doing this correctly...
In the bottle: Cedar, balsam and blackberries are most prominent. It's very chilly, fresh and woody and green, like standing alone in the middle of a still, snow-covered forest. Really—it has that effect of freezing winter air.
On, wet: Cedar and balsam are still strong, but they're really nicely balanced with the sweeter, rounder blackberry note. The blackberry note is perfect, too; it's nicely fruity without ever taking over and making this a scent that shouts "Berry!"
On, dry: Still very woody and fresh, with a very slightly warmer, gilded effect from the musk, amber and rose, which are perking up. Both the rose and amber are lighter, less sweet than they often can be, and the green balsam holds the sweetness in check in any case. There's still a hint of the blackberries, but they've moved to the background.
Later: Cedar layered over delicate rose, skin musk, amber and sandalwood: sweet, woody, fresh, gorgeous. It sticks close to the skin, but that's just perfect for this one. Really, the early stages were very pretty, but this is amazing.
Overall: This is a subtle, complex, perfect winter scent, like crisp, snowy beauty in a bottle, and it lasts forever. It winds up smelling wonderful and yet very natural, with no single element stealing the show. There's a solitude to this scent that I love; it's poised and thoughtful and solemnly lovely, which is perfect for the inspiration.
