Dancing Raven

It starts out quite interesting. Wet: Cherry cordials. I definitely get both chocolate and tart cherry, which is odd because neither is a listed note. I do know that patchouli sometimes goes chocolate on my skin, particularly the aged type, and some roses have fruity overtones. I'm guessing that's what's happening here. A little more of the actual rose is peeking through after a few minutes. Drydown: Rose and sandalwood. For about ten minutes it's almost "fizzy". This stays a distinct rose otto and dry, woody (not sweet or powdery) sandalwood. Patchouli isn't really present. I adore roses, but this scent is so "two note", that it isn't really worth seeking out because I have so many rose perfumes from BPAL that are far more beautiful.

I'm not a huge fan of carrot seed, but I like the other notes, so I thought I'd give this a shot. Wet: Carrot seed and ambregris. Something about this is almost chocolatey and woody, which I'm guessing is the carrot seed. Drydown: Orris, ambregris, and some carrot seed. It's warm and slightly woody in a sweet (ish) way. 30 minutes in: The orris overtakes the scent, and it's woody/powdery with just a touch of ambregris continuing to keep it warm. This remains very orris forward to the point it's almost orris SN on me. Overall, this is mainly a dry scent with just a tiny bit of powder. I think the mid to base are the best parts. It's stark, and I wish I got a bit more ambregris. Hopefully aging will bring it out. Wear time is several hours, and this is totally unisex. 4 out of 5 stars.

I'm surprised there isn't more love for this. Wet: Cacao - smooth milk chocolate and some fizzy copal. It's just a touch bitter, but just enough to add some texture to the sweetness. Drydown: Copal overtakes the scent, but cacao is still keeping it just a bit chocolatey. 30 minutes in: I am getting something lotus like alongside the copal and cacao. It sounds strange, but it's actually pretty. About 3 hours after application: Dark chocolate and a nonpowdery amber warms everything up. It's a little foody, but not overwhelmingly sweet. I think this one is very nice! Throw is moderate for the first few hours, then becomes a skin scent. Wear time is several hours. I already am digging this, and I think it's just going to keep getting better. 5 out of 5 stars.

If you fear black leather because it is too harsh on your skin, you will be hardpressed to find it here unless you are the hardcorest of all hardcore leather ampers. Wet: Vetiver and fir needles bordering on gin. I would have sworn there was juniper and fir in this one. Petitgrain brightens it up, making this unisex and keeps it from reading as too foresty. Drydown: Petitgrain, fir, and grassy vetiver (brimstone?). It's now firmly masculine on me. Somewhere around twenty minutes in, I thought I smelled labdanum, but this could be the crushed pinecones. 7 hours after application: Crushed pinecones which my nose still reads as labdanum and red musk which is playing nice and is creating a lovely sweet, resiny scent. A touch of oakmossy patchouli. Black leather never really showed up. This is another one that I think needs aging to really shine. 3.8 out of 5 stars.

I'm getting a totally different experience than everyone else. Skin chemistry is crazy. Wet: Air & cake. Really. Foody vanilla, something that smells like butterscotch, and a non dryer sheets ozone. There must be vetiver in here because there's something slightly burnt rubber, but not overwhelming. Suddenly, within a few minutes of being on my skin I get something herbal - almost like rosemary, cedar, and pepper. This one morphs A LOT in the wet phase. Drydown: Peppery woods with just a touch of sweetness lingering. I also smell my arch nemesis cumin. I think the smokiness is coming from the cumin, rather than the usual bonfire smoke I'm used to from the lab. It stays smoky woods for about six hours. Base: I get the sweetness of the vanilla again, and I think the labdanum, amber, and frankincense are blending to create a general resiny sweetness. I still smell something herbal, which I suppose could be the oakmoss mixing with the acorns. The chestnuts are just a little bitter, but are fairly unnoticeable in this blend. I have Chestnuts and Hearth Smoke, and on my skin these two are totally different. C&HS was almost entirely vetiver on me. This one is complex, and has a rich, savoury smokiness alongside a sweetness at the opening and close. I adore the beginning and the base. I hope with aging the rougher notes smooth out because this is a really nice one. 4 out of 5 stars.

