Asp Viper (2006)

[Xiabelle]

Snake Oil with red mandarin, myrrh, and almond.

When I first put this on, I didn't much like it.

Holy cherry almond, batman! It's that almond-almond-almond scent that makes me dislike most almond scents. Then the myrrh started coming out, and myrrh is all hit or miss on me.

The intial phases of this were bright, sweet almond that gradually dried to a very dusty blend. Bitter almond, myrrh and dust. Lots of dust. Maybe a hint of citrus, but... It's mostly stale marzipan and I'm terribly disappointed.

However! Two hours later, this is OMG yum. I'm sorry I ever doubted you...

This is fantastic lighter Snake Oil, sweetened with a hint of almond and citrus. Yummy.

Not sure if I need a bottle yet, but it makes it as a contender.

[Em-]

Mmm...this is sweet and creamy and spicy - almost like a really rich yummy almond/marzipan tart. In the bottle, this smelled almost too syrupy sweet. And first on, it was so foody that while I liked the scent, I was almost put off...but after wearing it for a bit, it fades into something so wonderfully light and wearable and Snake Oilesque, mixed with an ameretto sour, almost...quite delightful and fun!

[euterpe414]

On my skin this is a simple Snake Oil + marzipan. It doesn't really go through any morphing on me; it just stays nice and delicious! This is a smooth, sexy scent, and fans of BPAL almond blends really should give this one a try! yum yum yum.

[PurringPulsar]

Asp Viper

 

In the bottle: dark bitter almond with just a tinge of sweetness.

Wet on skin: the almond becomes nuttier when it hits skin, smelling like home made marzipan.

Dry on skin: wow, I've never had almond last so long on the skin…it doesn't seem to be fading! For now, this smells like boozy marzipan, or marzipan soaked in wine or amaretto, but the deep rich myrrh and hints of Snake Oil seem to whisper underneath this almond layer. Then it morphs slowly from mushy booze soaked marzipan to dry sweet toasted almonds (ie now it's the smell of almonds as nuts, not cherries), and I get a very slight resemblance to Queen of Sheba-the same feel of toasted almonds and 'desert spices', but without honey. This is so exotic and luxurious. I don't smell mandarin though.

After a while: it's not long before the almond mellows out (but still retains it's toasted, dry nutty scent) and the Snake Oil starts to wind it's way into the scent, adding it's distinctive vanilla-sweet deep richness. This smells like a drier, dustier SO, a desert serpent slithering through the sandy ruins of antiquity at sunset. In addition to SO, there's a feel of incense to this, the myrrh note seems similar to that of Priala, which I love, but there also seems to be a sharper, more burnt myrrh to this too-but such a small quantity, making this smell a little smoky but not fully charred. But the Snake Oil aspect of the scent has the most throw, all around me is that sweet vanilla incense scent. And it's the SO that comes out even more over time, so this scent seems to turn into a more incensy, dry, hypnotic take on Snake Oil. I can't wait to see what happens when it ages!

The scent smoothes out and becomes a gentler cousin of SO, almost like a delicately powdery SO with a soft dusting of sand and incense ash. It now also seems to be a fusion of Bastet and Snake Oil. This is beautiful stuff!

Verdict: I adore this wonderful variant on the Snake Oil theme…it certainly fits the theme of Cleopatra's serpentine companion…first it smells like marzipan (the good kind) with booze, then turns into some kind of decadent almond dessert I could imagine an Egyptian queen eating, sweet spicy almonds. Then it morphs into ground toasted almonds giving the impression of warm sand over a rich smoky myrrh note and then out comes the Snake Oil to make this mysterious, alluring scent even more delicious. The drydown is the most beautiful mix of Snake Oil and Bastet or Queen of Sheba, soft almond powder and incense with the shadowy scent of myrrh swirling around the familiar sensual vanilla sweetness of Snake Oil. This is entrancing and yet also smells like a less heavy version of Snake Oil. It is seductive and warm and dry, dusty, a scent of desert sunsets and ancient temple incense, but sweetened with that Snaky vanilla spice I love so much. I can't wait to see the effect that age will have on the gorgeous myrrh in here, not to mention the Snake Oil base…I love this to bits.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? How could I not keep this? To use the predicted-to-be-much-overused pun, this kicks asp! I need to stock up on this scent!

