Ronin

[windbourne]

White sandalwood, rice flower, honey, black pepper, and oakmoss.

Half of this scent was fabulous on me, but the other half sent it straight down to wash-off-land. Initially, it was sweet and rice flower-beautiful, with a little, very well-behaved honey and some gorgeous white sandalwood. All things which I love and love to smell. Then the black pepper amped up and the oakmoss dirtied it all down and I couldn't wear it anymore. I'm not sure how it would last after longer than a half-hour, because that's how long I was able to stand it. It has certain similarities to White Rabbit (another pretty white-pale scent with deadly black pepper), but sweeter. It didn't seem to have a particularly heavy throw, and would be fantastic on someone who can handle the pepper. Edited March 9, 2010 by windbourne

[ravenscanary]

Source: Full decant from circle.

 

In the vial: Pepper and strong, dry sandalwood with an earthy undertone. Very masculine, very strong. It almost gave me an insta-headache to huff it.

 

Wet: Skin contact seems to tame this scent for me, but it's still predominantly pepper and sandalwood with this musky thing going on - the oakmoss and honey. I really adore honey, but it doesn't come out for me in a lot of BPAL blends. Here it's just a faint hint of sweetness that makes the oakmoss scent more pleasant. Overall, still a very harsh, masculine scent.

 

Dry: After about 45 minutes, the honey and delicate floral really seems to come out. Both the sandalwood and the oakmoss are much more balanced, and the harshness is gone. Don't get me wrong - unlike some other reviewers, I am still getting a strong, masculine, musky-damp feel to this, but it's sweetened up. Nicer, but I think I'll be more than content with my decant.

 

Notes: Pale yellow oil. Moderate wear and throw.

[crebbsgirl]

On me this is honey and oakmoss with a hint of sandalwood underneath. The pepper is really quite soft here too. I really like this, and on me it tends towards the feminine. Sweet and a little intoxicating. The rice flower isn't making much of an appearance on me, beyond a hint of something mildly flower-like. Creamy, soft, and a little fuzzy.

[surlygurl]

this scent has 2 big Notes O' Doom - oakmoss and honey. Luckily, this is a magical scent that can do no wrong on my skin.

 

Fresh on this is Spicy. Spicy...honey? Like if you were to grind some peppercorns with a mortar & pestle then add a couple spoonfuls of local honey. The throw is great!

 

As it dries, the oakmoss begins to show itself. Luckily, the extreme murkiness of the oakmoss gets smothered by the honey, while the "sex funk" of the labs honey disappears into the grounded oakmoss. It's a brilliant combination. The pepper backs off a wee bit as it dries & something soft - rice flower? - steps in. Sandalwood hides in this scent, centering the whole thing. This is another beautiful blend from the lab.

[gwynethr]

This is really pretty on me -- I've found most of the Shungas and the Salons that are Asian-inspired almost impossible to tell apart. There are only a few standouts that I feel have been worth keeping because they smell very distinguishable, and this would be one of them. Possibly it's how prominent the honey is, since that's a favorite note for me. The pepper adds a bit of a kick. Definitely a keeper.

[ellebelle]

Powder, mustiness, pepper. No, no, no. Veeeeeery masculine. On the drydown, the honey starts to peek forward towards the end as does the rice flower and this gets prettier on me, but I have so many other honey scents that I appreciate more.

Edited March 13, 2010 by Ellebelle

[ami226]

 

On the skin: Heeeeeeeeelllloooo pepper! Oh! And then a bit later I can slightly smell the honey. Wow, very peppery. Kinda starting to give me a headache.

[angelicruin]

Sweet honey and pepper on my skin right after application. Oakmoss and rice flower are noticeable a few minutes after application. Oakmoss seems to be keeping the honey from going too sweet in this blend. I find this to be a very gender neutral scent.

[milo]

Wet, this is kind of vetiver-like with pepper. Maybe it's the Oakmoss? As it dries, the bitter vetiver-like oakmoss disappears and I get a beeswax/honey peppery blend. It kind of reminds me of 93 Engine. I keep getting wafts of vinegar or something sour every once in awhile, but it's not really bothering me. I like this, and will probably reach for the imp every once in awhile.

