forspecial_plate

Both previous reviews used the word "bitter" and I agree - there is a bitter aspect to this scent. The dead leaves note is sharp and strong at first, but the sharpness backs off a lot after a few minutes. All the notes are here, but so well-blended it's hard to pick apart individual notes. I agree that it's outdoorsy. This isn't aquatic, but something about it smells salty somehow - like salt encrusted dead leaves. And the bitter, medicinal quality - that could be blackcurrant, tobacco tar, or both notes combined. For me this wasn't easy to like, I had to grow to like it. It's very appropriate for fall and I'll be keeping it and wearing it again. I have a feeling I'll grow to like it even more as it ages. Today I layered it over a non-bpal amber scent (Amber 114), and it went really nicely with the amber, and almost starts to remind me of Death of Autumn. But on its own, DLBC&TT is much less complex.

Patchouli-lovers take note. This is a beautiful, golden autumn patchouli scent. It's just the right earthy/warm/sweet with a hint of spice. Lovely!

I keep a bottle of F5 at my desk. I don't have any windows and I'm basically underground at the hospital where I work. F5 is a really nice mood lifter for me. But I also bring something different every day to put on after lunch, depending on my mood and what my morning scent was.

Oooh, thank you....I think I have an imp of Jester, didn't realize it's d/c.

Unearthing this discussion because, for some reason, I've been "craving" berry scents a lot in the past 2-3 weeks. I skimmed through this thread, and I'm pretty sure I have imps of Lampades and Lady Una....and a couple others mentioned, like Bewitched and Prunella. Now I can't wait to get home from work, so I can have my own berry sniffing party! : ) Since the thread has been inactive for a few years....anything newer I should have on my radar? Any other berry-lovers out there?

I can't remember much about Philtre d'Amour, I only had a little sample of it. BUT..... I would recommend The Caterpillar, it always makes me think of 'old-school' Guerlain, specifically L'Heure Bleue. Might be worth a shot since it does have jasmine and patchouli (from memory), and does have a powdery feel, in my opinion.

I agree with the Shalimar comparison. The Caterpillar always reminds me of L'Heure Bleue, especially after it has dried down for a while

DCCXCIX (799) Previous review by stellans: http://www.bpal.org/topic/47311-chaos-theory-iv-edge-of-chaos/?p=1212571 My review: Clean musk with a hint of vanilla, a hint of citrus. I get the ozone vibe stellans mentions. She was reminded of Twisted Oak Tree, but I am reminded of November, lighter and sweeter. It's really nice and I like it a lot. Very clean and sometimes too close to soapy but there are times I'm in the mood for this kind of thing.

Premature Burial - which is an older Limited Edition oil, and maybe hard to find (sorry).

Here are the notes for those 2 sub-series...... Visions of Autumn I - White cedar, black pepper, golden amber, bay leaf, and 4-year aged oudh Visions of Autumn II - Gurjum balsam, rose geranium, opoponax, violet leaf, brown leather accord, and patchouli Visions of Autumn III - Bourbon vanilla, aged patchouli, honey, and Ceylon cinnamon Visions of Autumn IV - Somalian myrrh, orange blossom, champaca flower, and verbena Visions of Autumn V - Haitian vetiver, tea leaf, Himalayan cedar, and apricot rind Visions of Autumn VI - Oakmoss, lavender absolute, petitgrain, rockrose, white patchouli, and sage Visions of Autumn VII - Tobacco absolute, myrrh, opoponax, black sandalwood, and black pepper and the Dead Leaves series: Dead Leaves and Tobacco Dead Leaves, Black Pepper, and Sandalwood Dead Leaves, Bourbon Vanilla, and Myrrh Dead Leaves, Frankincense, and Copal Dead Leaves, Honey, and Oudh Dead Leaves, Red Musk, and Neroli .....again, I didn't try any of these, but they all sounded pretty good and I think they were variously popular

The whole Visions of Autumn sub-series, from Halloweenies a couple years back, sounded really great but I never tried any of them. That's only because I wanted all of them and couldn't narrow down my choices! I'm sure others here can recommend specific ones. Not sure if you like the lab's dead leaves note, but there was another sub-series in the last Halloween update that was all dead leaves scents. They're all called "Dead Leaves and..." with other notes. Again, I couldn't narrow down my choices so I didn't pursue any of these. And speaking of Halloweenies, La Femme de Satan was my favorite from the last Halloween update: "Red musk and cacao with clove, caramelized tobacco, aged patchouli, red currant, black leather, and vanilla-infused amber". Definitely suitable for a man or woman! And finally, Bram Stoker is worth a try, and it's in the general catalogue in the Inspiration section: "Bourbon vetiver with opoponax, Italian bergamot, and hay absolute". I enjoy it quite a bit. I might think of more later on....

