Port Royal

[femmefatale]

The Sodom of the New World! -- touted as the richest and wickedest city in all creation! Port Royal was the center of 17th century Caribbean commerce, a notorious safe harbor for pirates, and the site of our third flagship store, which was, sadly, destroyed in the earthquake of 1692. Spiced rum and ship’s wood mixed with the body-warmed trace of a prostitute’s perfume and a hint of salty sea air on the dry-down.

Oh, wow! I looooove this stuff. Really. It is just amazing. I think this might have just shot up into my top 10.

It's all rummy, salty air, and spice. I am in love. And what makes it even better is that both hubby and I can wear it.

Edited January 17, 2009 by Femme_Fatale

[anna1850]

Spicy and rummy and whilst not as masculine as it could be, it's definitely not girly.

 

Not bad, but not for me. I wish the prostitute's perfume was stronger as I think I'd honestly prefer that to the woody spiciness I get.

 

2/5

If I was a man from the 1970s then I might want to wear this; but I'm not, so I don't.

[Monster]

In the imp: Rum and a bit of clove..(??)

 

On my skin: A really nice, warm and rich spice mixed with rum...well, exactly like it says. I even like how the description states what the dry down is like as well Wow, I can't stop sniffing myself! As it dries the clove note I was detecting out of the imp amps up even more.

 

Dry: I'm actually not getting too too much "salty sea air", maybe just a breeze over a very strong, rummy spice note. I'll give it another 30 minutes and see what happens.....ok, after about 30 minutes I'm picking up a woody base. Still not much salty sea air on my skin, but that's ok because I'm already in love with this stuff.

 

Overall: This, I guess is considered a masculine perfume but it works so so well on me. This is actually something I can get away with wearing every day. A definite bottle purchase for me!

 

[milica]

I'm not getting any rum in this, just salty sea water and wet grass. No wood either, maybe a bit of that perfume in drydown, because the grassy salty scent becomes a bit sweet.

 

I like it wet on the skin, reminds me of Iron Maiden song Rime of the ancient mariner (every time I listen to it I can smell the sea), but the drydown is not for me. Sweet salty aquatic gets little soapy after 2-3 hours, too bad, in it's wet stage the scent is perfect!!!

 

swap pile.

[MCS4096]

Was excited to receive this as a frimp from the lab since it was on my wishlist

 

In the Imp: Mostly the warm spiced woods.. the rum is pretty tasty (I'm not a big rum drinker, but this smells tasty nonetheless) No prostitute in site yet. Not as salty as The Sea Foams Milk (which I tried last night) but it does have a vague saltiness. A little cologney, but warm/spicy enough I could wear it.. and I will presently

 

Wet: Pretty much the same, just amped.. very yummy rum and spices. Hell, it's almost foody. I guess the prostitutes perfume is just a very very subtle floral waaaay in the background.

 

Drying Down: I just really loled at the review above about being a man from the 70's haha! I actually find this very wearable for me.. maybe even bottle worthy. I'll have to try it again when I'm not about to get my period though, but really, this is super yummy! It smells a bit like a warm molasses cookie-- with lots of cloves, the rum is the right amount of booze, and that wood is warm and well worn smooth. Love it!

[rayvn1]

Wow Wet out of the imp this was a cloud of smoke (huzzah!) It's dried into a masculine swath of salty sea air, light clove(?) and the faintest hint of something that sweetens it. Very manly Calico Jack visiting a seedy bar after he's had a romp with his significant other.

[amanderinorange]

I got a frimp from the lab of this and am I ever glad that I did! Not so much for me, but my husband likes it and I like it on him.

 

In the imp: at first it smells like woods and something reminiscent of men's aftershave.

 

On my hubby: the first time I applied it on him, it was very much spiced rum, almost fruity, with a hint of salt and perfume. The second time I put it on him, it was more of the wood and salt with just a hint of rum. I'm not really sure which application I liked more on him, but they were both nice to smell.

 

Overall: I'm surprised how much it changed from one application to another, but pleasantly so. Also, it's the first time that he's really liked a scent that I put on him and actually wants a bottle of it himself.

 

[jiggahava]

This is a whole different kind of amazing. Delcious spicy rum mingled with soft dry woods, with just a hint of cool sea air after it dries. I'm in love with this. I feel like there are more spices mixed in with the rum, maybe some cloves or patchouli. Whatever it is, it's delicous. Maybe worth a big bottle too.

