Tintagel

[Renny]

According to legend, the birthplace of King Arthur. The scent of a castle's great hall in the midst of joyous feasting. Spicy mulled wine flowing through the musky heat, warm leather and bright clash of armor, the damp branches of Cornish hawthorn, blackthorn, juniper, English elm and bayberry, and the magical tingle of dragon's blood resin.

In the bottle - Very sweet... almost berrylike, with some spices thrown in

On me - Warm and spicy, much like cinnamon. But there's some kind of musk in the background too. It smells great, makes me think of sitting by a warm hearth.

[Penance]

Preconceived notions:

 

I've actually swapped away about 5 imps of this without ever really trying it because I remember disliking it for some reason the first time I sniffed it, but I'm trying to make a point of trying everything I get (unless it has almonds in it) just in case it's something that I end up liking unexpectedly.

 

First sniff:

 

Interesting...juniper definitely jumps out at me when I open the imp. It's very sharp and almost burns my nose, but there's dragon's blood and wine, too, and they soften the burn somewhat. I like juniper, but for some reason it's not setting well with me in this blend.

 

Wet on skin:

 

More dragon's blood than juniper now and the wood notes and leather (?) are starting to make an appearance, too. For some reason, I'm not wowed by this the way I wanted to be. In spite of the fact that practically everything in here is right up my alley, it's just falling short of my expectations somehow.

 

Dry down:

 

Tintagel has settled down into a sort of generic dragon's blood and slight leather scent that's just not doing it for me for some reason. I love leather and dragon's blood and I should love them together, but Tintagel just feels wrong somehow. I'm sure I'm just associating it with something unpleasant that I can't remember, but it's still disappointing.

 

The bottom line:

 

I should love this scent, but I just can't. I guess it's just not for me.

[shadowsong]

argh, bubblegum! some other people mentioned smelling that, and it overwhelmed the rest of the scent. if it's the right time of the month and i concentrate really hard, i can smell the mulling spices and woods and the sharpness of the juniper. but mostly, bubblegum. ::cries::

[surf-tormented]

Interesting blend of notes..herby, then clovey, then dragon's bloody, then leather...it would be the perfect match up for Wildfire, though it is a little tame in comparison to that,

[girlmadasbirds]

i thought this was a wonderful scent, but it just smelled too manly on me. i'm passing it along to the boyfriend

[donsixgun]

In the vial: I can smell the spice..cinnamon, and I think clove? after breathing a bit deeper, I can smell the juniper and the smell of damp shrubs...

 

Wet on me: Too much cinnamon! It reminds me a lot like the smell of xmas...and the candles, incense, etc that people use...I could imagine pine cones, red candles, cinnamon sticks...

 

Dry: Its been about 10-15 minutes, and the cinnamon is still strong. A bit of the dragons blood is starting to show, but not much of the juniper and elm...I get no leather, and if only the cinnamon would settle a bit more, it would be great.

 

The verdict is still out on this one...

 

***Edited to say that I tried, and tried, but its nothing but generic xmas on me. No likey, and I decided to swap it.

Edited April 29, 2005 by donsixgun

[Malista]

Tintagel

 

In the bottle: Wine and Dragon’s Blood. Not unexpected; Beth’s wine notes tend to make themselves known both to and on me, and Dragon’s Blood is always the strongest wet scent in any of the blends I have tried so far, where it is an ingredient of any amount. So, very red wine and very sweet, spicy berries, which is the scent I always get from Dragon’s Blood for the five minutes it lasts on my skin. Given my recent experience with Blood Rose, I’m not holding out much hope for Tintagel working on me, at this point. This may well be another Vat-o-Merlot experience.

 

First applied: DRAGON’S BLOOD! Oh, and, wait…bayberry! Cool! Juniper joins the group, this time being more mint than kerosene, which is of the good. The wine note has wandered off somewhere, and the Dragon’s Blood and bayberry are combining to a very high pitch, joined by cinnamon, and all the spicy things are egging each other on. I don’t get Red Hot candies; just the sweetness of the Dragon’s Blood and the spice, which comes up off my skin like heat from a fever. The juniper chimes in to totally clear my sinuses. Not sure how I feel about that; juniper and I don’t always get along; but here is the metallic undertaste, and I’m sure it’s from the juniper. It’s interesting, but I hope it doesn’t last long, because I’m serious about the tasting part. Something on my tongue that is bitter and metallic. Ah. Slow count of ten, and it recedes. Wow, does this blend change fast! And often.