Off the top of my head... The Seekim...challenging but rewarding Pallas Athene Ooooohh I had another one, I forget now. I'll think of more. I'm guessing you're ok with LE? Welcome back!

THE BEAR PRINCE Shaggy fur, snow-flecked and rose-touched. I am interested, but I will have to read some reviews first. Bit of a wild card. CHANUKKIYAH Olive oil, beeswax, glowing amber, sweet sufganiyot, pomegranate, and fig. Nah, never had an interest in this one. THE CROSS OF SNOW Cypress, Spanish moss, and clove bud with labdanum, Italian bergamot, and white tobacco flower. This sounds nice until I get to white tobacco flower - I have a feeling that will be soapy on me. I'll read reviews. DED MOROZ Light, darkness, kindness, and malice: golden amber, white amber, redwood, teak, bois du rose, sage, tree moss, and snow. 1 bottle is enough. I do like this one. DIABLE EN BOÎTE A strangely sinister, unnerving holiday scent: redwood, bitter clove, tonka, hemp accord, and tobacco with peach blossom, black currant, and red musk. I haven't been interested in the past, I will read some reviews but for some reason the peach blossom turns me off. It doesn't sound like it goes with those other notes. Perhaps I am wrong. EL DIA DE LOS REYES Hot cocoa with cinnamon, coffee, and brown sugar. I had a decant once upon a time, wasn't crazy about it. Too gritty or something. FAUNALIA The scent of a thick, starlit, unspoiled forest, with a burst of wild musk, opobalsamum, black bryony, mandragora, and hemlock. Sounds good, but I already have a decant somewhere, tried it and it didn't work all that well for me at the time. Maybe I'll dig it up and try again (if I still have it, which I'm not sure of). FRAU HOLLE Snow-covered pines, witches herbs, bestial musk, flax, and ethereal flowers that represent both birth and death. Pretty much same as what I wrote for Faunalia above. GELT A bounty of chocolate coins! Dry cocoa and golden amber! Nah - not interested in this one. It smells good on my friend Moonarcana, though. IN WINTER IN MY ROOM Pink, lank, and warm: grapefruit, yuzu, tuberose, peony, violet leaf, pikaki, Indian frankincense, and tonka. Hmm, I'd try this if it was in front of me but I'm not going to pursue it. Just not grabbing me. KRAMPUS Sinister red musk, black leather, dusty rags, and wooden switches. Yes! I want a bottle. I have a decant from a few years ago and I've always liked it. LA BEFANA Candy charcoal, winter lilies, parma violet, a sprig of cypress, a poof of chimney dust, and holiday sweets. Again - I have a decant somewhere, wasn't crazy about it. Maybe will try it again but not really on my radar. La Cloche fêlée - - - Bitter and sweet it is on these long winter nights To sit before the fire and watch the smoking log Beat like a heart; and hear our lost, our mute delights Call with the carillons that ring out in the fog. What certitude, what health, sounds from that brazen throat, In spite of age and rust, alert! O happy bell, Sending into the dark your clear religious note, Like an old soldier crying through the night, "All's well!" I am not thus; my soul is cracked across by care; Its voice, that once could clang upon this icy air, Has lost the power, it seems, - comes faintly forth, instead, As from the rattling throat of a hurt man who lies Beside a lake of blood, under a heap of dead, And cannot stir, and in prodigious struggling dies. - Charles Baudelaire, translation by Edna St. Vincent Millay A new interpretation, inspired by Millay's translation- A soul, cracked across by care: blood and ruin, smoke and sorrow, incense and ice. This sounds promising and interesting. Maybe worth tracking down a decant or partial, and I'll certainly be watching for reviews. Père Noël Bright Sicilian oranges and sweet tangerines with a clink of lavender candy and a drop of anise. Hmm, this sounds bright and pretty. Maybe too candy-sweet? I will watch for reviews. MIDNIGHT MASS This perfume is a traditional Roman Catholic sacramental incense, most often used during a Solemn Mass. I have a bottle and some decants, I have always liked Midnight Mass, but I don't think I need any more right now, unless it's different this time. Some of my decants are different, so I'll be watching reviews. NOW WINTER NIGHTS ENLARGE Shorten those tedious nights with a surge of body heat: vanilla-infused red musk, champaca, petitgrain, ylang ylang, patchouli, nutmeg, honey, galbanum, and traces of caramel. This sounds not quite for me. I don't like very many scents with honey or caramel. Both together = probably not for me. NUCLEAR WINTER Annihilation. The ice, desolation and barrenness of nuclear devastation shot through by a beam of radioactive mints. Never really had an interest in this one. PAYSAGE The pale moon pouring magic: Tunisian opium and mugwort with blackened bourbon vanilla, tuberose, glittering white musk, datura accord, wild plum, and tobacco absolute. Hmmm.....this has potential but I usually don't like opium in scents. I'll watch reviews but will probably pass on this one. THE PEACOCK QUEEN In dramatic contrast to the soft innocence of Snow White and the dew-kissed freshness of her sister, Rose Red, this is a blood red, voluptuous rose, velvet-petaled, at the height of bloom. My one decant of this is enough, although I will try it again to be sure. POOR MONKEY cold first winter rain poor monkey, you too could use a woven straw cape Compassion: pink lotus root and fig milk with ylang ylang, bourbon vanilla, soft myrrh, fir, khus, and sandalwood incense. Ok I love the concept and list of notes, although it's a little sweet and cuddly for me, this time I'm looking at the name, concept and description as a whole, and really have my eye on this one. Possible bottle and I'll be watching reviews