Doc Buzzard

[cranberry]

In the imp: rich, musky, dark, lush, with a touch of greenery. This a strong smelling scent in the imp. We’ll see what it does to the skin.

 

On the skin: Wet, this smells a bit perfumey, dark and musky, yet sweet like it has opium in it. This is a rich scent, quite strong. It’s quite masculine smelling, but I think a woman can pull this one off too. It’s resinous, with an underlying base of wood. There’s something sharp here as a top note that I can’t put my finger on. Frankincense? Maybe some myrrh too. As it dries, the wood and resins come out more, and I really think there’s some sort of a dark musk in there (but not too dark as it’s not going powdery).

 

After it’s been on a bit, it still has that wonderful dark, musky, woody character. It is also a bit spicy and I wonder if there’s a bit of tobacco leaf and bay rum in here. Whatever it is, it’s wonderful and I’m really enjoying this scent.

 

Overall, this is a dark, spicy, sexy scent, mainly woods, musk and resins. Beautiful.

[sofiaviolet]

In the imp, this has a note or two in common with the scents I always describe as musty, but Doc Buzzard isn't musty at all. I think I smell some kind of voodoo thing. That's what I am thinking about. This is really masculine. My brother says he smells cinnamon.

[LiberAmoris]

Doc Buzzard smells like coca cola in the bottle---sexy, heavenly, rooty, dark coca cola. On my skin, I smell the resins and woods others have noted, and smooth, smooth patchouli. It dies down to a resiny, patchouli melange that just kind of hovers around me all day, like someone's traced around me with incense smoke.

[olympia301]

 

Quaint and old fashioned. Very natural smelling, rooty and well blended. This is one scent that is better the closer you get to it. I think it is very masculine, comforting, almost "wooly" but in a good way not the wet wool way. I think there are a lot of time honored ingredients in this and it reminds me of old perfume bottles and faded sepia photographs of men with moustaches and stern looks who were actually quite tender in real life.

[sophia_helix]

Another one from Brienze's Convergence circle, yay!

 

At first, Doc Buzzard is quite similar to Voodoo Queen, with a similar spicy, musky resin thing. But it's much lighter and more herbal, and smells like it's got sarsaparilla and a bit of tobacco, instead of the smoky incense. It reminds me of visiting Columbia, a restored gold rush town with board sidewalks and rabbit pelts for sale and real sasparilla. It's a "wild west" kind of scent, to my nose.

 

I think I like this better than Voodoo Queen, just because of the lightness and that sort of sweet, manly herbal thing. It dries down to a juicy pine at the end, with maybe a hint of something like patchouli. I would definitely try this on my husband, and might have to see what I can do about securing an imp.

Edited August 25, 2006 by sophia_helix

[SultryWolf]

Well, I wasn't going to review this, to avoid it coming up on the New Posts and tormenting those who may never have the chance to even sniff this amazing, wonderful scent.

 

But since it has come up the last two days anyway ...

And since I am so head-over-heels in love ...

Here is my review. More of a glowing paean, actually.

 

I managed to purchase a decant on the forum (thankyouthankyouthankyou).

imp: I always chuckle when people describe a scent as cherry coke, but that's really what this is in the imp! Only more appealing.

on: Wonderful dark, smoky, spicy. Amber, cinnamon (?and cardamom?), there’s a musk or sandalwood, and that sweet edge I just cannot quite figure out, yet. The overall is masculine and darkly feminine at the same time; and really does conjure the Old West! Persists nicely all day, with the ambers and woods prevalent in a gentle breezy throw. Up close, there’s just a touch of leather.

 

This scent is possibly my perfect scent. If I had enough, I’d wear it all the time. As it is, I’m going to try a couple of layerings to see how close I can come, and I’ll let you all know (on the GCs That Smell Like LEs thread).

[tidesong]

In the Bottle: Minty, resiny, earthy. Pine? I do get a little of the "cherry coke" some people get, but it wasn't the first thing that crossed my mind.

 

On Application: Very, very earthy scent, reminiscent of hiking in the forests of the NW. Dark musk undertone, and above it all, mint. Very fresh scent. Very masculine. Woody notes come out even more after a couple minutes, and maybe sarsaparilla. There's a hint of something a little sweet, almost like sandalwood.

 

On Drydown: Oh, man. This is so. Incredibly. Sexy. Very dark, cold without being chilly. Very masculine. "Like a night in the forest" indeed.