 

Drydown: The wood notes edge in sideways and start to mellow the hectic spiciness and cold juniperiness, and now the leather emerges and provides the stable base note I’ve been missing so far. Then everything just suddenly ups and melts together into its own unique scent, and I can’t really pick out individual notes any more, just warm, thick, spicy, comfortable goodness. The Dragon’s Blood has never quite vanished. It seems that bayberry may be one note that has the capacity to fix DB on my skin, since they seem to have married and blended into something that partakes of the best qualities of both scents. Nice! The leather note acts almost like vanilla, here, to collect and smooth all the other notes into a creamy whole.

 

Fade: Two hours later – Still sweetly mellow, warm and faintly spiced, but becoming more and more like my own clean skin, only better. I should try this again, only with more oil, because I didn’t slather it (I was afraid of the juniper, which sometimes makes me cough), and I think it might last longer if I did. I don’t see this as an intrinsically masculine scent at all, on me. I want Himself to try it, but on me it remains sweet (but not sickly) and faintly gourmand; not particularly sexy, but comfortable and welcoming and womanly (not girly).

 

If I can find the right amount to make it last on me without the initial application causing me to combust, this could well be a larger bottle – not necessarily for just the Winter Holidays, but for Autumn and Winter, fer sher.

[caro]

On me, this smells like wine. There are vague hints of other things in the background, but it's mostly very strong wine. This isn't necessarily a bad thing - but if that's the effect I'm going for then I'd rather open up a nice bottle of red.

 

Final verdict: Nice, but not for me.

[joseybird]

This is Tintagel during the cold winter months, with the battle-worn men celebrating in the dining hall...very evocative! Dragon's blood, strooooonnnnnnnnng clove (with some cinnamon?) and a hint of leather...it smells dangerously on the verge of popourri-land for a while, but then the spices calm down a bit, and the leather note becomes a bit more prominant, and it just becomes...cozy I can imagine fans of Samhain and Mabon liking this one.

[PurringPulsar]

Tintagel

 

Alright! My first ever BPAL experience and review-and it's a good one…I got this imp in a swap.

 

In bottle: Sweet and fruity (probably the berries) with a fresh herbal/woody/resiny undertone, -maybe juniper or dragon's blood?

Wet on skin: the fresh resiny scent becomes clearer and the sweetness is still there but it's less overpowering.

Dry on skin: now a lovely warm spicy woody scent comes to the fore. Yup, that's the mulled wine coming through-a lovely cinnamon smell. There's also a sweet light fresh note in there I can't identify, but it's quite nice. There are also hints of woods and herbs mixed in with sweet berries flitting through every now and then. I swear there's even a hint of almond in there. It's quite a festive smell, in fact, with it's cinnamon and berry scent, quite comforting. It has an old fashioned kind of vibe-but in a positive way. Sort of pot-pourri-ish but still pleasant.

Verdict: for my first ever BPAL, this is quite interesting. I don't know whether I'll get a big bottle but for now I like this. It's very different to what I normally wear. To me, this is a perfume I would wear around the autumn or winter months, as those are the seasons the smell seems to evoke, for me. It actually reminds me of a Christmas fragrance oil I was given last year, but nicer.

[Aredhel]

(Re-reviewed on 1 Feb 2006)

 

Rating (on skin): 5/5

Summarised in a word or two: Beautiful!

 

In the imp: Hmm... spicy wine; a very *cold* wine with hints of berry, and something that I *think* is juniper, but wine nonetheless.

 

On skin, wet: Spicy! And kind of earthy. (Dragon's) Bloody and woodsy. Lovely!

 

On skin, dry: I have no clue why I didn't love this when I first tried it in April. It's gorgeous! Berry, spicy, woodsy, earthy and bloody without being dirty or overly sweet? Love!

