Nes Gadol Haya Sham

[rayvn1]

Nun, the Snake: opoponax and lemon verbena. Gimel, the Camel: patchouli, heliotrope, pomegranate, and almond. He, the Window: frankincense, myrtle, and hyssop. Shin, the Tooth: carnation, myrrh, red poppy, and hibiscus.

 

I get quite a bit of almond and a smoky, light honey-spice. Interesting. Kind of like the nutty incense zankoku_zen mentioned. Not sure if I'll wear it very often. Pleasant, just not something I'd reach for unless I was in a very particular mood.

[Schmoozy]

 

Hmmm. Interesting. At first I get cold, damp earth with hints of almond, red pppy and resins. After drydown, this morphs a little bit more to include carnation and hibiscus. It's kinda got a citrus feel to it if I sniff past the other notes, but mainly I detect earthy florals and resins. I will enjoy my decant, because there is something inside that pulls me further. I can't quite explain it.

[fairnymph]

Dark amber-orange oil. Sweet nutty resins, waxes, and incense with herbs and florals - wow, quite a jumble indeed. The almond jumps out first, then the verbena, myrrh, hibiscus and frankincense. It's very complex - bright notes, dark notes, heavy notes, light notes, etc. Nothing I really like, though. :\

 

Quite foody; sweeter. A very foody almond note, almost buttery? It clashes in a revolting manner with the Pledge-y verbena. The hibiscus is a nice tart note and the heliotrope is gorgeous as usual, and the pomegranate too, juicy-tart-sweet. This myrrh is STRONG, dusty and smoky from the get go, and the frankincense too, that cloying woody-incense sweetness. I'm not sure where the waxy sort of note comes from, but it's there. The poppy's a little spicy and dusty, but faint. Not getting any carnation, patchouli, opponax or hyssop, though a little fresh-green myrtle peeks out.

 

This stuff has mega throw, unfortunately for me. It's getting sweeter and sweeter and richer and richer. The almond is INSANELY BUTTERY, fake and rancid - it's like butter and tonka joined in with the nutty almond - and the combo with the verbena is one of the worst things I have ever smelled. Something in here has also turned into major PLASTIC. This is also dustier, darker, more incensey...all things I hate. It's been 5 minutes but 5 minutes too long - off to the sink before I become nauseated.

 

[voodoocatwoman]

I don't know... I am getting the dreaded HAMSTER CAGE smell. Is there cedar in here? I also pick up something sharp but sweet... and something that is wine-ish.

 

Yuck!!

[Nymeria]

Like others, the most prominent note I'm getting is the mysterious "but you're not even listed as a note!" cocoa. Fortunately for me, I'm not even getting a hint of lemon verbena and its feared Pledgeness of Doom. Just cocoa and spices and incense and so much more... it's definitely a complex scent, and while a more trained nose than I could probably pick out the individual notes appearing on me, all I know is that this is a delicious, warm, and cozy scent.

 

Good for wearing: Curled up next to a fireplace drinking hot chocolate while it softly snows outside.

[ravenscanary]

Source: Fresh decant

 

In the decant: Strongly almond with herbal (mostly myrrh?) undertones.

 

Wet: Somewhat dark, complex. Spicy and herbal with a sweet citrus top note of the lemon verbena.

 

Dry: Lemon verbena remains prominent. Usually I amp nutty scents but the almond is all gone. I think I'd like this more if the citrus was toned down, but I'm getting a faint 'Lemon Pledge over green and dried herbs' vibe from this, though it's not unpleasant.

[sunlitgarden]

Nes Gadol Haya Sham was frimped to me in a sale package.

 

In the decant: There's a lot going on here... The overall impression I'm getting is clean, sweet... fresh... actually, it makes me think of mint chocolate for some reason. Like an Andes mint they give you after dinner in a restaurant. It doesn't actually -smell like- mint chocolate, but it's that same kind of nose-cleansing quality. It's a bit astringent, but not terribly so.... I feel like there's honey in here, or at least the combination of notes is producing a honey-like scent to my nose.