I am an avowed banana hater. I cannot stand the taste or smell of them. Through some kind of sorcery, I felt compelled to blind buy a bottle of this. I figured if anyone can make me tolerate them, Beth could... and she did! Wet: Sweet, fruity banana liqueur. After a few minutes the initial blast of BANANA calms down. I smell something peppery/gritty beneath all of the banana, so the fig is giving it just a touch of earthiness. This is actually pleasant. Drydown: Sweet banana and ylang ylang along with the faintest bit of fig. I'm not a big fruit fan, so I don't know what guava smells like, but it may also be contributing to the sweet fruit smell. 45 minutes after applying: The tonka and amber come in to give the aforementioned notes a smokiness. It almost smells like banana bread, but with a touch of smoke to balance out the sweetness. Throw is good for the first few hours, then it becomes a skin scent on me. Wear time is good. I'm surprised at how much I like this. I thought it would be a novelty scent, but I would actually wear this on a regular basis. I think it would be good in any weather, and it's completely unisex. Fruit MOOOON is a win. Thanks to the video from Tom and Galen, I won't be able to say it any other way. 😉 4.8 out of 5 stars.

This one is odd. Wet: This one starts out as oudh on me. It's more bandaid than faecal, but there is definitely some barnyard action going on. I am going to hazard a guess and say this is indolic jasmine (which is odd because night-blooming is usually not at all bad on my skin), narcissus, and lemon peel. I'm going to be brave and tough this one out through drydown and beyond. Drydown: I am getting the same oudh like note, but now it's blending in equal parts with sour labdanum. I wish I could say this is pleasant, but it's really harsh. Throw is good, of course. Three hours later: Now it's actually quite nice. Everything has calmed down. The oudh note is gone, and I'm left with labdanum, still a bit sour from the lemon peel, and a beautiful, powdery moss. The plum and maybe some nonherbal lavender are noticeable to a small degree. The quiet sigh in the description was one of relief as I sat at the edge of hoping it would get better. I really like the final product, I'm just not sure if I can endure the first three hours to get to it. I wish the throw were as good as when it smelled bad on me, but it's pretty much a skin scent when it gets to the pretty part. Hopefully aging will improve it. 3 out of 5 stars.

Oh - this is gorgeous! Wet: Eucalyptus and pomegranate, along with what smells like white lilac (which smells like honeysuckle to me). The scent begins to sweeten almost immediately after application. Drydown: It becomes a sweet floral. I get purple, slightly powdery lilac now, and a touch of herbal sweetness from the indigo. The eucalyptus is adding some freshness, but it doesn't go cough drop or medicinal in any way. It stays sweet lilac and indigo for about three hours. At that time a non powdery amber and myrrh join the lilac. I associate lilac with spring/summer, but this has a rich warmth that makes it a good autumn scent as well. It's comforting, and is a good representation of the period where it isn't quite night, but darkness is beginning to envelop everything. There is peace and calm, everything becomes quiet, and the scent of flowers is permeating the air. My description fails at getting across just how pretty this is. The world is going crazy right now, but this scent brings me peace. Thank you, Beth for creating something that makes me feel cocooned in safety and brings back memories of playing in my grandmother's yard when I was a child. The smell of her lilac bushes just before I was called back into the house because it was getting dark. Brilliant. This starts out feminine, but as time goes on it becomes more gender neutral. Throw is low, and it becomes a skin scent after about 3 - 4 hours. Wear time is good. 5 out of 5 stars.

