Spice me, baby! The spiciest BPAL blends

[evilbee]

It's probably the red musk you're reacting to. I was excited about Scherezade until I discovered red musk is an enemy of mine.

 

I echo all recommendations and would also like to suggest Morocco (if you like sweet things), Shub-Niggurath (like evil gingersnaps), and Baron Samedi (really great clove in there), the Lion (warm, spiced amber). I haven't tried it and I don't know why, but there's also March Hare which is apricot and clove.

 

Plunder is probably the driest and most spicy, and Bengal smells more of chai (but it doesn't last long on me).

 

Oh I just noticed about the florals! Harlot is cinnamon and rose, although it was much more cinnamon than rose on me. Mama-ji is a great recommendation for spice and light floral.

Edited May 29, 2008 by evilbee

[Scanmike]

HI,

 

I also like warm and spicy. I have tried Bengal but on me it's way too much honey in the dry down. Starts off cinnamon, but then the honey just amps. I have that problem with anything with honey in it. I liked Silk Road much better. Definitely a lighter version. I also love Morocco. While it's not spicy, it doesn't have that incensey smell to it. It all depends on chemistry because on me it's a heavier smell and on my daughter you can really smell the vanilla, but it's not like a vanilla candle. It's a warm spicy smell with a touch of vanilla on her. Lovely. The Lion is nice, but I prefer Bastet or Brisingamen more. However, people like it on me. Port a Price was nice also but faded quickly on me. I also liked Sudha Segara. It's more ginger on me than creamy. A very clean scent and I don't know why I haven't bought it yet. It would be lovely for the summer. I want to try Chimera also. I love Dragon's Milk after the initial blast of cherry. It was absolutely beautiful on my daughter. None of the ones listed will leave you smelling like incense.

[Pamlwell]

A quick update:

I just got Mama Ji in the mail (the only unimpable and thus the only one I bought off the forum), and boy do I it! Not incensey and a lovely spicy floral, as recommended. Thanks for all your advice!

[oakmoss]

Mama Ji

You really must try Mama Ji.

 

I totally second the Mama Ji recommendation! It's just a wonderful dry warm exotic spice without any incense I can smell.

 

What they said.

[waternight]

I have to throw in a rec for CLEMENCE. One of the Grindhouse ladies. Oh lordy, she is AMAZING. Spicy and amazing.

[Pamlwell]

Just a quick little update for others who might be on the same quest:

 

I just got imps of Morocco, Silk Road, Bengal and Sudha Segara in the mail today and Morocco really fits the bill of what I was looking for too. It's a creamier spice (rather than floral like Mama-Ji) and it's wonderful. The cinnamon in Bengal and I didn't really get along and something in Silk road turned weird on me (sort of soapy?). Sudha Segara was nice, but really light. From the description and reviews, I was expecting it to be a little creamier. Looking back, I should have listened to DeniseScan! Still very nice. Morocco though, Morocco is the shit!

 

Thanks again to all for the advice! If you are inspired by my likes and dislikes from the above, feel free to chime in with more recommendations...Love you guys and your expert noses!

 

Edited for mah bad spellin'

Edited June 19, 2008 by Pamlwell

[naeelah]

Definitely seconding Clemence! She is creamy, spicy amazingness. The patchouli was surprisingly light for me. I think Clemence smells like a more sophisticated, less foody version of Gingerbread Poppet.

 

ETA 1/09: Now that my bottle is a bit aged it's distinctly patchouli heavy, but in a way that I can tolerate, even as extremely patchouli phobic as I am. It smells like really wood-y chai tea. Which I guess is what it's supposed to smell like. It's not dessert-like at all.

Edited January 8, 2009 by naeelah

[ALoversCurse]

I'm a huge fan of spices like cardamom, clove, allspice and cinnamon. I've been looking at the descriptions of countless bottles of perfume and can't seem to determine which ones smell predominantly of these scents - can anyone offer some assistance in terms of recommended scents with any of those spices involved? I want those smells to be some of the most noticeable, and I'd prefer not smelling like a baked good with too much vanilla or chocolate haha.

