Aeronwen

[allidavie]

Fig, dark myrrh, amber, redwood, nutmeg, tarragon, black musk, and sweet orange.

Thanks so much to Beth and the labbies for giving me the opportunity to be part of the demonic whores, and to Macha who decided I have a little bit of a slaughtering goddess in me to boot!

If I could have had a custom made perfume made for me by Beth, this is just what it would've been, even if I wouldn't have known it based on the notes. At first, Aeronwen is quite green and figgy, but it is grounded with a resiny base that makes it less agressively GREEN than, say, Strangler Fig. As it dries, the fig becomes somewhat less pronounced and the amber, myrrh and musk come out more. It is a very close to the skin scent, which I adore, and the black musk in it absolutely behaves on me, which is a relief because in some blends the darker musks don't work on me. I can barely smell the tarragon and sweet orange in my skin, although I assume they're part of what I'm smelling when I smell the initial figgy goodness.

This is a perfect everyday scent for someone like me, who doesn't like their perfume to enter the room before they do. It's sexy, warm, and mysterious - no one will quite be able to put their finger on what you smell like - and I think it will work for a lot of different scent lovers. It's fruity without being too sweet, resiny without being too spicy, ambery without being too powdery, and musky without being too animalistic - in short, it's my new signature perfume!

[shriekingviolet]

Initial Impression:

Ripe fig spiked with tarragon and a hint of musk.

 

After Wearing It:

From the moment I first applied it until I washed it off in the shower 13 hours later, Aeronwen was a captivating mystery. It's deep but not heavy, dark yet has this wonderful effervescent quality. It's an odd paradox, but rather magical. It inspired visions of thick clouds of white fog on a dark, moonless night.

 

Aeronwen is very well blended. While I can catch the different notes if I try, it's more like trying to see the red that was used to make up orange than it is to try to hear the sound of a drum in a song. It can be done, but to do so would almost be missing the point because you'd be ignoring the entirely different color by trying to dissect it. Aeronwen had fruit notes, but isn't fruity. It has spice, but isn't spicy. It has musk but isn't musky. It's a complex scent without being too "noisy" and I think has to be experienced to be understood.

 

This scent was very long lasting, and had good throw without being overpowering. I think I put it on around 8am and could still smell it when I showered late that night. It didn't seem to fade much at all, or even get powdery toward the end of the day which scents with black musk and amber can sometimes do.

 

Final Thoughts:

Love this one, though it may not be for everyone. It's unique and the slightly herby quality (I'm guessing that was the tarragon) might scare some off, but I thought it was perfect. Wouldn't swap my bottle of this for anything!

[lmaunu]

This is a sexy, deep scent! It definitely starts off as a green, herbal scent that reminds me a bit of the top notes in Dragon Moon 2008, but it quickly morphs into a darker scent where the notes of fig, myrrh, and amber dominate. I wasn't sure how the nutmeg and sweet orange would fit into this blend, but I didn't notice them at all actually.

 

Like shriekingviolet mentioned, the amber and musk didn't turn powdery at all by the end of the day, and this has great throw and staying power.

 

I really, really like it! If you like the notes in this one, it's definitely worth trying!

[Eros]

First time around this one didn't do much for me. There was barely any amber, maybe a touch of orange and the black musk seemed to be laying in wait threatening to overwhelm everything. SO much better now!

It seems lately that most(not all), of the blends I fall in love with come through as some kind of Snake Oil variant. This one is no exception.

Very well blended, I can't really pick out individual notes. What I do get is a beautiful, dark, slightly spicy/slightly smoky incense and resins. While it's somewhat musty-dry it also manages to be juicy with a touch of perfect sweetness. There's something slightly sharp and herbal way in the background-tarragon, perhaps? Wonderful throw and stays with me for hours. As far as the SO similarity-Aeronwen has that same, beautiful, exotic & dead sexy thing going on that Snake Oil does.

 

LOVE this!!

[alicia_stardust]

This is gorgeous, gorgeous. The fig hits me right off and it has a sort of sweet, sensual earthiness to it that is enhanced by the sweet orange. The redwood sits right behind the fig and doesn't come off as too strong or dry. As the scent settles, the amber is more noticeable and it adds a nice resinous, golden warmth to the fig. The dark myrrh and black musk remain a light nuance in the background but they definitely deepen this blend.

 

This has a long wear-length and about an average throw for my skin. Once it all settles and the amber, myrrh, and musk come forward a bit, the blend no longer morphs as it fades off. There is no powdery quality or anything of the sort. It's just a sensual, rounded, earthen fig blend with beautiful resins, a touch of sweet orange, and a touch of wood. Lovely!

