PurringPulsar

Samhain 05 In the imp: honeyed apple! Very similar to the 04 version. I get something spicy to it, and possibly pumpkin and patchouli. It smells lovely and warming. Wet on skin: I have no idea why, but I'm getting a cardamom/cinnamon like scent from this-and I love it! I still smell honeyed apple with spices, and now woody and pine like notes come out. Dry on skin: this is gorgeous! Crushed green fir needles and damp woods, with something fresh and breezy like an autumn wind. I can see why some people say this is medicinal, and something slightly reminiscent of pine or eucalyptus-that could be the fir, but that's no bad thing.. Sweet red apple and spice are here too, along with that honey like scent, and sweet mellow pumpkin too. It's wonderful! After a while: the honey note in this now smells more like beeswax. No bad thing, as I like the smell of beeswax anyway. It's sweeter now, and the fresh fir note has retreated. The foody scents of pumpkin and sweet crisp apple are now more prominent. It's still a fantastic smelling blend. Verdict: this is a fabulous autumnal scent, one of the best I've tried. With woods, fir, apple, spices and pumpkin, this scent has both foody warmth, comforting and mellow, and a bracing freshness like the chill winds of October. It's beautifully evocative of the season, marvellously complex and with many dimensions of scent-something that Beth does so well. I remember trying last year's version briefly, it had that same honeyed apple feel to it, but this one has a fresher fir/wood note as well. I think I may need a bottle for next autumn!

Alone In the imp: holy cardamom Batman! And patchouli too…I love cardamom and I'm hoping this is the strong cardamom scent from BPAL I've been searching for. Wet on skin: oh, this is gorgeous. Earthy patchouli, gorgeous warm cardamom, sandalwood and possibly labdanum too. And the great thing? The gardenia is of the good variety-I can't smell it here, but the point is it didn't make the blend go icky! Dry on skin: oh, this gets better. Now, along with the earthy notes of patchouli, cardamom and sandalwood, I get a very slight whisper of flowers. Very soft, but it's enough to add another interesting dimension to an already interesting scent. This is a wonderful scent, warm, rich, deep, earthy and mysterious, and it has a fantastic cardamom note, good and strong, the way I like it. After a while: there's a definite feel of earth to this scent. Like soil or clay, but it doesn't smell of those-it just has that feel to it. It's mainly that cardamom warmth resting on a patchouli-sandalwood base with just a little bit of floral flitting through here and there. Amazing stuff. Verdict: I've been looking for a BPAL with a prominent cardamom note, though whilst I love Bastet and I really like Whippoorwill, the cardamom isn't very noticeable in them. But in Alone, it is the star of the blend. But this is more than just warm, glorious cardamom-it's a earthy scent of deep patchouli with woody and incense like notes, with the barest waft of gentle flowers. I think Macha's description is spot on and I can't better it. I was worried the gardenia would be of the evil kind-but it isn't. This blend is truly lovely and I will need a bottle, especially as this seems like a wonderful scent to wear on those lonely winter nights.

In the imp: this reminds me somewhat of the new Body Shop oil-'Pumpkin and Nectarine'-except here it's the buttery, rich, sweetish scent of pumpkin with a fruity pomegranate note. Wet on skin: the pomegranate comes out more now-it's sweet with a slight tartness. Dry on skin: oh, this is surprisingly pleasant. The warm, mellow foody scent of baked pumpkin contrasts and yet blends nicely with the juicy sweet-tangy pomegranate. It's like a slice of pumpkin pie served with a glass of that pomegranate juice I love to drink. After a while: the pomegranate note gets that bit sweeter and more noticeable, but is nicely balanced with the pumpkin. Verdict: I never expected pumpkin and pomegranate to go so well together, but lo and behold, Beth made the combination work! The pomegranate here is a sweet one, like the gorgeous pomegranate juice I drink, and the pumpkin has a slight smokiness, a mellow and creamy scent that seems almost like baked pumpkin. This is a lovely scent, simple yet so different, and perfect for autumn.

This time I didn't have any parties...because no one invites me to these things and I'm really not into the big RnB/hip-hop raves the guys in my flat go to...it's not my type of music, or style-I like full blown fancy dress parties with really good fun songs, such as 60s, 70s or 80s music, or even cheesy sing-along disco classics for my Halloween parties! If I do happen to go to town with costumes and all next year, I'll probably dress up as an Egyptian queen or goddess, with copious amounts of Bastet or Nuit to match. Today I wore Pumpkin King layered with Three Witches.