[ShadowsDance]

In the imp it is spicy and somewhat musky.

On my it's all spice, with just a trace of wood. Soon it's turning into something that smells like red hots candy (strong cinnamon).. there's a hint of something slightly aquatic. Almost like taking Thalassa and laying tons of cinnamon over it. Not a bad scent, but not really for me.

(And, it's burning my skin a bit..)

[angelicruin]

Sniffing the imp, it's a very spicy booze scent.

 

Wet on my skin, definitely spiced rum & wood and smoke. Dries down to spicy wood.

 

Interesting, but not something I need a bottle of.

[Andrea912]

Kind of spicy and rummy; very piratey!

[Lamia]

This is WONDERFUL while it's wet. Spicy and warm and confident. I told myself that thinking of standing on a dock while the wind blew off the land and out to sea was just projecting because I knew the name. Then I read the ingredients and was so relieved that my subconcious was right

 

Wet, this is raisins and cardamom and good rum and a hot wind and a beautiful woman in a sturdy corset standing on a dock with a smile on her face.

 

Drydown, this becomes faint and salt-soaked woody - sort of like Sea Rat, but not as powerful and nomnomnom-y.

 

If Port Royal stayed the way it smelled while wet, I would so totally need a 5ml.

 

[Kikkervisje]

Wet: Spicy wood with a very pronounced cinnamon scent. No rum or prostitute.

 

Dry: Subtle spice (clove?) and wood with maybe a touch of saltiness? Very warm. More a sensation than a scent. Prior to this stage the cinnamon scent kicked in even more strongly than its initial appearance where it was about even with the wood. Still no rum or prostitute.

 

Wear Time: Barely there at 7.5 hours

 

Fits Description?: It doesn’t necessarily seem as sinful as Port Royal might, but it does seem… adventurous?

 

Overall: Nice, bold, spicy, woody. Nothing girly about this one. The cinnamon/wood combination seems unique to me. This one might grow on me and become a favorite. We shall see.

[ian]

in the imp: alcohol and fall spices sort of like a spiced rum, there's also a woodiness which reminds me of Sri Lanka

 

on me: more of the same, less of a sharp alcohol smell put plenty of cinnamon and clove, ooo and cedar, which i love!

 

later: no more alcohol or wood, just spices

 

final impressions: i didn't notice the "prostitute's perfume" or the "salty sea air". overall this spicy scent reminds me more of christmas than pirates. not likely that i'd order this one again

 

update: in the oil diffuser the scent is a little different than on my skin and i totally get the salty sea air now!

Edited August 9, 2009 by ian

[crebbsgirl]

This reminds me a little of Mad Sweeney, what with the woods and booze, but it has a distinct complexity that is really intriguing. There does seem to be a hint of "perfume" here but it's not just perfume - if that makes any sense. I really like this! The salt doesn't really show up for me, at least not as an identifiable note.

[BuxomM]

It smells like spice, wood, and wine.

[tajana]

I'd been trying to track some of this down for sooo long, and finally, got frimped with it! I had high expectations for Port Royal!

 

Wet: A swirl of sweet rum with a noticeably boozy edge, a whiff of delightful spices (cinnamon, and I think cardamom too!), a sharp breeze of aquatic "sea air", and, best of all, a whole lot of wood, glorious wood, including some lovely cedar. It smells fairly masculine, but I like the smell enough that I feel comfortable wearing it.

 

Dry: It settles down and smooths out, basically progressing as you'd expect based on the top notes. After it's been on the skin for an hour, it's faded a bit but it's still fresh, cool sea spray lapping against planks of dark wood (cedar is here, and probably some form of sandalwood), with a faint breath of delicate floral/light vanilla feminine perfume an occasional splash of rum. I really dislike "aquatic", ocean water-type notes when they're dominant in a blend, but it's subtle enough here that I find it perfectly wearable. This is all when I plaster my wrist to my nose. When I just enjoy the throw wafting up, it's mostly spicy rum-sweetened wood. It lingers for hours and hours in that form.

 

Overall: Manly and piratey (wood and spicy rum) and yet a bit clean (fresh and aquatic) with occasional hints of something more femme (that "prostitute's perfume"). This is really evocative of the place described, but still a wearable perfume for a person, making it a perfect example of the Wanderlust series, in my opinion. This is so good. It's really, well, piratey, but I can't help but love it. If you like spicy and woody scents, this is a must-try.

