Balame

This is pretty and sort of... unexpected? I didn't know what I'd end up with based on the notes, even though I'm a fan of most of them. As others have said it starts out watery, green, with a touch of something floral. I usually don't like lotus but here it's not overly astringent or bubblegum. After giving it some time I get more fullness from the musk and the familiar "sweet and powdery" quality from the orris. Weirdly I can't pick out the sandalwood or vanilla, which were mostly what I'd been hoping for. I get fruity, perfumey, smooth florals? I don't find it terrible or anything, but it's definitely not my style.

At first all I get is soft, delicate herbs and woods. There's an airy quality about the blend that feels gentle but solemn. As it dries the frankincense and myrrh become more apparent and I start getting wafts of sweet but gritty (in a grounding way) incense. The myrtle does smell a bit sharp and camphoraceous, but at least on me the resins end up predominant. I think I actually enjoyed the lighter stage more. As much as I love incense, with the myrtle it's a bit too greenly bitter overall for me.

Welcome to the world of BPAL, I like your gecko avatar. Avi's recommendations for book scents are good; I really like that smell myself and Aziraphale fits the bill. Another winner from the general catalog is Dee (Soft English leather, rosewood and tonka with a hint of incense, parchment and soft woods). I can honestly say that all my guy friends (including my husband) have enjoyed it. It's one of those blends that tends to work for everyone and has a soft, soothing but powerful sort of feel. You seem to dig citrusy, woodsy, spicy "oriental" style blends (that terminology is so dated). And also tea, clearly. Based on that I'd try: Aelopile - Glowing amber and citrus, labdanum, verbena, cedar, and oud. (Citrusy and bright but with a nice woodsy backdrop.) Dorian - A Victorian fougere with three pale musks and dark, sugared vanilla tea. (Another blend everyone loves. Sugary and sweet but steeped in delicious tea. Not particularly girly or guy-ish.) Golden Priapus - Vanilla and amber with juniper, rosewood and white pine. (Also popular. Sweet but woodsy and fresh. Kind of sexy, really.) Kubla Khan - Through sunlit caves of ice, roses unfurl amidst dancing waves of serpentine opium smoke and amber tobacco, golden sandalwood, champaca, tea leaf, sugared lily, ginger, rich hay absolute, leather, dark vanilla, mandarin, peru balsam, and Moroccan jasmine. (Spice, citrus, woods, tea... it's got it all.) Ranger - Untamed wilderness: buckskin accord with Terebinth pine, Russian birch, black ironwood, elder bark, hay, armoise, juniper, patchouli, galangal root, Spanish moss, and cabreuva. (The best from the RPG line for you, I think. Very true to its description, just about the most lush and soothing forest smell you could imagine with a touch of rugged leather.) Nyarlathotop - This is the blackest of ritual incenses charged with flashes of ozone. (For your Lovecraft appreciation, a citrus-based but dark and incense-y blend.) And here are some limited editions you might want to search for. You can often find samples of these via the forums so you don't have to commit to buying a full bottle right away: Black Ice - Chilly white sleet-like notes with a hint of vetiver, a breath of smoky asphalt, and winter wind. (Haven't tested this, but your mention of asphalt made me think of it. Would be an interesting one to try out.) Kagema - Himalayan cedar, rum absolute, bay leaf, teakwood, orange peel, wooly thyme, and tobacco absolute. (I adore this one. The richness and warmth of tobacco with a bright flash of orange and spiced rum.) Eastern Comma - Sweet orange with tobacco absolute and hay. (Kind of similar to Kagema but less spicy and more sweetly, soothingly warm.) Antique - Fossilized amber, juniper berry, wild musk, oudh, vetiver, white cedar, black currant, oakmoss, and leather. (A gorgeous blend that makes me think of walking in the middle of a dense forest after it's snowed. Clean woods, a hint of sweetness from the berry, darkened up by leather, vetiver and currants. Definitely elfy though it made me think of Mr. Tumnus from Narnia.) A Peculiar Spirit - Tobacco absolute with neroli, oudh, benzoin, and black tea leaf. (This literally just came out in the Lupercalia update so I haven't tried it, but based on what you enjoy it actually seems perfect. Tea, woods, citrus, tobacco... maybe the dick spirit will be a winner. )