 

Thank you so much to whoever is able to help me out!

[tativa]

to me clemence was a very spicy scent without being too sweet. kinda like a chai tea.

Edited September 5, 2008 by tativa

[femmefatale]

I'm not big on foody scents in general either. I've found Plunder is a perfect spicy scent for me. Not foody, just straight up spicy goodness. I love it.

 

The Smiling Spider is also wonderful, but might not be spicy enough for you.

 

 

PLUNDER:

The scent of a pirate's bumboat, overflowing with stolen wares: tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg.

 

I get mostly the spices though with a very slight sweetness (I think from the sandalwood?), but definitely *not* baked goods.

Edited September 5, 2008 by Femme_Fatale

[tartchef]

Check it out!

 

Spice Me, Baby!

 

Lots of good stuff in there, but it hasn't been bumped in a while to reflect the new batches of LEs.... Off the top of my head, Bengal, Plunder, Morocco, Shub-Niggurath & Silk Road are all good GC choices - spicy, but not foody, per se. Clemence is lovely & clove-y, Mama-Ji & Bezoar are two totally different takes on cardamon, and for my money, Devil's Night '06 is worth tracking down - gloriously spicy with a bit of smoke & musk & booze

[heartlilly]

Hello and Welcome!

 

I think that Plunder would be a good one for you. A little bit dry but, nice and spicy.

 

I love Bengal, it smells very sweet, but that one might be a bit too vanilla and honey (it is wonderful though!).

 

Chimera maybe. I haven't tried it yet though, but it could work, though it might be too floral.

 

I hate to recommend this one, since it is discontinued and would be super hard to find, but if you ever get the chance Three Witches sounds like it would fit what you're looking for as well (Plunder is close and a very nice substitue for it though).

 

Have fun!

[LadyLuckless]

You need Morocco!

[femmefatale]

You need Morocco!

 

 

I actually didn't find morocco to be that spicy. More incensy. But that's just me.

[pinkgyrl]

When I thought spicy and sweet - Opuhi immediately came to mind but may be too subtle for you - it's a really fun twist on a spicy scent - lighter and more playful.

 

Opuhi: Ginger blossom and vanilla orchid (I hate flowers - don't let them scare you on this one! hehe) Just msg me if you want to try it - and I'll send you a vial with a few drops in it - so you can see if you like it.

 

Also (seconding Shub!):

 

Port-Au-Prince: Dark, decadent and incomparably exotic: the rich scent of buttered rum flavored with almond, bay, clove and sassafras. This is not foody per se - but it does go kind of warm exotic spice on me - worth one try at least!

 

Salome: A scent that is both coquettish and sinister. Exotic and lush, brimming with grace and viciousness: almond with star jasmine, oakmoss, red sandalwood and Egyptian musk (very different than description - worth a try)

 

Shub-Niggurath: The lust incense of a corrupted Astarte. A blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices. (It's like Gingerbread's Poppet's naughty sister...grin)

 

I also agree that you may like Chimera or Plunder. Some LE's:

 

Pickled Imp: Cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and pine sap. I found that the vanilla was not predominant, more warming - but you'll have to see what it does on your skin.

 

Diwali: Lotus root, mogra, mango, tamarind, cardamom, clove, almond milk, cashew, rice flower, coconut, supari, raisins, and incense crafted from aloeswood, red sandalwood, cedar, and spikenard. I adore this one - but it's very very subtle! So, it may not be spicy enough

 

El Amor y La Muerte (retail salon): Clove, red sandalwood, orris, rose, opoponax, benzoin, and patchouli. This is one of the dirtiest, spicy scents that I've ever liked and worn - which is saying a lot for me.

Edited September 5, 2008 by GirlinDenial

[GhillieDhu]

Thirding Clemence (with extreme prejudice!), and seconding Port-Au-Prince. The almond and rum are a bit overpowering at first, but it dries down into a complicated, rich, unsweet clove spice.

