The Ecstasy of Passion

[abejita]

The Ecstasy of Passion:

Bourbon vanilla, red musk, galbanum, ambergris, sweet clove, petitgrain, and golden amber.

 

Initially, this was the Ecstasy blend I wanted most. I'm a huge fan of vanilla, resins, and spice. When my Inquisition arrived and it wasn't Passion, I was a bit sad. But now that I've tried a decant, I'm in the minority of folks who just aren't into this blend.

 

On me, it's just a faint and nondescript vanilla/clove/amber blend. I'm not getting any resiny richness or depth. I'm really surprised, these kinds of blends are usually so good on me, but this one is flat and two-dimensional. So weird, but considering how wildly popular and rare this one is, it's probably a good thing.

[storme]

Like so many others, this was the Inquisition scent I was most curious about - while it's not what I received for my plea, someone was kind enough to sell me an imp of it on lj to test.

 

In the imp: clove and petitgrain and red musk, oh my.

 

On me, wet: oooooooooooh. aw yeah, that's the stuff. lotsa clove, lots rich, almost burnt-smelling vanilla and petitgrain and musk.

 

On me, dry: no wonder people are going nuts for this. It does remind me of Smut, but where Smut because Brut on my skin, this is feminine and gorgeous.

 

Verdict: I waved my wrist under my SO's nose and his first reaction was to kiss it. I think it's a winner.

[edenssixthday]

The Ecstasy of Passion - There is a reason this scent is in such high demand: it’s drop-dead gorgeous. When I sniff this in the vial, it seems like a red musk and clove scent, but once it’s on my skin, the ambergris and bourbon vanilla are definitely the strongest notes, supported by the red musk and amber. The clove stays surprisingly mild on me. I usually amp clove, but it lends just the perfect balance of light spiciness to the scent. If I knew what galbanum and petitgrain were, maybe I could comment on how those lend to the overwhelming awesomeness of this blend. As it dries down, the the bourbon vanilla definitely gives the feeling that this scent is somewhat similar to a red musky Snake Oil or a spicy and less musky Smut. The throw and staying power on me is light to average. You’re going to have to pry this out of my cold, dead hands.

[QueenFae]

Yum, this is a very sweet, baked goods scent on me. The vanilla is on top, and I can't smell much of the bourbon at all, it's not boozey. The clove and red musk combine to form a very warm, red, spicy undertone to the foodiness of the vanilla. There is a lovely, smooth, creamy amber base that ties everything together. This is a very rich, decadent, glowing scent.

 

This is absolutely lovely, and I just love it. I would certainly buy a bottle if I could get my hands on one.

[maijasu]

This is a nice musky clove with vanilla. I do like it, but I'm not gaga over it like so many people seem to be. Luckily, I just swapped for a decant, as I would have been disappointed if I'd swapped away a whole bottle of something rare or paid an exorbitant price for this. I'm undecided on whether or not to keep the decant, as there are so many other spicy-sweet BPALs that I love even more and which are easier to obtain should I run out.

[Victory]

The Ecstasy of Passion is a bit of a miracle scent. Red musk and I usually have to stay at the far ends of our corners because it smells like rabid peanut butter on me (Smut and Sed Non Satiata come to mind), and while Passion sometimes flirts in that direction, the other notes hold the red musk in place. Thank heavens. It's such a sexy blend on me, all incensy and spicy with that whiff of decadent, smoldering vanilla. Oh yeah. This is much more Snake Oil than Smut on me, I think, and while I'm not an ardent admirer of either, I love my Passion. The goblins in the Trading Post must love me.

[phedre]

In vial: Musk and clove, a bit of amber.

 

Wet: Wow. The clove comes right out, and the vanilla is sweetening it up nicely. Gorgeous!

 

Drydown: This reminds me of a cross between Snake Charmer and Smut, but doesn't go nasty on my skin like Smut tends to do. It's a lovely mix of amber, vanilla, and musk that's just perfect. I love this, and if I didn't already have a bottle on the way, I'd be scouring for one!