for sure. Kind of reminds me of the notes in Chintamanhi Dhupa (which I don't wear that much). ROSE RED The perfected winter rose, dew covered and freshly cut. Same as Peacock Queen but I do like this one a little better and actually wear it from time to time. Not enough to want a bottle. THE SEASON OF GHOSTS A scent created to burn away sorrow: bergamot, frankincense, rose geranium, ginger, lemongrass, and blood orange. Well, I do like citrus but bpal's citrus has a way of smelling like candy on me, for some reason. I'll watch reviews. THE SNOW-SHOWER Flake after flake - All lost in the dark and silent lake: a snowflake dissolving into an indigo pool of blue jasmine incense and violet leaf. This sounds really nice. It would be hard to pass up something with blue jasmine incense. I enjoy jasmine and that sounds especially good. I'll watch some reviews first, I have a feeling some people will get jasmine single note from this. SNOW WHITE A chilly, bright perfume: flurries of virgin snow, crisp winter wind and the faintest breath of night-blooming flowers. Once again, my decant is enough. I like how it smells but I rarely ever wear it. ++ THE YULE LADS Askasleikir Favorite pastime: skulking under dining tables, waiting to abscond with unsupervised food bowls. Don't blame the dog! Dregs of cinnamon and cocoa. I love cinnamon, but not cocoa. Probably pass on this. Bjúgnakrækir Favorite pastime: hiding in the rafters, ogling your smoked sausage. Eyes up here, mister! Sweaty pear and honey with leather, coconut meat, tonka bean, and castoreum accord. I will pass for now because of honey, but I'll be watching reviews because Quincey Morris has: "tobacco, vanilla, white pear, cedar, rugged musk and saddle leather". Sounds at least a little close to me and I love Quincey Morris. Gáttaþefur Favorite pastime: sniffing doorways. Everyone needs a hobby! Baked bread, apricot, mandarin amber, and CO2 of butter. Sounds interesting, warm and sweet, but maybe not really my thing. Giljagaur Favorite pastime: creeping around gullies until the opportunity to steal milk appears. You do you, buddy. Coconut cream, sheep's milk accord, and a drop of Ceylon cinnamon. I don't really go for bpal's cream or milk notes. This isn't calling my name. Gluggagægir Favorite pastime: peeping in yer windows. What a creeper! Spiced rum leather, frankincense, black cedar, sweet tobacco, and honey-gold sandalwood. On my first pass-through this one stuck out to me, but I'm not completely sure. I'll have to read some reviews. Hurðaskellir Favorite pastime: slamming doors. What a drama queen! Booming carnation, iced mint, white fir, and itchy patchouli loudly disrupting a dreamy bed of lavender. Not calling my name. This combination of notes sounds a little strange to me. Kertasníkir Favorite pastime: stealing candles from children. Such a scamp! Beeswax, strawberries, and bits of hard candy. Never been interested in bpal's strawberry note. I shall pass. Ketkrókur Favorite pastime: collecting meat hooks, sharpening meat hooks, polishing meat hooks. Sleep with one eye open? Labdanum, patchouli, dragon's blood resin, and clove. Not into dragon's blood these days. Once upon a time I would have been really into this. Skyrgámur Favorite pastime: indulging his yogurt fetish. Whatever floats your boat! Berries, skyr, and oats. Really don't want to smell like oats and I have a feeling skyr might be a yogurt note? Or cream? I will pass. Stekkjarstaur Favorite pastime: harassing sheep. Nobody's perfect. Wooly sugared marshmallow root. Don't really care about marshmallow. Stúfur Favorite pastime: stealing crusty bits from used frying pans. It takes all kinds. Chunks of sweet carrots and dates mushed with nuts, topped with crumbles from a pie-like spelt and barley crust. This is a big 'No' for me, definitely pass. Þvörusleikir Favorite pastime: licking spoons and ladles. There's no accounting for taste. The scent of well-worn wooden utensils, lightly fondled, and a wisp of kitchen herbs. So wood and herbs? Sounds ok but not really calling me, I will read reviews though. Pottaskefill Favorite pastime: eating the scrapings from unwashed pots. Waste not, want not? Salt licorice, birch tar, black pepper, and leather. Sounds good, but I'll read reviews first. Licorice sounds good but often doesn't work for me, but I do like the combination of these notes. I'll have an eye on this one. ++ YULE SINGLE NOTES Ah, the scents of the season! Mix and match to create the perfect perfume to accompany any awkward family gatherings! FAKE BAYBERRY CANDLE Not really IRRESPONSIBLY UNWATERED CHRISTMAS TREE Not into fir like I used to be UNSUCCESSFUL CRANBERRY GARLAND Don't really like cranberry or berry scents DAY-OLD HAM Doesn't sound appealing in the slightest FIREPLACE CINDERS Probably not but there was a time I would've been all over this. I'll watch reviews DUSTY ACCUMULATED MENORAH WAX Nah, I'll pass RAPIDLY DISINTIGRATING POMANDER I like the pomander smell but disintigrating sounds dry and powdery, I'll watch reviews DRUNK UNCLE ??? Not really? but I'll watch reviews UNMANAGEABLE SNOWDRIFT Nah, not really into snow notes any more..... ++ SNOW FALLING FAINTLY THE SNOW AT DAWN Snow afire with the morning's first rays of orange blossom, neroli, and rose gardenia. Nah THE SNOW AT NOON Blinding white in the noonday sun: white mint, eucalyptus, glittering elemi, white tea, silver fir, and camphor. No THE SNOW AT DUSK Swirled grey and purple in the gloaming: snowdrifts shadowed with opium tar, wild plum, Siamese benzoin, champaca resinoid, muguet, and carnation. Nah THE SNOW AT MIDNIGHT Silence: frozen blackcurrant bud, myrrh, ciste absolute, frankincense, and oudh. No. SO........Krampus and Poor Monkey? And a lot of review-watching!