I adore magnolia, so I knew I had to get this when I had the chance. Wet: It starts out as a sweet, powdery floral with just a hint of green. The honey, musk, and magnolia must be combining to give the impression of wisteria and honeysuckle, along with the magnolia. It's definitely much more complex than just magnolia to my nose. Drydown: Sweet vanilla joins the magnolia. About an hour after applying, I swear I get non spicy carnation. This might be the honey? I don't really get any musk. It ends up being a sweet vanilla and magnolia/carnation (honey?) fragrance. It sounds so simple, but this is beautiful. I LOVE it! It's not heavy or cloying at all despite the sweet notes. I would definitely describe this as ethereal. Stunning from start to finish. I'm so beyond happy that I was able to get my hands on this! 5 out of 5 stars.

This is definitely one of those 'exactly what it says on the tin' scents. Wet: Whiskey - like a punch to the nose. It's very realistic. This smells bitter and nutty with no sweetness. Drydown: It calms down a bit about 10 minutes later. It remains bitter and nutty, like hops with whiskey underneath. 20 minutes after applying, something that smells like bug spray enters the mix. I'm thinking this might be the gold component. 45 minutes in: Sweet bug spray 90 minutes in: I get clove and powdery honey, and this is how it stays. It's definitely evocative, I just don't know if I want to smell like this. I might try layering it with something sweet to see if it can be dialed down a notch. It's perfectly unisex. Throw is good, and wear time is average. 3 out of 5 stars.

I generally don't do well with aquatics, but I was hoping the sea salt and kelp would take this away from the usual men's cologne I get. Nope. Wet: I smell something nutty? Also, it's strongly aquatic, so... soap/ detergent. Drydown: Still soapy, but now I'm getting the driftwood which is giving off a slight leather scent. I can very faintly smell the salt. I will happily take some of it off of those who are getting it too strongly! It stays this way for about five hours. Five hours later: The white patchouli must be giving off a sweet vibe, because this ultimately ends up as a vanilla driftwood scent on me. Just a touch of salt underneath to boost it into a beachy seaside fragrance. I like the drydown, but it's a faint skin scent by then. It's still new, so I'm hoping the soap tones down, and the other notes come out more with aging. If not, I will pass this on to my son because I think this would be fantastic on male skin. Throw is good for about five hours. Wear time about 10 to 12 hours, but very light. 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I almost didn't buy this because of the listed agarwood which almost always becomes faecal on me. Be assured that there is no barnyard in this. Wet: The bourbon vanilla is the strongest note for the first five minutes, and it's sweet and smooth - not foody at all to me. Shortly after, I get the faint spice of champaca joining the vanilla. It isn't giving off any grape notes on my skin. Drydown: Vanilla, copal, and champaca blossom. The copal is almost fizzy. Two hours after application I get just a touch of powder under the copal. This remains a lovely, rich copal and vanilla for the majority of wear. Five hours later I get the base. Smooth chocolatey patchouli, copal, and vanilla. I'm hoping the frankincense and tea come out with aging, but it's perfect as is. This is absolutely beautiful. What a wonderful tribute to true love, and may there be many more years for them! Throw is good for the first three hours, then it becomes a skin scent. Wear time is excellent - 12 plus hours. 5 out of 5 stars.

2006 version. This is a frottle from the lab. Thank you! Wet: Minty pineapple - heavier on the mint (spearmint?). Drydown: Same as above, but a non foody vanilla is sweetening it up. This is so not me, but I'm really enjoying it. There's something slightly jasmine like in the background, but very faint. 40 minutes in: Spearmint tea. This isn't a complex scent, but it's really nice! 2 hours in: Vanilla floral. I think there's some heliotrope and ylang ylang, although magnolia is also a possibility. Definitely a white floral, and not overwhelming at all. I don't think there's anything aquatic in this because those almost always become soap on my skin. It's a skin scent on me, but wear time is about 9 to 10 hours. This would make a beautiful layering oil to lighten up heavier scents, or to make things more wintery. I'm glad that the lab was generous enough to send this my way. 4.7 out of 5 stars.