 

Tested lightly on skin. It's kind of spicy, kind of... smoky? for a few seconds, but then the lemon verbena starts seriously amping. My skin does tend to amp the lemon verbena note the lab uses, if Phobos is any indication. I mainly smell lemon verbena with a spike of something kind of bitter, possibly myrrh. As it dries more, there's something in here that reminds me of Dia, but I don't know what it would be. Dry, it smells nutty.

 

It doesn't smell bad, by any means, but it's not really my style...

Edited April 29, 2012 by sunlitgarden

[Mechanical Death]

This is lovely! It was one of the blends I was most looking forward to trying,many I'm glad I did.

In the bottle it smells quite tart, but on the skin it blends out into this marvelous mouthwatering complex scent.

It has a smooth quality, and a slight nuttiness. Almond, pomegranate and lemon verbena are the top notes, but they don't fight with each other. I catch the slight spice quality from the carnation undertone.

 

It's so complex that it's hard to identify al of the notes. The overall effect of it is a sweet pink-red scent. Tart and sweet at the same time, with some spice and sandalwood undertones, and something like a caramely sugared mid note. It's not what I expected at all and it's gorgeous!

Definitely a bottle buy.

[Mandarin]

In the bottle this came out sharply fruity, very cherry. The lemon verbena came up fast, and clung, along with a woody note that gave me the oddest feeling that I was wearing pot-pourri. That feeling never really faded, drydown was consistent with the pot-pourri scent, just getting less noticeable as time went on. I want to like this one, I really do, but I may need to swap or gift it.

[stellamaris]

I really love this one, it's rich and mouth watering. It smells almost like a very rich syrup, but dark and thick. The only note that I can single out is the frankincense, which is a very good thing for me, she who lurves all of the frankincense...

Edited December 21, 2012 by stellamaris

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Complex and a bit overwhelming. Patchouli, heliotrope, almond, and hyssop swim to the top. Other quickly noticeable notes are opoponax, frankincense, and myrrh. It’s primarily and incense blend with a foody floral combination underneath. Wet: It makes me think of burnt sugar a bit. The pomegranate swims towards the top of the incense pond, quickly becoming dominant. The carnation and poppy separate out from the scrum and support the pomegranate. The incense stays strong, but forms a background on which the brighter elements play. Sharp edges pop out now and then as it warms. Dry: Mostly frankincense, with the other incense notes in support and some heliotrope. Not for me.

Edited December 27, 2012 by Gwydion

[milo]

2012 version. Lot's of candied fruit, like the kind in fruitcake, becoming dusty, like musty old fruitcake. The pom does come through clear and bright after a bit, less dust, but still the candied (now citrus) fruit. I find this quite different from last year's version. From what I remember, that one was more 'bready'. I love it when pom behaves on me, and if it weren't for the fruitcake vibe I'm getting, I may have upgraded. Still, nice to try.

[filigree_shadow]

There are a ton of notes in this thing, and it’s pretty hard to pick out any one note. If I had to guess, I’d say that I can smell the lemon verbena, patchouli, and frankincense. Can’t really isolate any of the floral notes, not even carnation, and that one’s usually strong on me. There’s a couple of resins in here that make it smell smooth rather than a jangled mess, and it really does come together quite well in the end. It’s six years aged at this point, and of course the lemon isn’t as strong and the resins are deeper. It’s really quite nice now, as scents like this often are.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Patchouli, Frankincense, Myrrh, almond. Listed notes that my skin often amps, so not surprising. There's something else though that is familiar but I can't place it - might be a particular combo of notes. Interesting and complex, and morphing constantly. It moving towards more of a sour woody smell now.

 

 

Dry: Interesting. Light, a bit sweet, a bit woody. Hard to pick out notes. Not unpleasant, but not a typical perfume scent that I would wear. Almost a little smoky. Yes, interesting. Glad to have tried it!