Spooky In the imp: it has a note there that reminds me of Midway…but with mint, coconut and rum. Wet on skin: oh good, the rum's behaving itself. Please stay that way, rum… Dry on skin: this is really nice. Like a rum and coconut cocktail with crème de menthe…I smell something doughy or floury, dusty almost- as well as cocoa. The great thing is that the rum isn't amped to the max and making my skin smell drunk! The mint makes this cool, yet this scent is also warm and cosy. I can see why people compare this with the Star-it has the same mint-coconut vibe, but with rum and cocoa too. After a while: I'm pretty sure it has that same 'dusty' note I get in Midway and Snow White, the one that thankfully doesn't go plastic smelling on me, but does sometimes go dusty on me. In this it's not unpleasant-with the cocoa, it makes me think of dry cocoa powder. The mint has gone by now. I adore the drydown this has after a few hours…like Snow White and Midway, it now smells like marshmallows at this point! Verdict: this blend has stopped me being scared of rum scents. The rum in this doesn't scream on my skin and take over the blend-in here, it adds a lovely hint of booze to an otherwise sweet and foody scent. the combination of rum, mint, coconut and vanilla with a sprinkling of chocolate is a very pleasant combination. It's not a favourite but I will keep the decant I have of this because I like this a lot-especially the marshmallow drydown!

I'm in a similar situation to you! But I have no Samhain at the moment...but I will be wearing Pumpkin King on Halloween day itself.

Sudha Segara In the imp: a very light ginger tea! Wet on skin: warm ginger starts to strengthen but not too strongly. Dry on skin: oh, this is lovely. This is like a warm, soothing cup of ginger tea, slightly creamy but not too much. This isn't a powerful, fiery, fierce ginger scent, neither is it really foody. This is a soft, gentle ginger that is comforting. I swear that there is a tea note to this, despite it not being listed. I cannot smell the honey in here either-it's not very sweet. However, along with Alice and Dana O'Shee, this is one of the milk-honey scents I can handle and which I really enjoy. After a while: this stays consistent-it remains the same gentle ginger scent with a hint of milk and tea about it. Verdict: this was a very nice surprise. I was a bit worried the milk would be a bit too much, but this is the light milk that I like, the kind you get in Alice and Dana O'Shee. And then there's the ginger-this isn't the biting, hot ginger of Shub. Nor is it the foody, doughy gingerbread scent of Gingerbread Poppet. Sudha is a gentle, light ginger scent that is comforting and warming, like a warm drink at bedtime. I definitely detect something very tea-like in this as well, making this a lovely ginger-tea scent. This is an understated, simple, yet very soothing spice scent. This is a great scent for the lazy winter days when I want to just curl up in bed with a warm cup of tea, away from the cold outside. I love it.

Sylph In the imp: lavender lemon-smells like an aromatherapy blend! Wet on skin: still a citrusy lavender. Dry on skin: this is a lovely lavender scent with a tangy citrus twist to it. There may be lemon or lime here-but I think there's also orange blossom/neroli here. This is a bright and zingy, fresh and breezy scent, almost cologne like, with lavender toning it down. After a while: my skin has a tendency to amp up orange blossom, which is no bad thing. Now I can't smell lavender, but I get lots of citrus and orange blossom in this. The drydown after a few hours is a very faint and slightly soapy citrus scent. It does fade pretty fast. Verdict: I'm unsure of the purpose of this scent apart from the fact that sylphs are the elementals of air. Scent-wise, this is a light, bright, tangy scent of citrus, orange blossom and lavender. This is a very pleasant and refreshing scent, the only downside is that it doesn't last on me. I do like it though and I will keep the decant of it.