Really, no one has said Sheol (Vibrant gladiola, graceful stargazer lily, triumphant iris and bright heliotrope flare, and is finally made somber by heavy copal, a drop of labdanum, and tonka) yet? It is INTENSELY smokey and INTENSELY sweet, so I hope you're down for the mega combo of both. I know you're iffy about myrrh so Penitence might be too much, but the recent anniversary LE, Relics of Herself (Peru balsam, myrrh, frankincense, and ashes) is like a much lighter, sweeter version to my nose. I seem to recommend this all the time (probably because it's my favorite), but seriously, Atlas (Mallow, oak bark, coffee bean, hinoki wood, and khus) is amazing. Like marshmallow s'mores with slightly chocolate-y woods and incense. The Gorobble (A scent redolent of the crusty exterior of burnt marshmallows) would likely fit the bill for you as well, but it was pretty popular and might be tough to track down now. There's also Cthulhu in Love (An amorphous mix of oppressive, piceous ritual incense, macerated kelp, sea salt, sticky dark ocean plants, and… mixed chocolates) which everyone thinks sounds disgusting, but is actually delicious. Kind of like smoky chocolate incense with a hint of green/aquatics, which works surprisingly well. I posted up a review for Tattie Bogle (Hay, gunpowder, patchouli, autumn herbs, and sun-baked wood) today and you miiight like it. It does have herbs, and the smoke is fairly sharp. For me it settles into an outdoorsy, smoky and lightly sweet blend. Midnight Mass (This perfume is a traditional Roman Catholic sacramental incense, most often used during a Solemn Mass) is also great; I'm 98% sure if you like "dark, smoky sweet" blends then it's pretty much the ideal. It's a recurring Yule so not tough to get hold of. Lastly Sissy, The Ascendant (Sassafras and smoke for black vulture feathers, and King mandarin and red musk for the deep red-orange of the vulture’s face. Blue lilac and chamomile / opoponax and vetiver for the blue and black of her eyes. Vanilla bean and fig represent her innate goodness and instinctive kindness) is very much this. It starts out kind of like root bear and incense, but settles into something beautiful and unique. Kind of fruity, rich sugar, dark incense.

This was a scent that turned out to be a surprise hit for me. It evokes its namesake very well... At first I imagine a dusky, cold afternoon. In the middle of a field the scarecrow's limbs shudder slightly, the chill wind animating its tattered features. For a while all I get is that cool outdoorsy feeling, mostly due to the sharp gunpowder and herbs. There's a definite "bite" here. But as it dries the hay, patch and wood take over and suddenly the field is bright and glowing. The sun-warmed wood smells very natural and makes me want to take a midday nap. It's such an evocative and fall-centric scent that it's not something I wear often - but I'm glad to have a few imps to slather when the mood strikes me. As others have said, it reminds me very specifically of hayrides, corn mazes, etc. Makes me think of a Halloween spirit, for sure. Mysterious, a little creepy(!) but somehow comforting at the same time. Earthy, dry, smoky, metallic.

Some not listed yet - I think Bliss is as simple as it gets... just pure chocolate. The Coiled Serpent is dry, sexy patchouli. Dragon's Blood is as the name describes, a strong dragon's blood resin. Carnal is mandarin/fig. Depraved is patchouli/apricot. Fighter / Captain Cully - Both of these read as straight leather to me. Fighter is heavier and kind of musky, Cully is brighter and a bit boozy. Lemon-Scented Sticky Bat - Sticky-sweet iced lemon sugar. Mouse's Long and Sad Tale - Vanilla/sweet pea (more notes listed than that, but those are all I get) Since you like fruity scents I feel like you might enjoy Fairy Wine (An ethereal vintage, steeped with dandelion, honey, and red currants). It's not the most simple blend out there, but it's a delicious, fresh and sweet berry mix.