If you like this, try: Snake Oil, Bastet, Queen of Sheba, Hecate, Black Lotus, Black Phoenix

[Iceblink]

Dana O'Shee and Snake Oil meet, hit it off beautifully, and immediately ditch my arm to go hang out somewhere more interesting. This is so delicious on first application, and then it goes poof (there's a very faint trace of almond left and that's it). Rats!

[juniperus]

Bottle: almond, almond, and did I mention the almond? (but it's not that strange over-powering cherry-almond that Hecate is for the first minute or so)

Wet: still with the almond, and only almond

Dry: I can pick out myrrh behind the almond, no sign of the mandarin, and I can identify the snake oil, but faaar behind.

Later: more myrrh than almond, still none of the mandarin. pretty, but if I take too long a sniff it turns sharp.

[copyshopclerk]

In the imp: Foody - cakelike, but not very sweet. Maybe like a cereal, almost. Reminds me of Queen of Sheba.

 

Wet: Vague bitterness of Queen of Sheba, which unfortunately wears a bit "chemical" on me. I can't detect any citrus.

 

Dry: Ah, that's better - becomes more cookie-like. Husband agreed, said it smelled like baked goods.

 

The wet phase of this was a bit off for me, but the end result when dry is rather pleasant.

[bibliophile]

Wow, I smell delicious. This and Boomslang are the only two snakes I've tried on my skin so far where the Snake Oil spices are obvious from the start. This is sweet without being cloying on me... the almond+spice combination turns out more tonka/vanilla sweet (so much so that I had to check the notes again) than marzipan/amaretto/Dana O'Shee sweet on my skin. After two hours, I still have not detected an obvious mandarin note, and the scent is much fainter than before, though I can still catch wafts now and then. I think that this one will age unbelievably... I may have to hoard some!

[em_h]

Marzipan Snake Oil, mmmm!

 

The mandarin is barely detectable if I put my nose right up to my wrist. Mostly, this is really a very nice, sweet, slightly cookie-like Snake Oil variant. As it dries down, I start to get some dark smokiness from the myrrh, which is lovely (though the almond does get a bit hand-lotiony).

 

Nice as it is now, I think it'll be much much nicer aged, so I'm probably going to set it aside for a while and let the Snake Oil mature. But I'm very pleased with this. It's yummy.

Edited February 28, 2007 by em_h

[maijasu]

This is verrrryyy almondy! The mandarin is just a hint of citrus, and the Snake Oil grounds it all with lovely spicy goodness. This is one of the foodier blends in the Pit, and it is . I will have to resist the urge to hoard.

[isyche]

All strong almond at first, then almond + Snake Oil, then dries to just plain Snake Oil. I like the almond note, and it makes the Snake Oil a little sweeter/foodier/creamier, which is lovely and comforting.

 

I really like this one, but I don't think I need a bottle because the drydown is just like regular Snake Oil on me.

[GlowJob]

Ohhhhh how I wish the first stage of Asp Viper held on longer.It's a beautiful sweet amaretto almond scent that makes my mouth water but soon after it dries down...

It smells like slightly spicy almond flour to me.Not bad,but not great either.Foody but not super sweet.

Has a fairly light throw but last quite long.

[lushlovely]

Oh wow, at first, this was so much better than I had ever expected it could be! I'm actually not a huge Snake Oil fan, but I couldn't resist the almond possibilities. So when I first apply it, it is absolutely delicious almondy snake oil. If only it had stayed that way. Sadly it quickly dries into sour almondy snake oil with a kick of old-lady perfume.

[melissadragon]

ASP VIPER:

 

Imp: WOWRED. Sharp myrrh and almond. - applied to back of right hand

Wet: Softer red, heavy on the almond, not so much anything else.

Dry: Okay, much softer, I'm getting it all now, the almond, the myrrh, the mandarin, the Snake Oil, I can distinguish every note.

1hr later: A soft, red, oozing sexiness.

Verdict: Keeper.

[asciident]

Wet: Wow! Really strong almonds. Marzipan, really.

 

First on: Snake Oil lathered over marzipan! Wow. The almonds temper down the the perfumey patchouli part of S.O.

 

Dry: Warm myrrh coming into play. This is a cozy foody scent. Like a hug.

[smallvoice]

The myrrh is threatening to make this go musty on me, but the almond is just radiant. Y'know, it's odd to me that I've seen this and Boomslang referred to as the "Snake Oiliest" of the bunch, and they're my favourites so far... but I don't like Snake Oil. Granted, I've liked three of the four I've tried, so... yeah. Strange! But this is the lovely almond from Queen of Sheba with a lovely undertone of the vanilla spices. I think the myrrh will soften on my skin and deepen with age. This is a serious winner.