Sri Lanka In the imp: a very green woody-patchouli scent. Wet on skin: mmm, this is like a woodier, greener Anne Bonny now. Dry on skin: I'm wondering if it's the sandalwood or cedar that's making this smell green? Either way, I really like this. This is like a dark green woody incense scent. I've never been to Sri Lanka but I remember watching this documentary about an ancient Buddhist temple there, it's in the depths of the jungle. This scent brings to mind trekking the green depths of that jungle, then emerging into a large clearing to see this huge temple and you smell the incense burning there. Amazing stuff. After a while: now the green scent isn't as prominent. It's all about the incense at this stage…sandalwood, myrrh, and other resins creating a gorgeous smoky and quite dry scent, the heady scent of smouldering resins and wood embers. This is like finally arriving at the temple and now the scent of the incense is much stronger. It's a meditative scent, it has a sacred and profound feel to it. Verdict: this is another one of those fascinating scent-journeys that the Wanderlust scents seem to capture so well. This scent brings to mind images of a Buddhist temple in Sri Lanka that I saw on TV. The green scents of freshly cut sandalwood and cedar wood evoke the thick jungles surrounding such a temple. As time passes, the scent progresses…you get closer to the temple and the incense scent becomes stronger-a lovely blend of resins and woods smouldering and releasing clouds of smoke into the contemplative and peaceful atmosphere. It's incredible how such things are encapsulated in perfume but hey, that's the beauty of BPAL. I'm unsure if I'll buy a bottle but I'll keep the imp because this is such an intriguing and unique fragrance.

Queen of Diamonds In the imp: hmm, smells much like designer perfume-but that's not a bad thing. Very fresh, clear, a tangy floral. Wet on skin: the grapefruit and lemon come out more here. It's now quite citrus-y. Dry on skin: mmm, not bad! Despite having a more 'perfumey' scent to it than most BPALs, this reminds me of perfumes I used to wear when I was younger. Light floral-citrus blends were what I always used to wear in the past. But this one seems more complex than over-the-counter perfume. Here I can smell the individual notes-tangy citrus, clear, cool, white orchid, a bit of rose, and other flowers. There's something almost ozone-like here. It is a very clear, sparkling scent-very aptly named, I think. After a while: this reminds me of Neo Tokyo and Blue Moon-it's that citrusy orchid scent, I think. I'm sure there's an ozone note to this as well, but it's predominantly a light, fresh, tart floral-fruit scent. very pleasant, I think. I think I'll be wearing this more in the summer. Verdict: out of the 'card queen' scents I've tried, this one is the one which is more 'perfume like' than the others. It has a light citrus floral scent that reminds me of perfumes I used to wear before I discovered BPAL. However, it is more interesting than those are. It is a fresh, clear scent, sparkling and clean, with something ozone like about it which, along with orchid and citrus, reminds me very much of Neo Tokyo. I think this will be a great scent for summer. I won't need more than an imp of this, but I really like it.

Jack In the imp: eek-butter!!! Strong butter, almost Shill like. I do get pumpkin and peach as well though. Wet on skin: now the peach comes out a bit more. It's still buttery, but I think that's going away. Dry on skin: this now smells like a pumpkin pie with peach and very buttery pastry and a few spices. It's a warm, foody scent, very rich and autumnal. The butter seems to have retreated. I am worried that this will go all cloying and sweet on me though. After a while: it's all peachy pumpkin now, but oddly, I get a scent like apricots here too! this is very, very rich indeed. A bit too much for me to handle I think-it has tons of throw, but it's making me a bit queasy. I think it's the butter, which hasn't left entirely but is lurking there… And then, after a few hours, butter makes a comeback and becomes prominent again. Dang it. Verdict: I don't mind the smell of butter in food-but not as perfume. A light buttery note I can handle-one where it doesn't smell blatantly buttery (such as a cookie dough/cake/pastry scent). Unfortunately, in here, it is very blatant butter indeed. It does retreat at some points in the scent, but I'm afraid this scent was a bit too sweet, rich, and overwhelmingly foody for me. The peach and pumpkin were very sweet here, and I wish I got more spices. It's not disgusting as a scent, but not my thing either, I'm afraid.

Pumpkin King In the imp: fresh pumpkin, apples and spices. A perfect autumn scent. Wet on skin: ooh, this is like a fresh pumpkin split open, with a hint of crisp apple. Dry on skin: oh yes, this is a really pumpkin-y scent indeed…yeah I know, stating the obvious here but this is, to me, a truer pumpkin scent than Jack. I get apples too, a hint of autumn leaves, and a tiny bit of spice-I smell cinnamon here. This deserves the hype-it really is that good! If this isn't the best of autumn encapsulated, I don't know what is! It's also quite subtle-I found Jack a bit too rich and cloying for my tastes-this isn't like that at all. This smells very authentic as well-like a real, true pumpkin smell. After a while: pumpkin pie! I get a slight scent of buttery pastry (though not as buttery as Jack) with the pumpkin filling and spices too. This is light and pleasant. However, it does fade pretty fast, which is a shame because it was lovely. Verdict: I can't believe I actually got to try some of this without splashing hundreds of pounds on Ebay (thanks Ultraviolet for letting me try a drop of this!) and I can see why this scent is so hyped-because it is wonderful! I didn't like Jack because I thought it was too rich and over sweet, but this isn't. This has a very true pumpkin note, mingled with light spices and apples, a tiny bit of pastry as well, and the overall effect is the perfect pumpkin pie scent. It's delicious without being cloying and sickly sweet, and is very autumnal indeed. However, on me, it fades pretty quickly. But one thing's for sure-I'll cherish the little drop of PK that I have, and will be wearing it for Halloween!

