The Harp of Cnoc I'Chosgair

[karihan]

Gilded amber, tiare, golden sandalwood, vanilla, cardamom, and tagetes.

Oh DANG. I was so sure I'd love this from the notes list, but something in this is going to pencil shavings on me. Cedar sometimes does that, but sandalwood normally doesn't! Maybe the tagetes is confusing the issue. *sigh* Edited May 11, 2010 by Shollin

[MCS4096]

Hmmm when it first goes on its a tad funky, with some green/mildewy thing going on. Once the sandalwood and amber start to heat up on my skin though it becomes a bit powdery/creamy which is good. I tend to amp sandalwood which is ok cause I lurvs it

 

Its definitely good but it does have this green aspect I wasn't expecting.

[forspecial_plate]

Very much not what I was anticipating, this scent is airy, ethereal, somewhat papery.....which I get from sandalwood sometimes, especially when it's white sandalwood. I was expecting warm and a little spicy but that's not at all what I smell. I like it, but it's nothing like I thought it would be.

 

This is what I thought White Phoenix would smell like. It's more white than anything else to me.

[rawgirl75]

I ordered a bottle of The Harp unsniffed (before receiving my decant) because I was so positive it would be fantastic on me based on reviews. But I was wrong, so so wrong. The decant went straight talcum powder on my skin. Which is funny because the stuff that usually turns baby powder on other people (like black musk, certain roses, etc) works fabulously on me. But this one, which should have been fantastic, is just awful with my skin chemistry.

 

I'm right up there with the other reviews that say this smells like a certain hair oil. I think it also kinda reminded me of Neutrogena Bath Oil but I haven't smelled that in years, so it might be my imagination.

 

Aging isn't going to make this work with my skin. Will find a new home for it asap when my Lab order arrives.

Edited April 11, 2010 by rawgirl75

[SlySionnach]

Bottle: Why can't I smell this? I had a similar feeling with The Girl, which is leading me to believe one of the notes they share make my nose smell-dead.

 

Wet: Holy Sandalwood. Nausea-inducing, oh-my-lord sandalwood. Taking a big sniff of this (expecting not to smell anything) was not a good idea at all. Gah.

 

Dry: After about an hour of sandalwood-keeping-my-wrist-far-from-me-and-wondering-why-I-wore-this-to-work death, the sandalwood fades into the background. Apparently, it's tired itself out torturing me. But now, wow, what a gorgeous creamy vanilla! Maybe the sandalwood was the tuning and the vanilla is the melody, but now it is what I've heard it called - amazing.

 

Very similar to The Girl on me. Wish it had a bit more spiciness, but still, a keeper. Maybe second think keeping that second bottle though...

[femmefatale]

I almost didn't try this one since amber rarely works well on me, but after reading all the reviews I decided to give a shot.

 

It's actually very pretty and the amber doesn't kill it. Lol. There is a slightly powdery note, but it's not altogether a bad thing. The vanilla is a sweeter floral one (which could be the vanilla playing with the tiare) and the sandalwood balances it out nicely. The cardamom is virtually invisible. There's something here that reminds me of a note in Boo, I'm thinking maybe it's the same type of vanilla?

 

I do like it a lot more than I expected, though I'm not sure if I like it enough for 2 bottles. I'll let them age a bit and see.

 

 

[crebbsgirl]

Ok, this was a little reminiscent of Lamia (prototype) on my skin, with the vanilla/musk/cardamom. The tagetes lent a golden warm floral vibe to the mix. This is extremely cozy, but in a classy way. I like it, but it's a little too floral for me, so I'll keep my decant but I think that will be enough!

[sunshinedaisybliss]

 

I ignored this one completely, until I started reading reviews and thought I should give it a try. And I'm just so glad I did!

 

It's pretty rare that I get a new BPAL and swoon.. but that's exactly what I did with this one. Sweet, sexy sandalwood and vanilla with a slight citrus-y undertone and the beautiful softness of amber. This is one of those wistful skin scents that still packs a punch despite its delicate touch. There is a slight baby shampoo/soap aspect when sniffed up close, as others have mentioned, but that isn't noticeable at arm's length. Unfortunately it dries down into a subdued version of itself - it goes a little powdery, the sandalwood becomes quite dominant and the vanilla disappears, which is a shame because all the notes together were so beautifully rich and full when freshly applied.

 

I'm not sure I will wear this a lot though.. as lovely as it is, it's just not "me". But it really is quite a gorgeous fragrance.

[distracts]

Sweet sandalwood and vanilla - this reminds me a little of a creamier version of The White Rider.