 

Comments: It's too masculine for me to wear, but on the right person would leave me breathing deep the scent off their skin. *purrs* That said, it's not going anywhere. I love it even if I can't wear it.

 

Verdict: Mine.

[Penance]

I've been meaning to review this for ages, but just never got around to it, so here it is, my long-awaited and long-overdue review of one of my most coveted BPAL blends.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I literally almost cried when I heard about this blend and realized I wouldn't ever get a bottle because there was no possible way that I could go to Convergence and couldn't justify spending the price that a bottle, should one be put up, was sure to command on eBay. I loved it for the name alone, being a buzzard-lover from childhood for reasons even I don't understand, but also for the descriptions people gave. Woody and warm? I'm all over that. I almost hope to hate this so I don't lust after something I can't get more of (I have a dab in an imp that I was very lucky to be gifted with).

 

First sniff:

 

Something in here reminds me strongly of Golden Priapus...pine, maybe? It's got that same sort of strange medicinal, tickle-the-back-of-your-throat sharpness to it that GP has, but it's more...syrupy, maybe? Strange, very strange and hard to describe. I'm not sure that this was entirely what I was expecting...I was thinking more warmth and dryness rather than sharpness, but this is interesting. I'd be thrilled to death if I got the earthiness that some other people have described, but nothing doing. It's pure medicinal sharpness to my nose for some reason.

 

Wet on skin:

 

More manageable now, but still not quite what I had in mind. Where I was thinking rich and warm and earthy with a touch of dry wood, I'm getting that same odd throat tickling piney note that never seems to agree with me for some reason. This isn't boding well.

 

Dry down:

 

No real change, unfortunately. There's a bit more dry woodiness now, but not enough to make this a scent I really love. It has to be something in here that's throwing my nose off because by all accounts I should adore this. I'd love to know what it is and if there's a common ingredient between this and Golden P as both of them make my throat tickle and give me almost a sense of nervous anticipation that's just not pleasant. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's one note ruining this one for me and that's more heartbreaking than if the entire thing had gone horribly wrong.

 

The bottom line:

 

I wanted to love Doc, but we're just not meant to be together, apparently. I would have expected that we'd be perfect for one another but I suppose it's a blessing in disguise as I could never get a bottle of it if my life depended on it. Blessing it may be, but it's still sad. We could have been such good friends.

 

------------

 

ETA: It's been more than 4 years since I got my little decant of Doc Buzzard (which I could never bring myself to get rid of for sentimental reasons) and I'm trying it again today, mainly out of curiosity, but also to see if its mellowed/changed any with age. So I think it's time for an updated review.

 

First sniff:

 

Still that same, strange medicinal smell, although the other notes seem to have mellowed and deepened. There's something oddly herbal and medicinal lurking in here, but it's not quite as sharp as I remember it being the first time around.

 

Wet on skin:

 

I'm getting more dry wood now than I (apparently) did before, but that pine note is still here. At this point, it's definitely evocative of the old west. Dry, dusty wooden buildings, raw, rough cut wood and herbal cure-alls. I'm still not loving Doc at this point, but it's not bad and I do like it. Just not something I'd reach for on a regular basis.

 

Dry down:

 

Hello! What just happened? Suddenly, this went from dry wood and pine to dry wood and incense?!

 

Seriously, Doc made a sudden, sharp turn in the time it took to dry. And I'm loving the results. I only put on a small dab since I don't have much and didn't want to slather it all over (both because I didn't think I was going to want to smell like it and because I didn't want to put a big dent in it just testing it), but it's strong.

 

I'm getting very dry wood (cedar, I'd say), a little bit of some sort of dusty, dry incense (possibly sandalwood based, but it's hard to say) and maybe some musk? I'm not that good at identifying musk types, but I'm thinking black. Definitely not red, because it lacks the round, almost fruitiness of red musk. This is a very dry, masculine scent. And it's much, much more appealing than it was the last time I tried it. The longer it dries, the better it smells (to me, anyway; I have a feeling a lot of people would smell this and go "Eww, hamster bedding!").

 

The bottom line:

 

Doc has indeed mellowed with age and lost its youthful sharpness. I like what it's turned into. Apparently not getting rid of my little decant was a good decision. Or a bad one since I want more now.

Edited December 9, 2010 by Penance

[savage_rose]

Yay for sniffy circles! Thanks GypsyRoseRed!

 

In the imp: I can see the "pickles" reference early review rumors hinted of...but it's more of a sharp smell than a dill smell to me. Herbal, rooty, earthy, but with a sharpness I can't define. Not dill, but a tangy herb smell that's similar.