This one is interesting because it smells so different than what I expected based on the notes. Wet: The cacao and vetiver are blending to create what smells to me like patchouli of the chocolatey/herbal type. It smells like a hippie dark chocolate bar in a good way. Drydown: The above poster is correct. It smells like leather (non chemical, but raw) along with the minty patchouli scent. About 20 minutes in, I get an impression of honey or amber. That must be the tobacco coming through. 40 minutes in: The queen of the night smells like slightly spicy carnation. I think I am getting some black musk. Leather remains the dominant note. At some point, the queen of the night equals the strength of the leather. 3 hours later: It's now slightly woody, and there is definitely black musk in the base. It's a little sweet from the benzoin, but not powdery. I didn't smell any tuberose or opoponax (which has a cola like scent on me usually). Throw is low, and within a couple of hours it's a skin scent on me, but my skin eats perfume. I would say it's gender neutral for the most part, leaning masculine (ish) in the base. Wear time is about 8 hours. I did just get this in the mail yesterday. I think with aging the notes will blend together more, and this will be fantastic. Definitely one to get if you like leather scents, despite the lack of it in the notes. Fortunately, I do. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

First time being first! Hopefully I do it justice. Wet: Cherry/lemon cough drop. That must be the pomegranate along with unlisted eucalyptus? Usually I don't like to smell like cold medicine, but this is actually kind of pleasant in an odd sort of way. Drydown: The cough drop smell goes away after about 5 minutes. The pom is reading as sweet cherry on my skin. The eucalyptus remains (she must smoke menthols). It's definitely more on the feminine side, though on the right skin it could be gender neutral. It takes about 10 minutes for the tuberose to come forward. There's nothing carnal about it. It's a lovely, creamy tuberose - big, white, and sweet. If you amp tuberose and don't love it, beware. I adore it. It's present on my skin, but not cloying or overwhelming. There is something that reminds me of anise lurking just beneath the tuberose. At a distance, this smells almost tropical. The pomegranate is lending a juiciness to the scent. 20 minutes in: The tobacco leaf is adding a hint of smokiness (very subtle), and I'm getting a whiff of something root beer-ish. I think the tobacco is blending with the tuberose to create that impression. The tuberose remains buttery smooth. The pom has all but disappeared on me. I think there may be some musk in here because there is something that wants to go powdery, but hasn't. I amp powder notes, so if you're afraid of it going that way, it's probably safe to try. It reminds me of Serge Lutens Datura Noir (which I own and love), as well as some Frederic Malle scents. It smells like a high end commercial fragrance, which makes it totally safe for work unless you're in healthcare. It's all tuberose and (non powdery) musk from about an hour in, and it stays that way for about 3 hours. It ends up smelling fruity from the fig, and possibly the pomegranate, in the base. I'm not really getting any tobacco or smoke, which I was hoping for. It's fresh out of the mailbox, though. I think if it's given some time to rest those notes will come out. If not, it's still very pretty. 4.5 out of 5 stars Summary: Fruity pomegranate and tuberose are the main notes. I will update if it changes after it settles. ETA: Throw starts out moderate, and becomes low after about the 3rd hour. Wear time 6 + hours.

I wouldn't know my chakras from a hole in the ground, but I wanted to try this because I have a fondness for underdogs. Wet: There is something menthol/camphorous that shoots straight into my sinuses. Eucalyptus or birch, maybe? I am also getting some grittiness that I associate with vetiver. I swear there is some pepper in here as well as something herbal like basil. So far I am not getting any patchouli. It's bracing and herbal. It reminds me of a men's cologne. This usually means aquatic notes, although black musk can initially smell like that on me. It's definitely much more complex than I expected, given other reviews. Drydown: Lemony/herbal. I am still leaning toward black musk and vetiver. There is just a hint of something woody beneath. Red sandalwood? Holy cleared sinuses, Batman! About 90 minutes in: I wonder if it's sage, not vetiver. Still herbal/gritty with a touch of non powdery sandalwood. I'm getting something slightly floral under all of the more earthy notes - almost like a lily. Champaca? Still no patchouli unless that's the grittiness. 2 hours in: I finally smell the patchouli that everyone else is getting! I was afraid my nose wasn't working. Patchouli, red sandalwood, and I think champaca. Cedar is adding a bit of sharpness. I still feel like there is black musk lurking in there. Also, I am still getting the mentholyptus cooling effect when I inhale. There has to be birch or mint in this. Very dry and woody/herbal. I like my patchouli with darker or contrasting notes. This isn't bad, it's just not my type of scent. The lab has so many beautiful patchouli blends that I love, so I'm not too broken up that this isn't working for me. More for those who adore it!

