Uncertain Horror

[jolarocknrolla]

Red patchouli, sage leaf, Darjeeling tea, smoke-scarred sandalwood, green tobacco, and oud.

The Patchouli is strong at first to the point of being very very Patchouli, then drying out i can pick out the sweetness of the sandalwood (which is fairly incense-y to me). I'd say the sage might be the slighly medicinal aspect that comes through in the dry-down (it's a nice herbal scent not pungent at all) and it morphs later to mostly sandalwood and tobacco. After a half hour the Patchouli is almost gone, at last on my skin.

I couldn't pick out the oud and tea but i think that might be part of the woodsyness you get on drydown mixes with smoke and inscence. a wonderfully comforting masculine scent actually!

[xoe]

Yay Uncertain Horror just arrived and I had to try it first.

 

On me it is very smokey at first, and I can see waht jolarocknrolla means about the medicinal aspect. On me this isn't very Patchouli-like though. For me it is mainly smokey sandalwood and tea and it is definitely a bit masculine.

 

Hmm. not sure if this one is a keeper or a surprise Xmas present for someone, lol.

[Eemia]

This should have worked on me with all those beautiful earthy notes but unfortunately it didn't. I was hoping for a masculine, earthy, planty type sensation. I love sandalwood, but something smelled off about this. It was overwhelmingly bitter, and the burnt quality was jarring. There was a dirty, odd little sourness in there. My chemistry must not work with this one. I rarely try a perfume that is so bad on my skin that I have to wash off because I just can't stand it but I was scrubbing this off after only ten minutes.

Luckily I only tested this from an imp and didn't buy it. I gave the imp to one of my friends and he loved it and it smelled great on him so at least someone else can appreciate it.

[Alchemy21599]

In the bottle, this scent had a dark, unsweetened chocolate note, which was a surprise. The patchouli is subtle and there is a slight astringent note.

 

Wet on skin: Whoa! This is the most gorgeous BPAL incense scent, ever! Spicy, slightly sweet, with a tiny hint of smokiness.

 

Dry: This is a gorgeous incense scent. I adore patchouli and there is enough to keep me happy, but it isn't the dominant note. IMHO, this is what Mme. Moriarty would be sans red musk.

 

One of my top five favorite BPALs!

[greenranger]

The patchouli really comes forward at first. My husband thinks patchouli smells "sharp" and this starts off sharp enough to cut yourself on.

 

The other notes are coming out. This is a strong, no nonsense, shake you up scent at first. It might settle down later...heck it might age into a gorgeous smooth dark scent like Schwarzer Mond. In fact, if you go nuts over Schwarzer Mond, you should probably try this one if you can. Different notes, but, a similar feel, at least at first before the skin chemistry starts messing around with things.

 

It is settling down, slightly. The strange thing? Usually tea hides from me in blends. It usually is only barely apparent to me in things that other people swear smell just like tea. This one? I am getting whiffs of the tea about 5 minutes in. The patchouli is still dominant, but there was a clear whiff of almost pure tea that went by. Pure, black, brewed till it's bitter tea, but, tea.

 

I like this. I'll have to be careful who I wear it around because it is so assertive on me, but, I do like it.

[angelicruin]

Sniffing the bottle, it is a very rich scent. I can pick out the patchouli, smoke, and sage notes most.

 

Wet on the skin, patchouli is the most dominant note. Not surprising, as my skin temps to amp almost everything with patchouli in it. As it dries, though, I do get more incense blending with the patchouli which really saves this scent for me.

 

I'm interested to see how this changes as it ages.

[twilighteyes]

In bottle: Hm. This is really well blended. I am having a hard time picking out individual notes except that this is thick, dark, and sweet.

 

Wet on skin: Incense. Deep, dark. Woody. A little smoky. Sweet. Still VERY well blended.

 

Dry on skin: Not a morpher on me. Same as wet. Love.

[TrailerTrashPrincess]

i had SUCH high hopes for this one - it was the first thing i opened once i opened the package of Inquisitions.

 

sniffed from the bottle - smells like the loose-leaf lapsang souchong tea my best friend used to drink. bitter, dark and smoky. on skin, it morphs a little and i think i can smell the tobacco and sage - adding a touch of earthy-sweet and medicinal-herby-bitterness, respectively.

initial verdict : not for me.

however, i'll keep it for at least a week and try it again...but i don't think this is for me.

[tartchef]

Dry & bitter & tannic, with a soapy masculinity lurking at the edges... evocative? You betcha. That wot I want to smell like? Nyerle.

[kakiphony]

In the imp: Dry and sharp, but to my nose leather is the dominant note. The sharpness hits at the front of the palate while the leather is what lingers against the back of the palate on the first sniff. The overall effect is almost desicated dryness, bone and desert winds. It smells like the desert to me -- the real desert, not the usual hot cinnamon bpal desert.