Have you tried Belle Epoque (Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood)? It's kind of like a hybrid between Kubla and Death-Horse. Kagema (Himalayan cedar, rum absolute, bay leaf, teakwood, orange peel, wooly thyme, and tobacco absolute) is like the ultimate "sexy pirate" scent to me and it also has an orange note that's brighter but similar to the mandarin in KK. Geisha in Orange Kimono Admiring a Samurai (King mandarin, tuberose, white sandalwood, white moss, yerba mate, tangerine, and styrax) would be a good one for you as well. For Light and Swift, there's a similar lavender in Capax Infiniti even though it doesn't have the citrus (A scent warmed by a whole lot of love: honey-snuggled skin musk, sweet vanilla ice cream residue, and lavender oil, with a gentle hint of Dorian). Embalming Fluid (A light, pure scent: white musk, green tea, aloe and lemon) is a popular soft lemon blend. I second Dorian, too. Welcome back to the forum! Go to Sleep, Darlings (
Kiss-soft clouds of spun-sugar snow) was a Yule LE that came out that's very similar to Snow White, but I actually like it more (less floral and softer overall). For something similar to Velvet, try Atlas (Mallow, oak bark, coffee bean, hinoki wood, and khus). It's a delicious combo of soft mallow and incense-y woods. I actually think you should give How Doth the Little Crocodile (Chocolate peppermint, mint-soaked vanilla, pistachio, oakmoss, and green cedar) a shot, too. I know it sounds weird as hell (at least I thought it did), but the mint is really sedated and it's surprisingly in the same vein. To me it wears like a musky vanilla backed by warm woods - with the bonus of chocolate! Kuang Shi - I think you should look at Geisha in Orange Kimono as well. It's a surprisingly underrated mandarin blend. Really fresh and beautiful. Pumpkin I (Pumpkin cream with cardamom, black tea, allspice, and ginger milk) is as close as I can think to Sudha Segara... it's kind of like a pumpkin latte, but it does have that soothing vibe about it. You could also go with Bengal (Skin musk with honey, peppers, clove, cinnamon bark and ginger), which smells almost exactly like chai tea to me.

I can help with this one, I'm into the same thing! Atlas (Mallow, oak bark, coffee bean, hinoki wood, and khus) is my favorite BPAL and pretty much exactly this. It's a foresty incense with creamy, sweet mallow. Then there are these lovely blends: Doc Constantine - Sheer musk, cedar smoke, fir needle, black amber and leather. Antique - Fossilized amber, juniper berry, wild musk, oudh, vetiver, white cedar, black currant, oakmoss, and leather. The Illustrated Woman - Skin musk, smoky vanilla, pine pitch, patchouli, Indian resins, golden honey, and tobacco. Black Forest - Thick, viscous pine with ambergris, black musk, juniper and cypress. This Is Your Wilderness - Honeyed patchouli with cypress, black pine, and tobacco absolute. Intrigue - Black palm, with cocoa, fig and shadowy wooded notes. Is "golden prisons" supposed to be Golden Priapus (vanilla and amber with juniper, rosewood and white pine)? Was wondering since it doesn't have honey and I find it to be quite sweet and nice. Bummer if it didn't work for you. Anyway, also seconding Tombstone, yummy vanilla woods...

I LOVE this! I'm still waiting on an old set of Anniversary decants, but since they're down on the site and bottles get increasing hard to find, I tracked down the blend I thought I would enjoy the most... this one. I'm glad my assumptions were right! Thank goodness for the other reviewers too because their impressions are spot-on. This is exactly like PenitenceLite, which is perfect. I like Penitence a lot but sometimes it's a little too heavy and oppressive when I just want a calming incense blend. Here the frank and myrrh mingle gently while the balsam keeps everything light and sweetly oily (I know that might sound gross but it's awesome, I promise - like anointing oil or something). The ash is more apparent to me while this is wet, but it's still hinted at in the background when it dries. It is indeed like smooth incense ash in a church and snuffed candles. It reminds me of all the peaceful moments of prayer and meditation I used to have rather than the self-loathing which was fostered later (haha, sorry, bitter ex-Catholic speaking). Relics is a gorgeous, airy incense blend with none of the bitterness of Penitence.