This is an odd one. It is a definite morpher as well. Wet: It starts out bitter/sour which must be the geranium. I thought there might be some labdanum in it. A few minutes later I get mint along with the sourness. I second the musty smell that someone else mentioned. I'm also getting something that reminds me of coffee and flavoured creamer. That must be the tobacco. Drydown: Lemon, sweet floral, and sour/bitter - all of which are most likely the geranium, although it still smells like there's labdanum in it. I smell something lotus-like in the background. It's not as unpleasant as it sounds. 30 minutes after applying, the tobacco adds a caramel note to the other scents. 90 minutes of wear - caramel coffee from the tobacco, and slightly woody from the balsam. All of the other notes have disappeared. It's sweeter than I usually like, but it's still quite nice. 2 1/2 hours after application I am getting syrupy root beer/cola from the myrrh, the caramel chewiness of the tobacco, and some camphorish sweetness from the peru balsam. The red musk is way in the background, which is a miracle. This stage is fantastic! It lasts about 8 hours. Throw is light. The last 7 hours were definitely worth the strange beginning. 4 out of 5 stars.

Wet: It starts as myrrh and lilac for the first minute or so. Then the myrrh backs way off, and it becomes floral with lilac and wisteria at the forefront. It's sweet and floral, but there is a freshness so that it isn't sickly sweet. Drydown: It remains floral, but the myrrh comes back a bit more to deepen the scent. I can smell a touch of lemon, so frankincense must be making its entrance. It's bright and floral, but also grounded. Spanish moss is barely there, but still creating that "fresh" impression. I adore lilac and wisteria, so this is right up my alley. This would be a fantastic springtime scent. Unlike its namesake, there is nothing gloomy or unapproachable about it. About 15 minutes in: The myrrh is stronger, and it's creating a warmth - almost like a campfire's dying embers. Is there vetiver in this? It blends with the lilac and wisteria. It sounds odd, but it's actually really nice. Spanish moss has a tendency to go powdery on me, and I am now getting a little of that. 90 minutes in I can smell the vetiver (the dry, grassy kind) and moss. The sweetness of wisteria is lingering in the background. It's sweet, a little powdery, and has the slightly burnt smell of vetiver for around 30 minutes. 2 hours after application the Spanish moss takes over and wisteria is the only other note I can smell strongly. This is the stage I like best. It's sweetly floral (but not cloying) and mossy/powdery. It stays this way for about 10 hours before fading away. Throw is moderate to good. It reads feminine on my skin with the exception of that short vetiver phase. Other than a hint of lemon in the early stages, frankincense never really showed up for me. The florals do have a cool feel to them, especially with the moss. I can see where it might be evocative of isolation. I think it's beautiful. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Wet: This goes on eucalyptus/wintergreen. The strong eucalyptus note fades very quickly, and all that is left is a minty cool snow. Drydown: Beneath the sweet, minty snow I can smell something fruity. I want to say mandarin, but it could be pineapple. It's not loud, so all I can say is it's definitely fruit, but not which fruit. There may be a touch of an evergreen, but I have to inhale pretty deeply with nose to arm to even get the impression. This is all sweet mint and fruit on me for quite some time. 20 minutes in, the fruit gets stronger - definitely pineapple. About 90 minutes in, a hint of incense comes through. I don't smell sandalwood yet. It's almost like opium smoke, but it's really light. The snow notes have calmed down a bit. It's fruity, a bit sweet, and lightly incensed for another 30 minutes before I get a hint of sandalwood. I wish this were a little heavier on the sandalwood incense. While what I am getting is pleasant, it does need a counterbalance. Also, I am definitely more of a fan of those notes than the snow ones. Throw is light. Two hours after applying it becomes a little floral. Champaca? Now it's fruity/floral and light incense. Something is reminding me a little of lotus in the background. Three hours after application it becomes a sweet, light floral with incense and just a hint of sandalwood. The mint is all that's left of the snow note, but I am really liking this phase. Total wear time was 5 to 6 hours and throw was light. The base of this was nice. I think I will retest it later to see if aging will bring out the incense and sandalwood more. 3 out of 5 stars.