[gloame]

Sweet, warm, almond sand. It smells like early morning in an ancient Middle Eastern market. Everything's sleepy, but it's already warm and delicious foods are already baking in ovens. Kind of nondescript but very lovely. I like it.

 

Where I'd wear it: Browsing stalls in Hebron, early morning

[Lucchesa]

I think I have the 2016 version. It's one of those perfumes I would usually avoid on the grounds of "too much going on." But since just about all those notes are favorites and I got a super bargain on FB, I decided to give this a go, and I love it! Frankincense and myrrh, check. Almond and carnation, check. Patchouli, check. I do not get the obnoxious lemon pledge smell that others have complained of, which I do sometimes get from verbena, but keep in mind this has had a year to age. Instead I get a glorious mix of notes that is different from anything else I own but isn't muddled or jangly. I love gloame's comparison to a souk. Warm, spicy, resiny, unisex, and appropriate to any season. It wears pretty close to my skin, but that's usual for me.

[Rane.]

2018 edition: I smell maraschino cherries with a lemon verbena note in the bottle. On my skin dried it smells like cherry incense, syrupy sweet, but not sickeningly sweet with the lemony note faintly cutting thru. It has exceptional throw too. Applied to my inner elbow it will stay a good 6 hours.

Edited January 8, 2019 by Rane.
Wanted to note the year I bought it

[donkehpoo]

(2018 version.)

 

I was intrigued by the gigantic note list!

 

Wet: Surprisingly simple; almond and lemon verbena. Very zesty!

 

Dry: Nooooo, where did the lemon go!? The almond hasn't left, but is much lighter than the wet stage. I'm getting some carnation and spices now as well, but I am REALLY missing that lemon verbena.

[Velvet Lilly]

This is gorgeous and wonderfully nostalgic to me. 

A big merry bowl of lemon verbena, almond and twizzlers (the pomegranate, hibiscus and poppy) and the lovely dried herbs. But it's also more than that.

It's the smell of comforting family and tradition and almost ancestral memory, that I didn't even know I remembered until I smelled this. 
Food and home and sweet things.... like walking through the living room at the holidays. The whole story is in there.

It's lovely, warm and welcoming.  

The dry down brings up the almond and herbs a bit more (but I tend not to pull sugar notes) 


 

[torischroeder9]

2017 version. 

 

In the decant: Myrtle, hyssop, and lemon verbena, with a separate tartness that might be either hibiscus or pomegranate. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, it's lemon verbena and almond I smell first, which is no big surprise, considering these are notes I often amp. As it dries, the patchouli comes out strongly, though there's a definite myrtle, hyssop, and lemon sheen across the top of it. The almond has the good graces to bow out of this conglomeration, at least for now. 

 

Given more time to develop, the almond does remain hidden on me, and the patchouli still dominates, well courted by the herbal myrtle and hyssop. I can also pick out a bit of hibiscus, poppy, and lemon verbena, along with the faintest hint of light powdery resin -- frankincense would be my best guess. It's got a lot of little bits going on, but on me right now, it's basically an herbal, slightly astringent patchouli. 

 

I like very much the idea and story of this scent. It is not, however, something I can see myself wearing for the sake of the manifested scent itself. 

[starbrow]

Somehow, with all those notes going on, this manages to be holy and contemplative, complex and yet no single note competing for attention. Truly well-blended in the sense that it's hard to isolate any one note.

 

I was afraid the almond would ruin it, being my one all-time no. Amazingly, it doesn't, and while I am vaguely aware that something nutty like almond is there, it is very calm and collected, like this entire blend. Even lemon verbena plays nice! Go figure! There is something bright at the top, slightly herby and citrusy, but it's so well-grounded, I don't get taken to lemon pledge land. (You know the one.) I think carnation is the one player that tries to sneak to the top with its florals, but even it can't quite win out. Everything is too balanced. Sorry, carnation. Take a seat!