 

In the bottle: SANDALWOOD! OH DEAR GOD SO MUCH SANDALWOOD. There are hints of other things (mostly a kind of wet greenness like rained-on grass), but I mostly just smell sandalwood.

 

Wet: Sandalwood.

 

Dry: If I sniff it directly, I have difficulty smelling it, but the most beautiful floral/vanilla/sandalwood scent is wafting all around me, so I know it's still there. I was skeptical about purchasing this but WOW is it a winner. Sweet and creamy and sandalwoody in the best possible way.

[zankoku_zen]

Harp, you are made of epic fail. You smell on wet, like warm vanilla mixed with celery seed. And then you dry to a vanilla plastic doll. This blend has the type of vanilla that goes to plastic on me.

 

Epic.Lose.

[Aldercy]

Peanuts??? In the bottle, The Harp smells like perfumed pad thai. No, seriously. Do I have brain damage? I keep sniffing and sniffing, and the impression of spicy peanuts is not dissipating.

 

I will hazard a skin test...

 

So far, the same. I am getting a little bit of the cedary, sandalwoody pencil shavings others have mentioned now though. A few minutes later: musky pale sandalwood aaand... yep... hot, foody, spiced peanuts.

 

zankoku_zen, I will toast to that Epic Lose.

 

ETA: After 20 minutes to half an hour, the peanut associations do go away. Now it's sweeter, warm and a little powdery (but sandalwood often goes powdery on me). Much more "normal." It still doesn't excite me, but at least I don't smell like exotic food.

Edited April 24, 2010 by Aldercy

[ami226]

The notes for this blend look pretty good... The only thing is amber can be kinda hit or miss...

 

On the skin: Coconut? Smells very... tropical.

 

After a bit, it smells more like a tropical floral with a powderiness that I suspect is the amber. This kind of reminds me of The Girl. They just both have a similar feel to me.

 

This smells quite better on the dry-down than it did in the bottle. Might be a keeper....

Edited January 15, 2011 by Shollin
Removed Lab description

[lavender84]

Feels airy and definitely can smell amber, slight spice, creamy. Wish it to be a little sweeter. Might grow to like it more.

 

My mum commented this feels like clean floral (she likes to describe many scents as floral so not sure how she places that ).

She likes it more than me though, for now.

[milo]

Wow, this is really beautiful! I'm getting a warm amber, with a bit of sandalwood and warm vanilla. This blend is what I wanted The Girl to be, but wasn't. It is quite similar, but whereas The Girl is more cologney and cold, while The Harp is warm and a bit sweeter. The amber doesn't go powdery on me, at all, and the vanilla just warms this blend up beautifully. I'm reminded of a sleek feline of the wild type basking on a warm rock, having a sun bath. It's like cats know they're beautiful, but don't have to shout it out. They just have to be what they are, and not worry about making an impression, because they ARE the impression. Anyways, this shoots up to my top 10, and I'm glad I have another bottle coming.

[strahlend]

Sweet, amber, warm, a soft woodsy and musky scent with a good throw. I love it!

I don't get the greenery or florals others mention - mainly amber with some vanilla and sandalwood.

 

 

 

 

Edited June 6, 2010 by strahlend

[SeaLady]

Dear the Harp of Cnoc I'Chosgair,

 

I wanted to wear you every time I practiced the harp. I was going to use you to remind myself to get motivated and practice more. I wore you yesterday when I took my harp to the harp doctor, and you TOTALLY BAILED ON ME! You were gone not twenty minutes into the drive. Gone, gone, gone.

 

I really enjoy your sophisticated amber scent, but I expect a little more loyalty.

 

Broken Heartedly,

 

Me

[PurringPulsar]

The Harp of Cnoc I’Chosgair

 

In the imp: this has a weird note that’s halfway between a green floral and some odd biscuit scent.

Wet on skin: a weird, tinny burnt stem note, with sweetness? Whaaaaa?

Dry on skin: ok, I smell the tiare, but this is more like ‘Evil Gardenia’ (though with the evilness toned down a great deal) than the rich monoi note from Tiki Queen. It’s a greenish, sharp, and surprisingly watered down floral, like the floral note from Pele. And that’s all I smell, along with a tiny bit of sweetness and a tiny bit of marigold. And it’s all very faint. What the? Where’s all the loveliness that everyone’s raving about? Where’s the richness of vanilla, amber and cardamom? Where’s the comparison with The Girl, Morocco, Lyonesse or L’Estate? This doesn’t smell anything like those. All I smell is that watered down gardenia and a bit of marigold. I am so disappointed.