 

Conclusion: Yes, love. I love dragon's blood, and have come to love woodsy scents lately, so this is gorgeous. I'll definitely be needing a 5ml soon.

Edited February 1, 2006 by Aredhel

[yummysushitoo]

I definitely smell the juniper and bayberry. I also smell the spicy wine and something a little woodsy, which I assume is the English elm. It seems very comforting, warm, and for some reason, reminds me of the Christmas/Yule holiday season.

 

Personally, I do like this, but it's a bit of a heavier scent. Even though it's supposed to be gender-neutral, it seems more masculine. I wouldn't mind smelling this on a boy.

[theshapeshifter]

In the imp: Dragon's blood and spice and wood. Good start.

 

Initial application: I get the warmth and slight cherry-sweetness of the dragon's blood, and a rush of spices, primarily cinnamon but a little nutmeg as well.

 

Drydown: As it dries, the dragon's blood and spice stay in the foreground, while the woods start to come out and deepen the scent. It's a very complex blend - and VERY evocative of a medieval romance. It's like a full environmental immersion, where there are all kinds of notes impacting you, but picking out individual threads is tricky.

 

It's been on me for about four hours now, and still evolving - the leather and musk are just starting to hit their stride now.

 

I adore this... I can sense already that this will become one of the scents where I'll be trying out something else and thinking "this is nice, but I wish I were wearing Tintagel". It makes me feel sexy and sensual, but in a very strong, self-assured kind of way, like a warrior woman.

[elphaba]

Today is the first real hot day of summer here and it's probably the absolute worst time for Tintagel, but it just arrived in the mail and I couldn't resist. Of the three imps in my package, this one was the first to immediately jump out at me -- bright red in color with a warm, spicy scent.

 

I immediately recognize the berry-sweet BPAL wine note from Lady Macbeth, but it's spicier in Tintagel and I like it better. On my skin, I can smell the juniper and a dry note that I'm pretty sure is the leather. I love it. I was wary of the "musky heat" from the description, but either I'm not getting that note at all or it's being disguised by the natural scent of my skin in this warm weather. I'm very glad of that.

 

Really, I'm pleasantly surprised by everything about this scent. The final drydown is sweet and spicy, but not at all in the Christmasy way that I expected. It really does smell like an Arthurian feast hall. It feels large and joyful rather than close and homey.

 

My only complaint is that it's fairly short-lived on me. After about two hours, I really have to bury my nose deep in my wrist to find that last bit of sweetness. It's worth it. I'll be interested to try it again in the fall.

[Orodemniades]

Imp : Hmm...smells like cinnamon and something sweet, which I shall assume is the dragon's blood.

 

Wet: Juniper! and, and, stuff! There's some leather, and the bay and dragon's blood.

 

Drydown: It's fainter now, but quite warm, like coming into the house on a sunny midwinter's day, shaking the snow off your hat and stamping your feet to knock the clumps off your boots, then settling down in front of the fire with a hot drink and having a good ime with your friends and family.

 

Overall: I've got a 5ml already on order and I only tried the imp 2 hours ago! What's truly amazing is that I don't like dragon's blood, yet everything else in this is taming my skin, dragging that dragon's blood into the background. Woohoo! I think it's the blood that's making it a bit grapey, and the bay is just fantastic! I am in

 

Oro

[dreadeddragon]

In the bottle: Sweet, tangy, almost like Dragon's Eye, but there's something about it that's different.

 

First on: Bayberry is the strongest here, in fact it's jsut about all I can smell. Bayberry & a little bit of dragon's blood.

 

Drydown:Still mostly bayberry, but I can also smell something almost floral , what I think is the elm, and the dragon's blood. It's a very warm winter-y type scent.

[Little Bird]

This smells very manly to me. Like a cologne for a muscular hunter type.

 

I get leather holding strong in the background of this, and the leather remains a dominant character all through the hours that I wore this.

 

At first Tintagel smelled like leather and limes. Something citrusy and zesty, I was surprised to learn that there isn't any citrus in this.

 

Then it is leather and spice. I can smell the dragon's blood coming out, the fragrance feels very spicy and warm in this stage.

 

Around hour 3, leather and woods. Dark impenetrable woods. My leather clad hunter, creeping through the forest. I desperately want to slather this on my boyfriend.

