Uruk

[Drae]

A city of mystery, wonder and majesty, said to have been built by order of Gilgamesh. Thick bitter almond and heady night-blooming jasmine with saffron, cinnamon leaf, red patchouli, river lilies, bergamot, fig leaf and the sacred incense of Inanna.

 

In the imp: Very straightforward - Sweet cinnamon.
Wet on skin: Now it's gone TURBO sweet (I don't think I've smelled anything sweeter, holy cow!) and very much like almond extract. The jasmine and cinnamon combination is a really interesting mix.
Drydown: I am getting some very serious "where do I know this smell from?!" thoughts, and realize Uruk smells VERY much like Lolita Lempicka, a pre-BPAL favourite perfume of mine, despite not having the signature anise/licorice note.

30 minutes later: The almond extract goes quieter as it muddles with the spices and florals. The incense offers just the right level of soft smokiness, and the red patchouli grounds the more robust notes with earthiness. Beautiful!

Verdict: Uruk is quickly becoming one of my top favourite BPAL scents. It's spicy and creamy, but the florals add an intriguing and unexpected layer, and all the notes work together so beautifully.

BOTTLE, NAO!

[mymymai]

In the Imp (ITI): Cinnamon leaf, patchouli, incense, paired with lilies and jasmine. It's heady and seductive, although I get the impression or marzipan for some reason.

 

Wet: It's very similar to in the bottle, but I get bergamot and saffron together...which seems to be making it smell like marzipan to me.

 

Dry: Now, I get lilies, cinnamon leaf,jasmine, and patchouli. I don't get the marzipan anymore, thankfully. However, there is just something I don't like about it for some odd reason.

[Ajila]

In the bottle - Soft, slightly bitter almonds with a very clean back drop

 

Wet on me - Soft, sweet almonds, but with a dry feel rather than the gooeyness of normal "sweet almonds"

 

Dry on me - It fades quickly into not a lot at all

 

Overall - I like the almonds, but I like other almond blends better and the last longer

[Amber Tears]

Uruk was a frimp in my order. Almond happens to be my least favorite note and a migraine-inducer for me. I do adore incense and jasmine, so I’m giving Uruk a shot.

 

In the vial: Straight almond extract, the kind you bake with . Oh dear, I don’t like where this is going. Keeping a bottle of Advil nearby.

 

Wet on skin: It’s still a harsh cherry-ish Almond but with a nice smoky incense beginning to waft in from the background. Where’s my beloved Jasmine?

 

Dry: Some more notes are coming into play. A dashing of cinnamon and the sweetness of jasmine add depth to the almond and smoke.

 

Dry later on: Same but slightly softer.

 

This blend is quite the morpher. Sometimes I get a lovely waft of jasmine, sometimes I smell of excellent incense, and other times the dreaded almond punches me in the face. I’m glad I got to try this, actually. Uruk enforced my love for jasmine, but reminded me to avoid almond. This isn’t a bad scent, per-se. Uruk is just not my cup of tea. I will definitely recommend this blend to those who like almond, though.

[Deliciousness]

In the imp: Sweet and yet slightly bitter almonds.

 

Wet on skin: The almond dissipates and the florals start to come out. I can detect jasmine (not stinky), a touch of citrice-y bergamot and something what must be river lilies.

 

Dry down: The florals do fade into the background a bit and are replaced with a light vaporous incense.

 

Whenever I sniff my wrist, I think of water lilies floating in ponds with gently rippling water - like Monet's famous paintings. It's a light airy, almost watery scent.

 

Although, pretty, this wears close to the skin. I think this would make a lovely spring/summer scent.

[Sarah Morehouse]

Well, apparently my skin devours almond scents, because once it's on my skin, the main note is incense, with a gentle bitter almond backup and the merest whisp of fruit. There are spices playing in there, dodging in and out. I get the saffron, and maybe also a hint of coriander? Jasmine far off enough for me to appreciate it without recoiling from its sweetness.

 

This scent feels like dawn on the first pleasant day after a heatwave. The sun promises to be hot, but not punishing. The earth and its plants have recovered enough to give up their scents. It is somewhere between languidness and exuberance - a surge of energy that is steady and knows how to pace itself. Bees! Happy fuzzy bumblebees darting in and out of the flowers and doing a wobbly little dance of "Here's the food!" for their sisters. (Full disclosure: I'm synaesthetic and I have no idea whether my impressions work for non-synaesthetes, but who knows?)

 

I love this smell, but on me, I can't smell it unless I press my nose right up against where I applied it, which gets me odd looks. I dearly want a bottle, because this is SUCH a pretty and relaxing scent, but I'm probably going to go through it very quickly, since I have to apply it so heavily and often to get any throw whatsoever.

[elinox]

First Sniff: Soft jasmine and feisty patchouli.