[PurringPulsar]

The Ecstasy of Passion

 

In the imp: wonderful golden amber with vanilla-musk! Think Jacob's Ladder meets Snake Oil!

Wet on skin: a sharper, slightly perfumey note surfaces, but this is a good perfumey scent.

Dry on skin: mmm, wow! Now I can smell petitgrain in here…for those who don't know, petitgrain is very similar in scent to neroli, but a little less floral (it comes from the orange too, not sure if it's the leaf or what) and I smell lots of that here. I also smell something very similar to Jacob's Ladder, a kind of golden piercing scent, probably the galbanum and amber, a lot of ambergris too, as well as deep dark vanilla, gorgeous creamy cloves, and musk. This is divine! It is a little cologne like thanks to the orange blossom like petitgrain, but in a very good way. It smells unisex, I could see this as being downright shaggable on a guy!

After a while: creamy cloves! After a while the clove note really, really comes out. Usually cloves in BPAL don't show off very much but this one does, and I love it. It reminds me of another clove scent-maybe Port au Prince? It smells of cloves and vanilla, a very creamy spicy scent, surrounded by ambergris perfume and sweeter amber and rich musk. Damn, this stuff is sexy. The scent is a nice balance of rich brown vanilla, cloves and musk, with a golden, sparkling scent of amber cologne, almost bordering on masculine but not quite. It's a very decadent scent, it brings to mind gold jewellery against velvety dresses and dark silk. It brings to mind expensive indulgence.

The notes merge together so nicely, and I get a pleasant, yet unexpected, golden hay or reed like note appearing in this scent. I also smell something like myrrh to this, a smoky incense scent winding through. It's still very much a golden-spicy vanilla-clove perfume, but now it smells a little bit more like Jacob's Ladder, but without as much dusty dryness as JL, and the ambergris note is very strong now, too. The smokiness progresses over time, becoming almost tobacco-like. Eventually it becomes a gorgeous, golden-smoky-clovey ambergris with a vanilla-musk base.

And at the very end, it gains a golden-dusty-amber incense scent very similar to the likes of Jacob's Ladder, Mr Jacquel and Great Cry in Egypt. A beautiful soft golden spicy warm amber-musk scent. I swear I smell frankincense and sandalwood now even though they aren't listed.

Verdict: I knew that I would love Passion. And it's the most coveted of the Agony or Ecstasy scents…and I adore this! It reminds me of Jacob's Ladder (which I love) but with added musk, clove, and sensual vanilla! The petitgrain, an orange blossom like note, along with the ambergris, gives the scent a posh perfume/cologne like tang at the start, but this is a very pleasant scent, not one of those masculine cologne notes. Underneath the sharp, golden glittering top notes is a dark vanilla-musk base warmed beautifully by a sweet creamy clove note. This is gloriously decadent, it is sexy, I agree, but in a sophisticated, stylish way. The scent goes through phases of cloves and ambergris before settling into a beautiful scent of golden amber surrounded by soft smoky incense and warm spice, warm and dry and glowing, with a pulse of musk underneath. Rich and delectable, seductive and tempting, this is a fabulous combination of dark vanilla-musk-incense (which Beth does so well) merged with a glistening amber perfume. I love this so much…and I know it will be hard to track down! But I want more of this, much more…Passion sure is worth the hype!

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Definitely! I want mooooore (without paying a fortune)!

[Naamah_Darling]

Musk, clove, and incense swirl in the top of this scent, with a bit of the petitgrain coming through. This is a golden, sensual scent, an enfolding aura of musk and amber.

 

It goes on with more teeth than you'd think: the clove and the crystalline incense notes are quite powerful. This is a heady scent, drunk almost.

 

It dries to a spicy, sexy mix of ambers and musk, one that I very much adore, and I'll be eagerly hunting down a bottle for myself.

[theseagrows]

i had no doubt in my mind that i would love this, and i was correct. it's a smooth vanilla-amber-clove scent with a hint of musk. it's absolutely beautiful, and there is almost something floral about it to me, but not sure what that is. i would LOVE a big bottle of this, if it's even possible!