 

In the drydown before it disappears, this turns into something very sweet on me. Almost like jasmine. Which is odd. Maybe it is the juniper and bayberry?

 

Overall, this is a very foresty feeling scent to me. Like the way the sexy hunter in romance novels should smell like.

[quikslvr]

Crazy spicy at first--almost Christmastime spicy, cider-like. I actually get the leather and dragon's blood from this. Sort of masculine, but I'm loving it. A touch of juniper and bayberry later.

[wolfie13]

In the imp: dragon's blood and wine are most prominent, with clove and leather following closely.

 

Wearing: Pretty much the same, with the wine receding and the leather and spice advancing, and notes of bayberry and a slight touch of musk arriving.

Definitely a fall/winter scent. I can see the knights feasting, decorative greens in the hall, roaring fire in the 7 foot high fireplace.

 

This one is loud and strong and heavy on me. But that's because it's pretty much composed solely of all the notes that my skin amps up like crazy!

 

It's a bit too much for me to wear, but as others have said, it would probably be an amazing room scent for the yule season.

Edited June 20, 2005 by wolfie13

[Loligo]

Alas, it smells like a cheap holiday candle. After a few hours it settles down and some darker, woodier notes emerge, and at this stage it's sort of evocative of a medieval feast hall. But I don't think I can put up with the first two hours.

[k00kaburra]

In bottle: Dragon's blood, juniper, and many assorted woods that I am mostly unfamiliar with. There's a slightly metallic edge to it. It's a very warm scent, like golden sunshine shining through the trees of a dusty forest, when there's a haze over all you can see.

On me: Cinnamon; cinnamon and wood. The mulled wine is where I assume the cinnamon comes from. The juniper's probably the strongest wood note; or, at least it is the one I am most familiar with. This is a comforting 'home' scent, but it doesn't work as a perfume for me at all. Too stuffy.

[OriginalWacky]

Bottle (Imp): Hehe, this smells like SeaBreeze mixed with something sweet.

 

Just On: Okay, just like in the imp, but add some ozone.

 

An hour or two later: Okay, no ozone. It's sweet and spicy.

 

Around 6 hours: Faded sweet and spicy.

 

12 hours: Just the last vestiges of sweet left now.

 

Overall: This is wonderful. I think it's bottle worthy.

 

After reading other reviews: I never picked out any notes, and by reading the description from the lab, never would have tried this. And yet, I really like it.

[zankoku_zen]

In the Bottle: Something sweet... and yet kind of citrusy?

 

On Skin: There's almost something that smells like a bay leaf to me in this scent. I can smell the spicy mulled wine, a hint of cinnamon. Yet there is something almost peppery to it. This is striking me as a slightly more masculine scent. Maybe I am smelling the leather or perhaps it is the dragon's blood resin.

 

On Drydown: Not really waiting for this. This is a beautiful scent, very evocative of medieval times. Simply not me though.

 

Verdict:This is a very complex scent. Unfortunately, just not me.

[Ailine]

This is a really different sort of scent for me (I mostly wear florals and musks), and it's really interesting.

 

Wet, blast of cinnamon. And it tingles where I swiped it! After a few minutes, the cinnamon decides it's done assaulting my senses and moves just a scootch to the background, allowing the woods to come out. I smell christmas tree, and berries? Maybe that is the dragon's blood people speak of. I don't get leather or wine at all, just a lovely outdoorsy Christmas scene.

 

I really like this, but I am not sure if I want to smell like it, if that makes any sense. I'm going to keep it around for a while, I think, because it makes me happy, even though I feel it's not something I can wear out and about.

[canadia]

in the bottle: spicey wine, pumpkin? ginger?

 

wet: wine, spices, berries

 

dry: wine, spices, berries, juniper

 

in conclusion: At first this smells identical to Blood Rose, only without the sticky sweetness, but the more I smell it, the more distinct the berries and juniper are. It's really quite gorgeous. The spices and wine are really distinct, coming out almost like a kitchen, but it doesn't feel like I'm wearing food, which I think is thanks to all the woods. It's really, really beautiful, and I can imagine wearing this every day in autumn and winter.