Wet: The first five minutes are very light. I got an impression of sweetness amd what smelled to me like orange blossom. Drydown: Thankfully, it really amps up in strength. I still get the mystery orange blossom, but carnation comes in. It's floral and sweet from the amber and vanilla. I am getting just a touch of powder from the orris and mosses. The moss is going slightly dryer sheets/ozone on me, but hasn't tipped over into full blown laundry room. 30 minutes in this is aquatic and sweet. The ozone has disappeared. This is one of the rare ozone/aquatics that I can wear. I think myrrh and sandalwood are blending to create a sweet, resinous note, but this goes away after about 45 minutes. This stays sweet, aquatic, and slightly floral perfection for hours. I didn't think it could get any better, but then about two hours later a salty note emerges. 3 1/2 hours after applying, the carnation becomes the top note. It's creamy and slightly peppery/papery. It blends seamlessly with the amber. This is just a really beautiful scent. I was sad that I had to wash it off in the shower. I can't wait to wear it again to smell what the final result is. I am so glad that I blind bought the full bottle. 5 out of 5 stars.

I love all the notes in this one except vetiver, which is a wildcard on me. It can be grassy or bbq. Since I blind bought a bottle, I am happy to report it is the former. Wet: Labdanum, and the moss and vetiver must be blending to create a pine scent. The opening is clean and masculine. Drydown: Labdanum wins, and it is effervescent as usual. The black moss is giving it a bit of spice. At this point it's completely gender neutral. Vetiver is there giving it a bit of greenery, but it's not strong. I do get a bit of a foresty impression. It's bright and chilly on my skin. Rather than sluggishness, I get a walk in the woods on a winter's day (no Robert Frost impression intended). About 20 minutes in labdanum is still the strongest note, but I am getting something that smells like neroli. I would describe this as bracing. Throw is good. After about 30 minutes of wear tobacco joins in, and I get just a bit of a nutty scent added to the labdanum. It's starting to warm up as whatever was causing that chilly note dissipates. Black patchouli usually smells rooty/dirt like on me, but I wonder if it's what is adding a little bit of a woody note. An hour after applying, this is fizzy (non cola) labdanum and light dried grass from the vetiver. Two hours after applying vetiver is pretty much all I can smell. Where did my labdanum go? Tobacco, moss, patchouli? My least favourite note is the one I am amping. Sadly, this ends up all vetiver with just a faint idea of tobacco. Hopefully, the other notes come out with aging because I liked the first hour. 3 out of 5 stars.

This one is a morpher. Also, I bought a full bottle from the lab, so it's not from an iffy source, and I let it rest, but... I am not getting what I was expecting from the listed notes. I think my chemistry is weird on this one. Wet: I get a brief citrus along with some nuttiness that must be the mushroom. Drydown: I swear I smell labdanum and myrrh in this. It must be the honey musk and all of the other notes mixing to smell resinous. About 30 minutes in: It becomes salty and slightly soapy - like aquatic notes turn on me. It's just a little earthy. Two hours after application: I smell indolic jasmine, but I suppose it could be the mushroom. The soapiness is gone. Benzoin and honey musk are giving off a red musk vibe. The patchouli is slightly gritty in an oakmoss sort of way, but it's light. The saltiness remains, and now it is sweet and slightly powdery. This ends up sweet benzoin, powdery honey musk, salty, and very faint spices. I wish the earthiness had stuck around, but this is lovely. If you have a weird chemistry like me, I think fans of Anne Bonny would like this. 4.5 out of 5 stars. ETA: I get some red sandalwood after about 2 hours of wear - not sure if that's the patchouli and mushroom mixing, but it's definitely more powdery/ woody than earthy. I'm glad I took a chance and ordered the full bottle.