Edited May 19, 2007 by theseagrows

[asciident]

Wet: Clove, red musk. Incensey.

 

First on: Ambergris and amber are both coming out. Very red, musky and a bit smoky.

 

Dry: It gets much sweeter on the dry-down. The musk mellows, and it's just a lovely sweet and spicy scent now. Very pretty!

[naeelah]

I just got an imp of this in the mail -- yay! I'm happy to have it, however, I am relieved that I don't love it so much I need to run out and buy a whole bottle.

 

It's not quite the best time of month to be reviewing things (my skin has been eating everything), but we'll do what we can! Wet, it's very strong on the vanilla. As it dries, a bright, cinnamony quality begins to come out and is quickly joined by the sweet clove (which I'm not able to distinguish from bitter clove ). Together they form a very spicy, warm, husky quality, like cinnamon bark. I'm not so familiar with the other notes in the blend, but judging by their wikipedia entries, they should add a slight musky quality, which probably just blends and augments the red musk and clove. The musk and clove are a good match for the vanilla, which is very smooth and sweet and isn't overpowered by the spiciness. It helps to make a rich and happy scent, instead of just a fiery one.

 

15 minutes into the scent, I'm not getting any noticeable amber, but I suspect it's there in the background, helping to keep things grounded. It did gradually come out over the life of the scent. After about 4 hours, the clove had receded the most, leaving vanilla as the top note, enriched by the amber and musk.

 

So far, the staying power is good, and it has excellent throw. It's actually giving me a bit of a headache, although that could be from compulsively sniffing myself.

 

This blend is very vibrant and invigorating to wear, and an excellent realization of its name! I definitely recommend it for fans of brightly spicy scents.

Edited June 4, 2007 by naeelah

[scourgeotheseas]

The Ecstasy of Passion (thanks for the swap, reenie212!)

 

In the imp: Musk and amber, so I imagine I'm smelling both of them and the ambergris as well. Plus a boozy topnote.

 

On me/wet: Amber! Clove appears in the background, and a sweetness that might be the bourbon vanilla. As it sits, the clove becomes more and more apparent. Sweet, smoky clove. Mmmm....

 

Drydown: Whoa! This is a strong one! The sweetness has faded, and now I see where all the comparisons to clove cigarettes come from. There's a light floral overlay, and hint of vanilla sweetness. Pretty.

 

As it continues to drydown, it's fading to a sort-of skin musk smell, with only a bit of clove. Still very nice.

Edited June 5, 2007 by scourgeotheseas

[zankoku_zen]

In the imp: Incensey

 

On Skin: Something REALLY smells incensey on me. Slightly musky, slightly vanilla sweet.

 

On Drydown: The amber makes an appearance, it's more of a resiny blend as opposed to an incensey one. Something sweet in the background.

 

After two hours: Pretty, slightly perfumey very close to the skin scent.

 

Verdict: Pretty but not for me. I can see this being a very passionate and sexy scent, and utterly stunning on the right woman. From an artistic standpoint, this is dynamite. From a personal preference, it's not the kind of scent that I'm drawn to and wear. So I'm gonna send this little fella on to a more loving home.

[alicia_stardust]

This is a gorgeous, heady, and sultry blend. I adore red musk so I was an easy sell, but past that, this is a stunning scent. It has a very "red" quality to it: deep and musky. There's a bite of clove and a touch of vanilla and boozy swoon. It's very warm and glowing. I get compliments every time I wear it. It has a good throw and lasts longer than average.

 

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

I didn't participate in the Inquisition this go 'round, but I was curious about this scent. I got to test it recently, and it reminds me of Storyville--a rich, resinous, 'red' scent. Passion seemed to have more...well, I thought it was patchouli, but that's not in the notes, so I guess it's the musk combined with the ambergris. Anyway, it's one of the 'heavy' scents--that is, strong base notes, rich/warm middle notes, but no light/floaty topnotes that my nose could discern. I like the whole family of scents*, as a general rule, but Storyville is the sexier of the two to my nose, and I have that one.

