The School

[Aldercy]

THE SCHOOL
“The school is not quite deserted,” said the Ghost. “A solitary child, neglected by his friends, is left there still.”

Scrooge said he knew it. And he sobbed.

They left the high-road, by a well-remembered lane, and soon approached a mansion of dull red brick, with a little weathercock-surmounted cupola, on the roof, and a bell hanging in it. It was a large house, but one of broken fortunes; for the spacious offices were little used, their walls were damp and mossy, their windows broken, and their gates decayed. Fowls clucked and strutted in the stables; and the coach-houses and sheds were over-run with grass. Nor was it more retentive of its ancient state, within; for entering the dreary hall, and glancing through the open doors of many rooms, they found them poorly furnished, cold, and vast. There was an earthy savour in the air, a chilly bareness in the place, which associated itself somehow with too much getting up by candle-light, and not too much to eat.

They went, the Ghost and Scrooge, across the hall, to a door at the back of the house. It opened before them, and disclosed a long, bare, melancholy room, made barer still by lines of plain deal forms and desks. At one of these a lonely boy was reading near a feeble fire; and Scrooge sat down upon a form, and wept to see his poor forgotten self as he used to be.

Not a latent echo in the house, not a squeak and scuffle from the mice behind the panelling, not a drip from the half-thawed water-spout in the dull yard behind, not a sigh among the leafless boughs of one despondent poplar, not the idle swinging of an empty store-house door, no, not a clicking in the fire, but fell upon the heart of Scrooge with a softening influence, and gave a freer passage to his tears.

The Spirit touched him on the arm, and pointed to his younger self, intent upon his reading. Suddenly a man, in foreign garments: wonderfully real and distinct to look at: stood outside the window, with an axe stuck in his belt, and leading by the bridle an ass laden with wood.

“Why, it’s Ali Baba!” Scrooge exclaimed in ecstasy. “It’s dear old honest Ali Baba! Yes, yes, I know! One Christmas time, when yonder solitary child was left here all alone, he did come, for the first time, just like that. Poor boy! And Valentine,” said Scrooge, “and his wild brother, Orson; there they go! And what’s his name, who was put down in his drawers, asleep, at the Gate of Damascus; don’t you see him! And the Sultan’s Groom turned upside down by the Genii; there he is upon his head! Serve him right. I’m glad of it. What business had he to be married to the Princess!”

To hear Scrooge expending all the earnestness of his nature on such subjects, in a most extraordinary voice between laughing and crying; and to see his heightened and excited face; would have been a surprise to his business friends in the city, indeed.

“There’s the Parrot!” cried Scrooge. “Green body and yellow tail, with a thing like a lettuce growing out of the top of his head; there he is! Poor Robin Crusoe, he called him, when he came home again after sailing round the island. ‘Poor Robin Crusoe, where have you been, Robin Crusoe?’ The man thought he was dreaming, but he wasn’t. It was the Parrot, you know. There goes Friday, running for his life to the little creek! Halloa! Hoop! Halloo!”

In the corner of a desolate, dismal schoolhouse, all lonely stone walls, beeswax, and dusty wooden writing desks, stirs the scent of gold coins hidden in forest outside Baghdad, waves crashing against the hull of a Salé pirate ship, the lofty halls of Pépin le Bossu’s court, and a wild child’s home in the woods.

From the decant and wet on the skin, The School strikes me as a tad cologney. Not a terrible cologne, but definitely veering toward that territory.

As it dries, it becomes more complex. I'm mostly smelling those writing desks. It's a very clear, strong note-- antique, darkly gleaming wood (at first I thought rosewood, but that dissipated almost immediately-- now it's more like mahogany or redwood) buffed with creamy, mild beeswax. The beeswax note reminds me of the type in Ichabod Crane, but it's much duller and more tempered. It's just a supporting note for that gorgeous wood. And I can't get over how "true" that note is-- when wood normally starts cologney and stays cologney on me. This one morphed, and it's great. I feel like there might be a dab of smoky patchouli leaf somewhere in this scent as well, but it's not strong.

This is indeed an academic scent. I would love to study with this. It's rather serious, but deeply calming. It's what I wanted out of Miskatonic University nearly three years ago when I first found BPAL.

I can see how this is a "memory" of a school, an unpopulated place. But it's not desolate or dismal or dusty. It's like finding a long abandoned study or library of some sort that may be lonely, but is also wondrous. It is somehow warmed by the gold and the pirate ship and such things even though I don't smell those literal notes. I love it. Masterpiece of the Yules for me so far, and I wasn't even expecting much from it! Bottle.

[DeltaCat]

More and more sandalwood. Lots and lots of straight up sandalwood. I get no beeswax from this scent. I get visions of standing in the woods on a cold day. If you love sandalwood, I woudl recommend this one!

[strahlend]

I was really looking forward to this scent.

This starts out smelling very metallic and tangy on my skin. There's something herbal, almost medicinal about it. It smells kind of sour and bitter.

After it has time to dry The School does soften up quite a bit and lose that metallic tang. Now it seems kind of warm and almost amber-like to me, sweet and still a hint of something herbal.

Fades down to a sort of unusual herbal something and honeymusk that, I assume, is beeswax.