 

Initial Wet Application: A slightly bitter kitchen spice, I’m guessing that’s the almond. It seems like it’s rounding out though. It’s pleasant, although light.

 

Dry Down (first 15 minutes): As this began the drydown, it was a lovely, light, feminine jasmine. I’m definitely getting the green leaf smell in this too, it’s making this very pleasant and gentle.

 

My Reaction: This stayed mostly jasmine on me, which was nice as I enjoyed the feminine scent. However, it’s rather faint so I’m not sure if this is a keeper or not. I’d also hoped the almond, a kitcheny/foody scent, would’ve popped out more.

 

Rating: 2.5

[schneagl]

In the bottle: Reminds me very much of Eclipse or Dana O'Shee, with more of a tang. Lots of almond and spices.

Wet on my skin: This is one of the first scents I've tried where it seems to rotate through other BPALs I have. It starts out like Eclipse with more of a cologne feel, then adds a Snow White-like snow note, and the cologne note sharpens again.

Drydown: The cologne stays around but lightens a bit. All the milky and snow notes fade fast.

I like Uruk's notes a lot, though it doesn't last all that long - about 2 hours on me - and it has a lighter throw than I prefer. Haven't tried slathering it, but for me, layering Eclipse and Snow White would probably work just as well and last longer! I'll also ask the boy if he wants to try it.

[doomsday_disco]

In the imp: The almond note jumps out at me first, but I also smell the jasmine (this is a stinky variety), cinnamon leaf, and patchouli. It isn't a very good combination to my nose.

Wet: There is a blast of almond (which is the dominant note), and I'm also getting the cinnamon leaf and the jasmine. The almond is making the scent creamy, and it doesn't seem to be as fleeting as it is in most blends. I can smell a bit of patchouli and bergamot as well. The fig leaf is present, too. The saffron note seems to emerge more over time.

Dry: Mostly jasmine, lilies, almond, and cinnamon leaf (and a bit of patchouli and fig leaf).

Verdict: This was a pleasant surprise during the wet phase (due to the prominence of the almond note), but the floral notes are stronger than I would like them to be once the scent is dry. This is one is okay, but I don't need more of it.

Edited January 21, 2015 by dementia_divine

[White Raven]

In the imp: As many have said, pure almond.

 

Wet: All almonds, but the incense comes through rather quickly. I'm getting a faint whiff of smoke too, as if someone really lit a stick of incense in the nearby vicinity.

 

Drydown: A complex mixture of florals and incense. It's quite a sophisticated oriental blend, which fits with the whole ancient Mesopotamian theme.

 

Dry: Smoke and jasmine. Smells like a Buddhist temple I visited in China where the incense smoke hangs thick in the air. Very calming. An unexpected favorite.

[Veronica]

Bitter, medicinal herbs.

[Casablanca]

Bottle: Bitter almond, jasmine, and a little warming from saffron and cinnamon leaf.

Wet: Mostly amaretto, pleasantly bitter. Faint spices and a touch of orange. I don't get jasmine at first. The amaretto stands in front of the flowers, but I get a little of them when I hunt for them. But this progresses quickly: the almond fades and the jasmine and river lilies come forward. Not just lilies -- they seem to have a little aquatic thing going on. Quite pretty and different from the early wet stage.

Dry: Aquatic lilies, and just a little jasmine, warmed and softened by saffron. A little patchouli and fig.

I love the progression in this one. The first time I tested it, it only lasted about 20 minutes. I decided to re-test, and it lasted longer this time.

Edited April 27, 2016 by Casablanca

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Almond masquerading as cherry. I'm not getting any jasmine, which I'm happy about. Actually, other than a hint of bergamot, this is all almond at this point.

 

 

Dry: Annndd, there's the Jasmine, and it smells like feces in this. Blarg. Not for me! I can never escape Jasmine, it seems.

[Coldfire]

Imp: cherry almond ..heady...sweet
Wet on Me: still sweet almost heady cherry almond
Drying Down: the cherry almond mellowed out and became this lovely slightly incense-y scent.
Dry: oh I quite like this!!! It is gentle and sweet. Not a sugar sweet or a powder sweet but a pleasant gentle sweetness......

[gloame]

Starts off SUPER ALMOND, but that fades, and by dry-down, it’s a really soft and warm scent. A little foodie, but not break-your-diet foodie. Pretty! One of my absolute favorites, and especially happy about it because I love Sumerian lore, especially Inanna, and it feels like fate that I love this blend so much! Need a 5ml right away.

 

Starts off SUPER ALMOND with that almost Coca Cola vibe, but that fades, and by dry-down, it’s a really soft and warm scent. A little foodie, but not break-your-diet foodie. A spicier Vasilissa. It stays warm and dry like the desert, and the approach to a city market with all the scents of vendors wafting towards you on a hot breeze.