 

Note: This smells great on my boyfriend, too! A bit of warm rum melded into spiced brown woods. The overall effect made him think of tree roots.

Edited December 30, 2009 by findaghost

[messiahcomplex]

In the bottle: A very spicy, woody scent. It makes me think of an antique cigar box or an old shop. Salty too.

 

On my skin: Almost smoky, the wood is richer but more subtle and I detect undertones of cedar. Floral (the prostitute's perfume?) is a bit more prominent here.

 

The drydown: Very sharp. Soapy aquatics with a smattering of rum. A hazy, lazy, salty seadog scent.

[devilot]

Port Royal

In the Vial: Salty. Definitely salty.

 

Wet: Hm, is that rum now? Mebbe a bit of that ship's wood? But always, always, salt. Shifting quickly into a really sharp perfumey thing. Ick.

 

Drydown: Still salty and still perfumey. Yeah, not feeling this...

 

Verdict: I like the notes listed, but I guess the combination just doesn't work on my skin.

[sugar]

Port Royal

 

When I read the description of this scent I knew I had to have it. I was after something to make me feel feisty and strong, dramatic, who-gives-a-fuck and piratey and this was perfect. It certainly isn’t a ‘girly’ scent, so its perfect to wear if you want to feel independent. I (personally) wouldn’t wear it on a romantic night in.

 

The scent:

In the bottle: It really evokes all the scents of being in full sail on the high seas. I can smell the salty sea, almost feel the wind in my hair when I sniff it. And there is the distinct (but not overpowering) kick of rum. Yarrr! There is also the faint note of a ‘prostitute’s perfume’ as promised in the description--I would have been sorely disappointed if I hadn’t been able to detect it.

 

Wet: rum-y, tobacco-y, leathery, salty goodness (but less salty than in the bottle). And spicy notes.

 

Dry down: As wet, but smells more...salty?

 

I find I can’t smell this perfume on myself after its been on for a while. But I put it on my neck, and you can’t really smell your neck.

[hmelt004]

Port Royal was one of the first BPALs I tried, and it's still one of my favorites. If you want to enable a Pirates of the Caribbean fan, buy them Port Royal and Black Pearl.

 

Complex and unisex, Port Royal lasts and doesn't morph on my skin. The main notes I get are salt and wood. The rum contributes a hint of spice but no sweetness. There's a little warm floral musk hiding in the background, too. This definitely evokes a ship at port.

[topaz]

Mmmmm, I'm wearing some from my imp and anxiously awaiting my 5mL. The notes seem to work in the reverse for me. I get a blast of the salty sea (similar to Jolly Roger which I love and my son has almost used up), and mulled rum. The salty sea is present in all stages but most prominent when wet. The delicious rum slowly fades and the wood comes out. The first several times I tried this, there was absolutely NO perfume. Today, when Aunt Flo made her visit, I guess the prostitute wanted to remind me I am female. It isn't overpowering and reminds me a bit of my mom's old Cinnabar perfume (which is jasmine, orange flower and clove) so it blends nicely with the other notes.

[melrose]

I tried on Port Royal right after scrubbing off Knave of Hearts, which was making me sick. I hope that didn't color my feelings about PR, but it smelled amazing! Beth really caught the feel of a seaport, with a bit of salt, a lot of fresh air, wood, and just a tiny bit of something sweet.

 

I adore manly scents, but this may be a bit much even for me to consider buying a bottle. I'll enjoy the imp very much, though.

[toomuch]

Aquatics are usually the kiss of death for me, but this one worked. It's like walking on a boardwalk by the sea - sea air and wood smells, with a bazaar on the other side from which wafts florals and powder. It's a keeper.

[SophieCedar]

Wet: nose away from wrist, the 1st note to run towards my nostrils was rum and a soft frothy aquatic note. Closer to wrist, I smell aged wood. Possibly a pine note. I can smell diluted flowers.. carnation and white rose maybe. Very rounded and meaty, not sharp or green.

Drydown: smells like a lingering vegetal aftershave base.. musky w/ woods and a haunting of previously strong flowers. Seductive, with a sharp touch of aquatics and wood. An attention getter at this phase, if slathered.