[tamburlaine]

Ms. Aeronwen's Carnaval card reads: We are no guiltier in following the primitive impulses that govern us than is the Nile for her floods or the sea for her waves.

 

Quick n' Dirty summary: I would categorize Aeronwen as a ... Green Woody Soft Oriental? She breaks boundaries not currently defined outright. The notes that are most prominent on my skin are fig, redwood, and black musk.

 

In the bottle: Right out of the gate, I can smell the green-violet smell of fig with some tarragon backing it up. Fig to me smells like juicy musky dust, and I go crazy for it. It hasn't worked so well for me in the past with BPAL blends, but I had to go for it here because of the added awesomeness of nutmeg, amber, and orange, which all do great jobs complementing the sexy earthy aspects of fig and playing down the more "green" or fruity aspects.

 

On my skin: Immediately, Aeronwen wet is fig with sweet amber and myrrh. The amber and myrrh aren't incensey or particularly sexy here, but charming and very interesting when mixed with the hard-to-classify scent of fig. Traditional soft oriental notes put together with a non-traditional green note? Always breakin' boundaries, that BPAL.

 

And then, as usual on me, the woods and musks show up and amp their hearts out. Myrrh and amber recede to the back of the blend and the middle notes of redwood, nutmeg, and black musk appear on the scene and take the fig note for another ride. In this episode: Fig turns more leafy and almost masculine with the addition of redwood (which smells akin to cedar when put on me), and black musk (which adds further mystery and a shade of ominous winds sweeping through the orchard of fig trees.)

 

I never get the orange explicitly, but I know it's there anchoring the fig note with its citrusy goodness. Even until the drydown, you can still tell this is first and foremost a blend devoted to fig and all the experiments one can do with it.

 

Aeronwen was not a smashing success on me. I thought the black musk would complement the fig, but I suspect that it was what turned the blend sour on me after ten minutes. In its final stages, Aeronwen is a wee green fig seeking shelter under a redwood shrouded by a cloud of black musk. The aromatic notes linger softly, the amber has turned powdery, and the myrrh is in cahoots with the musk.

Edited June 14, 2008 by tamburlaine

[slave1]

AERONWEN

 

In Bottle: Woody yum

 

On Skin: It was hard to give a first impression of this scent other than the word yum. The blend is so neat! I smell dark woods and resins, followed by the sweet fruitiness of the fig and orange. I don’t smell the tarragon. The nutmeg is warm and spicy, but doesn’t overpower the scent at all, just a nice little sprinkle. The musk is soft, but still carries some weight and gives the scent it’s depth. The amber is also soft and not too powdery, it blends in so well. I wouldn’t know how to label this scent… since none of the notes are really that dominant. It’s a very well blended scent that I love. I really like that it’s dark yet has some sweet brighter notes that peek through. It’s not overwhelming in any way, and I see it being a scent many people could wear. Light to medium throw, short to average wearlength.

[savage_rose]

Okay, I swear I smell aloe in this! Aloe and my spice cabinet...a bit of the musk and woodsiness, and a sweet citrus touch of orange. Herbal, a little sweet, and hard to define. This is one of the most fascinating scents I've ever sniffed!

[neuilly]

Talk about dark & mysterious! This is predominantly black musk & myrrh on me. A dash of woods and moments of fig. It's a fantastic evocative scent....but I'm not sure I can pull it off.

[Brianne]

When this goes on, it smells like my shampoo. It's sort of vaguely fruity but in a way that makes it impossible to put your finger on exactly *what* fruit you are smelling. It's light and generally pleasant.

 

After a minute though it starts to deepen a lot, and the myrrh, amber and redwood come out. The fruit is now "fig-ier" as well It's all well on me until the redwood becomes incredibly aggressive and makes this too woody for me. Now it's sharp and stringent almost with deep wood and a touch of green fig.

 

Even though it's too woody for me for that phase there, I think that this might age well and so I'm going to hold onto it - I think I could grow attached to it if I give it a little time!