 

Wet: All of the above, but something's morphing into a strange light...not floral, but kind of sour smell. But not a pickle sour. Hmmm...

 

Dry: Some of the same notes of Storyville are present--not the foody ones, but kind of a tobacco-musk undertone is present in both. I can smell that really well...it smells a lot like my Dad's pipe tobacco from when I was little mixed with herbs and something musky. I cannot stop smelling my hand, it smells that good! And...the muskiness, there's something incredibly sexy and dirty about this particular musk. Combined with the herbal earthiness of the blend...well, it smells like down and dirty "Spike and Buffy" sex, like that first time where they were smashing walls and floors, and dust was flying everywhere. I don't know what that note is, but I want more of it! Now now now oh my God yes! LOL!

 

If it ever comes back, I am buying it!

[juniperus]

I hadn't thought much about the Convergence scents - after all, they are very rare and although some reviews have sounded interesting, I'm too po' to go trolling on Ebay for extreme rarities. And I am not so much an obsessive collecter. But - a decant. And what a decant!

 

Bottle: dark, rich, and resinous.

Wet: much the same, but a little smoke-y at the depths

Dry: deeeep like a baritone, there is a sweet edge that isn't floral or food-y to me....ever smelled Coke syrup? Like the real thing, before it was all corn syrup and crap? I remember when I was a kid smelling it - and that sense memory was just brought back for me. oh my, there is vetiver here. it's clearly present, but not amping and turning dirty-oily yet, so I'm hopeful.

Later: Oh yes, in time this has returned to merely deep and resinous, and by merely I only mean that the vetiver monster has retreated back into it's dank lair. This is sooo dark and masculine, which is not to say I couldn't wear it, but it really feels male to me when I sniff.

 

I know getting a bottle of this is nigh impossible - but if ever one crosses my path I'll snap it up in an instant - this is a multifaceted, dark, sinuous wonder. (and thank you thank you thank you for letting me try this, you know who you are! )

 

 

(edited because there is more to proofreading than running spellcheck, ya ditz!)

Edited September 6, 2006 by Juniperus Intrepidus

[sarada]

I was very lucky to receive a gift of some of this scent, and my suspicions are right...it's perfect for me!

 

At first, I am reminded of Torture King, which was what struck me when I got a brief whiff of this at a meet 'n sniff awhile back. Like Torture King...but with less of the orangey-lime top notes that remind me a bit of Royall Lyme cologne in that blend.

 

On my skin, it becomes more smoky...leathery...woodsy. It's got that spicy wood scent that can only be myrrh, in my experience, complete with the faintly powdery phase it goes through. Myrrh in general also has that masculine cologne association for me, but in a good way. In a warm, comforting sort of way.

 

Although I don't smell those dark woody citrus notes as loud as in Torture King I feel like there must be one deeply buried in here because I keep coming back to the echoes of Royall Lyme in my subconscious...but a more musky, woodsy, myrrh-rich blend with no aftershave connotations. Maybe even a hint of pine in there somewhere.

 

It's a dark smoky woody blend and therefore it's totally my bag. It's a dad scent, too...I mean, Lyme and smoke were THE scents in my house. Nothing makes me feel quite as comfortable and at home.

[maijasu]

I feel honored to be able to sample this wonderful scent due to a sniffie circle started by the lovely GypsyRoseRed.

 

Wet on my skin, it smells like soda pop...evil soda pop (this is a good thing--kind of like Shub is evil gingerbread. )

 

Dry, it becomes softer, although there is something else in it that lends a hint of sharpness. The scent is deep and could be considered masculine, although I would certainly wear it regularly if it were mine to wear! I'd love to try it on my husband, but I'll be good and send it on to the next circle participant.

 

Overall, a very well-done, very deep and sexy scent. Love!

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Doc and his beautiful friend Storyville showed up in my mailbox as a wonderful gift! I knew Story was the girl for me but didn't know what to expect from Doc. You know what? I love him. Very warm and resinous, with rich, comforting spices woven throughout and a gentle, foresty drydown. Perfect for men who *think* they like Old Spice only because they haven't discovered BPAL. This scent makes me really sad that my grandfather, whom I called "Grandpa Doc," has passed away--it reminds me of him: a kindly, gentlemanly scent, although girls can wear it--even girly-girls like me!

 

ETA: the pine comes out much more clearly on my husband, but I like it on him. Doc will likely live with his boy-imps.

