gentle-twig

At first this is all neroli, and a really wonderful version of what can be at times too sharp a flower. The vanilla creeps in but just rounds things out, and after about an hour a distinctly Japanese incense note appears. I don’t know what ingredient in Japanese incense makes it smell the way it does, but anyone who has experience with the stuff will recognize it here. As the day goes on, this is decidedly an incense scent, given depth by labdanum. What is really surprising is that in the later stages, the Jasmine suddenly comes to the fore. Given the art and name, I was expecting this to be a clean/dirty joke with soapy florals and dirty resins, maybe some indoles. Instead, I think the voyeur’s window is the main source of inspiration. I find myself in a dark, incense-filled room, with the window flung open carrying in the refreshing smells of neroli and Jasmine. I am not getting any rose, but I’m not missing it either. Edit: After a few more wears I definitely am getting rose, very strongly even! But it’s a pale, powdery rose that blends beautifully with the other pastel florals in the composition. I’m loving this more and more—a fresh and surprisingly innocent springtime floral done round and resinous BPAL style.

This one is sooo nice. Definitely has a kind of dark red, velvety vibe, but brightened by fruity and salty notes for the first few hours. This is complex enough that the notes are a little difficult to tease out. Plum, salt, oakmoss each are prominent. The teakwood outlasts everything else, but before that it really is a kind of burgundy haze in the best way.

A typical bpal beeswax comes on hard and heavy right out of the gate. Here, its “dusty” quality is accented, and I’m not sure I’m a fan. A barely-there bittersweet cherry tinge persists in the background. Just when I think nothing will ever change, the rice powder emerges. I agree with others that it has a cosmetic feel, but it also has a gourmand aspect, recalling first mochi, then marshmallow as the white amber joins in. The roundness of the amber slowly swells, surrounded by a powdery cloud and always resting on that dusty beeswax. Despite gourmand aspect, there is a vintage vibe to this. Something about the mingling of powder and resin, which only grows more velvety as the oakmoss does its thing on the drydown. A sweet and unexpected exploration of texture.

In bottle: Rich tobacco and aftershave-like green notes Wet on skin: Same as in bottle. There is a bitter note that is coloring the tobacco, making it deep and rich. There is also a cool note that is interesting against the warm tobacco Dry on skin: Not much change, the cool note has subsided a bit, leaving the beautiful tobacco note against a bed of vegetal notes (doesn't quite read as dead leaves to me, yet). The vegetal notes do eventually fade into a paper thin evocation of the crunch of dead leaves against the beautiful tobacco note. The tobacco note itself is my favorite I have ever smelled from BPAL. It's not wildly different from anything else I've smelled, but it has a lot of depth. Later: I would encourage any tobacco lovers to try this blend even if they have trouble with the lab's dead leaf accord. I've never tried a leaf scent before, and I can't say I was wild about the green opening, but this ends up being a gorgeous, cozy tobacco note with just a bit of brittle leafiness in the background to keep things interesting. Think about smoking a pipe with a window open on a crisp fall day with a steaming cup of herbal tea in the far corner of the room. I'm testing this at the same time as my other Weenies (La Ronde du Sabbat and SN Bonfire) and this is definitely the comfiest. I think I prefer La Ronde du Sabbat, but it is a bit ostentatious. I'll definitely be getting more wear out of this. This really captures the spirit of fall in an unpretentious but utterly charming way. ETA: After settling for a week, the vegetal notes definitely do read as leaves. Although this blend still starts off green, it dries down to a delightfully wearable dead leaves scent. Think dry, crunchy, brown leaves on the sidewalk. The tobacco suggests the color of dry sycamore leaves to me, creating a more evocative experience than even a straight dry leaf accord may have been.

A Vast Similitude Interlocks All On the beach at night alone, As the old mother sways her to and fro, singing her husky song, As I watch the bright stars shining, I think a thought of the clef of the universes, and of the future. A vast similitude interlocks all, All spheres, grown, ungrown, small, large, suns, moons, planets All distances of place however wide, All distances of time, all inanimate forms, All souls, all living bodies, though they be ever so different, or in different worlds, All gaseous, watery, vegetable, mineral processes, the fishes, the brutes, All nations, colors, barbarisms, civilizations, languages, All identities that have existed, or may exist, on this globe, or any globe, All lives and deaths, all of the past, present, future, This vast similitude spans them, and always has spann’d, And shall forever span them and compactly hold and enclose them. Eternally lapping ocean waves at sunset, touched by the pale pinkish amber of the setting sun. Disclaimer: I am not really a lover of aquatics or amber (although I don't mind either), I just thought this seemed like such a unique and possibly beautiful combination. I'm not sure how helpful this is going to be as a first review, but I'll try my darnedest! In bottle (decant): Salty aquatic and something I can't quite place (is it the amber? the mysterious pink?). It honestly reminds me a little of sweat. Wet on skin: Again, very salty aquatic dominates. Even saltier than in the imp. I would compare it to Cthulhu (which is the only other aquatic blend I've tried that has worked on me). And yet something in the background is giving it a slightly feminine edge. Dry on skin: The amber starts to warm things up and eventually turns this into a soft, light skin scent. I'm wondering if there is a floral note in here, as well? I'm not even sure what to say about this other than that it is a warm, gentle (so gentle!) but salty aquatic with a certain air of romance befitting its title. This would definitely be appropriate for a work environment or other daytime wear, but there is also something so alluring about it that it might best be saved for moments when you need a little magic (although, hey, magic never hurt anyone in the workplace). Another successful aquatic for me! I don't know how much I'll end up wearing this, so I may be safe with a decant, but if I don't get a bottle, it's certainly not because the scent lacks appeal.