The Antikythera Mechanism (Teakwood, oak, vanilla, and tobacco) is pretty popular if you're up for something a bit darker. Ded Moroz (Golden amber, white amber, redwood, teak, bois du rose, sage, tree moss, and snow) is a snowy, "feminine" teak blend. Midnight Carnival (Galbanum, teak, myrrh, narcissus, patchouli, cacao, labdanum, agarwood, lavender, neroli, and black moss) is kind of a woodsy incense from what I know. An Appraisal of Sensual Pleasure in the Four Seasons (Wild plum, lemongrass, frankincense, honeysuckle, and teak) is a similarly fruity teak. I would recommend Desire (Bittersweet neroli, black patchouli and black musk, gilded by apple, bergamot, blood red rose, teak, and vanilla) since it has the apple/teak combo that's also in Agrat-Bat, however the rose is pretty strong. It was too floral for me, but if you're into that it might be a winner and/or your skin chemistry might react differently.

Had a really strange experience testing this. I've had blends smell differently when they've "settled" after travel, but it's rarely to such a large extent. When I first tried Black Opal it was a gorgeous, slightly gritty and cool vanilla bean. Dreamy and similar to (but softer than) Antique Lace. It was wonderful and very much like I imagined it would be from the description. Now I'm smelling it again and all I get is plastic and hairspray. Ick. Certain vanillas can do that to me but I thought I'd managed to find a winner here. It's probably for the best considering Opal is dc'ed and hard to find now. Still grateful I finally got to try it; I'll have to pass it on to someone with more compatible skin chemistry than me!

Doc has a sheer, sparkling quality about it when wet. It smells like bright but cologne-y/musky woods, which is pretty apt considering the description. I do get some citrus early on - not sure where that comes from, but it dissipates in about 15 min. Afterwards I get something more akin to BoneBone's description. It's drier and peaty almost, like the smell of a carpenter's clothes with some leather mixed in. Still has the musk backdrop though, which will either be great or unfortunate for you. It reminds me of an annoying college dude trying and failing to be sophisticated. Would've liked it more if it just stuck to the woods, but oh well. To me it's a woodsy version of Galvanic Goggles (which I similarly didn't like but I know a lot of people love), so if you're into that I would check this one out.

I was generously gifted a mystery bottle by The_Witching_Hour and was wondering if anyone might help me place it. It has 3 hand-written question marks on the label (with an orange highlighter-squiggled border) and that's it. She said she got it from Puddin'... I'm wondering if it's a chaos theory? This is putting my note-identifying skills to the test, but it smells like lavender, a rich but not overwhelming floral (maybe lily or osmanthus), moss and something incense-y (opoponax?). Witching thinks it might have vetiver, but if it is here the smokiness gets eaten up on me. It's wet, dark, heady and sweet. Not triggering any headaches in me though, which most florals do. It smells foresty/almost like a sweet pine in the bottle, but becomes hazier on application. I looked around and thought it might be Mysterious Warning, but I'm not sure. If anyone has any guesses I'd appreciate hearing them! Thanks. *edit* This has changed a lot since I let it settle. Now I'm really thinking it's Slobbering Pine. The sweet pine scent that was very prevalent when wet sticks around in the dry stage. What I was initially reading as lavender is more like the citrus some people smell... and it's definitely heavily sappy. Weirdly the floral/incense aspect I got earlier is gone. I think I managed to figure this one out!