Edited September 17, 2006 by Laurel the Woodfairy

[moonarcana]

When I was a kid, my grandpa had a huge garden and grew all kinds of vegetables, but his favorites were rutabagas, turnips, parsnips, sweet potatoes and my grandparents had a huge root cellar and that is what Doc Buzzard reminds me of - earthiness of the dirt walls of the basement as well as the soil still clinging to the stash of tubers, fermented herbal notes of the decaying greens sprouting from the top of each root and a waft of the ever present tobacco resin that was my grandpa's aura.

 

I enjoy this scent for the sense of extreme nostalgia it produces for me, but even without the personal recollection associated with this scent I don't think that it's something that I could ever wear as a fragrance.

 

Thanks to GypsyRoseRed for giving me the opportunity to try this rarity!

[sookster]

first and foremost this is the most gorgeous shade of brown!!!

 

straight sniff from imp is lemon, vetiver and leather

 

once applied...smoky lime...mmm...some underlying floral in here

as well...but a manly floral...

 

this is long lasting and amazing and i love it and will cherish this imp

for days to come!!!

[supremegoddessofall]

This is a sexy tobacco. Not a clove cigarette, but tobacco that's been near some clove cigarettes or something. It's harsh and sweet and beautiful all at the same time.

[steffanina]

Doc Buzzard-

 

In Bottle: Oh, masculine and sweet-light musky--reminds me of Torture King, one of my all-time faves.

 

Wet: A little more wood-and-chocolate (vetiver, I suppose) than Torture King. Some musk but with a teensy whiff of rot underneath.

 

Dry: It's a rich woody-musky that isn't quite for me. Though it seems a nice masculine scent.

 

Overall: Not for me.

[Shollin]

First sniff: Warm furry darkness with a squeeze of lime.

 

Wearing: Well, so much for the lime. Now it’s all spicy dark and it’s going a little bit funky underneath.

[Em-]

A dark, masculine aquatic - this doesn't quite work on me, but is gorgeous on my husband - the woody resins balance the water out perfect and the shot of tobacco is just lovely.

[The_Witching_Hour]

In the bottle, this one has a musky, resinous feel that evokes strength. This is my 'happy' scent, and not for obvious reasons (like cheery and light scents) but for the most SOLID of strength---without smelling like a tree---that you can feel. He's different than other masculine scents and never goes cedar or aftershave-like on me.

 

When I wear Doc Buzzard I feel like I have the strength of 10 men standing behind me and I never smell *like* one. Its the most uncanny feeling in the world but very powerful.

 

Its my true 'Behind every successful woman stands a silent Doc Buzzard' scent.

[Melantha]

Oh, man.

 

I won a partial on eBay, and yay! I love masculine scents, and this defintely is. I can't pick out any particular notes, but that smoky, resinous thing that other have mentioned is definitely here. I had Doc on one hand, and Mum Moon on the other (my fave BPAL) and Doc was winning the wrist-sniff battle.

 

Oh, that I had a whole bottle of this!

[smallvoice]

After my scuffle with the Voodoo Queen, I was nervous about trying the good Doctor.

 

I wish I could pick out notes better, but this is so well blended and complex that I'm having trouble. It is a beautiful blend, and it turns into something even better on my skin. This is amazing. It's like incense with a sharp edge to it; something green. It's dark without being heavy, and it's got a hint of sweetness to it that is breathtaking.

[little_galaxie]

DB is a very special scent. If it were a GC I would dismiss it, but because I practically had to sell my soul to get 2 imps I am in looove.

 

Funny, isn't it?

 

Very dark, woodsy, masculine scent, but with a sweet base which I'm thinking might be the smoke. Sweet smoke? Yeah, sounds about right.

 

Anyhoos, I also get heavy woods like maybe cedar and oak, but the rest is just so well blended I don't know what's making me go ooooohhh.

[Summerpixy]

Dark in color, the scent is strangely light woods, tobacco and a touch of water. Very sexy... I want my boyfriend to smell like this all the time... we might never leave the bedroom though. I can wear it too, but it's definetly a masculine scent.

 

I was graciously gifted with a fraction of an imp to try... and I adore it.

[wikkidraven]

i put the tiniest dab of the doc on my hand and it's wafting about me beautifully. i'm not usually one for masculine blends, but this morphs on my skin into something very nice. resin, tobacco, and a healthy splash of lime...i can't pick all of the notes out, but i think this is the most unique thing i have ever smelled.