[Usagi]

In the bottle and on wet, for me, this is OAKMOSS honey. A very sweet honey, tinged with the bitterish sap smell of oakmoss. Interesting.

Once it dries, I still huff oakmoss on my skin, but the throw is straight, light golden, sparkling honey in the summer. It reminds me of the honey in Honey Moon or Hetairae. The throw is pretty strong(I amp honey, though), but not in any way offensive or cloying. I think I like Honey Moon better, because the thyme scent in that just seems to complement the honey more, but I'm looking forward to see how Ronin ages.

 

So, basically, if you were out in the summer, under a mighty oak where bees had built a hive, looking up and getting drizzled in sunwarmed honey.

 

If you love honey, this is definitely something to give a shot. It's not really gender particular, and, I would say, subtly sexy.

[Schmoozy]

Smooth dry sandalwood with creamy rice flower and sweetened by honey. The oakmoss and black pepper add a hint of spice and at first overwhelm the sandalwood/honey and rice flower. As it dries down the black pepper and oakmoss seem to settle quietly into to the background and I'am left with this beautifully honeyed sandalwood. Love it.

[wl552]

I wasn't sure about Ronin when I placed my order because I amp oakmoss and most honeys in a horrible, horrible way, but I love sandalwood for the most part and rice flower. The pepper was a wild card.

 

Fortunately, this has stayed very lovely on me. Something about it is very reminiscent of Lovers in a Ricefield from last year, but Ronin isn't nearly as "rice-y". The honey is playing very nicely with me this time and giving it a sweetness that tamps down what could've been a very biting scent.

 

I don't know what it is about Ronin... he isn't what I'd typically wear, but I'm feeling very romantically inclined toward him. This is a little bit sexy but in a reserved, almost calculating way. It's warm and mysterious.

 

Yep, I'm in love with Ronin.

[fisharescary]

What? what? Why....? I'm getting well-oiled leather from this one. Now, I'm not complaining. I love it. It is sexy well-oiled leather, maybe the saddle of the horse that the ronin has ridden throughout his wanderings. But seriously, it reminds me most of CC: Female. Yet it's definitely something that smells masculine to me- not that I won't wear it, I love it, but I love it cause all day long (this stuff lasts and lasts...quel stamina! This guy could ride across...Japan...a few times. all night long. if you know what I mean. ahem.) I'm smellin' sexy man somewhere just out of sight. Fairly strong but not obnoxious.

 

I guess I'm not familiar with oakmoss, maybe that's the leatherishness? Could be rice flower, which I've never sniffed, but I've notice that fruit blossoms tend to smell like their fruit plus blossoms, so wouldn't it be like perfumed rice? maybe? I just don't know. Maybe I got a mis-filled bottle? I've never heard of it happening.

Edited March 27, 2010 by fisharescary

[thekittenkat]

In the imp: Well-blended, mostly honey but not very sweet.

 

Wet: This is a light fresh herbal/grassy/green honey scent, very clean and clear in the scent. However, the pepper is lurking underneath. I suspect the rice, oakmoss, and sandalwood are helping to produce the clean and clear notes.

 

Dry: Another lovely creation that really doesn't morph on me. Lovely and clean and a different honey note than from what I'm accustomed. It's certainly a light springtime scent. Nice, but I may only need a partial bottle, unless something amazing happens and it morphs, but I'm not expecting that at this point.

[papermaker]

This is honey and riceflower to start. As it dries there is sandalwood, and that tames some sweetness the honey and riceflower provide. Dry there is a little pepper that sneaks in, but it is a soft honeyed floral with sandalwood to ground it.

[malibusunny]

I love love love this. Wet, it is sweet and peppery, but not foodie. On my skin, it's mostly honey and sandalwood, delicate but lasting. I lose the pepper completely but that's really okay.

[loladae]

Yumm. This smells like sweet woods. Honey, rice paper, oakmoss and pepper are all there blending beautifully. I think this will age well. I don't know if I should get a bottle or not. I have so many woody scents that will probably get more wear from me. Debating...

[aquazoo]

Definite sandalwood — ooooh, and the honey is right behind! That's all I need, but then the other ingredients add another layer.