 

Also, you could try Bastet. It's a bit sweet, but not really in a foody way, and it's a very sexy take on cardamom and saffron.

[evilbee]

I've been really digging the long-lasting spice of Bezoar lately. It's so smooth, woody, spicey, sexy.

[Salsa Shark]

Does anyone have recs for spicy scents that aren't predominantly clove/cinnamon? As much as I love the spicy sweetness, I'm currently in the mood for something a bit more... dark and savoury, I guess? Saffron, cardamom, pepper and the like.

 

I had very high hopes for Scherezade, but that was pure red musk on me, and I was completely in love with the saffron/black musk combo in Khandita until it got swallowed by the rose. Any recs for something of that ilk would be wonderful!

Edited September 7, 2008 by Salsa Shark

[femmefatale]

Does anyone have recs for spicy scents that aren't predominantly clove/cinnamon? As much as I love the spicy sweetness, I'm currently in the mood for something a bit more... dark and savoury, I guess? Saffron, cardamom, pepper and the like.

 

I had very high hopes for Scherezade, but that was pure red musk on me, and I was completely in love with the saffron/black musk combo in Khandita until it got swallowed by the rose. Any recs for something of that ilk would be wonderful!

 

 

What about Priala, the Human Phoenix? There is cinnamon in it, but it's not CINNAMON. It's definitely darker and sexier. The myrrhs and smoke keep it from being too spicy or sweet and much richer and darker.

[kmasden]

I'm a huge fan of spices like cardamom, clove, allspice and cinnamon. I've been looking at the descriptions of countless bottles of perfume and can't seem to determine which ones smell predominantly of these scents - can anyone offer some assistance in terms of recommended scents with any of those spices involved? I want those smells to be some of the most noticeable, and I'd prefer not smelling like a baked good with too much vanilla or chocolate haha.

 

Thank you so much to whoever is able to help me out!

 

I am too, and i have to confess that most of the recommendations don't fit the bill for me in the respect that there isn't enough spice in them (some of them i still love, i don't always need the strong overwhelming spice, but when i do, i want it and want it bad! In the love it but not necessarily super spice to me are the - opuhi, bakeneko, the old whooperwill for ginger love, bengal for the honey jalapeno, pepper is another very sweet, slightly spicy. Shub and Gingerbread poppet are very strong on the cinnamon/allspice type thing but they are foody, Vampire X, Port Royal are lovely and woody and slightly spicy...

 

The spiciest and strongest blends (in respect to the strong clove/cinnamon, etc) that I have tried are:

Port au Prince - Dark, decadent and incomparably exotic: the rich scent of buttered rum flavored with almond, bay, clove and sassafras

Pickled Imp - Cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and pine sap.

Three Witches (disc) - Warm cinnamon, husky clove and white pepper.

Al-Shairan - clove, peach and orange with cinnamon, patchouli and dark incense notes.

Sybaris - Bright violet with sweet clove, Mediterranean incense notes and tonka bean.

Saw Scaled Viper - Snake Oil with cinnamon, cassia, and red ginger.

The Ifrit - Desert sand, red musk, blackened ginger, dragon's blood resin, black pepper, cinnamon, and tobacco.

Sin - Thoroughly corrupted: amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon.

Wrath - A scent aflame with rage, swirling in the red haze of hatred: dragon's blood spiked with black pepper, clove, and cinnamon

[femmefatale]

I haven't tried it, but supposedly All Night Long is super amped cinnamon.

[Apple]

Does anyone have recs for spicy scents that aren't predominantly clove/cinnamon? As much as I love the spicy sweetness, I'm currently in the mood for something a bit more... dark and savoury, I guess? Saffron, cardamom, pepper and the like.

 

I had very high hopes for Scherezade, but that was pure red musk on me, and I was completely in love with the saffron/black musk combo in Khandita until it got swallowed by the rose. Any recs for something of that ilk would be wonderful!

