The Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil

[CitizenBree]

Bourbon vanilla, benzoin, caramel, Mysore sandalwood, aged black patchouli, carnation, and iris florentina.

 

Yum! Yes to bourbon vanilla and caramel. Those are the two most prominent scents. If I try hard i could probably pick out a little herbal or floral but it's way in the background for me. Husband commented on it as I walked by this morning saying he liked it. It reminds me a little like Agrat-Bat-Mahlat, only that one is much more creamy. This one is more boozy.

I may need to slather this a bit more because I feel like it fades fast and isn't all that strong to begin with. On the other hand, foody scents that are too strong can really overpower, so maybe this is perfect.

This imp is a keeper and potentially up for a death match to see if I get a bottle.

[Venneh]

In the imp, I'm getting the bourbon vanilla and the caramel, and it's smelling really good; on my skin, I'm getting mostly the caramel with a bit of bourbon vanilla. Mmm. I'm thinking this is going to go on to a second round test.

[ModderRhu]

At first, this smells like dirt and caramel on my skin

 

but then after a while, the iris kicks in and it starts smelling like eating caramels while wearing lipstick.

 

The first stage is so nice that I want to like this but I'm not yet sure if I do.

[SophieCedar]

Wet: golden boozy vanilla, caramel, meaty benzoin, and a touch of sandalwood and patchouli.. I can even smell the top note of iris. aka: sex in a bottle! Ohhh boy..man trap. (or woman trap, depending on what you prefer )

 

Drydown: When mixed with natural skin musk and my particular chemistry stink (which is kinda like a cross of this & midnight on the midway) this is AWESOME. It's turns more buttery/pastry-like and I'm amping the benzoin (which I tend to anyways). This weakened for a second then got stronger. Debating a bottle. Today is order day, after all...

[Clavis]

All of these comments on caramel and vanilla and that's not really what I get...

 

On me, this is bourbon and brown sugar. Mostly bourbon. GOOD bourbon. But not overly sweet despite the brown sugar. The sandalwood dries it out, the carnation adds spice, and the patchouly does both while adding a firm foundation. A tiny bit of vanilla adds to the spice, but not much. This one isn't so much foody as boozy.

 

I never did get the iris but at least it didn't turn to baby powder on me the way Iris and orris usually do. Perhaps it added to that "deep-deep sniff" attraction. I ended up with my nose glues to my wrist for hours with this one and its LOVELY on a cold day!

 

But not at work... if I wear it there I get some odd looks. The bourbon.

Edited December 2, 2010 by Clavis

[tacey]

I can't believe I've never reviewed this one! This is one of my loves - it's perfect for cuddly weekends or putting on after work (when I change into soft clothes for the evening ).

 

Very caramel, but quite sexy. The florals provide a depth to the sweetness and keep it from being in-your-face foody. It's super smooth, with the kind of patchouli that's just deep and dark, but not gritty at all. Fantastic - all the colors of the artwork, but none of the harshness the image might suggest. This is the FUN way to party with the devil...

[Incendiare]

This one sure took me by surprise. WIthout looking at the notes, as soon as I opened the vial, I could smell the caramel and sandalwood. The patchouli caught up as soon as I applied the oil to my skin. Normally, I'm a patchouli hater, and looking back, I remember thinking I wasn't going to like this one because of that one note. It's actually not that bad in this blend. The caramel seems to be the top note. I put this one before going out earlier in the day and for hours, the caramel especially followed me around. It got to be a bit too much after a while, unfortunately. Six hours later and the scent is practically gone, but maybe because most of it rubbed off onto my scarf. The only time I could detect the carnation was a few minutes after application, but after a while it went back into its little corner, staying out of the way of the caramel and patchouli. The bourbon vanilla never stood out to me. Perhaps it blended completely into the caramel. Interesting blend.

[Gin]

Yum! I couldn't imagine that The Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil could smell so good. I kind of have an aversion to anything Devil related because of something my aunt said to me when I was young, but seriously, this oil is amazing. This is caramel and spice and vanilla and it kind of makes me want to lick my arm. It's kind of brown sugary, too--like a caramelly version of Sugar Skull! Delicious. This blows all other BPAL caramels out of the water.

[OctoberGwen]

I would have loved this if not for the carnation, which is a death note on me. It ends up very sharp and unpleasant and I detest it. Otherwise, the rich smooth smokiness of this blend is very nice indeed. Boo, carnation!

Edited September 19, 2011 by OctoberGwen

[Chaos Of The Sun]

OK, so this is my first ever review! Drum roll Please... Now, bear in mind, I am very new to the world of BPAL and I dont generally like most traditional perfumes because they just gag me and make my sinuses sieze up, maybe because of the alcohol? I dont know...I was worried about that when I placed my first order, but have had no similar problems with the BPAL oils.

 

So this was the first scent I really fell for and seemed to fit me like it was made for me. There is an interesting duality in the scent that represents the painting very well. I certainly dont wish to offend with this review, so read on at your own risk!

 

On one hand this reminds me of churchy smells, probably the incense. It seems sort of Holy, like you should be hearing Gregorian chanting while smelling it. Its quite warm and fuzzy, comforting in a way that reminds me of autumnal leaf burning on a dreary damp November day.It gives me a sort of sense of well being and feeling protected, Kind of like the feeling you get when the weather is potentially deadly, like a blizzard situation, but you are safe and snug in a warm house with the fire crackling and plenty of coffee, soft blankets, candles, good books, and you can hear your honey singing in the shower.

