Badger

[Seismogenic]

"How on earth, Badger." he said at last, "did you ever find time and strength to do all this? It's astonishing!"

"It would be astonishing indeed," said the Badger simply, "if I had done it. But as a matter of fact I did none of it only cleaned out the passages and chambers, as far as I had need of them. There's lots more of it, all round about. I see you don't understand, and I must explain it to you. Well, very long ago, on the spot where the Wild Wood waves now, before ever it had planted itself and grown up to what it now is, there was a city a city of people, you know. Here, where we are standing, they lived, and walked, and talked, and slept, and carried on their business. Here they stabled their horses and feasted, from here they rode out to fight or drove out to trade. They were a powerful people, and rich, and great builders. They built to last, for they thought their city would last for ever."

"But what has become of them all?'" asked the Mole.

"Who can tell?" said the Badger. "People come they stay for a while, they flourish, they build and they go. It is their way. But we remain. There were badgers here, I've been told, long before that same city ever came to be. And now there are badgers here again. We are an enduring lot, and we may move out for a time, but we wait, and are patient, and back we come. And so it will ever be."

Warm earth, deep-reaching roots, dark myrrh, galangal, and Atlas cedar.

Badger badger badger badger badger badger badger badger...

Erhum. Sorry. Someone had to do it, so why not get it out of the way in the first review?

When the update went up, I was excited about Badger for several reasons (none of which were the badger badger badger cartoon). First of all, I adore The Wind in the Willows in general, and always liked the part where they others visit Badger. Second, I've also been a Redwall fan since I was little, and badgers play a prominent role in that series. The description of this oil could be Redwall's Brockhall just as much as it could be WitW's Badger Hall. Third, my geologist sensibilities perked at the idea of an earthy scent that included notes I've liked in the past (cedar) and also links to some of my favorite nostalgia-inducing literature. And lastly, the excerpt from the novel on the Lab's description page reminds me a lot of how human time, the timeline of life in general, and geological time really don't line up. Even the greatest cities eventually crumble, and the humbler things - such as badgers - keep going, not to mention the processes of the earth itself. All of these reasons made Badger stand out as something I simply needed to try, and so I took the unsniffed-and-unreviewed plunge.

In the bottle: Warm, earthy, and surprisingly spicy. Definitely getting the galangal, but it's not dominant.

Wet on skin: Less spice than in the bottle, though the galangal is still pretty prominent, more earth, and a bit of wood. It's still warm. It's definitely unusual. I think I already like it.

Drydown: Freshly dry, it's still warm spiced earth. The galangal is still pretty prominent, and while it doesn't overwhelm the blend, it seems almost a little too exotic compared to the solid earthy woodiness of the rest. By the one hour mark, though, the galangal has mellowed down to something more homogenous, and it helps add warmth to the earthy smell (holy crap, that's some accurate dirt!) and dusty woods.

Five hours later: Warm dusty earth over dry wood. It's rather like the dusty woody backdrop of Tombstone (makes sense, since the two have cedar in common), but without any of the sweetness from Tombstone's vanilla and sassafras. It is a completely natural smell, not at all something one would traditionally associate with "perfume."

End of the day: A faint dustiness remains - earth rather than wood.

Overall: This is unlike any other manufactured thing I've ever smelled; the only things that it reminds me of are wholly natural things, and I think that's exactly the point. Badger smells old, but not in the sense of something old people wear - rather, it's like a wooden structure that has been abandoned and is accumulating dust and dirt, taken back by the earth, geological time outlasting human time. It fits the quote in the Lab's description oh so very well. I am also impressed by the dirt note in and of itself - once the galangal calms down, it smells like the genuine natural substance. This is an odd oil, to be sure, but a very good kind of odd for me. Once again, I think I made a very good call in ordering this unsniffed and without reviews.