Dee In the imp: mmm, antique leather, leather bound books, a gentlemanly leather with something resinous. Wet on skin: leather! Gorgeous and refined leather. Dry on skin: this is dee-licious! (ha ha!) a deep, rich leather scent sweetened by tonka and accented by smoky incense. This is a sophisticated leather, the kind that binds antique books. It is a truly gentlemanly scent without being overtly masculine, and has a hint of the 'old library' about it, which I love. After a while: still that rich leather scent, but now I get more incense, it's a very smoky incense, like the loose blends of resins and woods burnt on charcoal, it's dark, warm, mysterious and magical…truly fit for an alchemist! After a few hours, the tonka makes a comeback, giving a lovely sweetness to the final drydown of the scent. Verdict: I've really warmed to Beth's leather note and I must say this is the finest leather scent I've tried. Refined and elegant, with a touch of occult mystery about it, this is a deep and sophisticated leather scent with the smoke and resinous scent of smouldering incense and sweet tonka. The fragrance evokes old libraries filled with great magical tomes bound in leather, and the smoky scent of some arcane ritual incense. A truly magnificent scent, warm and rich, and I think it will be wonderful in the cooler months. I love it.

Scarecrow In the imp: hay! A sharp, piercing, golden straw scent. Wet on skin: something grassy and slightly sweet emerges from the hay. Dry on skin: oh my, this really does smell like dry fields of straw, fresh haystacks, a golden-green scent of dried grass and grain, wheat stalks…and something oily. Something about this scent reminds me of vegetable oil! It's also got something sun-scorched and arid about it…and there's a bright, almost piercing sap/resin scent here too. But despite those other odd notes, it really does smell like a dried up field in the middle of a fierce heat wave. After a while: is that pine I smell here? It has that sap like quality to it. I get straw and grass still, but also dry woods now. Like the smell of a lumberjack's workshop, or all the sawdust that stuffs the scarecrow and the wooden pole he is supported on. And it still has something oily to it…after an hour I get a light, sandalwood like, sawdust scent. Verdict: another unusual, unique scent. it evokes haystacks and golden fields of ripe grain, dry grasses, the arid heat of August. Strangely, I get scents of cooking oil, tree sap and wood from it as well, but it's a fascinating concept for a scent, and does bring to mind the heat of late summer.

Maenad In the imp: oh dear, this smells a bit scary. Like strawberries with something a bit harsh… Wet on skin: hmm, this is better. Strawberries with a dark side…that could be the poppy? I'm not sure, it could be orange blossom as well. Dry on skin: oh dear, this really is what I'd call 'evil strawberries'! I usually like strawberries-the note the Lab uses smells so real, capturing the tartness of the strawberry as well as the sweetness. That's in here, but there's a note here that smells a bit off on my skin, something's not quite right about it-it's dark, a bit jarring, it reminds me of a 'decaying plant' smell without smelling 'rotten', but it's not that pleasant either. I have no idea what that note is but it may be the poppy. I normally like strawberry and orange blossom, and I think I like hibiscus, but I'm not so keen on this. I wish I got carnation from here too… After a while: this is Pink Moon's evil sister, I think. It has the same strawberry-carnation sugary sweet syrup scent, but with something dark and twisted to it. I don’t really like this note that I get here though. It smells wrong on me. The drydown after a few hours is much more bearable though-a slight hint of strawberry left on the skin. Verdict: this sounded so tempting-strawberry, carnation, and hibiscus too…but it turned scary on me. There's a note here I can't get on with-a dissonant, dark note that clashes with the sugary sweet strawberry scent. This really is a scent of 'strawberries turned evil' but I'm afraid I'm really not keen on it. I'm not sure what the offending note is but it may be poppy-which I'm not that familiar with. I t may be nice in other blends, but my skin doesn't like it mixed with strawberry, it seems. Another Diabolus scent that goes wrong on me…oh well. Off to swaps for now.