All the leathers you've disliked are somewhat "dry" leathers, while Iago is "wet." What I mean by that is that the supporting notes are brighter and sometimes literally have a drier smell (like "dry woods" in Jolly Roger). So I would recommend leathers mixed with musks as in Iago, heavier resins/incenses (frank, myrrh, labdanum, oppoponax) and even dark fruits to avoid the boot association. You'd probably like: Black Rider - Black leather, oppoponax, tobacco, and black amber. Kroenen - Shining black leather, gleaming metal, labdanum, and myrrh. Rogue - Soft, well-worn black leather, hemp, and rosin. The Magdalena - Frankincense, myrrh, leather, ti leaf, saint wood, benzoin, and labdanum absolute. VILF - Patchouli-infused honey, red musk, red sandalwood, red ginger, pink pepper, Peru balsam, dark Eastern florals, Himalayan cedar, smoky vanilla, bitter clove, and leather. Heroine - Nepalese amber, East African patchouli, dark musk, apple blossom, petitgrain, aged leather, skin musk, and rhubarb. I think the first two are most like Iago. Kroenen doesn't list vetiver but it's definitely there.

I'm on the other end of the spectrum (I usually like vet) but I haven't tried these yet. Judging from the descriptions it seems both are mixed with sweeter notes so the vetiver doesn't become predominant. For something similar I'd look at these if you haven't: Tombeur - Vanilla-infused sandalwood, blood musk, antique patchouli, vetiver, lavender, bitter almond, amber, and a trickle of Snake Oil. Kind of a sexy blend where the vetiver isn't in the forefront. People say it's similar to Snake Charmer. Satan & Death with Sin Intervening - Opoponax, benzoin, orange blossom, mahogany, karakarounde, white tea and vetiver. A beautiful blend that focuses mainly on the mahogany and orange blossom, a mix of light and dark. The vetiver does a lot of grounding here. Incense-y and earthy with a bright spark of citrus. The Final Darkness - Black amber and shimmering moonflower blackened by opoponax, khus attar, smoked oudh, and myrrh and all swallowed by the fathomless depths of a lightless ocean. If you like aquatics and/or incense-y blends you've got to try this. You might've missed the vet here (khus) but it's so gorgeous, dark and mysterious. Atlas - Mallow, oak bark, coffee bean, hinoki wood, and khus. This is my favorite BPAL ever, so enough said! Very very vetiver soft. To me it smells like marshmallow s'mores under a tree oozing softly sweetened incense. Lips of Flame and Heart of Stone - Red musk and red apple with bourbon vanilla, tobacco absolute, Indonesian red patchouli, black clove, and khus. I haven't tried this one because I'm not a big clove or apple fan, but it sounds like it might be similar to Vultures with the fruit, red musk and vet.

Listen to Rhu! These recs are all awesome (Malignant Dreams, Delight & Consternation and Candy Butcher are all some some of my faves), but get some Croc if you can. I was so surprised by it. I stayed away from it for years because I thought it would be a gross, toothpaste sort of mint mixed with sweetness, but duh, why would Beth do that? It's a sexy, incense-y woods blend with chocolate and just a hint of soft peppermint to brighten it. Really gorgeous, and in fact, I just ordered a bottle a while ago. What to add... maybe Tarantula Fascinator (Fuzzy cacao-drenched hazelnut with hay absolute, black pepper, and nutmeg, laced with stripes of wild plum and white sandalwood)? It might be too heavy on the choc for you, but a lot of people compare it to Boomslang and hopefully the other notes should offset it for you.

I'm surprised this one isn't more popular - more for me, I guess! It was actually my husband who initially got attached to this one. I was decanting the Lupers in '13 and enjoyed it. I mean, I'm a sandalwood freak so that goes without saying. However it just seemed like white musk + sandalwood which wasn't anything new. Went on brightly green, like fresh spring grass, then settled into the creamy white sandalwood I enjoy. It goes on a little powdery and almost medicinal. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love did the same thing to me where the grass/ivy almost made me sneezy. Give it some time though and PML becomes very interesting. I was testing several things that day and kept (unknowingly) coming back to this one, until I finally had to figure out what it was again. What was once unimaginative turns into a smooth sandalwood that's nestled in the softest, dew-touched grass you've ever smelled. It's vaguely floral for a time (and I usually hate florals, so that speaks to its delicacy), then becomes a misty, hazy, slightly green sandalwood. It also has an ozonic quality which makes it feel wet and clean. "Your skin but better." A great unisex blend both of us enjoy. PML also vaguely reminds me of Michael Casts Out All of the Fallen Angels. It's lighter, not as smokey, but the smooth sandalwood/musk combo is still there.