[eatingthesea]

this one just clings to my skin, and i don't mind that all so much! i must say first of all that the art rendering of aeronwen is perfecto. it is indeed a dark, swirling scent...and a bit serious. nothing playful here at all. it's hard to pinpoint the notes individually. there is a deep heartbeat of sweetness to this scent if you focus on it...must be the sweet orange. i wouldn't call the scent "musky" at all though i think the black musk sort of "traces" aeronwen. i mostly carry the dark myrrh, a slice of amber, and a nice helping of very ripe fig (not green at all). overall, a very poignant scent that is much different from the decanted imp (where i found it too bitter) to the skin (where it sweetens up...but only a tad, which is perfect for me). but like i said - serious. and yes, mysterious, a tad regal maybe. i will have to do some reflecting to determine when and where this scent is appropriate. but i do appreciate its sophistication and artistry. tbc...

Edited June 20, 2008 by eatingthesea

[sadtomato]

i'm picking up a bit of the sweet orange and some lovely herbally goodness.

this is a dark scent, for sure.

there's such a mix of notes here the scent seems to constantly morph and change and i love that.

it's not a heady scent that wafts around you, but one you have to search for...just a bit of a mysterious halo around you.

very fresh and sexy.

[Iceblink]

Fresh and complex. I really cannot pick out the individual notes in Aeronwen, except for the sweet orange. Beyond that it's just a beautifully blended, sensual scent. It reminds me a lot of Anactoria, but much lighter. There's a powdery note on the drydown that's very appealing. I do wish I got more of the black musk, but this is very pretty as it is anyway.

[jewelbug]

I bought Aeronwen on sight and description alone. When she arrived on my doorstep, she was accompanied by quite a few other grindhouse ladies, as well as the illustrated woman. So happy was I to finally have them all in my possession that I could not help but to indulge in a gluttonous perfumed orgy without delay. There were ladies on every inch of my skin for my intense sniffing pleasure. Unfortunately, in that grand soiree, Aeronwen underwhelmed me. She was timid and nondescript. But my disappointment was misplaced…

 

...you see...Aeronwen is not the orgy kind of lady. Once I had her alone, she opened up to me so that I might fully appreciate her sweet, dark beauty. Wet, she is indescribably fruity, fresh, sweet and clean, with a scent of cut green stems. But as she warms to your skin she darkens--her musk grows in strength, supported by resins and woods. Sweet, liquid amber, creamy and golden, comes to the forefront and hints of erotic spice, earthy fig and sweet orange tease your senses. You are left wanting more.

 

I am glad I tried her again. No doubt I shall indulge in her many more times before she is spent.

Edited October 17, 2008 by jewelbug

[Athenae]

Resin, wood and musk, dark and thick. On me, the orange and herbs don't even register. Aeronwen goes immediately to Heavy Musky Male Cologne and stays there. I'll keep my imp, but she's definitely a Lady for special occasions.

 

A.

[forspecial_plate]

I can't add much here, except I agree with pretty much all the reviews before mine. I really enjoy this scent, although I've only worn it once so far. It's deep and somewhat dark, musky and fruity at the same time, kind of like Antonino. I got the same initial burst of fig that others mentioned, which backed off and let the other notes come forward after just a few minutes. I can definitely smell the orange and myrrh, blending oh-so-beautifully with wood and light, warm spice.

 

This is just a great, sexy scent. I can easily imagine a man or woman wearing this one. I just have a sniffie now but I am going to need more! I remember why I was wary of this.....I thought that with dark myrrh and black musk, there would be at least a little powder going on. That is not the case. Somehow, I'm not getting powder from this at all!

[NatCatz]

first on: Very green.. kind of clean.

 

Then masculine aftershave soapy smell.. Green just will not work on me.

[LadyLuckDoubt]

In the Bottle

GROSS. Seriously-- it smells like mouldy, slimy grey dishwater. Not only am I debating applying it, I'm thinking "remind yourself why you bought this in the first place."

 

On Me

It takes awhile to settle down, but when it does, it's warm, almost nutty and fruity-- that's the fig. And the musk lies just underneath that. Huffing my wrists on the tram this afternoon, I'm thinking, "Damn, this is good stuff."

 

At one stage, it goes absolutely STUNNING on me-- regal (as others have said) and expensive and just utterly divine. I agree that it's going to age well when I smell it like this: wow.

 

A few hours later, not much is left, but there's a slightly figgy, smoky, musky scent lingering very lightly.

 

It's weird and it changes, but there are some beautiful moments. The opening act is pretty revolting to me, though.

[akiko]

I think this was the Lady I was least interested in of the decants I ordered. Not surprisingly, I'm fairly ambivalent on it.

 

Imp: Orangey, but with something else, maybe the musk.

 

Wet: Orangey, musk makes an appearance, and there's an earthiness (the fig, I think.)

