Yew Berry Infused Honey

[reynardine]

Yew berry infused honey.

Decant. Goes on very evergreen and then mellows. Sharp scent with a touch of berry, not much honey that I’m getting, but maybe that is what is softening the evergreen? Will test again, as I’m still trying to decide if I like it. It does remind me a lot of the Yew Trees scent, but with a slight tang (yeah, I’m getting that lime smell as well…)

[proserpine]

Initial smell of evergreen. After drying, I smell cinnamon and clove coming out as well. This reminds me of Christmas and may be great to wear around the holidays. Considering it's humid and in the mid 90s today, this really isn't working for me.

[aquazoo]

I get a piney bit coming up first. Just a teensy bit of honey in there, maybe. I am a huge fan of honey, but this is not working for me.

[zankoku_zen]

Green! I definitely get the berry on wet, and as it dries, I get more of the cinnamon and clove. This smells like cinnamon clove honey. Pretty, but not my type at all.

[capncait]

this is a curious blend! i am getting the evergreen scent, with a bit of cinnamon and sweetness, but there is something that comes off dusty in this right after the dry down... interesting.

[isisonearth]

Very astringent lavender like scent in the imp.

 

It takes a while before the honey starts to come out on my skin. Overall it reminds me of one of the Somniums.

[musichappens]

Very sharp and very bitter. This was way too much for me and I had to wash it off almost immediately after I applied it.

[ajansuz]

In the bottle, fresh, evergreen, and a little sweet. I bought this one untested because I grew up with a Japanese yew tree right next to our house and was constantly rubbing myself with the sap. Probably a bad idea since they're toxic, but all anybody ever told me was not to eat the berries, so I didn't. But the sap...I adored it. I'd break off little pieces of leaf and branch and rub it on my clothes and skin. Mom hated this, which just made me do it more.

 

So, wet on, it's delightfully crisp and sappy green. More evergreen comes up and not a lot of honey at first. I usually amp honey like crazy, so I'm not too worried that it's not sweet right now. There's something almost minty in an understated way.

 

Dry down, here comes the sweet. It blends so nicely with the green scent. Maybe that "minty" wet scent is actually more clove. It's spicy goodness. There's something just a little astringent and dry, like bark. I really, really like this, and I am so glad I ordered it. I'll come back later for how long it lasts. I'd say it has a low to medium throw, closer to the skin than something that screams for attention. It makes me eager for cooler weather, darn it! I want this all over my favorite red sweater.

 

ETA: This had huge lasting power. I went to bed with it on and woke up still smelling like it a little bit. By that time, all that was left was the dry woodsy scent. Still very pretty.

Edited August 21, 2010 by DarkSinestra

[carriesmom]

Holy Christmas tree Batman! All I got was pine, pine, and more pine. There is no sweetness, no berry. And when DH sniffed his eyes started watering. Not what I expected, into the swap pile.

[thekittenkat]

In the bottle: juniper-scented honey.

 

Wet: still more of that evergreen note of the juniper. The honey is acting as a base note, rounding out the juniper and keeping it from being too sharp.

 

Dry: this does not morph on me. Not sure that I like it as a skin scent. Was expecting more honey. May use this as a room scent in the winter months after the winter holiday season is done. Seems rather masculine to me, so may try on the bf.

[Gold Dust Kitten]

Honey with juniper. It's sweet and herbal with a breath of cinnamon as it dries, then I think of pine trees in the mountains covered with snow.

[cuervosueno]

Interesting how the green, which is quite sharp and astringent, effects the honey, making this more of an evergreen type scent than a honey one. The honey is only really a slightly sweet note in here. I understand how some people felt it smelled like myhhr...it does a bit. It's kind of a spicy, green scent rather than a honey one. Kind of interesting actually, though not something I'm immediately in love with.

[sarada]

This is my favorite of the honeys that I have tried. It has just right mix of notes -- there is the dry wooden evergreen scent of sun-warmed pine needles and warm tree resins, and a faint kick of fruitiness that lingers as a hint of golden honey. I wouldn't think "honey" if I smelled it without knowing the notes, but there is a lingering sweetness that catches those other dry evergreen notes and makes them sing. The slight tart fruity splash of a berry scent when it is first applies, mellows quickly, but the dry boughs and glossy sweetness linger on and on. Ever after bathing it stays strong on my wrist. You don't need to apply a lot of it, but it is marvelous. I don't associate it with any particular time of year, because I don't remember when I obtained it, but it really works well in these warm southern autumns where the sun is stlil bright and warm in the forests of cypress and evergreen and I am really enjoying it in that context! It is not overwhelmingly evergreen to me in the traditional sense, but another reviewer remarked on the astringent, sap-like quality and that is what strikes me as well. As a person who likes to rub tree sap on my wrists, I approve!

[opheliatrey]

This is a walk in the forest. It's very green and light. Sun peaking through the branches of huge pine trees. I see it more as a warm summer smell rather than a Christmas one as its very dry and the honey keeps you from smelling like an air freshner tree. It is pretty strong and it's got some throw so be careful....

[Ajila]

In the bottle - A sort of chistmassy berry scent with sweet honey making it feel almost medicinal

 

Wet on me - A waxy kind of honey with a sharp backdrop from the yew berry, still quite medicinal

 

Dry on me - A soft warm waxy honey with that slightly medicinal greenness in the background

 

Overall - I like this a lot, it would be a great every day scent

[torischroeder9]

In the bottle and wet on my skin, the evergreen almost overtakes the honey. It does die down as the blend dries, but on me, the evergreen note remains more detectable than I'd like. (I'd like a dominant honey note with other accents. This isn't it.)