If you're looking for savory, try War (Good Omens): red ginger, black spices, patchouli, honeysuckle, and three blood-soaked red musks. It's got red musk, but the ginger and pepper sort of beat it back and it smells a great deal like cooking spices. Not baking/dessert spices, mind you, but like savory dinner spices. I didn't like it, but you might.

 

Others I would recommend would be Bezoar, Bastet, and Spanked. These all have cardamom (and Bastet has saffron) but are very different from each other. I love them all.

 

Other spicy scents:

My skin reacts in opposite ways to cinnamon vs. clove (and, unfortunately, in the opposite way that I wish it would): I amp the hell out of cinnamon, and clove gets eaten up and muted and never gets to have its time in the sun. Likewise, if a blend contains red musk, that's all I'm going to smell (and so Scherezade was a heartbreaking failure on me too). Those are my caveats; YMMV:

 

And There Was a Great Cry in Egypt (Salon): Dark myrrh, white sandalwood, amber, hyssop, frankincense, honey, cypress, red musk, cardamom and saffron.

Red musk killed this one for me.

 

Baghdad (Wanderlust): Amber, saffron and bergamot with mandarin, nutmeg, Bulgar rose, musk and sandalwood.

You might like this one. The rose did not amp, and it was a nice Oriental reminiscent of Obsession by Calvin Klein.

 

Bastet (Excolo): Luxuriant amber, warm Egyptian musk, fierce saffron and soft myrrh, almond, cardamom and golden lotus.

Beautiful, but not heavy on the spices. Sweet but not foody. Very sensual. A favorite.

 

Bengal (Wanderlust): skin musk with honey, peppers, clove, cinnamon bark and ginger.

All cinnamon, vanilla, and powder on me. Sadness. Not recommended if you are trying to avoid sweet, cinnamon-y scents.

 

Bezoar (Carnaval Diabolique, Wunderkammer): Copaiba balsam, Tolu balsam, hay absolute, cardamom, and hiba wood.

The perfect cardamom/chai tea scent. I just wished it stuck around longer.

 

Carceri d'Invenzione (Salon): Redwood, red sandalwood, black pepper, blonde tobacco and frankincense.

This did really weird things on my skin and ended up smelling very fruity, but might work for you.

 

Clémence (Carnaval Diabolique, Ladies of the Grindhouse): Patchouli, Kashmiri tea, cardamom, black pepper, carnation, and clove.

This has clove, but is getting a lot of love as a non-sweet spicy scent. On me it smelled like spicy, salty, Coca-Cola. Not my thing.

 

Death of Autumn (2007 LE): Dark amber, dead leaves, khus, saffron, bitter clove, chrysanthemum, camellia, galangal, and a drop of oud.

This smelled terrible on me, but might work for you.

 

Fascinum (Ars Amatoria): Golden amber, golden musk, litsea cubeba, cedar, and saffron.

Nice. Not especially spicy, but you might like the saffron note.

 

Hand of Glory (Carnaval Diabolique, Wunderkammer): Beeswax, dry leather, black pepper, saltpeter, nutmeg, Mysore sandalwood, and oak bark.

This went to powder on me, sadly.

 

Hod (discontinued): Glory and Majesty, Kokab, God's Judgement.

There's some sweetness and cinnamon-vanilla in here, but mostly it's warm, comforting spice. A lot of reviewers call it the ultimate spicy carnation scent.

 

Lampades (Bewitching Brews): cranberry with smoky dark lilies, heady, sensual musk, a tingle of ginger and a brush of Mediterranean spices.

Cranberry candle on me; maybe you'll get some of the smoky darkness and spice.

Leo 2007 (2007 LE): Egyptian amber, walnut bark, chamomile, frankincense, and saffron.

Nice. Similar to Bastet, but fruitier for some reason.

 

Mama-Ji (Neil Gaiman): Spices, cardamom, nutmeg, and flowers.

The flowers in this amped and I just smelled a gross, sour floral (jasmine, I'm guessing). Others get spice.

