Deathly Pride

[surlygurl]

DEATHLY PRIDE
Godolphin Horne was Nobly Born;
He held the Human Race in Scorn,
And lived with all his Sisters where
His father lived, in Berkeley Square.
And oh! The Lad was Deathly Proud!
He never shook your Hand or Bowed,
But merely smirked and nodded thus:
How perfectly ridiculous!
Alas! That such Affected Tricks
Should flourish in a Child of Six!
(For such was Young Godolphin's age).
Just then, the Court required a Page,
Whereat the Lord High Chamberlain
(The Kindest and the Best of Men),
He went good-naturedly and took
A perfectly enormous Book
Called People Qualified to Be
Attendant on His Majesty,
And murmured, as he scanned the list
(To see that no one should be missed),
"There's William Coutts has got the Flu,
And Billy Higgs would never do,
And Guy de Vere is far too young,
And . . . wasn't D'Alton's father hung?
And as for Alexander Byng!- . . .
I think I know the kind of thing,
A Churchman, cleanly, nobly born,
Come, let us say Godolphin Horne?"
But hardly had he said the word
When Murmurs of Dissent were heard.
The King of Iceland's Eldest Son
Said, "Thank you! I am taking none!"
The Aged Duchess of Athlone
Remarked, in her sub-acid tone,
"I doubt if He is what we need!"
With which the Bishops all agreed;
And even Lady Mary Flood
(So kind, and oh! So really good)
Said, "No! He wouldn't do at all,
He'd make us feel a lot too small."
The Chamberlain said, "Well, well, well!
No doubt you're right. One cannot tell!"
He took his Gold and Diamond Pen
And scratched Godolphin out again.
So now Godolphin is the Boy
Who Blacks the Boots at the Savoy

A sooty licorice incense with coconut and bay rum.

After much anticipation, this arrived in the mail yesterday. Three of my favorite notes blended together? Heck yeah! Travel shock (bottle) and headcold (me) aside, I tore into the package & tested it.

In the bottle: Coconut cream. Seriously. It smells thick & fat-laden and slightly floral. I'm familiar with all the bpal coconut types, and the only other time I've smelled coconut cream was in a chaos theory. It's not one of my faves. I also get a tiny bit of "bay rum" - I thinks it's allspice.

On the skin, this is mostly coconut cream. When I sniff up close there's a little allspice and an herbal black licorice kick. The licorice/bay rum compete for attention under the coconut cream for a while. As it dries, the bay rum & licorice fade into the coconut. There's not much throw.

I hope this ages into something less cloying, but I won't hold my breath.

eta: This is more like it! 2 weeks of aging & the coconut cream mellowed, the licorice took a big step up, and the bay rum is the 'glue' that holds it all together. I *knew* this would be a winner! Edited January 2, 2010 by surlygurl

[forspecial_plate]

They had me with "sooty licorice incense", and bay rum sealed the deal. I knew I wanted this or Playing With A Loaded Gun, so I left it up to the goblins. I think they made the right choice for me!

 

Black licorice is a note that I always want to love, and should love, but it's very tricky in the actual wearing of it. Too many times it smells rubbery to me, but I think I have finally found the perfect black licorice blend! That is the main note that I smell in this scent, backed up by subtle hints of the other notes. There is a white fluffiness which I guess is coconut, and I can't distinctly pick up the bay rum but I think I can tell that it's there. I love many of the Lab's bay scents so it's a note that I am always attracted to.

 

So, after dissecting and picking apart the scent, I've worn it a couple times to just appreciate it for what it is. My impressions are different from surlygirl's, because for me it's mostly about the black licorice. But it's not quite a candy scent. Sooty black licorice incense is a great description because that really is the impression that I get, with some white fluffiness. I agree that the coconut note is different from others that I've experienced, and I do think this will get even better as the notes have time to mingle. I'm hoping for the bay rum to come out a little stronger.

 

Overall, this is a winner!

[malibusunny]

Mine is very licorice in the bottle but dries to a more sweet coconutty + hint of licorice. But, honestly, I don't like it very much. I think I'm looking to trade.

[Little Bird]

This is exactly what I had hoped it would be like. I can smell all three notes in the bottle - a spicy, kinda masculine kick from the bay rum, black licorice, and creamy coconut.

 

I think it's funny that this was described as mostly coconut by one reviewer and mostly licorice by another, because it's mostly bay rum on me, lol.

I don't smell a lot of coconut for the first few hours that this is on my skin, it just lends a sweet, creamy feel to the other notes. The black licorice reminds me of the sweet, dark, rich black licorice in Le Père Fouettard, which I adore. The bay rum is like a spicy, sexy men's cologne note. I would never have thought to mix the three things together, but they're a gorgeous combination.

After a couple hours of wearing this, it's still a lotta cologney, spicy bay rum with the sweet black licorice, but I can define the creamy sweetness as coconut. It makes me think of meeting a rugged, sexy, mysterious man on a tropical island...

 

There's no way that this could go wrong on me. I tend to love all three of the listed notes, and the type of coconut used is really lovely, I think. This smells great on my husband as well, but I think I'm keeping it for myself.