After a while: thankfully the drydown is much nicer, but it’s still faint and other than a tiny bit of sweetness contributed by the vanilla, I can’t smell anything else here apart from the flowers. A very pretty gardenia, it reminds me of a fainter, less incense-y Ecstasy of St Theresa now, but without the depth of the frankincense and oude. I have to say, and it does remind me of monoi, but it’s not as heady and intoxicating as the Tiki Queen monoi. I’d say it was more like the fainter, drier tiare in Marae. But I’m just disappointed at the way that I get no amber, cardamom or sandalwood from this scent at all.

Verdict: this one is a scent that seems to have a lot of batch variation. The review notes above are for a decant I got, and the bottle I got from the Lab smells very similar. But I also got a bottle from a forum seller, which smells so much better. It smells like the golden amber, vanilla, cardamom and sandalwood gorgeousness that I expected, with a little bit of gardenia. Similar to the wonderful amber of Okayaki with the warm sandalwood of Morocco, with tiare. It’s not perfect, the gardenia in my ambery bottle still smells a tiny bit strange at times, oddly bitter or harsh, and not as fabulous as the monoi note in Tiki Queen, and I’m not familiar with tagettes, but the sheer awesomeness of the other notes makes up for the lacklustre gardenia in here. I have a feeling this’ll get better with age.

Emoticon rating: either or depending on batch

Is it a keeper? I will keep the bottle I have that smells of amber goodness, hopefully the floral note will tone down with age, and then we’ll see.

If you like this, try: Marae, Pele, Euphrosyne, Ecstasy of St Theresa, Morocco, Okayaki

[RhinestoneHousewife]

I was frimped this from a decant circle.

 

In the bottle: Meh. Honey? Sandalwood?

 

Wet on skin: Meh.

 

Dry on skin: Meh.

 

Didn't love it, didn't hate it....perfectly nice scent but didn't stir me either way. On a side note, I tested this and then went out to do some yard work and the bees wouldn't leave me alone....they loved it!

[MichelleB675]

This is very faint in the bottle and when first applied, but once it dries it starts blooming into gorgeous vanilla sandalwood perfection.

 

The first time I wore it I actually forgot I had put something on, I was prepared to write it off as having no staying power (or starting power), but I was distracted doing something else and started wondering what smelled so good and it was me.. or rather The Harp... on me.

 

It may be a slow starter, but it more than makes up for it later in the wear.

 

I'll probably kick myself later for not ordering a backup of this one. It's wonderful.

[aquazoo]

Starts with a little bit of dirt. The vanilla and spice are coming up. Not a lot of throw. It's a soft warm spicy kitchen where somebody bakes a lot.

[saralaughs]

Skin Chemistry is sooo weird.

 

There is no amber on me, I get no spice, and vanilla has left the damn freakin' building.

 

The tiare is strong on me. I actually made my Controller sneeze til his nose flew off, hit the wall, and he had to go home (no joke on the going home part). I get a bit of the sandalwood but that only serves to dry out the tiare instead of leaving it alone to be nice and juicy in its floral yumminess.

 

Not what I was looking for. It's strong too. And long lasting. Too bad.

Edited May 11, 2010 by saralaughs

[Chrysantza]

I ordered a bottle unsniffed for the amber and tiare.

 

LOOOOOOOOOOVE. It's indescribably sweet and warm, like a sunny spring day. It's a combination of rich and woodsy, resiny, and sweet sweet tiare. It's also grownup and sophisticated for me to wear to work, etc. Mmm, sandalwood, amber and tiare form PERFECT alchemy.

 

I think Brisingamen lovers would also love The Harp.

 

I wish I had bought more than one bottle!!! This is up there with Khajuraho and Gypsy Queen as one of my new favorites!

[FireWolf]

It's very lovely, but faded out within an hour. If it had a longer throw, it would be in my top ten. It just kills me that more and more BPAL does not last with me.

[Wwindy]

More batch variation here, I'm afraid...

 

My bottle came straight from the Lab, but I'm not getting either Hawaiian florals or vanilla-sandalwood. Instead, this is all musky amber on my skin! It reminds me a little bit of the amber from The Sportive Sun and the musk from Ivanushka.

 

I do like it, but I wish I knew whether this is what it's really supposed to smell like or not...

[Dharklady]

In bottle: Spice and sandalwood

Wet: The floral and amber dance around a bit before turning into a powdery sandalwood.

Dry: It’s a nice soft blend, but eventually it turns to soap on me.

Notes: Pretty, but not for me sadly.