There's nothing wrong with that at all. Those are my favorite scents, the ones that at first I don't like, but they grow on me and I end up loving them. There have been quite a few. A great example for me is Dzongkha by L'artisan, I didn't like it at all at first, but I kept thinking about it, and wore my sample over a stretch of time, and ended up falling in love with it and bought a bottle. And have received compliments on it. The thing about bpal - I think the majority of the scents could be worn by a man or woman (as has been said many times). Just because something is flowery or powdery, doesn't mean a man can't wear it. It's just because of traditions or mindsets or whatever - once upon a time all men smelled powdery, and women's scents were more mossy and thus could perhaps be considered masculine by our modern standards. I wear what I want although sometimes I am a little more self-conscious if I'm wearing a very floral scent, but in the end it doesn't matter - most people passing you in your day-to-day life aren't going to think more than once about what scent you're wearing, and if they think you smell like a woman, maybe they think you just hugged a woman or something. But really, forget about what other people think, especially if you love it, just wear it for yourself! Langour is a great scent and you should wear it if it makes you happy. And the weird thing about "powdery", is that different people are going to have different perceptions about what is powdery and what isn't. I have one friend who, whenever I wear Snake Oil he says I smell like baby powder, and I'm like....hmmm, ok, I disagree, but in the end I don't care, because I'm wearing it more for me than for anyone else! And I personally like scents that are a little "powdery", but that grew over time, I didn't always like that. I ordered Palmyra but haven't received it yet. Can't wait! I love cinnamon and it always catches my interest.