Pride In the imp: a dry, crisp rose. Can't really smell the narcissus. Wet on skin: a lush and warm, yet tart and dry rose scent, with a citrus or geranium like scent to it. Dry on skin: I'm not too sure what narcissus is like, but I have a feeling it's the other light floral note I get from this, it's a greenish-white sort of scent. Other than that, it's all about the rose. A warm, fruity rose scent with, bizarrely, a hint of lemon! I get something like rose geranium in here as well. After a while: now it really is rose and nothing else. Tart and tangy, this rose has bite! It reminds me of 2, 5 and 7, but more aloof and haughty as opposed to sunny and playful. There's also a sharp greenness which is a tad astringent, and the lemony note now reminds me of citronella! Verdict: this is another unique rose blend from the lab. This is a rose that does indeed seems to reek of vanity, a sharp, crisp, biting scent that seems to give a feeling of slight self-centredness. It's a rose that shamelessly takes centre stage in this scent. This isn't an open, friendly rose here…though it does have a warmth and fullness, and something rather fruity to it. The narcissus is very elusive in here, but it seems an apt ingredient for a blend based on narcissism! Though I do love BPAL rose scents, I do have others that I prefer to this. But it is a great representation of pride in scent.

The Unicorn In the imp: a light, sweet, almost fruity floral with a greenness, it smells like spring. Wet on skin: greens and florals… Dry on skin: oooh, I like this a lot. A lovely soft floral with a little bit of green. It's sweet and slightly fruity. I'm getting a gentle spring like blossom scent that may be linden. There may be sage here too, maybe honeysuckle, jasmine, lily of the valley? It's very feminine and pure, has a feel of innocent. After a while: the floral scent becomes fuller and stronger whilst still retaining it's gentleness. This is the scent of springtime, and it's beautiful. there's a slightly dry aspect to the scent which reminds me of herbal tea for some weird reason. Verdict: this is a light white floral blend of stunning beauty, to me, it epitomises springtime. It is the warm spring sun touching delicate, fragrant blossoms, and soft herbs, grass and leaves. It's full and rounded, and has a nice dry crispness to it as well, and with a feeling of purity. I think this will be my scent for spring, and I'll get a bottle of it.

Faustus In the imp: mmm, spicy frankincense! Wet on skin: this is really good stuff-frankincense, cinnamon, a bit of violet. Dry on skin: whoa, the combination of cinnamon and frankincense in here is very delicious indeed. The golden resin note warmed by sweet spice with a dusting of violet on top. The violet isn't obvious, but it's there alright. It's the resin that's dominant here. This is a warm, strong scent with a lot of oomph! After a while: it's very consistent and balanced now. This is a very powerful scent, it smells like it means business! Though the violet does soften it up and adds a slight floral twist. Verdict: this is a great combination-cinnamon, frankincense and violet make for a lovely scent. this scent is warm, and yet it is potent, almost dominating. It has a real presence to it and you can't ignore it. this is certainly a unisex scent, and will be nice in the winter months. And it's quite strong so a little bit goes a long way. This one's a keeper.

The Living Flame In the imp: a fruity sweet floral. I've smelt that smell somewhere-but where? Wet on skin: a citrus-floral scent. Very nice. Dry on skin: ooh, this is a lovely fruity flowery scent. It smells lush and juicy, full and warm. I'm wondering if there's a citrus peel note here, as well as some sweet rich blossoms. I can't pinpoint what sort of flowers are in here, but they are quite wonderful. It has a warmth and redness to it that brings to mind images of a beautiful sunset under exotic blooms. I'm wondering if there's mimosa or hibiscus here? After a while: now it's very, very sweet, almost like nectar. Like smelling the nectar of the heady blooms in the scent, it's an almost honeyed or syrupy sweetness. I'm just a bit worried it might be too sweet for me. This does settle down though. Verdict: this is a gorgeous, feminine scent. Not what I expected from a 'fiery' concept, but this is a scent of lush blooms filled with a sweet and almost fruity fragrance. It's warm and rich, and does have a certain 'redness' to it. It does get a bit too sweet at one point, but that doesn't spoil the experience of this wonderful fragrance.