Oblivion (Sin & Salvation): Dark musk, wood spice, labdanum, patchouli, dark African woods, and saffron.

A disaster on my skin and incredibly masculine. Might work for you, though.

Ogun (Excolo): heavy and dark cigar tobacco, gin and juniper, melon, chili pepper and a touch of honey.

This was interesting. I got mostly melon, honey, and chili pepper.

Plunder (Bewitching Brews): tea leaf, cassia, cinnamon bark, clove, allspice, sandalwood, tobacco, peppercorn, and nutmeg.

All cinnamon, all the time. Boo.

 

Ra (discontinued): No description.

Clove-y but not too sweet. Like Shub-Niggurath and Clemence, it's a bit reminiscent of Old Spice aftershave.

 

Shub-Niggurath (Picnic in Arkham): a blend of ritual herbs and dark resins, shot through with three gingers and aphrodisiacal spices.

Reminded me of Old Spice, guessing that would be cloves.

 

Scherezade (Bewitching Brews): Saffron and Middle Eastern spices swirled through sensual red musk.

Red musk. Ugh. Didn't work for you or me, but might work for someone else.

 

Sin (Sin & Salvation): amber, sandalwood, black patchouli and cinnamon.

Holy f'ing RED MUSK! With a side of cinnamon. Not rec'ing this one for you, but someone else might like it.

 

Spanked (BPTP Naughty or Nice Inquisition, 2005): Sado-masochistic holiday cheer: whip leather, cardamom, patchouli and bourbon.

Really tough to find but definitely naughty and spicy without being too sweet. The leather and patchouli darken it very nicely.

 

Whippoorwill (discontinued): Spanish moss, cedar, black pepper, oakmoss, juniper, bamboo reeds and cardamom.

This wasn't spicy at all on me, but was rather clean/green. Might be spicier on you.

Edited September 7, 2008 by Apple

[GhillieDhu]

Does anyone have recs for spicy scents that aren't predominantly clove/cinnamon? As much as I love the spicy sweetness, I'm currently in the mood for something a bit more... dark and savoury, I guess? Saffron, cardamom, pepper and the like.

 

I had very high hopes for Scherezade, but that was pure red musk on me, and I was completely in love with the saffron/black musk combo in Khandita until it got swallowed by the rose. Any recs for something of that ilk would be wonderful!

 

Nobody's mentioned Troll yet?? It does have a lot of clove, but it's not sweet at all. Troll is dark as dark can be. I get mostly dry cumin and peppery clove smoke, with a weird but interesting grilled meat effect from the black musk. It sort of smells like a Middle Eastern grocery store.

 

Valentine of Rome was extremely spicy for me, too.

[MaidMirawyn]

Chimera maybe. I haven't tried it yet though, but it could work, though it might be too floral.

I haven't found Chimera to be floral. It's different on everyone, of course, but on me it's fiery spice with a touch of sweetness.

 

I've got high hopes for Fearful Pleasure, one of this year's Halloween scents.

 

Dried orange peels floating in simmering cider, roasted apples, smoldering firewood, chimney smoke, sassafras beer, warm hawthorn wood, and oakmoss.

 

I adore spiced cider, and make it from scratch at the slightest excuse during the fall and winter. It smells wonderful, and it tastes just as good. I think I'll skip tasting Fearful Pleasure, though.

[Wisteria]

I've been afraid to try the lab's spicy scents because I'm afraid they'll smell like Shalimar, which I hate passionately. I've noticed that some of them, like Snake Oil and Morocco, have been compared to Shalimar.

 

But I really want to try something warm and spicy this time of year.

 

Does anyone have a recommendation for a NON-Guerlainy, non-Shalimary spicy scent? I think it's the Iris in Shalimar that turns me off. Iris and orris seem to be the common note in all the commercial perfumes that I truly can't stand. Strange, because I love the smell of real, living irises.

 

Oh, and sandalwood is a huge plus. I loves me some sandalwood.

 

Thanks in advance!

Edited January 8, 2009 by Wisteria