You're welcome - I tried LLaM again last night, and thought of a couple more recommendations. Absinthe - "An intoxicating blend containing wormwood essence, light mints, cardamom, anise, hyssop, and the barest hint of lemon" Absinthe and Lace - "A scent of dissipation and ennui: green cognac and icy absinthe, louched, spilling onto lace that is drooping with neglect and darkened by tobacco smoke" These are a little more obvious because of the anise, especially Absinthe and Lace - that one has a sugary aspect that might be more like LLaM. I think the "lace" note in that whole series is a kind of sugary cottony linen. I noticed last night that LLaM has a more sugary sweetness than what I remembered. Also, Black Annis - "a mixture of damp cave lichen and oak leaf with a hint of vetiver, civet and anise" Black Annis is a lot more earthy and mossy, without any sugary sweetness, but it does have a big anise note going on that you might like. I stand by Mad Hatter because I think the "gentlemen's lavender-citron cologne" part, and the cool herbal pennyroyal note, are reminiscent of LLaM. Good luck, hope this helps.

I have a mini-bottle of this, and a full-size bottle of the Leau version. (I also have a mini of the feminine one, just wore it yesterday - man that stuff lasts and lasts!) Mad Hatter is the first thing that comes to mind, even though it doesn't have the licorice or anise note, it has a similar clean-musk vibe. Also maybe: Bow & Crown of Conquest

To me this is lots of red musk, with some sweet vanilla-like fougere that reminds me of hay or sweetgrass. Read on for the more detailed, long-winded review.... : ) I was confused by the impression of vanilla. So I looked up fougere again, and found that it would generally contain lavender and fern, plus some tonka/coumarin. Reading further I found that tonka and/or coumarin gives the impression of sweet grass or newly mown hay, and I thought "aahhh......that makes more sense". Also the tonka would be more of a base note, which matches what I am experiencing, the hay coming out later (rather than when first applied). This doesn't remind me of the more 'masculine' or manly bpal scents that I've tried, it is more of an incense-y, red musk-heavy scent on a backdrop of sweetgrass or hay. On casual sniff, I would mostly pick up the red musk and it's very familiar to other bpal red musk blends. But the fougere does make this stand apart. I don't smell mandarin, so it must be just contributing to the overall feel of the scent. This is a winner and probably my favorite so far of the Halloweenies this year.

Thank you for the rec, I have purchased a bottle of aged Snake Oil, can't wait to try it out I just realized, Waltz Of The Snowflakes might be even closer. It has a cool woodsy quality that I get from Eau Duelle.

I've worn Eau Duelle, it's not too much of a stretch to recommend Snake Oil. Eau Duelle is a little woodier maybe.