[GhillieDhu]

Badger smells... rooty. Like potatoes and carrots with the dirt still on them, just brought up from a cool dry cellar. It's natural, and old - like this smell has been around as long as people have dug things out of the earth. Beth just bottled it. The roots, galangal, and dry dirt are most prominent... I don't get much myrrh at all, and the cedar only pops its head in to add a little edge to the scent. There's a savory backnote to it, almost like good soy sauce. With that description, you wouldn't think this oil would be wearable, but it really is. It's so very comforting. And now I want to go make stew....

 

Verdict: Glad to have a partial! I'll probably not wear this often, but I'm happy to have it around.

[oakmoss]

I would have just been heartbroken if this had turned out to be a blend I didn't love. Huzzah! My fears are vanquished. It's like being deep within the badger sett, the scent of sweet earthy tunnels, rich fragrant roots, glimmers of warm peppery spice wafting through. Badger is comforting, grounding, reassuring. It makes me want to curl up and sleep securely, deep in the earth's embrace. I'm going to need some backup bottles of this! And I suspect it will age deliciously too.

[Lycanthrope]

Mmm, this is grand. Also of note, this bottle came at a much lower 'default' fill level (like a good mm or two below the neck) - it's a somewhat denser, darker appearing oil in the bottle, dunno if I was the only one.

 

Back to the fragrance. In the bottle and wet, it's a very strong, moist dirt note for sure, and I was concerned that Badger was going to be all dirt, all the time. On my skin, it's a sharp, mushroomy dirt like Graveyard Dirt / Death Cap, and there's a touch of these darker, streakier woods (definitely cherry - mahogany - dark, burly woods) swirling around underneath. The dirt on me definitely burns off quick and then this becomes a fairly strong, pungent in a good way, teakwood aroma. There's a very, very slight dryness to this which may be the cedar, but it's not leaping out and strangling me with HAI I'M CEDARWOOD PLZD TA MATCHA.

 

It shares a similar but darker wood drydown to a compatriot scent, Mole, but I like this fuzzy critter better.

 

ETA: This smells to me a lot like Aureus.

Edited November 9, 2008 by Lycanthrope

[tartchef]

Hey, that's galangal and then some! Eep. Mustard seeds & mushrooms, and a needly shard of cedar - a thoroughly weird & unsettling scent on me.

 

This isn't a fuzzly wombly badger - this is sharp teeth & razor claws, dank earth & hard roots...

[crebbsgirl]

I was so excited to try this when the WiW update went up. I have really fond memories of my mom reading this book to me as a little girl, and I recently found my copy from when I was a child and have been revisiting it. Badger was always my favourite character so when he was introduced as a scent I knew I had to try him. This is a very earthy scent indeed. But warm, and a little spicy. There's definitely a herbaceous note here, and it's a touch dry. I find this blend to be very comforting, but that may be my own associations with the inspiration.

[sofaking6]

Badger! I was fortunate enough to smell this at Bat's Day and had to pick up a bottle. Even though it's not the kind of scent I normally wear, it's the kind of scent I *wish* I normally wore! It is essentially earthy...and a little toothy. The galangal packs a real badger-bite, very sharply spicy. I think this is a blend that will age beautifully.

[lothien]

Wow - like some of the others have said, this is earthy and uncanny and definitely not a smell one expects to be coming out of a bottle. Earth and roots. The galangal is dominant at first but that definitely mellows as it dries.

I tested it while I was walking around the lots for my afternoon duty. I wasn't sure what to think of it at first. It intrigues me because it's a cool scent, but it's not a perfume smell. I'm outside, in the woods, and it smells like it belongs here. Though worn by itself I can imagine the people around me wondering what I rolled in outside.

But then I realised that it's a perfect companion to my Peacock Queen and Black Rose! Deep dark dirt and velvety roses. Outstanding. ^^

I think it will age nicely, too.