Try Y'ha-nthlei (A swirling, lightless, effervescent scent: the deepest marine notes with bergamot, eucalyptus and foamy ambergris). It's my favorite BPAL aquatic and is very beachy and beautiful. It's got the citrus, ambergris (similar to amber but saltier) and warm but bright quality you're looking for. Also have her try Glasgow (The rich scent of wild blackberry breezing over gentle rosy heather) if possible. I know it probably seems like an odd rec, but it has a soft, breezy and clean vibe similar to the perfume you described. It would definitely work well at the beach, and despite it having heather it's not really "girly." I second The East like Ash said too, though it's not as reminiscent of the ocean as Y'ha.

Might be a little hard to find since it's an '09 Lupercalia, but there's one called Glukuprikos (Ambergris, pale musk, peru balsam, golden amber, cedar, lavender, spikenard, narcissus, vanilla caramel, white sandalwood, and woodmoss) which is based on the label image featuring a very androgynous man (I assume). There's also Haloa (Wine grapes, pomegranate, myrrh, frankincense and olive leaf, and the warm scent of offertory cakes), which is a recurring Luper. It's based on a celebration for Demeter and Dionysus, of which Dionysus is the important one here. Although he's very famous for the, er, phallic symbolism people used to celebrate him, he actually was described as "womanly" and often depicted wearing women's clothes back in the day. He is a god of fertility. Yet he clearly possesses "manly" traits as well such as being a superior hunter, marrying a princess, etc. He's quite interesting, really. A lot of people feared him because when his female followers were possessed by him, this allowed their naturally "passionate and irrational" natures to run wild, abandoning chaste behavior and wifely duties. This was the "dark side" of femininity according to the men who wanted them tending to their food and kids at home. In that same vein there's Dionysia (Wild plum, pomegranate, raspberry, Siamese benzoin, plum blossom, patchouli, frankincense, and mahogany) which is one of the ladies of the Grindhouse, but it was also the name of the main festival to celebrate Dionysus in ancient Athens. Lastly Harvest Moon (The autumnal scents of dry leaves, mulling spices, balsam fir, cedar, juniper berry, clove, saffron, damson plum, sage, yarrow, and lily twined with Dionysus' sacred grapes and ivy, a bounty of apple and pumpkin, and the amaranth and lingum aloes of Janus, all touched by a gentle breath of festival woodsmoke and sweet wine) has several inspirations, including Dionysus. His fellow god Janus is decently relevant as well. He's the god of transitions, gateways, beginnings and endings, thus his two faces see into the past and future. He is often linked with Jana, who some speculate is Diana, and so together they represent the union of femininity and masculinity.

Almost candy-ish but not in an overwhelming way. Cinnamon + sweetened mandarin is reading as some sort of chewy orange tart. The resins are pretty understated but there's a soft incense vibe behind the top two notes. I get warm, sweet, spiced citrus. This isn't working in my favor this time around; was hoping for something less foody and more sexy a la the wonder that is Kagema. Athene ends up too Yankee Candle/Bath & Bodyworks "spiced orange" body spray. Unfortunately, counter to most people's experiences it seems, this comes off as cheap and childish on me.

This is sharply spicy and bitter when it first goes on. Probably the combination of cedar and carnation. It smells like cinnamon and gingerbread. As it dries those two notes settle in and Inez gets softer. I can smell the lovely vanilla musk, sandalwood, and rich myrrh. It's warm and nice, but sadly the amber gets turned into baby powder. It feels old, but not in a "weird old lady" sort of way. More like an antique ornament in a caravan full of spices and incense. An unusual mix that reminds me of Morocco, St. Germain and Al Azif, though Inez gets more uniquely woody as time passes. For me the amber gets funky in this blend (the carnation is too sour for it), but I can see why people like it.