 

Dry: Amber comes out to play, and the orange takes a back seat. The spices are mingled in the 'earthy' layer.

 

Overall: Nice enough, but not Amazing.

[inurbanus]

I wasn't sure what to make of Aeronwen's notes, so I decided to get a decant of this before committing to a bottle. I'm really glad I got to try this. It's a lovely scent, and I really mean that. The only note I can pick out (because this is one of those really well-blended scents) is the fig, which is sweet, but also stately. This one is a lot more sophisticated than I was expecting. It has the feel of a classic designer perfume -- timeless and elegant. My issue with Aeronwen is that it just doesn't grab me like some of the other Grindhouse blends did. There's something in there that's a teensy bit "off" (for lack of a better word) that is preventing me from fully appreciating it.

 

4/5

[Indigo78]

First review of the ladies I recieved from a decant circle, and mmmmm this is such a gorgeous one to initiate my reviews with.

 

Wet on the skin, this is sun ripened Fig, with a tart edge that must be Sweet Orange. The Black Musk is not too prominent on my skin, but I suspect that with Amber's help its what keeps this from doing the fruit-nasty on me. Myrrh comes out holding hands with the Redwood about fifteen minutes in. One of them is doing the soap routine, which is f'n heartbreaking.

 

Bug spray and soap seem to be happening with a lot of blends today, so hopefully that'll resolve itself hormonally or whatever El-soon-o. I like the initial stages of Aeronwen enough to wait and find out!

EDIT: Retested this seven months later to see how it has aged. It now has a distinct bitter feel, much more *serious* than before. I think the fig has been tamed a little by the musk, and everything melds together. Whereas before the fruits seemed to be battling the other components, everything has since settled and found it's niche. The orange is now much more orange rind rather than the orange flesh. It is still bitter compared to what I usually seek in a scent, but I'm a freak for the garrish, cavity-inducing, spun-sugar-sweet-tooth blends - so make of that what you will.

Edited February 14, 2009 by Indig0

[Delirium1009]

In bottle/imp: Strong black musk with spices and a finish of very sweet orange.

 

Immediately on skin: This is a potent scent. It just about smacks me as I smell it. The main note is the black musk… it’s strong and solid. Blending into that I get a touch of redwood and dry spices. There’s a hint of the fig, and it acts almost to smooth the rest of the blend. This is rather dry smelling and almost herbal.

 

After a little while: This changes a lot on my skin. It turns into this perfume-y spiced black musk scent with this bright overtone of what seems to be the mixture of orange, amber and fig. This is one of those scents where everything just melds and creates a scent all its own.

 

Overall Impressions: I know it’s always said to try bpal on your skin before you judge the scent, and this blend is a perfect example of that. It’s so different in the imp and after I wear it for just a few minutes. This is a deeper, spiced black musk scent, but it has a gorgeous flowing overtone to it that really delivers. This scent has great throw, too. It’s strong and assertive, but deep and sexy as well.

[tartchef]

I was ever so slightly nervous about the black musk in Aeronwen - turns out, I needn't have been! For all the heavy, sticky notes in there, Aeronwen is surprisingly fresh & green - the tarragon & fig are most prominent, a beautiful bitter-sweet combination. The orange is pithy, not cloying, and the redwood & resins combine to form a warm, quiet bassline. It's reminding me of a much more wearable Omen or Intrigue - that same black-brown-green feel, minus all the funky masculine notes.

 

(It does burn a tiny bit in the crooks of my elbows - the orange, perhaps?)

 

I'd expected Aeronwen to be sticky & sweet, like my favorite Dalmation fig & orange jam... naturally, I was totally wrong, but what a nice surprise! I don't know that I"ll need a bottle, but I'll enjoy my decant.

[herbhealer]

It took me a week to grab a decant of Aeronwen before someone else got to it first. It did raise my expectations. Initially, there was a musty smell in the bottle, which disappeared on my skin. After an quick whiff of something green mixed with apple (probably the fig), this scent became extremely sweet and cloying. I did not experience this with Cupid Complaining to Venus, but I'm not sure which notes were doing this. Too sweet to keep on; it gave me a headache. At least I still have Marianne as my Grindhouse sweetie.

[Ravenclaw79]

In the imp: Dark, harsh, a little soapy

 

Wet: Soapy with something tobacco-y ... not tobacco per se, but like the part of tobacco scent that catches in the back of your throat after you're done sniffing it.

 

Drying: About the same, just fainter. Still soapy and dark and not terribly pleasant.