The Wild Swans At Coole

[thekittenkat]

October twilight. Falling leaves breaking the stillness of cool water, with sweet autumn clematis, feather-soft orris root, luminous white chypre, and muguet.

In the imp: Light florals floating in fresh water in the autumn.

Wet: The dusty orris root raises it head. The water is still fresh and calm.

The dry-down: The aquatic note now seems to be smothered by all the plants. I'm still waiting for the muguet to turn into that brown sharp note that it often does. The chypre has come forward, making this into what I would consider a masculine scent, but not overpoweringly so. This was another scent outside my comfort zone, but Yeats is one of my favourite poets of his era, so I had to see how Beth would interpret this poem. Lovely job, but just not my thing, alas.

[pandorasmuse]

In the decant: I don’t know about swans, but I do get a mental picture of walking by a still lake in the fading day.

 

Wet: Astringency.

 

Drydown: Much nicer—the aquatic note comes out. I do like aquatics.

 

Later: As I wear it, it just kind of goes meh. It’s not bad, just not particularly good, either. Too bad, as I thought this would be a surefire winner.

[HerbGirl]

I keep trying this perfume and I want to love it, but it just doesn't love me. I love the poem and its author. I'm a big fan of Orris, but apparently not a fan of Muguet (Lily of the Valley) which makes this blend go sharp, white, and floral on me - so much that I can't wear this perfume. I have tried different times of the month, different times of day, etc. and have given it at least 2 hours on my skin each time.

I give this perfume a 4/5 until the Muguet roars my skin down- then she gets a 2.

Edited January 13, 2011 by Herb Girl

[calivianya]

Wet: I can see where the cucumber comparison comes in. Wild Swans at Coole is very wet and very green. I'm not picking up florals very strongly, but I am smelling something slightly soapy.

 

Drydown: I'm smelling the muguet, I think, if that is what smells like Lily of the Valley. I had some LotV lotion as a child, so this is a smell I'm familiar with. Right now, Swans smells a lot like that lotion. Maybe I amp muguet?

 

Later: This is a very quiet smell on my skin. I agree with the people who say it smells like walking around a lake. It is very gentle and unobtrusive, but definitely follows me around. It is a pretty scent, but I'm not sure it's me.

[gniwle]

This is one of my favorites. It's very much a perfume smell to me, but I mean that in a good way! It's aquatic and green and absolutely lovely.

 

It doesn't morph much on my skin, it's just clean leafy green floating on a pool of water. SO good.

[Minerva]

Dryer sheets. Expensive ones but still dryer sheets.

[symphonyinsilence]

I'm a total Yeats fangirl so I try to collect all of BPAL's Yeats releases.

 

Wore this last night. Quite fitting, since I visited the nearby lake with a friend. Plenty of stars and a gorgeous waning moon in the night sky as a backdrop. This starts out heavily floral and powdery, then mellows out into this leafy aquatic.

 

It's not me. Glad I gave it a try, though.

[sunlitgarden]

I'm always trying to find an aquatic blend that will work for me and that doesn't smell like dryer sheets. I liked the concept of Wild Swans at Coole, and I tested it at Seattle WC and liked it, so ended up buying a bottle. Unfortunately, though, it doesn't seem to have worked out quite so well in the long run. (It seems to be one of the BPAL Murphy's Laws, how you like a scent at WC and then when you get your bottle it just isn't the same. I had the same issue with Gelt.)

 

In the bottle, there's a lot going on. There's the leaf note and florals, and a definite watery note. It reminds me a little of Dancing Waters from Bath and Body Works (a scent I liked but didn't love.) On my skin, the florals dominate more than I'd like. There's a bit over-sweetness that unfortunately reminds me of... a bathroom deodorizer, or something. Specifially, I associate it with an airplane restroom. O_o It's kind of headache-inducing. I've worn it a few different times hoping for better results, but unfortunately it just doesn't seem to be a winner on me. I'm passing it on to a new home.

[zeldaZ4]

First testing of the partial bottle I got from Ralenth. I was intrigued because of the Yeats connection. I was lucky enough to take the trip of a lifetime to Ireland in 2008. This oil takes me back there, to his grave at Drumcliffe churchyard in County Sligo, where the church doors have gleaming brass handles in the shape of swans, and his simple black headstone stands in stark contrast to the ornately carved 9th century Celtic high cross commanding the ancient ground. The flat topped mount of Ben Bulben looms overhead, impossibly green and surreal in its shape.

 

His last poem:

 

Under bare Ben Bulben's head

In Drumcliff churchyard Yeats is laid.

An ancestor was rector there

Long years ago, a church stands near,

By the road an ancient cross.

No marble, no conventional phrase;

On limestone quarried near the spot

By his command these words are cut:

Cast a cold eye

On life, on death.

Horseman, pass by!

 

—Under Ben Bulben, W.B. Yeats

 

 

This oil smells of Ireland, the cool wetness of the River Shannon where I took a picture of a Swan swimming in the wake of our little boat. Of the bee-loud glade of the lake isle of Innisfree. And although I didn't expect it to, it smells much like the perfume Innisfree I bought in Dublin. The same sharp green notes that remind me of shamrocks and heather and moss-drenched stones in the wood near Kylemore Abbey.

 

A treasure!

 

ETA: am wearing this in anticipation of St Patrick's Day tomorrow, and it still smells of Green Magic. Perfect!

Edited March 16, 2013 by zeldaZ4

[Lucchesa]

These are not my notes, but Yeats.  This is obviously a well-aged decant.  I don't get any autumn leaves at all, just soft green aquatic notes, powdery orris and a hint of lily of the valley.  After three or four hours it's barely perceptible but very beautiful.  Glad I got to experience it.