 

This strikes me as a good New Year's eve scent. Looking back on all (allllll) that has happened in the past year, and looking forward to the experiences that the new one will bring.

[avilion]

Smells like the sensation in my eyes when I lose track of time watching the eighth night's candles burn down. A beautiful morpher, with no diva notes or death notes. 

[donkehpoo]

(2019 version.)

 

Wet: Okay, there's a lot of notes in here, and it's hard to pick out a lot. Here are the main ones I'm getting: almond, frankincense, and lemon verbena. It's sweet, incense-y, and.. I can't stop smelling it. The more I sniff it, the more I like it, and the harder it is to describe. (So far, I'm liking this better than 2018.)

 

Dry: Almond and lemon verbena are still going on, and I think I may detect a little bit of pomegranate sneaking in now as well. Something a little smoky, as well? 

 

I like this more than the previous year's for some reason. 

[VetchVesper]

I've avoided reviewing this one for a long time because, even though I like it, it's a hard one to pin down.  Lots of notes and lots of morphing as it dries down.  It last quite a while on me, though I wouldn't say it's a strong fragrance.  This is the 2016 version, so it's had a while to age and come together.

 

It's warm, gently wood, slightly spiced, and sweet in the bottle.  Pleasant, with no notes standing out.  It smells similar when I dab it on, but strengthens.  The lemon verbena floats to the top, along with the hyssop, I think.  Something powdery, herbal and sort of anise-like.  The lemon verbena starts to go yucky and sour on my chemistry, but luckily, this phase is short.  Then it reverts back to it's initial phase, with a touch of fruit added.  The poppy and hibiscus give this a thin, red, fruity tone that's interesting mixed with the darker notes.  The fragrance continues to morph, evolving a honeyed sweetness, over the now more prominent fruits.  It become more golden than red.  After this phase, the spices exert themselves, and this becomes almost a mulled punch over mellow, smooth wood. 

 

Over all this stays complex, warm, vaguely sweet, woody, fruity, and warm.  In short, this fragrance makes me think of chewing on golden raisins.    It also smells somewhat like the beginning stages of Cairo.  I wear it now and then, but I would really love it as a candle.  It just seems cheery and comforting without being in any way stereo-typical of a Christmas scent.  

 

I would not let one or two notes keep you from trying this.  It's very much a sum of its balanced parts.

Edited May 14, 2020 by VetchVesper

[Teamama]

2019 version, partial bottle from a forum purchase. The meditation called for in the description is powerful, like so many of the Activism blends.  Reaching for Nes Gadol Haya Sham feels like reaching for prayer beads, with a commitment to be mindful of stories of loss and remembrance; abundance, fortitude, and determination; clarity and piety; strength, generosity, kindness, and benediction.

 

I'm a resin-lover, so I've always wanted to try it.  Beth's multi-note blends can be a challenge for me to review, because my skin chemistry takes it in a lot of different directions over time. I can say right off that I have an affinity for opoponax, patchouli, almond, frankincense, and myrrh. Myrtle, lemon verbena & pomegranate can be difficult for me to wear. Heliotrope, hyssop, carnation, red poppy & hibiscus haven't made an big impression on me one way or another.  

 

Wet on my skin & in a locket, the dominant notes are lemon verbena & green, green myrtle, with a background of fruit & floral sweetness, & grounding resins. The patchouli & almond, which can both go big on my skin, are reserved & barely detectable. It's more green & bitter than my usual scent range, in a bracing, powerful way.  As it dries down, my skin lets most of the myrtle go, & the lemon verbena melts back into the complex, floral/fruity/resin base. It's still got an edge to it, reminding me of holly for some reason.

 

This feels like a wintry blend, probably because of the myrtle & resins.  I don't wear very often, but I like it, & I'm glad I bought the partial.

Edited December 15, 2022 by Teamama