Wings of Azrael In the imp: violet with dry, camphor like woods underneath-I can smell juniper here. Wet on skin: yeesh, sharp dark burnt woods! Dry on skin: is quite a harsh, dry, gritty scent. I think the juniper in here is giving it an almost medicinal edge. But the violet and lily of the valley lighten it a bit, adding a soft veil of floral over the dry woods. After a while: this improves as time passes. The scent mellows, the lily and violet bond with each other to make this a lot more bearable. However, this scent is so pale and dry, it feels dusty, and almost barren. It has a real ghostly melancholy feel to it. Verdict: at first, this smells harsh and astringent. Then the violet and lily come out and the scent becomes more pleasant. It seems sorrowful a scent, full of ghostly notes, pale and ethereal, and yet it's quite appealing. However, it's not my thing, but a very interesting scent to try out.

Ingenue In the imp: oooh, sweet mild violet and rose. Wet on skin: now the cool, moist, sweet melon comes out and joins the florals. Dry on skin: wow, this is gorgeous! A light melon note mingles with the perfect violet scent, rose and waterlily. This is a really nice fresh fruity-floral scent with a hint of the sweet aquatic about it and I think I can make out the woody notes in the background, which adds a contrasting dry background to the scent. After a while: the notes blend together a bit more, but otherwise, this is really consistent. A sweet, full, yet dry combination of florals, melon and woods. Lovely. The drydown after about 2 hours or so is rose, violet, and possibly waterlily-a smooth, gentle floral scent. Verdict: this is a wonderful scent, smooth, sweet, and more than just your average violet-rose scent. I love the way the melon adds a sweet juiciness, as well as the woods adding a dry base. I am very glad I tried this scent and I will cherish the imp I have of this.

I love the idea of nose-educating kits! Especially for, as Olympia suggested, the more lesser known notes or ones that are harder to tell apart. back to Antique Lace and possible batch differences...I was sniffing some oils in my box to see what my decant of AL smelt like and then I realised it smelt a bit like Bearded Lady! And there have been a few comparisons on the reviews between the two scents, so maybe this decant is the real deal?

Funny you should say that because I do get something vaguely caramel or honey like from the decant too.

I hope this is not too odd a question but, were there ever batch differences with Antique Lace, affecting it's scent? You see, I got a decant of someone, and it smells very different to a Lab imp of AL that I have. The lab imp smells like that wonderful vanilla musk that I adore, and it smells just like what the AL I tried out when I met Fallow Deer smelt like. The decant also has a similar light musk, but it's more floral...and whilst that is very nice, I'm not sure if it's the real AL, or maybe some AL tampered with another scent, or something completely different? However, it does match the official scent description well...but does anyone else get light florals from AL?

Harvest Moon 05 In the imp: oh my goodness. This smells a bit like Mabon!!! It has that same apple vibe to it, and I think this one has wine and spice too. So much better than the smell of last year's (which smelt like, believe it or not…cheese!) Wet on skin: wow, now I get mulled wine, spiced apple, pears in wine, ripe plums…amazing! Dry on skin: now I get a twinge of that odd 'grainy/bready' smell I got in the 04 version, but this isn't too bad-the fruits and spices and wine make this so nice. I have no idea what gladiola, chrysanthemum, aster, dahlia, anemone, marigold, amaranth and lingum aloe smell like so I'm assuming that's that mysterious scent I get with this-either that or the lunar oils. I also get the greenness of ivy-together with apple, it reminds me of Mabon. This is a very interesting and complex blend which evokes early autumn days. After a while: the odd scent retreats after 15 minutes, and the fruits return, fuller and juicier than ever! Ripe plums! Crisp apples! Pears in wine! All sprinkled with sugar and spice. This now reminds me of delicious desserts that my mum makes: apple crumble and pears in wine. This smells yummy! And then after an hour it becomes less dessert like, but still beautifully harvest like…now I smell golden grain, the greenery of ivy and sage, and autumn fruits with red wine. Verdict: this is much, much better than 04's Harvest Moon. Whilst still retaining it's grain, wine and ivy scent from last year, one is sweet, fruity, juicy and slightly spicy as well. it reminds me of delicious autumnal desserts and the balmy days of September in the English countryside…and it seems very much the lovechild of last year's Harvest Moon and Mabon. This is a gorgeous, evocative scent, complex and multifaceted. Fantastic work Beth!