In Egypt is the city of Heliopolis, that is to say, the city of the Sun. In that city there is a temple, made round after the shape of the Temple of Jerusalem. The priests of that temple have all their writings, under the date of the fowl that is clept phoenix; and there is none but one in all the world. And he cometh to burn himself upon the altar of that temple at the end of five hundred year; for so long he liveth. And at the five hundred years’ end, the priests array their altar honestly, and put thereupon spices and sulphur vif and other things that will burn lightly; and then the bird phoenix cometh and burneth himself to ashes. And the first day next after, men find in the ashes a worm; and the second day next after, men find a bird quick and perfect; and the third day next after, he flieth his way. And so there is no more birds of that kind in all the world, but it alone, and truly that is a great miracle of God. And men may well liken that bird unto God, because that there ne is no God but one; and also, that our Lord arose from death to life the third day. This bird men see often-time fly in those countries; and he is not mickle more than an eagle. And he hath a crest of feathers upon his head more great than the peacock hath; and is neck his yellow after colour of an oriel that is a stone well shining, and his beak is coloured blue as ind; and his wings be of purple colour, and his tail is barred overthwart with green and yellow and red. And he is a full fair bird to look upon, against the sun, for he shineth full gloriously and nobly. Sulphur and myrrh crackling with clove, Himalayan cedar, and red sandalwood. This was pretty much a no brainer blind bottle for me from this year's Phoenixes. But I was still really curious about it for a couple reasons. All of the listed notes are winners on me, but I had never tried a blend with (I think) any of them in combination. I was especially curious as to how the clove would play with the woods and myrrh. And what was the sulphur going to be? Mandeville's Phoenix opens with myrrh brightened by something I can't place (maybe it's the cedar? it almost has a slightly citrusy feel). I was expecting vetiver to stand in for "sulphur" but I'm not getting any. After about a minute the clove and sandalwood start to add a little depth, but the myrrh is still dominant. After a few minutes, this is mostly myrrh and sandalwood with a little bit of clove. Myrrh has obvious funerial / ecclesiastical connotations and sandalwood always feels like such a serious note to me, so while this is certainly a sort of melancholic blend, the clove is a really interesting touch that adds some warmth and playfulness. The longer this stays on, the more the other woods come out and the less myrrh-dominant it is (although the myrrh sticks around, for sure). The cedar averse shouldn't be wary of this blend, it mostly just stays in the background adding some welcome brightness. This fits in well with my collection, perhaps a little toooooo well given my other myrrh loves, but this blend is pretty special and I would recommend it to any myrrh or sandalwood fans! ETA: Now that this has had some time to settle, I am getting some smokiness midway through the drydown. I love a smoky scent! But this phase also lasts maybe an hour so I wouldn't be too concerned if that puts you off.

disclaimer: i have never ever tried any of the lab's "textile" notes or patchouli leaf, but i do like regular patchouli. so i have no idea how this is going to be. in the bottle: strong but light vanilla and honey, not heavy like O is to me. there is also something just a tad barbershoppy to this blend... not sure if it is the leafiness of the patchouli leaf or the silk. all of this is positive to me even though i wouldn't usually go for and wasn't expecting a barbershop blend. it smells good. wet: wow! this really is a "floating" smell. so light yet not exactly bright and clean with good throw. i'm getting a vanilla / honey / patchouli blend right off the bat. no smoke, which is a little bit of a disappointment, but this smells pretty good. there is something almost humid about this blend? i would definitely echo the "steamed" comments of some of the previous reviewers. actually, there might be just a little smokiness that is blending with the patchouli, but it definitely isn't prominent. i'm wondering if i'm getting benzoin or not. it could be part of the vanilla/honey accord i'm picking up, but it's not sticking out too much on its own. drydown: not much is changing, but it goes through a patchouli phase and then a benzoin phase this is nice and very unique! it is sweet and maybe even cloying to many, but it is so interesting to me despite the sweetness.