 

Wet on skin: As soon as this is applied the scent gets rounder, fuller and a bit sweeter. The leather and patchouli are combining to form a spicy scent a bit like incense sticks that have been in a drawer for so long that they've dried out a bit. On my left wrist I also get a burnt note that smells like something left on the burner of an electric stove -- I'm betting this is the tea and sandalwood and am axious for it to develop. The right wrist is much preferable at this stage and is all leather/patchouli.

 

Early dry down (10 minutes): This is still a very dry scent. It smells just like something, but I can't put my finger on what and it's driving me crazy. As usual, my two wrists have developed in different ways. The left wrist (bearer of the metalic watch) has more of the smoke note, and the tea. It smells, as others have noted, a bit like a very strong lapsang souchong although there is definitely a hint of leather at the back of the palate. The right wrist is much more a blend of patchouli and leather, with something almost cinnamon-like (but a dark, resiny cinnamon rather than cinnamon candy or cinnamon powder) at the very way back of the base (I'm betting that's how this patchouli is developing on me since I often get thick, spicy resins from patchouli). My overall impression at this stage is that is a very hot scent -- like wearing leather pants in front of a fire hot.

 

Late dry down (1 hour): This has dried down very nicely on me, and although I find it quite pleasant, it doesn't seem like all that unique a blend to me. It strongly reminds me of both Krampus and Spanked, leading me to believe that the combination of patchouli and leather develops in such a specific way on my skin that the other notes along for the ride really don't matter all that much. That's fine with me since I actually really what it does. This is very much a hot and spicy patchouli and leather blend. The overall effect is warm, dry, just a tad powdery, and quite spicy. I picture a lioness sunbathing on a rock heated by the sun.

[fairnymph]

Sniffed in imp: Root beer coloured. Sour and sharp, quite green and a little smoky. Earthy patchouli. I can smell each note.The sage is a bit medicinal, the tea light. Masculine.

 

(A bit got on my hand and it's much nicer dry on my skin.)

[milo]

Well, this is just about a dead ringer of Lush's Icon perfume to me, which is a good thing as I like it quite a bit. I also get the Schwarzer Mond comparison mentioned a few posts back. Herbally, a tad medicinal, I get the patchouli, and a bit of sweetness. I'll sure enjoy the imp while it lasts, (probably more in the fall).

[tapestry]

A friend of mine let me test from her bottle, and I had no expectations walking in since I didn't know the notes. After an initial sniff that left me feeling questionable, I went ahead and applied. And because my nose is a neophyte, I actually thought the patchouli I picked up on was vertiver. Whoops!

 

This is a unique and interesting perfume to me sheerly because of how it turned on my skin. I've never had anything smell like actual dust before. Powdery, yes. Dusty, sure. But never real, nose-prickling dust. That's all I got, but two friendly forumites raved about how Uncertain Horror turned into a dusty rose on me and I was encouraged to buy a bottle. Apparently this one is a winner! Who knew? It lasted for hours and through a shower (with Lush products, which is no small claim to fame), and though I'm unsure how I feel about smelling like dust, it was an interesting experience to be sure.

[crebbsgirl]

On me, this is smoky and earthy. Mainly patchouli and tea. The sandalwood is adding a bit of a smoky tinge here. It's dry, but just a little sweet. There is a bit of a green note here, a little fresh. It's nice, but I'm not sure how often I would reach for it. I wouldn't say this is overly masculine, and I don't find it to be medicinal either.

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Bad pot pourri trying to be incense

 

Wet on me – Pencil shavings from the sandalwood and a hit of the tea

 

Dry on me – A dry white wood scent

 

Overall – On me it became a bit bland

 

[hlinspjalda]

In the vial: Green wood, with a patchouli richness and something tannic.

 

Wet: Sharp sagey patchouli, with a very green-smelling wood note in it. Much greener than I expected, hardly any smoky element at all.

 

Twenty minutes: Lovely red patchouli (the kind that makes me want to nomm my arm) with that odd green woody note. Sage is noticeable, although nicely mixed in. There's a flatness to the base, too, almost like white musk or orchid gives on my skin.

 

One hour: Smoky, sagey patchouli over a flat base. This is rather more like what I expected. I'm not sure now whether that green note is the Darjeeling, the tobacco, or the oud. Might be the tea, though.

 

Two hours: Really enjoying this herby, patchouli-rich scent. It's not at all sweet, floral, musky, or resinous, which puts it well outside the norm for my scents. But red patchouli is my favorite patchouli note, and I pretty much love whatever it's in, including this one. My daughter loves it too and has already tried -- literally -- to nomm my arm.

 

Three hours: Still deliciously nomm. I knew I was going to like this one; too bad I couldn't afford a whole bottle of it!

 

Five hours: Oh yeah, still nomm.

 

I went looking for more of this right away!

 

Six hours: And still nomm. The patchouli is running the show now, having outlasted the other scents. Yet the sandalwood still seems to be there, because there's a gentility to it that red patchouli never has on its own when on my skin.