 

[milo]

Wet, this is a spicy, honey blend. As it dries, it smells very much like "Lover's With Rutting Cat's", only not as sweet and this is a bit spicier. I think they have oakmoss in common. This is a nice, creamy spice blend, and though enjoyable, I don't need a bottle.

[HappyLoveJoy]

I got to try a little left in a decant and I'm pleasantly surprised. It smells like honey incense on me. A little smoky at first but sweeter within minutes with a little powdery finish. It is quite simply that and bottle-worthy imo.

[impolight]

:::RONIN:::

 

Ronin arrived in the post as a Frimp! Too cool for school!

Almost the entire series of "Novel Ideas" was missed out on because it wasn't until the Black Helicopter series that the magic of clicking on the intended Icon was realised (bain dramage, you see).

Upon locating Ronin here, in the Forum, and scanning it's components, preconceived notions began to form ( Rice Flour? Oh! Rice FLOWER! Wait... Rice has flowers?) that this might be a mite... Dainty.

Oakmoss, thou fillest with great hopes!

First Sniff: Mmmmm! Something is remniscent of Sake! Perhaps this is the Rice Flour?

The sweetness of Honey is yummy; sticky, brown, and crystalline.

There is just enough bite from the Black Pepper to give Ronin some rasp and snarl... Cool!

Sandalwood's elegant contours give Ronin just enough poise raise both eyebrows well into the hairline.On the Skin: Ah, here is the Oakmoss! Interplay with the other notes almost gives this the quality of A key-lime pie...

This is a very nice fragrance, yet the longer it mingles with familiar body chemistry, the more that the incompatible become apparent. Drat.

The Wife's verdict: "baby powder... that's not one of your BPAL's, is it?"

*rolls down car window*

Ronin is a nice, sweeeeet fragrance, it would just probably go better with a frilly pink something than it would with a top-knot or a katana.

4 out of 5.

[tartchef]

Unlike most of the above reviewers, I ADORE black pepper, & here it is a star player on my skin, buoyed by a rasp of sandalwood, hot & dry. The honey & rice flower add a heady, sweet layer & the contrast is really interesting...

 

Alas, Mr Oakmoss STOMPYBOOTS ruins the party, like the guy with too much cologne who INSISTS ON TALKING OVER EVERYONE & TURNING ON THE FOOTBALL MATCH THAT NO ONE WANTS TO WATCH Sometimes, oakmoss plays nicely for me, but here, it's distinctly man-fume, sharp & invasive & vaguely industrial.

 

Maddening. Much like the aforementioned party, I know there's something awesome happening in the background - I keep getting faint whiffs of honey & pepper - but Oakmoss just keeps turning up the telly.

[sarielswish]

Wet and dry, it's peppery honey. No thank you.

[filigree_shadow]

On my skin, it smells mainly like oakmoss and pepper. Aaaaaand that's pretty much it. There's a wee bit of smooth sweetness in there too, but to be honest I can't tell if that's from rice flower or honey because I can't pick out either of them. Not sure about the sandalwood -- that's usually not a strong note on me.

 

It smells very nice, and I definitely like it. For me, it's a bit too masculine. My husband wears BPAL oils all the time, and this smells like one of the ones he'd wear, so I associate scents like this with men. I think it would be perfectly fine on a woman, just not me.

[Edeniade]

I got this as a frimp which was a great and appreciated surprise!

 

In the bottle my nose is tickled by a hint of the black pepper, but the pervading scent is the honey coating the rice flower. Delicate but with a sting!

 

Wet on me I can still smell a hint of that black pepper but the rice flower really lightens it up. The white sandalwood kind of hangs out in the background but pulls the scent together nicely and mellows it out. It threatens to get a bit powdery but it doesn't, so thank goodness! This scent reminds me of a low-key "romp" in the woods, LOL.

 

On the drydown the peppery-ness is back but it's not strong enough to make me sneeze. This scent doesn't have much of a throw on me, which is probably a good thing for this oil. I haven't gotten even a hint of oakmoss, which I prefer because the sandalwood acts better to mellow out this scent on me than the oakmoss would have. I'd classify this as a summery scent for certain!