Oak Moon 2023

[Jenjin]

Oak bark, tree sap, wild acorns, and a touch of honey.

 

 

The century oak, rugged and gaunt,
Holds high to-day, as he was wont
A hundred years ago, his head,
Hoary with snows that have vanished,
Defiant and grim to the wind’s wild taunt.

The hooting owl finds here a haunt,

And feathered choristers now chaunt

As when the century’s dawn made red

The century oak.

 

No season’s coil his heart can daunt;

Processive years their changes vaunt,

But, constant till the line have fled

And mouldered in oblivion’s bed,

He holds his own, rugged and gaunt, –

The century oak.

– Harvey Carson Grumbine

 

 

Edited December 27, 2023 by Jenjin

[LavenderCoffee]

I am super pleased with this one. Both oak and honey can be big notes, but they are very nicely balanced here. The strength of a big strong oak and the comfort of warm sweet honey combine into a fortifying hug of a scent that sticks with you all day. I do get a bit of nutty acorn but I'm not sure I can pick out the sap yet.

[Ennikar]

This one is all about the honey for me. The tree sap might be making that note seem bigger without standing out on its own, but yeah, honey. I can like honey as a scent component, and generally get along with it easier than sugar/syrup/baked goods notes, but don't generally go for gourmands - and this one has so much honey it feels like a gourmand to me. The acorns are here, adding a slightly nutty dimension that pushes it towards, well, baklava? Should have seen that coming. The oak bark isn't totally absent and does add a slightly woody dimension that I suppose could make this feel like a fae forest gourmand, but so far I do not personally enjoy smelling like dryad baklava.

I'm going to let this sit for a little while, to see whether the honey calms down (or I like it more under other circumstances).