in bottle: this is so sharp! i'm not too familiar with oudh but that must be what i'm getting. i hate to say this but it smells a little like cat litter. wet on skin: the cat litter smell is being softened a little by the vanilla, but it's still there. there is a tiny bit of incense detectable, as well. no tobacco yet. drydown: this definitely softens/sweetens within the first few minutes. i just think i might not like oudh? i'm praying the other notes win me over. after maybe 10 minutes i'm getting oudh with a backing of vanilla. i'm testing this at the same time as to his mistress going to bed, which definitely has a gnarlier patch note. here i'm not getting any patch at all! the more this dries down, the more the oudh calms down. it doesn't smell like cat litter anymore, it's just lending a brightness to the otherwise sort of darkly sweet blend. i wish it didn't start like that, because now even the well behaved oudh is still reminding me of cat litter. I'm about to wash this off after about an hour, but it is starting to be palatable. I'm still getting mostly oudh, but at this point it is being held in check by the vanilla and a tiny bit of tobacco and patchouli are detectable. i can actually say i like it at this point and will give it a full day test soon to see whether this is how it stays. i hope so ! i want to keep this around to let this age a bit. it seems like the sharpness of the oudh might mellow out and the rest of the notes are favorites!

In bottle: patch (reminds me of the patch note in goblin) and a little bit of fig. wet: very soft comopared to what i was expecting. it's actually really hard for me to pick up individual notes. i guess i'd say it smells similar to how it did in the bottle but suffused across a backing of what must be vanilla and benzoin but really doesn't smell distinctly like either of those notes. it's not that this is faint at all, but it is pale and soft at this stage. drydown: wow this is so beautiful. i put some phoenix and dragon on my other hand and wrote a description and while that was going on the fig has really come out. at this stage it is a figgy patch that reminds me of the grave pig, which is one that i always was on the edge of getting a bottle of but never did. the vanilla is making this just a tad smoother/creamier than the grave pig. this has a pretty decent throw, as fig and patch tend that way on me. it's dominitating phoenix and dragon (ironically?). by the way, this is STRONG. i'm going to go wash this off to do some more testing, but after about an hour this feels pretty stable and so nice. A very successful blind bottle!

Nosferatu is my favorite rainy day scent because it is warm without being at odds with gloominess. I have also been really into the recent anniversary scent Mandeville's Phoenix this rainy week in CA!

I'm having a very similar experience to Aviatrix. A very fresh rose cooled quickly by snow yields to a musk-dominant scent a few hours in. The musk is pale and the blend after it's dry reminds me of a less woody Edith Cushing. I'm seeing this as more of a sleep scent than as something I would wear in the day.

Not a recommendation, but I am so excited to try my first snow scent (The Bear Prince) ! A rosy fuzzy musk is very safe territory for me so I can't wait to see what the snow does to it!

So beautiful. Wet this is all ambergris, an almost citrusy frank, and benzoin. Dry the sandalwood comes to the fore, supported by the ambergris and resins. I feel like most sandalwood scents don't quite do it for me even though I love sandalwood itself. This preserves what for me is an austere note (sandalwood) while adding some excitement in the best possible way.

OK I posted in here about possible dupes for Dior Homme Intense a while back but I just tested Haunted and dry it smells so much like DHI on me even though it shouldn't.

Wet this is dark, dark, musk. I love it! Almost immediately, I get a spike of citrus. I've heard this can happen with black musk. It's not overpowering, though, and it still smells musky. As it dries, the amber comes out to play but the musk sticks around, as well. Simple, but so lovely. Ok now that this is dry it is so so sexy. Dry amber and a smidge of dirty musk. It reminds me of a slightly more sexed up version of Dior Homme Intense, which is one of my favorite commercial fragrances.

In the bottle this smells strangely buttery. I'm thinking it might be the vanilla interacting with the amber? Wet I'm getting the vanilla musk with something a little dryer in the background. I'm thinking it's the sandalwood. As it dries, the amber and vanilla are dominant with a brightness from something... maybe the oudh? Soft, pretty, with just enough of a kick to keep things interesting. I'm getting the same vanilla musk/oudh moment as Atrous.

Ok so looks like I'm getting a different experience than everyone else. This is weird in the bottle. I'm getting a funky, dank honey / rose. Wet I'm getting a slightly rosy moss-dominant scent with a little cypress and a sweet honeyed background. I'm not sure what to think, but it's definitely interesting. Dry it's definitely a little rosier, but still a weird combo of rose, moss, honey, and cypress in that order. I'm not getting myrrh or toadstools that I can recognize. I'll let this age a little and see where it gets me. I'm hoping the myrrh comes out a little more. This is a weird one for sure, but also strangely fascinating.