Another thanks to the wonderful MuskWitch for sending me a tester/sniffie of this. I'm especially happy because now I can stop agonizing over this blend just because the notes made it sound like the best thing ever. You guys. This is Black Pearl 2.0!! Seriously, this is almost exactly Black Pearl to my nose except it has a way more alcoholic/dry edge (bourbon vanilla can do that to me sometimes). Black Pearl does have the whole booze thing going on, since it's always had a very "Frangelico" vibe to me, but Black Silk smells very similar for all its extra notes. I would say Black Silk is a bit foodier to my nose, but BP was my original BPAL love and it still beats this out. So if you're worried about missing this and either love or hate Black Pearl... either way you should find a relieving answer. And thank goodness for that!

HNNNGH Thank you so much, MuskWitch, for frimping me a super generous sample of Beautiful Tyrant. It is SEX IN A BOTTLE. I can't say I've smelled such an unapologetically sexy BPTP blend since Nefarious Plan or Red Lantern. Don't know why I didn't hunt this down sooner. Probably because of the ginger, which I was worried would smell like Red Hots. Oudh is also a little iffy because while I generally like it, sometimes it smells like ash and weird fruit. Well not here! When I first huffed this it made me think of some upscale commercial blend, but not in a bad way. It's like something a new-age Russian tzarina would wear - it smells expensive and evokes nobility to me, but there's an earthiness that keeps it from being too foofy. While I love amber and frank I really can't find any note by itself. This is blended beautifully. It's warm and sweet, slightly resinous, but bright. I might even say there's a bit of a metallic bite in it, most likely thanks to the ginger I was concerned about. There is indeed a bit of fruitiness as well, but it's like honeyed fruit? Then there's a fresh peaty background, as others have noted. Basically, it's got a heck of a lot going for it and if you're on the fence you must give it a shot! It's fierce and gorgeous.

I've almost tested all of the RPGs, and I guess the "Save the best for last" adage is true... because Paladin is absolutely beautiful! So glad I finally got to try it. It reminds me a bit of The White Rider, which is one of my favorite BPALs overall. White musk with a gentle, slightly sweet leather. Yet where Rider is drier and sexier, Paladin is lighter and more innocent with a predominantly vanillic leather and hint of frank instead of sandalwood. I can definitely envision this as the "newbie" knight who's all sweetness, light and good intentions, where White Rider would be what she or he turns into after a little more maturity and world weariness set in. This would be an ideal scent for someone who wants a dreamy leather blend but is nervous about the leather in itself. Your mileage may vary, but to me it doesn't take the lead as in other blends (the bourbon vanilla is at the top). Definitely among my RPG favorites now, and whether I wear this or Fighter will depend on the level of "rawr" I'm feeling.

All Souls doesn't have rose in it as far as I know... it's not listed and I didn't pick it out when I tested it. Maybe you're thinking of All Saints? If you don't like most florals (I don't either) I'm not sure how much you'll like Khajuraho, as it was very floral to my nose. Hopefully that won't be the case on your skin. It seems you might like richer, deeper incense blends which often have frankincense and/or myrrh. Sandalwood alone can be quite a dry wood, it's true. Though if you want something with a non-overpowering rose Lacus Solitudinis (Meditative white sandalwood with rosewood, Roman chamomile, white lavender, marjoram, Himalayan cedar, and oudh) is very good. The sandalwood is obvious in it though, so I wonder if it might be too airy for you. I think you'll like Midnight Mass in your current order. It's a very deep, sexy and churchy incense blend. There's also Penitence from the GC which is just frankincense and myrrh. It's a bit ashy to me but still nice. Herodotus' Phoenix (A fragrant shroud: myrrh from Yemen, Oman, and West Africa with a touch of copal and frankincense) is an awesome, richly sweet blend which I can see as somewhat similar to All Souls. I just rec'd this to another person but I should also plug Following Instructions (South Indian sandalwood, amber-encrusted wood, white grains, massoia bark, and hops). It seems really underappreciated for some reason, but I love it. It's a fairly dry but powerful incense, and smells just like aromatic spices from Indian cooking (sweet ones, not hot) and temples.