 

Where I'd wear this: To Joshua Tree, anytime

 

 

ETA for new details, second time smelling, a year later

Edited June 30, 2017 by gloame

[milo]

Warm, soft, a bit spicy, a touch of almond. This is kind of like Bastet, only a bit lighter, as another reviewer mentioned. I'm also getting bit of a Silk Road vibe. I like this, I'm a bit of an almond whore though. Not getting jasmine. I'll certainly enjoy the imp when I'm in the mood for a warm almond blend.

[Bamels]

Frimp. Smells like marzipan on me. It's drying down and a green note is coming out, maybe the fig leaf. This just keeps on morphing, I am now getting a spicy smell coming through, patchouli I think. And now floral soap; that'll be the jasmine and lilies. Almond has disappeared in under 5 minutes. It's pretty much gone in 10 minutes. Not a fan.

[RobberBaroness]

I had to take it off almost immediately after applying it. It smelled fine in the bottle, but when I put it on I got hit by something horribly cloying- it must have been the bitter almond. It sounds from other peoples' reviews that it changes overtime, but I couldn't wait.

[sarandipitee]

Cinnamon is a winner for me but here it’s drowned out by the jasmine and lillies. The almond helped but disappeared fast. Off to frimp pile. 

[torischroeder9]

So many notes of win. But also so many notes of great trepidation. Here goes:

 

In the imp: Predominantly almond with a high floral note that I presume is jasmine but could well include the lily. 

 

On my skin:

 

Initially, it's almond and jasmine, but almost immediately saffron and cinnamon work to make their presence known. I also start to get a warm, earthy note I recognize as fig leaf. As it dries, I get fig leaf, spice, almond, and... something that smells like unwashed body funk. I hate to blame patchouli for this, but perhaps the red patchouli is not playing nicely with one of the other notes?

 

Fortunately, that seems to go away, and I get almond with spiced fig leaf again. Not sure what happened to the jasmine, but in all honesty, the current manifestation of notes is so nice and so coherent that I don't miss the floral. I'm at least going to hang onto this for future testing.   

[artisjok]

Uruk is a soft scent, almond forward in the beginning, touched by jasmine and cinnamon. I detect the incense wafting in the background. The almond quickly dissipates, as I tend to experience, and the soft spice is the main attraction. Jasmine fades off on some meandering trail. The patchouli emerges more in time and lends some grounding, the saffron, too. I can imagine some lily or fig leaf if I try, yet they aren’t strong at all for me. 
This is one of those rare scents that starts off very soft, and over time begins to create a fragrant cloud around me. I have company over, and it’s kept me calm as I do last minute tidying while managing children and keeping in the conversation. Somehow, I also manage to feel some sophistication wearing Uruk, despite the multi-tasking, lol. 
 

Lovely, I’ll keep an imp of it, yet probably won’t use it too often. 
 

Edit to mention, mostly faded in throw after a few hours (totally normal on me), yet lingered as a faint sweetness most of the day (less normal)!

Edited March 3, 2020 by artisjok

[RoseThornAndOak]

Had an older imp I don't remember liking as much. This newer one is a nice unassuming floral, with a blast of cherry like almond upfront. It's very nice. I'll use up the imp for sure.

[torikitty]

Starts out: Almond and clean? Like fresh linen? Wow, I would not get any of the notes listed, except, perhaps, the lily. It's like a white floral that is quickly pushing away any gourmand notes, and leaning heavier on the laundry detergent side. Not enjoyable for me.

 

Drydown: Still a clean, white floral with more a bit more depth. It's pretty, but it's definitely not for me.

[daemonkat]

Uruk: Almonds, jasmine, and cinnamon
On Skin: wet: Not as strongly almond as in the imp. Something spicy and dark is creeping forward, maybe the red patchouli. Lilies are definitely present.
dry: Soft peals of almond followed by jasmine and lily petals floating in a nearby stream. Relaxing in the sundappled shade of a cinnamon tree.
Super relaxing.

 

I'm really astonished I'm transported off to some breezy summer day sitting by a babbling brook in a flowerbed of lilies. It's like getting hugged by someone who's been baking with almonds and cinnamon all day that accidentally got saffron on their apron. There's bergamot from a cup of Earl Grey floating around in the back.

[IoPan]

Uruk:

 

In the bottle: Very almondy!

 

Wet: A complex array of spices starts to come through the almond top note. Cinnamon, saffron, something else… A smoky note also begins to come through. That must be the incense.

 

Dry: The spices mingle nicely with the lily and jasmine. The almond has receded. Now it’s a light, floral scent with a grounding of warm spice. After further dry-down, it takes on a Christmas-like feel to me. The sweet florals recede a bit further behind the spices and the result is almost like sugary Christmas treats.

 

After 30 minutes: It loses its Christmasy impression and settles into a pleasant balance between floral sweetness and warm spice. It’s a nice fragrance, but more feminine than I like.