[septima_pica]

At first, this is exactly like when you're digging through the dirt and your shovel blade severs a root -- it's the smell of the cut surface, the slightly sharp and spicy smell of unexpectedly exposed root-wood, along with the dirt it's attached to. As it wears on, the sweet myrrh comes out and makes it feel a bit warmer and more lived-in. Extremely wearable, comforting in the way that dirt scents can be. Reminds me of fieldwork in the desert and childhood vacations in the Sierra Nevada and all sorts of lovely memories like that.

 

Lasts a good three or four hours, which, although not stellar, exceeds my wear-length expectation for a dirt scent. (Compare Graveyard Dirt, which is half-gone in twenty minutes and totally gone within an hour, unless you add it to something a bit more fixative-y.)

 

Absolutely wonderful, a great addition to the BPAL dirt scent portfolio. Will probably layer extremely well with a number of things (thinking of trying Black Forest or Anubis, for starters). Damn, I may need a second bottle of this.

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Very rooty and dry earthy

On Application

As above

 

Dry Down

As has been mentioned, this is a comforting scent. Warm and earthy. I get occasional whiffs of what semlls like celery or celeriac which is a little off-putting. I really like this scent but don't know if I will wear it.

 

Rating (0-5)

4

[innocent]

Dirt!

 

I'm not a dirt fan, but its still amazing how Beth manages to get the scent of damp earth into a little bottle. I am getting the hint of celery that others have mentioned.

 

Not one for me, but fans of soil scents should try it (though I'm sure they were going to anyway).

[yewberry]

Exactly as advertised. Dirt, cedar, and a hint of spicy galangal. Weird and earthy and spicy. Exactly the kind of "not-perfume" I love. Alas, it doesn't last long, but oh, it's delicious while it does.

[Brianne]

Smells exactly like you think it would! It's warm earth, rooty and dirty and deep. The cedar is light but definitely present, and the effect is a scent that is earthy and sort of wild but comforting in a strange way. It's not something I could wear as a personal scent, but it's certainly appealing in it own right!

[LunaDragonGirl]

As Innocent said before, fans of BPAL's dirt notes are gonna love this one.

 

Just applied: warm, soft, velvety-grey dirt...I get a scent-picture of the fur of a mole (or what I remember mole's fur to be like, from my encounters of them in the garden when I was little)...that soft velvety grey with a slight sheen...with a pile of freshly dug, damp dirt all around.

 

As it dries, more of the cedar comes out to play and I get velvety-grey dirt mixed with a heavy dose of pencil shavings.

 

Not something I would wear as a perfume, or even use as a room scent but it is very evocative and gorgeous. I definitely feel the Badger energy in this one. I guess I'm just not a big cedar fan! Well...very small doses are okay, I think. But this is a bit too much for me. I'm glad I got to give it a try though.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Rich moist earth, like in a newly turned ivy patch. The roots/wood element is strong and realistic. The myrrh is subtle. I’m not all that fond of the galangal. Wet: This really does smell like weeding my mother’s ivy patch under the trees at her house. It would be an unalloyed success for me if it weren’t for the galangal/cedar combination, which together is a touch too acrid for my taste. I’m hoping it will calm down with wear as it is shifting as I type this, mostly as the myrrh and more of the roots come out. It has quite a bit of throw. Dry: Rich dark green scent. I think I’ll likely keep this for further testing and see how I feel.

[Schmoozy]

Earthy, rooty, woodsy with a touch of spicy herbs and celery.

Yup celery, and mingled with freshly turned dirt it smells exactly like you have just gone and raided your garden. I don't find the earth warm at all, in fact it is surprisingly chilly just like a cold cellar or pantry, where you store all your offerings from the summer.

I enjoy scents that are able to induce strong memories, and just for that I will keep this decant.

[Wwindy]

Two words: Moldy basement.

 

I don't think I've ever had a BPAL blend go quite so horribly wrong on me; on my skin this really does smell exactly like a damp, mildewy cellar. Not in anything remotely resembling a good way, either.