All Souls An incense blend that invokes the higher qualities of mercy and compassion, mingled with the soft, sugared currant scent of offertory soul cakes. I like All Souls, a lot. But I think I need to make a rule: no Weenies that I've already tried or already own. This update is overwhelming and I need to narrow down a lot (this breakdown will help). Anyway, I have a bottle + a decant of All Souls, so I don't need more. Dia de los Muertos This is a Mexican paean to La Huesuda: dry, crackling leaves, the incense smoke of altars honoring Death and the Dead, funeral bouquets, the candies, chocolates, foods and tobacco of the ofrenda, amaranth, sweet cactus blossom and desert cereus. I don't think I've ever tried this, but now is not the time. Need to focus on the new stuff and I think this will be easy to find some if I ever feel the need. Feeding the Dead A barrel of beer, a pyramid of cakes, and three sticks of incense. I tried this before, and I have a decant, but.....see All Souls. Pass for now. Frosted Pumpkin Spice Cookie With cinnamon, nutmeg, browned butter, and cream cheese icing. No foodie or cookie scents this time, not in the mood. Le Revenant A shroud of gardenia, narcissus, and sandalwood with ambrette seed, white cognac, muguet, davana, and white musk. Now we're getting closer....but not quite. I will pass on this one. The list of notes just doesn't call out to me for some reason. Magnificent Autumn A scent that wanders through the Ages of Autumn, from the last green leaf to the first breath of winter. Already have a bottle from last year, I like it, but don't need more now. October Dry, cold autumn wind. A rustle of red leaves, a touch of smoke and sap in the air. Not this time - I still have my bottle from '07, and I do love it, but it's enough for me. Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcake No, I don't need this one at all, I have Pumpkin Cheesecake from the inquisition a few years back. That's all the pumpkin cheesecake I need! Pumpkin Lager A peculiar point of contention: you either love it or hate it, and however you feel, it’s passionate. Lol - No! I am tired of reading about everyone's pumpkin beer! I don't drink these days and I don't feel any desire for this one. Samhain Truly the scent of autumn itself — damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein. I love Samhain, but see All Souls.....have to narrow these down. Second Spring An accolade: drifting leaves tinted in the bold reds of pomegranate and current, the golds of amber and honey, russet myrrh, a touch of cypress-green, and crisp patchouli-brown. This sounds nice, I would probably like it. But it sounds very similar to Magnificent Autumn, which I already have. I'll watch reviews but will probably skip this one. Sonnet d’Automne 2015 Tenebrous Love: a shivering white musk with vanilla-infused white cocoa, amber incense, and dead, dry leaves. No - still have my bottle from a couple years ago, and don't wear it very much. Not a favorite. Sugar Skull 2015 Vibrant with the joy and sweetness of life in death! A blend of five sugars, lightly dusted with candied fruits. *sigh* I love Sugar Skull, even though I just said no foodie scents. But - I already have 1 bottle plus 3 or 4 decants, and I can't justify buying a bottle this year, although I would like to. I'll watch reviews, though. It's possible this might sneak into my cart anyway! (if people rave about this year's being special or different) Sweet William’s Ghost A scent of unendurable grief and longing: pale orris root and honeyed white lily chilled by wild carrot and cognac, pulled into a winding sheet of white jasmine, tobacco flower, tuberose, and patchouli. Ok - this one sort of called out to me instantly. Which is crazy since it's so unlike what I thought I liked up until now. I mean, white lily? Honeyed white lily? I would have steered clear of this before this year. But I had an experience with doezens of lilies that sort of opened my eyes and my nostrils, and ever since then, I've had a complete turnaround about lily in perfumes. I said elsewhere that I wanted an elegant fall floral this year. Maybe this is it! So far, this is the first bottle I'm thinking of buying. The Unquiet Grave One kiss of clay-cold lips: frozen white roses, frankincense, white gardenia, white sandalwood, and vanilla orchid. I don't really like white rose, and the rest of the description isn't calling to me. Sometimes that's all it comes down to, just a gut feeling. The Vampire Bride Icy skin touched by a perfume of violet leaf, white tea, olibanum, elemi, myrrh, wormwood, crypt dust, and saffron with a dribble of blood red musk. Is this a repeat? I think I have a decant. Anyway - I usually don't like violet, and this isn't really calling to me. I may try my decant again. The artwork is beautiful. The White Witch 2015 Love pain-ecstatic, cruel-sweet: gold-flecked honey amber pulsating with red musk, patchouli coeur, bourbon vanilla, inky vetiver, pomegranate rind, myrrh, blackened violet leaf, and blood red rose petals. Just not feeling it, which is good since I need to narrow these down. Dead Leaves and Tobacco Ok, I want to try all the Dead Leaves, but I just can't. I can't believe this but I'm going to agree with the people who say, these might turn into men's cologne. At this point I am pretty much satisfied with more masculine scents, and I'm more interested in light, elegant, chic, willowy scents. Leaf scents can be a little prickly and I think that I actually have enough at this point. I even have the Pile of Fallen Leaves single note from last year. So - I'm going to pass on these for now. [Dead Leaves, Black Pepper, and Sandalwood Dead Leaves, Bourbon Vanilla, and Myrrh Dead Leaves, Frankincense, and Copal Dead Leaves, Honey, and Oudh Dead Leaves, Red Musk, and Neroli] Apple I Apple with hay absolute, oats, honey, cream vanilla, and goat’s milk accord. Thank goodness, I don't need ANY of the apple scents. Just not my thing. If I was going to try one, it would be Apple III, but I will pass on all these. [Apple II Green apple with pink pepper, Himalayan