 

I love so many of the inquisition blends from this set, but this one is a definite favorite.

[papermaker]

In the imp I can smell all three listed ingredients. Once on my skin it is licorice and then coconut. The coconut is nice and creamy. Once dry it is a incensey licorice and coconut dipped in bay rum. I really like this. I am kind of regretting not getting this one for my inquisition, but funds would not allow it.

[FandF]

this couldn't be more spot on incensy anise scent….not a churchy kind of incense …there is no sweetness or pipe smoke element. But a deep spicy smelling licorice scent with dry notes of coconut meat. Licorice and coconut in the earthy kind of way. I don't know what bay rum smells like but it must be the grounding note to keep it earthy and sexy but not astringent at all. this is a mellow scent.

 

i'm also surprised I like this too...i've wanted other anise/licorice scents to smell like this....wearable but still interesting! I'm not picking up any cream notes wet or from the bottle...mine smells very much like intense licorice wet.

 

[angelicruin]

This is a great blend of licorice, coconut, and rum. And on my skin, it's so balanced. I can smell each note and not one of them edges out over the others. If it were possible, I would be buying a back-up bottle of this. So very lovely.

[sunshinedaisybliss]

 

As Forspecial Plate said, you had me at "sooty licorice incense".

 

As with all the Naughty oils I've tried so far, Deathly Pride is the perfect perfume for its story. Much like the snobbish and scornful Godolphin Horne, this is haughty and regal - it's very rich and strong.

 

When it first goes on, it's all about the licorice with the rum just teasing its way through the smoky black feel of the licorice. When dry, everything balances out and the coconut is just peeking through, but only in a very subtle way - it's just playing at the edges of the licorice. My skin is very picky about licorice.. it couldn't handle the strength and sweetness/foodiness of Humbug, but it seems to love this one - probably because this isn't a sweet licorice as such, it's definitely a smoky one. I've never actually come across a licorice incense, but if I did.. I reckon it would smell like this. I'm not really getting a lot of bay rum in the dry stage, but it was there when wet.

 

This is a definite keeper, and will probably smell even more amazing after aging a few months. A masterful blend, just fantastic!

 

 

 

 

[Dark Alice]

Licorice. Fresh black Licorice with the barest hints of freakin incense. God bless america I can't stand this. Must. Wash. Off.

Edited January 20, 2010 by Dark Alice

[edenssixthday]

Deathly Pride - I took one little whiff of my decant and before I even tried it on my skin I knew I was going to have to track down a full bottle (and I did! WIN!) This opens up on me with a strong licorice and coconut scent, very sweet and semi-tropical. As it dries down, that's when the sheer beauty of this fragrance really comes out. When it dries down, all the notes are evident, but it's predominantly a husky incense scent that's bolstered by the sexy spiciness of the bay rum, sweetened up by the licorice, and smoothed out by the coconut. I don't have the right words to describe it, so suffice it to say that this scent is perfection in a bottle. I not only swoon every time I catch the scent wafting around me, but I've had more compliments on this once scent than I have had on everything else I've worn in the last year combined. If human/perfume marriages were legal in the state of Colorado, I would get down on one knee and propose to Deathly Pride.

[patina]

Oh. Mmm. If boot polish was made of creamy licorice...

Now to try this with my imp of De Sade...

[zankoku_zen]

This one was very dusty licorice/anise smelling. If there is coconut, it is coconut cream and BPAL cream note tends to be 'off' on me. I do get a hint of coconut on the drydown. But again, its like dusty coconut + licorice.

 

Not for me, this is.

[heathercaley]

This is interesting, but actually a little pleasant.

 

I'm finding that I enjoy licorice notes more and more. Once applied I get a coconut flavored licorice! YUM! The bay rum adds a lovely cologne feel that kind of just hovers in the background.

 

It sticks rather close to the skin, with a light throw... but when I sniff myself I love it.

 

Verdict? Twizzlers would make a fortune if they made this flavor!

[iiinterstate]

I can't believe I haven't reviewed this one already.

 

When I first got the bottle it was a little too smoky-smelling for me. The incense and licorice ended up coming off like charcoal. However, after letting it rest for a little while, this blend is mostly coconut and rum to me. Very smooth and delicious, with a little extra kick from the licorice and an occasional waft of incense. I like it a lot more than I expected to.

 

I loooove coconut, and Obatala is one of my default blends, especially in summer. Deathly Pride is like a darker Obatala on my skin. Yum.

[fairnymph]

Light golden oil. Sweet black licorice with a very creamy and quite lovely coconut note - it reminds me of the one in Black Pearl - and not really any soot or bay rum that I can pick out.

 

Stronger overall, but especially the black licorice and the coconut. The latter is actually too creamy now - so rich it's practically buttery, and I take it back about it being the same note from Black Pearl. I get a little herbal astrigency from the bay rum, but it's very light, and all bay, no rum. I still get no soot or anything smoky or dusty, though this does have a remarkably black feel for being so sweet and foody.