[PurringPulsar]

Uncertain Horror

 

In the imp: sweet yet dark, heavy tobacco and patchouli, with polished woods.

Wet on skin: this is unusually sweet, but overall this is heavy and doleful, dark wood and smoke.

Dry on skin: tobacco is the dominant note. A blend of sticky pipe tobacco and dry cigars with a hint of smoke. Underneath it is dark wood, smelling less like sandalwood and more like mahogany or ebony, as well as spicy oud. I also smell that wonderful tea note from Lunar Eclipse. The sage is there but it is faint. There’s an intriguing, if unsettling, sweetness to it all, almost like a resin. And the patch underneath is like the darkest of shadows.

After a while: money? Yes, this smells a bit like money now. Like old paper notes all crumpled up and mixed with coins inside a worn leather wallet-I don’t smell the leather but I do smell the lining of a purse here. I still smell cigars too, as well as the polished sandalwood and that heavy, heavy patchouli. It reminds me of the GOP scent, but I prefer this-I found GOP too smoky and boozy for me, but this has that feel to it…I get the impression of men with untold riches, cigars and dollar bills aplenty, but the shadow lurking behind the scent of decadence tells of a gloomy future…eau de recession?

Verdict: overall this scent gives off vibes of doom and gloom and reminds me of the scents of the demons of Good Omens (Hastur and Ligur), and yet also has something gentlemanly and sleek to it, reminiscent of the Dogs Playing Poker scents. I thought to myself that the names of the Yet To Come scents could be headlines relating to the recent economic crisis…and interestingly, this scent does have something money-like to it at times, like paper notes and worn coins in a leather purse, as well as the scent of cigars and glossy furniture made from expensive woods hinting at past riches, now clouded in darkness. This scent seems to fit so well with the times, a little too well I think. Even so, I find it too dark and masculine for me, and the tobacco is too much for me here. So not one to keep...but very well crafted.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? no, but this scent really does capture something unsettling and uncertain, and I’m in awe of that. I just wouldn’t wear it as perfume.

[Little Bird]

I passed on this originally, because I don't like the lab's red patchouli and I'm usually not fond of sage, smoke, or tobacco notes. Then I wound up buying the bottle off of ebay anyhow, so that I'd have a full set of inquisitions.

 

In the bottle - On first sniff, this is a bitter, astringent fragrance. But underneath that initial impression is a sweet, incensey smoke and dry woods. It reminds me briefly of Bezoar.

 

On my skin, this is a soft, clean smoke. It makes me think of burning paper. Yup. Uncertain Horror smells like paper and clean, white smoke.

 

I expected this to be a much stronger, grittier fragrance. Patchouli, sage, and tobacco are usually pretty serious, heavy, dirty notes on my skin.

 

In the drydown, the smoke fades and this turns into nothing but powdery, light sandalwood on me. It turns slightly sour as well.

 

Uncertain Horror definitely isn't the scary, dark, dirty fragrance that I was expecting, but it's not really great on me either.

[zankoku_zen]

This one is a dark and sweet blend. On wet, it smelled like dusty cola. And on dry, it smells like dusty tea.

 

Meh.

[Wwindy]

PATCHOULI! Plus a bit of sage and smoke -- that's really all I get on my skin, and the sage and the smoke don't even stick around as long as the patchouli does. Fortunately, I am a total patchouli hoor.

 

I would have said "prickly" about this scent rather than uncertain, but yeah... something along those lines. It's not soft or inviting or comforting, that's for sure.

[Dark Alice]

Patchouli and tobacco. As advertised. It then sweetens up...I think its the tobacco trying to dominate. Nope...the patchouli wins. This is a very bitter scent and certainly lives up to hits name.

[gingiemay]

It smells very strongly of patchouli in the bottle, but upon application the smoke-scarred sandalwood comes to the forefront and smells kind of like dry sticks. I really wanted the patchouli, sage and tea to come out but instead it's tobacco and sticks. I think in an oil burner it would be pleasant but on me it's not so much.

[Coldfire]

Decant: Sandalwood and tea

Wet on Me: sandalwood mostly, pale hints of the tea.

Drying down: woody but sweet like baby powder. The patchouli seems like it wants to come out and play but is being blocked.

Dry: slight sandalwood with ghost patchouli and bits of baby powder? Hmmmm Nice…but I think I’ll re-home this.

Edited July 20, 2009 by Coldfire

[aquazoo]

This starts with a bit of citrus. The leaves are dried, not green. It ends up as a nice woody scent, with a hint of spice.

[CitizenBree]

Sandalwood and patchouli are the most prominant scents in this blend so if you are a fan of either, you should probably give this a try. I am not a fan of those notes, but this blend isn't offensive to me. It has a sexy feel to it, almost like a red musk.

 

I'm a fruity/floral/foodie person so I'll pass on this one.