Wet: Lemony black musk and powdery sandalwood. As it dries a bit more I start to get a hint of earthy patchouli. Drydown: Honey adds sweetness to the above notes, but it remains mainly an effervescent (probably the labdanum) lemon with a bit of powder. I get occasional whiffs of patchouli. Despite the powdery note, I think it is gender neutral. It kind of reminds me of a lemon dessert bar with the patch as the graham cracker crust. No smokiness thus far. About 30 minutes in, the patchouli comes out a little more, and between it and the black musk, I can see how it can come across as masculine. It remains powdery and lemony, so I think it is still gender neutral. This is a lot lighter in tone than I was expecting. It's a midday dalliance on a dusty road. I am really enjoying this scent. I know what this reminds me of - Shalimar Souffle! I am still amazed that Beth can create scents that are just as good, if not better, than $200 + perfumes at such low prices. It's why I stopped buying commercial fragrances and use BPAL almost exclusively. After an hour from application, everything has smoothed out so that it's lemony musk, powder, and a smooth patchouli. I get a bit of sandalwood under the rest of the notes. No smokiness. Throw is moderate. This is a dry, powdery, sweet, lemony, musky scent. The sandalwood is there, but it's more dry and powdery than woody. I get just the smallest amount of woody note in the base. Benzoin is probably adding to the powdery notes, but without adding any of the deep vanilla sweetness I am used to. Honey, however, is adding a touch of sweetness. I adore it, but I wish I were getting some of the cola note that labdanum usually turns to on me, along with the smokiness that others are getting. This is totally work appropriate. In the end this is gender neutral to feminine on my skin. 4 out of 5 stars.

I'm not getting the coffee note that many others are mentioning, thankfully. Wet: A slightly acidic red wine and something like indolic jasmine for the first minute, and I am worried. I think that initial less than pleasant note may have been the oudh which usually doesn't get along with me. Then suddenly, I get one of the lab's red wine notes that I adore. Sweet(ish), but not artificial or grapey. It smells exactly like a glass of red wine. I don't drink, and I don't like wine except the super sweet red and white dessert wines, so I'm not sure which one it reminds me of. Merlot, maybe? I also get jasmine, but no longer indolic. Drydown: It remains red wine and jasmine for quite some time before I get the bright fruitiness of plum. It then stays pretty much the same for hours. I never get the oudh, which I am perfectly fine with. Bottom line: Red wine that doesn't go grape, jasmine, and sweet plum. I like it a lot. If you're a fan of the lab's red wine or plum notes, you will like this. 4.5 out of 5 stars.

I have never tried the original, so I can't compare them. Wet: Soft spices - I am thinking cardamom and nutmeg. Drydown: It's definitely gaining spiciness. Now I smell cinnamon, cardamom, cassia, sweet clove, and black tea. About an hour in, all of the above remain, but I can smell just a hint of sandalwood. I think I am detecting some ginger as well. It's very faintly floral. Carnation? About 2 hours after applying myrrh comes out, but it hasn't morphed much beyond that. The cinnamon is the strongest spice, and it's causing a slight burning sensation on my skin. It's definitely a dry spice. I'm not getting any smokiness. I can see the comparison to Morocco, but that was far more floral on me. There is something almost buttery/almond underneath which makes me think of heliotrope. It's reminding me a bit of Snake Oil, but nowhere near as sweet, and it's so faint that it is the barest of impressions. It stays dry and spicy with a hint of sweetness for hours. The base is sweet with the softer spices again. Throw is moderate. I like it a lot. I wish I had gotten some of the smokiness and frankincense that others got, though. 4.5 out of 5 stars.