 

*I think of it as the Snake Oil family--all the musk/resin/sex ones. Of those, Snake Charmer and Storyville are my most beloved, while Smut was a bit too much for me.

Edited December 2, 2007 by Laurel the Woodfairy

[joseybird]

Absolutely delicious <33 A warm, spicy, earthy amber with a touch of "heat" from the red musk. Highly rec'd for amber, spice, and resin fans.

[Miss Lynx]

Oh, Gods... Love. LOVE. Why is this so hard to find, and so damn good?

 

I tried a bit at a meet'n'sniff a while back, and that little exposure was enough for me to put it as a top-priority scent on my wishlist. And then I managed to score a half-imp of my own at the most recent Toronto meet'n'sniff. And not only is it every bit as wonderful as I remembered, if anything it's better.

 

Warm, ambery, incensey, spicy, with an intoxicating depth to it. It's kind of like the love-child of The Lion and Schwarzer Mond, with the former's sunny warmth, and the latter's resinous depth. It just doesn't get much better than this.

 

*sigh* I used to say I would never be one of those people who stalked eBay auctions looking for a chance to spend an exessive amount of money on a rare scent... But I think I may be doing just that for this one.

 

Grade: A+

[Dark Alice]

Gorgeous Bourbon vanilla that behaves itself I love the red musk too. I just don't know if I should keep this bottle or if I should just decant an imp and pass on the love, cuz I don't think I will wear this one too much......

[crebbsgirl]

I thought this would be absolute win on me when I managed to score a decant of this in a swap. Unfortunately not. On me something goes really sickly sweet here. I'm not entirely sure what it is because all of these notes love me. It just went cloying and sickly. I'll be passing this one on. At least I don't have to try and hunt down more of this!

[ravenfeathers]

in the bottle uh, hello? *peeks in bottle* i'm getting the teeniest whiff of red musk and nothing else. *is perplexed*

wet on skin hey, presto! perfume! this is interesting, although not what i was expecting. low-key with the thick sweetness of red musk and the barest whiff of clove and something almost floral? must be the pettigrain, because it does have a neroli-ish feel to it.

dry on skin the amber amps up and the pettigrain diminishes, thankfully. the bourbon vanilla isn't here at all, which is disappointing. it's dry and sweet, like something syrupy that dripped onto a polished wooden table and then dried until it was no longer sticky. definitely resinous. the two blends that this is most reminding me of are the tell-tale heart and hellhound on my trail, oddly. must be the galbanum? since those are two of my top-ten scents, i can say that ecstasy of passion is a real winner with me.

[Lyrical]

In the vial: no individual note leaps out at me, but it's pleasant and well-blended.

 

Wet on skin: mostly clove, with red musk and a bitter, resinous note. Dark, smoky and exotic.

 

Dry on skin: bitter clove and resins. I never did get vanilla.

[CreamyJade]

In the bottle: Boozy vanilla, sweet clove, the lightest touch of ambergris.

Wet on skin: Vanilla, musk, sweet clove, petitgrain, something resinous and incensy.

Dry on skin: Spicy cloves & sweet resins blended perfectly. Magnificent!

Final thoughts: I was lucky enough to get a hold of an almost full bottle of this and I am grateful! This blend is just beautiful, it makes it teary. It reminds me of a spicier version of Smut right out of the bottle, or a smokier & spicier Schwarzer Mond during the drydown. Ugh! I wish I had known BPAL when this blend came out! It's a definate "will track down more", and until then, I'll cherish my bottle.

[rayvn1]

Oh my goodness this smells so good! Very light and slightly musky when first applied, this has spread out and strengthened into a dry, slightly dusty red musk and vanilla scent. Dark and warm - I looooooove this!! And I'm sure it's going to be hard to find (sigh)

[Schmoozy]

 

Wow. Right off the bat this is all red musk and sweet clove, but as it quickly dries on my skin this starts morphing right away. The red musk all but disappears into the background and I am left with a spicy clove scent that is sweetened by golden amber and the vanilla. Whiffs of musk continue to waft around me, making this blend very rich, very resinous and incrediably sexy.