 

*sigh* Well, I'm glad other people are getting earthy rooty goodness out of this, anyway!

[Dark Alice]

Two words: Moldy basement.

 

I don't think I've ever had a BPAL blend go quite so horribly wrong on me; on my skin this really does smell exactly like a damp, mildewy cellar. Not in anything remotely resembling a good way, either.

 

*sigh* Well, I'm glad other people are getting earthy rooty goodness out of this, anyway!

 

 

This is exactly how badger smelled on my skin! Except that it was moldy basement with a touch of manly cologne I don't know where the cologne comes from....but it smells just like moldy dirt and cologne on me.

 

At least others are enjoying this.

[Lamia]

This is extraordinary. Fresh, it smells like some sort of green stick-stemmed root that I can visualize but can't identify except to say that it is maddeningly familiar. Drydown becomes earthy and moist. That turns to wet, really wet earth. Late spring dirt after a massive thunderstorm wet. I smell vetiver in there somewhere. After about an hour, it becomes dusty sweet earth.

 

My boycat hunted me down by sniffing, from two rooms away, following his nose, hopping up on the sofa beside me, finally tracked down what he was looking for, and started licking my wrist? Ack, don't lick the BPAL!

[rayvn1]

I'm with Schmoozy on this one! This started out as dark, warm roots freshly dug from the ground, but fifteen minutes later a really cold note started coming through like eucalyptus or wintergreen. It's really dominating now and making the throw stronger. I like this quite a bit, but I wish it had stayed the warm and cozy smell a little longer Keeper!

[hlinspjalda]

In the bottle: Dirt, fabulous sweet rich dark loam. Wow. Better even than Gnome.

 

Wet: Still deep dark dirt. Resinous, rooty, wonderful. Is this me? No idea. But what a great realization of badgerness.

 

Half an hour: Lots of galangal and cedar, just a touch of bitter myrrh, and still that delicious dirt note. Still not me. But wonderful nonetheless.

 

Hour and a half: If this weren't Badger, it might be "Old Man Willow" from Tolkien. Dig deep! I love it, even though it's not me.

 

Three hours: A lot calmer now. In fact, I can barely notice it. Where did it go?

 

Four hours: Even more gone. Wonderful, but a short fade.

 

This one haunts me. I really think it's exceptional, a towering achievement, even though it didn't work on me.

[sookster]

straight sniff from imp is dusty earth...

 

once applied....yup...loads of dust, some myrrh and dirt....interesting but

not a complete fav.....

[Little Bird]

Badger was the first Willows scent that I ordered. I love galangal and myrrh.

 

In the bottle, this smells like a cross between King of Clubs and Destroying Angel. It smells like damp earth, oakmoss, and touches of almost spicy resins lifting it all up.

 

On my skin, the earthy notes instantly begin to smell dry rather than of damp soil. I can definitely smell the galangal (a warm, almost chai spiced wood smell on my skin). In the drydown, this smells like paper, tree bark, and earth. It smells like sitting underneath the cool shade of a big tree in the summer, writing in a journal with black dirt scattered across the pages. The myrrh adds a bit of sweetness. It makes me think of trees and earth, still and comforting. In specific, it makes me think of sitting underneath a huge oak tree at recess when I was small, writing in my notebooks and playing with acorns in the dirt.

 

This is a very faint scent on me, clinging close to my skin and not giving off much throw, but I really love it. I'm definitely keeping my bottle.

[lainevierge]

In the imp this smells like the deep, damp earth I used to dig in when I was a kid. The kind that was dark brown and just a little bit sandy. Happy memories of recess.

 

On my skin however this totally turns to celery. I don't want to smell like my most hated vegetable.

[Persephone76]

On me this smelled like dirt with a side of wet dirt. I loathe dirt as a note so needless to say I am not a fan. However it did smell exactly as advertised. I think I may have even caught a whiff of earthworm somewhere in there.