 

On the other hand, there is an underlying sweetness, very dark, seductive, with questionable intentions. I can see the potential for immoral behavior, such as sex on the alter with the priest you have been secretly lusting after for 6 years. And you know he cannot resist, and will never forgive either of you, but you just cannot control yourself, and get a deep sense of satisfaction in having him profane himself on the alter. Wicked!

 

And just to clarify, I am not guilty of the above mentioned behavior, but WOW! This scent can bring out the best in you or the worst. It's your choice.

[stellamaris]

So, I ordered this purely on impulse, having never smelled it before, but all of the notes seemed like they were perfect.

Right out of the mailbox, this is heavenly. First I smelled a black furry patchouli, like the one in Occupy Wall Street, and then the carnation seemed to arrive and take over when it dried down Will be testing more...may need back ups...

[orata]

Very foody. Sweet, buttery, dark, rich caramel. It actually reminds me of some crumbly brown sugar pralines I got at a Cajun restaurant the other week. The vanilla note smells just like the Bourbon Vanilla bath oil from last Valentine's day, with its almost sassafras note. The carnation and iris are soft undertones and remind me of Zarita the Doll Girl (but I like this better than Zarita) and I don't really get the patchouli at all; it must be pretty well-blended. It smells quite complex and rich despite the general overwhelming caramel impression.

[ami226]

I am kinda bummed by this one.

 

All I get from this blend is a splash of florals, slightly bitter sandalwood, and a hint of patchouli. Where's the vanilla and caramel? I'm tempted to keep this one around a bit to see if the other notes pop out later.

[AlectoFurious]

Color me....disappointed. Much like the previous poster this never turned into warm, fuzzy, foody goodness on me. The smell is familiar however on dry down. I hate to say it but if you have ever walked into a Lush store (and I know must of us have) that is exactly what this smells like on me, the smell of a Lush store. I too will hang on in the hope that a little time will make it play nice.

Edited August 28, 2012 by AlectoFurious

[bellumed]

Nothing foody about this on me. Would've liked some vanilla, caramel, and carnation... instead got the sandalwood, patchouli, and booze. Oh well, I guess.

[LiberAmoris]

Reviewing a well-aged imp of The Arrival at the Sabbath and Homage to the Devil, and slightly flummoxed at all the reviews of caramelly goodness...perhaps it's aged out of my imp? But it's ok, because I like what I have here: a complex iris perfume, that yes, smells a bit like the odiferous melange of a Lush store. This is mostly iris, carnation, sandalwood, and benzoin on me and it is YUMMY. I failed to pick up a bottle of this when it released, but I wish I had...knowing what I now know about what works on me, this is a note list that would definitely justify a blind bottle, that's for sure. This isn't foody or fuzzy on me, it's classic and chic.

[alyelle]

Frimp with my recent order of decants, so not sure on the age, but the packaging suggests it's not terribly old.

 

In the imp: burnt caramel, bread, and wine.

 

Wet: sticky caramel buns. I smell like I've been rolling around in a bakery.

 

Dry: not awful, but too foodie for my liking. However, it is definitely the nicest of BPAL's caramel/caramel-like scents I've tried, with none of the awful chemical smell I have gotten from stuff like Sugar Cookie and Sugar Moon.

 

Reasonably long lasting, with a life of about 6-8 hours, and a mild throw.

 

Update: re-tested after aging for five years in a dark, temperature-controlled cellar. The caramel is much more rounded, the sandalwood definitely stronger, and the orris/bourbon vanilla take a much greater role in the structure of the scent. A very worthwhile experiment, and if you do have the patience/ability to age this one before using, I highly recommend doing so.

 

Stars: ★★★

 

 

Edited October 25, 2021 by alyelle

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Sweet, wonderfully smoky, a little bit floral, and just a hint of plastic. Hoping that will fade away!

 

 

Dry: This is amazing - underneath the plastic. It makes me so sad, because I can smell how fantastic the caramel is with those other notes, but something in here has turned to plastic on my skin and ruined it for me. Heartbreaking!

[Klepz]

The patchouli and wood smell beautiful in this - it smells like dry (almost dusty), lightly-caramelized vanilla-wood. I can't really smell the carnation or iris, but I imagine they're what keeps it light, so that this smells like a sun-dappled vanity chest.

 

I was expecting more of a foody scent, but was pleasantly surprised to find this is a barely-sweet sandalwood and patchouli.

[Casablanca]

A lot could go right and wrong on my skin from these notes.

First impression on my skin: Oh, this is lovely. In a complex brew, caramel is strongest on me, but vanilla/benzoin and patchouli are right up there with it and oh, hey, I can wear this specific patchouli. I also catch the iris -- another problem child for me -- and don't mind it at first, either. It has more of the pretty and less of the powder than most iris I've tried. I don't smell any carnation or sandalwood in this phase.

Dried, the iris-patchouli pair grows to dominance. The caramel-vanilla is still present, but I liked this better when that combo was most prominent. Iris-patchouli were lovely as support notes for them. I pick up a little faint sandalwood now, but this is an iris-patch show. I never find the carnation.

 

I'm just left feeling sketchy about iris and patchouli again.

[ND¢]

Can't believe I've never reviewed this. 

 

For those who love this, I bet you also love Pinched With Four Pumpkins and Arcana's Two Finger Ballet. 

 

This is a delicious, strong, boozy caramel that mixes so uniquely with the iris and, later, carnation. The sandalwood and patchouli play second fiddle but add great depth of field.