I don't think I have enough stand-out favorites for your methodology to work for me, RasAlgethi, but I do try to rate everything I test (and not just BPAL, but mostly BPAL) on a love/like/dislike/hate scale and then have a weird algorithm that is very unscientific to see where things stand and here are my top notes: 1. Tobacco 2. Vetiver 3. Cedar 4. Amber 5. White Musk 6. Orange Blossom 7. Teakwood 8. Black Musk 9. Clove 10. Herbs (unspecified) I feel like the top 4 are solid loves, but the rest are kind of surprising with the exception of clove.

This line just screamed La Ronde du Sabbat to me. It's a sort of dark & dirty take on ecclesiastical incense from the current Pickman Gallery collection: Oman frankincense, black clove, and tobacco tar.

I wouldn't describe it as an incense blend precisely, but the way the clove and frankincense work together in the current Weenie "La Rand Du Sabbat" is just gorgeous and is putting a whole new spin on frankincense for me.

Wet on skin: ALMOND EXTRACT Dry on skin: The almond gives way to the leathers, with perhaps just a bit of toastiness left behind. I can get a little bit of vanilla, as well. The sharp leathers slowly give way to the sweet backdrop of amber, vanilla, and tonka. To be honest the leather stage smelled a little thin and sharp on me, so I am glad it's developing this way, but it's still not as rich as I would like. It's not love, but I think this will improve with age.

In the bottle: Yup, buttery. Wet on skin: Butter, but now creamier and with something almost grassy & crinkly... must be the rice flower. Dry on skin: Ok some honey is finally beginning to emerge and I get the gentlest musk when I'm not sniffing my wrist, although it gets overwhelmed when I get closer. I would say this has a fair amount of throw. As it dries down, the honey and musk come out more and more. Thank goodness! Still, I'm not sure it's worth it to me to wait for the overwhelming buttery opening to pass. Once it dries down it is so reminiscent of a county fair, though, with animalic musk, sweet honey, and the rice flower even giving me a little hay. I don't think I will be ordering a bottle of this, but I look forward to seeing how the imp ages.

In bottle: Very floral. I smell lilac (my favorite floral, so no complaints) and what must be the moonflower. And might I add this stuff is strong! I'm testing several Lilith decants right now and this is the one I can smell most clearly without leaning down to smell my arm Wet on skin: Much earthier than in bottle. I'm still getting the floral elements (and orris root is now present), but now they are grounded by what seems to be the moss and sandalwood. Dry on skin: It's become a really interesting sandalwood blend. Floral, yes, but also earthy and inexplicably vanillic. The leaves are still nowhere to be seen, but I don't really miss them. I have to agree with Aviatrix... this is more ghost than revelry. But it is a beautiful, mournful, ghostly blend. It might be a little too austere and feminine for me to pull off, but it is truly haunting.

This is really fun! In bottle (decant): Hubba Bubba bubblegum Wet on skin: Slightly spicy bubblegum with a hint of fruit and mint or something like it. It even feels menthol cool on my skin. Dry on skin: The strawberry comes to the fore but mostly the same. There is still something slightly spicy here to me? Cinnamon or cassia? Maybe it's just a cognitive trick because I used to chew so much cinnamon gum as a kid. But overall this is a spot on match to the description: strawberry bubblegum with a hint of something cool underneath. I wasn't expecting to like this, but it seemed like such a strange combination that I had to try it. I really enjoy it but I don't think I'll end up wearing this one too often. Still, it has such a great energy that I'll definitely come back to it for festivity on occasion.

2015 Version In bottle: Smoke with the cool note from Yggdrasil (eucalyptus?) Wet on skin: Crisp evergreen notes with smoke. I've seen some speculation that this is the signature smoky opening of BPAL vetiver, but it doesn't quite smell like that to me. More of a classic woodsmoke. Dry on skin: The evergreen notes and smoke are still there, with the smoke gaining speed, but there are also more notes appearing. A new wood (sandalwood? I feel like sandalwood smells wildly different to me in different blends, so I'm not entirely sure) peaks up, lending kind of a sauna vibe to the mix (in a good way, not in a sweaty way). The smoke has a lot of throw and I can smell it clearly without sniffing my arm. I only used one drop, so this is some powerful stuff. Later: A bouquet of smoking woods (mostly evergreen) This is my least favorite of the Weenies I ordered, but it's certainly not bad. I just wish it had a little more depth (a strange thing to say about such a woody blend). That said, I did just take it out of the mailbox so maybe a little aging can help that out.