cedar, juniper berries, and lemon rind. Apple III Appalachian black apple with sweet tobacco and patchouli, orange blossom, vanilla champaca, lavender, and white honey. Apple IV Red apple with blackcurrant bud, black clove, and vanilla bourbon. Apple V Apple with white coconut, fig, and tiare.] Apple Cider Pretty sure I can skip the single notes. I got dead leaves last year, pretty hard to top that. Oh and the Pile of Leaves from last year? After 3 hours it smells exactly like Rive Gauche on me. I will skip these for now, because there are 2 sections of Salon scents I need to narrow down still (the Pickman Galleries)...... [bonfire Candied Apple Clown White Disappointing Pencil Graveyard Dirt Redux Polyester Spiderweb Pumpkin Spice Everything Stage Blood] A Phantasmagoria: Scene – Conjuring Up an Armed Skeleton Wig powder, amber-perfumed leather gloves, and rose petals with a sliver of oak bark and cauldron smoke. Ok, here we go. I will have to be ruthless with these. I have always loved the Lab's Salon scents, even the ones I don't end up wearing, I love smelling them. I think I can skip this one, sounds a little too powdery and the rose petals may turn soapy on me. A Witch Riding on a Dragon Blackened tonka, patchouli, dragon’s blood resin, and scorched oak. Pass....too incense-y and scorched, which is not what I'm interested in these days. A Young Woman Appealing to a Witch Honey, cream and white rose petals buffeted by toadstools, creeping moss, bog cypress, and myrrh. Hmmm....no to honey, cream, and white rose. Départ Pour Le Sabbat (Aufbruch Zum Hexensabbat) Bourbon vanilla, sweet red patchouli, oudh, goat’s milk accord, and white honey. I love the art. I could see myself looking for a decant at some point. Liebeszauber Honey, rose petals, and carnations – a drop of blood – red clover, cubeb berries, and vanilla cream. Well.....again, I love the art, but I'll say no to honey, rose, and carnation. I bet this smells pretty, though. The Magic Circle Vanilla-infused frankincense and clary sage with 7-year aged patchouli, jasmine sambac, honey myrtle, and oudh. Ok - on my first quick read-through, I thought I'd pass on this. But, I just took a closer look at the art. Wow, that is beautiful. This just became a bottle candidate. Hope and Fear de-luxe? Sounds good to me. The Sorceress An evocation incense of frankincense, styrax, lavender buds, mastic, and white sandalwood mingled with moonflower, violet absolute, tuberose, and dark musk. I'm about 50/50 on this one. It's a possibility, but probably won't make the cut in the end. The Witch and the Mandrake Mandrake root, apple blossom, dusty brown sandalwood, coconut milk, woodmusk, and soft leather. I like leather sometimes, but this combination sounds a little odd to me, and I'm worried about that apple blossom. I don't know - I'd like to give it a sniff but probably pass for now. The Witches Pumpkin cream, honey, vanilla sugar, and smoked vanilla bean. Again, the art is lovely, but I generally steer away from honey. The Witches’ Rout (the Carcass) White sandalwood, opoponax, shriveled black plum, and vetiver. Interesting, but sounds a little bitter to me. The list of notes reminds me of something I've smelled before - maybe Lunar Eclipse? I don't know, pass for now. The Witches’ Sabbath Burgundy and champaca resin with immortelle, leather accord, wine-soaked red fruits, rose geranium petals, red patchouli, guttering candles, and smoke. This sounds a lot like one of the older Salons, I'm blanking on which one. The one thing that worries me is burgundy, I haven't had much luck with wine notes in the past. Pass for now. Witchcraft Scene Black lily and black pepper with narcissus, white musk, and white sandalwood. This sounds interesting. I know I don't like black pepper in perfume a whole lot. But the combination does spark my interest a little bit. I'll have to think about it. Witches’ Kitchen Belladonna accord, sprigs of rue, crushed hyssop, white sage, beeswax, mandrake leaf, bay rum, black honey, hemp, and myrrh. I think I'll pass on this one. The list of notes sounds a little strange. It might work, but it's not high on my list. A Holy Man Advises a Woman to Invoke Mary Against a Devil White musk, tobacco flower, white tea, Tunisian neroli, and blonde leather. This could be good. But - again, not high on my list. And the art isn't standing out to me that much either. La Femme de Satan Red musk and cacao with clove, caramelized tobacco, aged patchouli, red currant, black leather, and vanilla-infused amber. Hmmm.....sounds very sensual and sexy. I may have to keep an eye on reviews. I could be seeking a partial bottle of this. La Ronde du Sabbat Oman frankincense, black clove, and tobacco tar. Clove can be tricky for me, but I do like frankincense. I'll watch reviews. This might work if it's smooth and light. It could lean to the gritty or earthy side, though. Might have to find a decant. Pan Twardowski and the Devil Brown leather, bay leaf, tobacco leaf, lavender, and oudh. Wow....that's one sexy list of notes. I'll watch reviews, but I am not hopeful about this working for me. Now that I think about it, leather scents are about 50/50 on me, and the last few that I tried haven't worked for me at all. Possible decant. Portrain of an Unidentified Man as Mephistopheles A debonair lavender fougere cloaked in smoky red musk, red mandarin, and oakmoss. Now this sounds sexy. And I love the art. This is a bottle possibility. Very much. Satan Starting from the Touch of Ithuriel’s Spear Golden amber, carnation, blackcurrant, aged black patchouli, red musk, and vetiver. I will pass on this. I am not crazy about carnation and otherwise, this sounds just very much like other scents I've already tried. Satan Summoning His Legions White leather and cypress-tinged white musk with cardamom, smouldering incense, Ceylon cinnamon and white sandalwood. This sounds promising. I will watch reviews, possible decant. Despite the leather and incense, it could work, because I tend to love the lab's cinnamon notes. That could bring it all together into something great.