[SultryWolf]

in the decant: Snake Oil and almond.

on: Sweet almond. The myrrh comes out on drydown, to be overtaken by almond again - always grounded with Snake Oil. Heady and rich.

Love it.

[grrrlennyl]

at first: heavy almond.

on: wow. this is gorgeous. sweet almond and incense notes.

2 hours later: mostly myrrh.

4.5 hours later: sweet and dark.

overall: this is a nice variation on snake oil. i wish the almond would hang around longer.

[slave1]

ASP VIPER

 

In Bottle: Nutty cherry almond

 

On Skin: I smell the sweet cherry like note of the almond, but combined with the myrrh it is also slightly nutty. The Snake Oil is present for sure, adding to the sweet and resinous feel. Yum! I don’t really smell the mandarin other than a slight tart tone that is in the background. This scent is very red and warm in feel. Also a bit foody… like the almond cookies you get sometimes with Chinese take-out. If you like Snake Oil but it’s too intense for you, this is a softer sweeter take on the scent. I love it and would wear it for sure. I also like how the almond is not overwhelmingly cherry sweet, the other notes balance it so well. It has a light to medium throw and average wearlength.

[Alchemy21599]

In the vial: bitter almond o_0

 

Wet on skin: marzipan. I was tempted to wash this off b/c I really don't like strong almond notes.

 

Dry: I am glad that I didn't wash this off! After about one half hour the scent developed into a lovely spicy, resinous lighter version of Snake Oil. Lovely!

[Brianne]

In the bottle:

mmm almond oil!

 

On me:

I know some people aren't fond of almond but me? I LOVE it. I could roll in it. I also tend to review oils by comparing them to two other oils and in this case I would say Asp Viper is a combination of Snake Oil (obviously) and Black Phoenix. Two oils I really love. The myrrh is staying pretty in check in this, which is nice on me for a change. Somehow, it is all combining to make an amaretto smell. It's kind of foody but not too much so - very comforting, warm, smooth.

 

I'm not getting mandarin at all, which I was really looking forward too. But I still like this - glad that the myrrh isn't amping and glad that this is as delicious as I thought it would be!

 

Final note:

Very nice - I will love my bottle lots, no doubt - though I don't think I need another one. On me, I could probably get close to the same smell by layering Snake Oil and Black Phoenix so after this bottle, I'll just have to invest in more Black Phoenix

 

The banner I made for it (feel free to use!

[sarada]

I couldn't skin test this because of the almond, but thought I'd post my thoughts just for those other people who can't abide almond, that this is very strong on it, and I had to put it away after one sniff. If you have a strong dislike or negative reaction to almond, this would probably be one to stay away from. It might die down as it dries down, but I can't make it that long to find out! Alas...I'd like to see how myrrh works with Snake Oil.

 

It's kind of a relief that not all of the Snake Pit scents work for me, because I can't afford the whole menagerie!

[supremegoddessofall]

More almond than anything else. Not sure this is really my thing, because it's just a little *too* almondy. Guess I'll pass it on to someone who likes it better.

[filigree_shadow]

On my skin, the almond is not at all overwhelming. It's blending really nicely with the myrrh and giving the whole scent the same sort of feel as a dusty antique store. It reminds me of something vintage... old books on an antique bookshelf. Not sure how I get that image from this scent, but it's definitely there.

 

I like the Snake Oil and myrrh combination, which is what this is on me when it's dry. It smells lovely.

[Naamah_Darling]

Snake Oil The Sequel: SPAWN OF SNAKE OIL.

 

This is like Snake Oil plus all the things in Snake Oil I already liked.

 

Hello hot almond cream, hello warm and friendly myrrh. The orange here is a candied orange, like orange frosting. I suspect that's the influence of the almond, which smells like baking.

 

Oh, this is yum, and I haven't even put it on yet!

 

This is like an exotic, beautiful woman, her body draped in beadwork and coin scarves and veils of silk. Her hennaed hands and brilliant cinnamon-colored ringlets are the same color as the spice she smells of. She moves with fluid grace and an air of mystery. And in her hands . . . a plate of vanilla sugar cookies.

 

It's super-exotic with a dash of the friendly and familiar. How can you go wrong here?

 

If you like Snake Oil, you really must try this one. It's like the perfume I wanted Snake Oil to be.

 

Utterly divine.