 

Black licorice continues to amp, which is good because it's smothering the much worse buttery coconut note. I am getting a bit more bay, too, which is also good as it balances this blend. Now I do seem to get a 'sooty' feel, though I don't get any smoke or dirt, but maybe a hint of dark dust? Normally I hate dusty notes, but this is really interesting and not actually bad - it's almost sort of velvety - it reminds me of the dusty velvet curtains in Erik.

 

The licorice has faded a bit of the coconut has amped up, because they're about on par now. While the coconut is still WAY too buttery and really - greasy and cloying - it has more of the creamy, tropical and pleasant qualities it had in the imp now - it's more complex. The bay remains a light balancing note, but the rum has actually come out a bit and adds a sweet, warm booziness that rounds out this blend and ties it together.

 

Velvety black licorice and buttery, creamy coconut with deep sweet booze and a bit of sharply herbal bay - interesting, and much less foody after a few hours - much less sweet and much less BLACK LICORICE, with more soot and booze - but the coconut persists enough to make it still 'foody'. Not that this would be my thing at all. Unisex, good throw and decent longevity.

[milo]

At first, this is all about the licorice. It's not a fake one, either. It's true, grainy STRONG licorice pipes. As it dries, the licorice fades and a dusty, sweet incense comes out. I'm thinking the licorice and the rum is providing the sweetness, but I can't really detect an actual 'rum' note, or the licorice now. This just ends up being as described without the licorice. A dusty, sweet incense blend. I have a few that I like better, so won't be needing anymore of this one.

[midnight_aeval]

I remember testing this back when I first got my decants and thought it was very heavy on the black licorice note. Now as I retest it, I get much more of the coconut/bayrum/Captain Jack smell It's definitely gotten better with age, but probably not one I would wear often.

[starfish327]

deathly pride smells like what would happen if jelly beans mated with suntan lotion.

 

and that's a good thing.

 

in the imp: it's a very...odd scent. there's definitely a blast of coconut- i'm guessing the same coconut from obatala. behind that there's a blast of licorice but it's behaving. there's something that registers cold to my nose as well.

 

wet: it reminds me a lot of the bulk candy section at wegmans and i'm not sure why. it smells very sweet, like candy, but not sickeningly so and it's not really foody. i'm not getting incense out of this at all.

 

dry: there's still something that's registering as cold. i have no idea what. the coconut seems to have burned off pretty quickly and just left an impression of coconut, but not the actual coconut itself. the licorice starts to morph forward and i'm getting the impression of incense without the actual incense itself. i'm a very visual thinker and i'm getting two very different images: biting down on something very meaty and burning candles. i have no idea where either are coming from. it's bordering on medicinal but staying just away from it.

 

this is a very odd scent, and i like the really odd blends. j see this as much more summer than yule though, and it appeals greatly to my chaotic side.

[filigree_shadow]

Yes, licorice for sure. Unfortunately kind of a bitter-smelling licorice on my skin. I don't think my skin chemistry likes the licorice and incense combination. The coconut and rum do freshen it up a bit, but underneath that it smells a little chalky and... dirty. I don't think this one is going to work out for me, but generally I don't have tons of luck with licorice scents anyway.

[BuxomM]

wow, the combination of the notes smell like celery. I get the anise and rum and sense of cool freshness from coconut if try to get each but together I get celery. weird.

[Gwydion]

In bottle: Licorice wins out as the strongest note after wrestling the bay rum to the ground. Licorice then dances about in triumph while the Bay Rum provides a pervasive background. The coconut basically tries to make peace between them while still mostly siding with the Bay Rum. Wet: Bay Rum wins the second round with coconut screaming encourage from it’s corner. Licorice skulks about muttered under it’s breath about cheating and plotting revenge. Dry: In the third round, the licorice comes back for a rematch. By this time the coconut has wandered off, leaving the bay rum to fend for itself. The licorice seems to be winning, but the bay rum won’t give up the fight.

[MCS4096]

As I recall I bought this blend off the forum when I couldnt find any Humbug ( ). It's perfect in the bottle-- almost all creamy black licorice with a barely discernible hint of coconut and bay rum rounding it out.

 

Once it's on my skin the licorice amps like woah, then quickly burns off and after that initial stage I'm left with a slightly spicey coconut, which is very lovely but not nearly enough licorice for me.

 

I would still love to get my hands on some Humbug, as I tried it once at a M&S and it was divine. This probably smells pretty similar to that blend on many people though.

[bellumed]

I don't care for any of these notes so I was expecting "hate at first sniff." I am pleasantly surprised! The coconut note here is not the one that I associate with suntan lotion, nor a big, sweet foodie one, but instead a mild coconut cream. Also lots of pipe smoke, especially when wet - and reading through the previous reviews, I guess this is actually the licorice note? The smoke goes "flat" and gives way to soot (and a tiny bit of licorice). The end result on drydown is a subtle, masculine-to-unisex smoke scent with a bit of cream that cuts through any harshness. Very little throw, no sign of rum to my nose.

 

More wearable and comfortable than anticipated, if still not quite for me.