Someone gave me a sniffie of this somewhere along the way. Dry, dusty leather. It's somewhere between Geek and Brom Bones and Velvet Bandito. Leather, dry, dusty, woodsy, and a hint of soapy-ness. I like it, but since I have decants of the other three I compared it to, I don't need to go nuts trying to find more Sacrifice.

I sweat so much that 'clean and light' is GONE on me within 1 hour, especially if I'm at some kind of outdoor gathering or event. I went with Snake Oil, just because I haven't worn it in a while, and I wanted the full Snake Oil experience! : )

Reading back through this thread a little bit - I see I'm not the only one who likes musky scents in the summer heat I love red musk in the summer, something about it just works so well for me in our humid weather. I'm going to a potluck tonight and it's going to be hot and sticky. I'm thinking one of these: Snake Oil (I don't know if it specifically has red musk but it's great in the summer) Snake Charmer Cottonmouth Infernal Lover (I have a decant of the red-musk-heavy version) Midnight On The Midway Fenris Wolf Kabuki ......or maybe: Hungry Ghost Moon (I have a decant of the older one from 2006) Ulalume (I just discovered that I love this) Carnival Diabolique Mad Hatter Voodoo Lily Black Lotus Red Moon I don't know.....I probably won't decide until the last minute : )

Animalic number 86 Okay....I can't identify exactly what's in this. But I have some guesses. (and I like it) The top note for about 5-10 minutes is almost pure cardamom. But that doesn't last long - the cardamom fades into the background pretty quickly. After it dries, there is almost certainly either white or black musk, or maybe both. There is something else in here - some kind of sweetness but beyond that I can't tell what it is. This scent is mostly musk and something a little sweet. It's a cool sweetness, almost like an herbal musky scent. Cool and grey, I think. I also thought I smelled a bit of leather, something grassy, maybe a little citrus? My boyfriend smelled leather and triaminic (cough syrup). After he said that, I thought maybe I could smell some grape or wine. Power of suggestion? Maybe. It smells like it's related to some other bpals. I am reminded of Hunter Moon (the newer one), Nyarlathotep (without the strong citrus), and possibly Dorian, as strange as that sounds. It's the musk, this is very musky which is good news for me. Just what I was hoping for!

I don't know which variation I have, but this is Steam Iron Single Note.....which isn't a bad thing! I smell the lavender somewhat, but that's the only thing I can pick out from the description. It goes on without changing for a long time - very linear.