Not quite the scent adventure I expected. The opening stages are so unpleasant I wouldn't want to go through it again to get to the dry down.

[dawndie]

Wet: sharp wood

 

On skin: lots of dusty wood

 

Half-hour later: the wood has deepened, more sticky and resin-y, with some salty air from Pirate Moon

 

In conclusion: I wanted to try this just for the description -- storytime at school with pirates and adventure! The wood stays out of dry pencil-shaving territory, it's well-worn from years of students doodling and daydreaming.

[cfrancesca]

Mmm...wow, this is really nice! Mostly strong and slightly creamy woods. I'm getting mahogany, sandalwood, beeswax, and some dustiness, the woods an "old" feel to them. I'm really impressed by this one, though very atmospheric, I also find it very wearable, masculine and sexy. I wish I could wear strong woods, unfortunately they're usually headache-inducing.

 

It's a very sophisticated and vintage-type scent, I think it might become a popular one.

[melange]

This is another scent that is wonderfully evocative of its description, where I'll bring out the decant when I want that feeling but not so much otherwise. I see it as old wood bookcases with beeswax rubbed in years ago, long enough now that you can only sniff that old warmth when you're looking for it.

[Incendiare]

The dusty wood is so realistic. It reminds me of something more specific but I can't quite put my finger on it. I don't smell any beeswax in the vial. Wet, the dusty wood amps even more and there isn't really any sign of anything else. It's the type of blend that partially drives me insane thinking, "What does this remind me of..." Many of Blend's blends do that to me but this one in particular is very thought-provoking. Although it isn't something that I would want to walk around smelling like, it is something that I would use for aromatherapeutic purposes, to either concentrate or feel more relaxed.

[Little Bird]

In the bottle and on my skin, the sweet beeswax note dominates this blend. It's a realistic honeyed wax smell that's warm and dark in feel. Beeswax can go cloying on me pretty easily, but the hints of dusty wood and something like dry incense here are keeping it in check. As this dries down, it gets an oddly cool feel, almost like a hint of sweet mint in root beer, but it's very pretty and makes me think of candles flickering away on the balcony of a seaside palace at night.

 

I like this a lot, and might have to track down some more decants to fill my partial bottle. The throw and staying power are excellent on me as well. This is one of the few bpal blends that lasts over six hours on me and stays rather strong.

[Schmoozy]

Beeswax and resins with dry, dusty wood and the feeling of greenery and aquatics. It kinda feels soothing and warming, but other than that, it really isn't doing too much for me.

[zagadka]

Another one I can't believe is not getting more love!!

 

In the bottle, this is all dark, murky pirate ship lost at sea. It was a little bitter and I didn't like it AT ALL. I'm so glad I gave it a shot because it unfolds in a really mysterious, interesting way.

 

It reads like a story that you get wrapped up in. Its hard to pinpoint and describe until you get to the dry down. The beeswax definitely dominates, but its not straightup honey. Its slightly sweet and ambery, like a calmer version of Snake Oil, kinda.

 

Too bad I bought this as a gift...gladly its my BF so I just miiiight have to steal it once in a while.

[surlygurl]

This must be one of those scent that change wildly from one person to the next. Either that, or it's mislabeled. At first, it's "Ohhhh! Incense! I love incense!" The 'gold coins' warm it up and make it cozy. As it dries, there's something familiar about it, like an Indian Incense vibe. Like a Faces of the Heroine scent. But now it's REALLY familiar, like.... like..... Nag Champa or Super Hits incense. Oh wow. This is so weird. And it doesn't change in the drydown at all. I like incense, but this is too much for a perfume. Maybe it'll age into something else, but right now, not for me.

[zankoku_zen]

Green woods that dry to woods, a load of beeswax and a metallic tang. It's cozy, somewhat familiar, and very comforting.

 

It's what childhood sanctuaries should smell like.

[Altaira]

There is a lot going on here. Perhaps too much as my nose is a bit overwhelmed. Dusty wood and pine forests are strongest to me, with a distinct peppery note. A bit cologne like on drydown. Interesting, but I think too muddled for me.

[hersphinxness]

I was nervous about the beeswax note, since I've had that go grossly coconut on me before, but I gave it a shot anyway and I'm so glad I did! No coconut! The beeswax is one of the stronger notes, and it smells reassuringly like actual beeswax.

 

In the decant, this is rather sharp. The woods are strong and dark and there's a hard metallic note, but cut with a warmer bouquet of scents. Maybe a little like resinous incense?

 

This isn't much of a morpher for me once it's on. I get several layers of wood notes, I think, that lovely true beeswax, a very nice, tangy salt. The metallic note warms up quite a bit. There are so many things going on in this scent that it's hard to give an overall impression! It does suit the description, so if you find that intriguing you shouldn't be disappointed.

 

A very complex, rich, warm scent. The best of the Yules I've sniffed.

[whisperstilled]

In imp: There is definitely a cologne vibe to this one. So far the only identifiable notes are the wood and beeswax, with something else lurking underneath. Reminds me a little of Philologus, but without the leather.

 

Wet: Now along with the beeswax and wood I get a little of the salty sea waves, and as it warms up on my skin it sweetens in a way I find difficult to define. This is a very well-blended scent, resiny and a touch sweet as it dries.

 

Dry: Creamy beeswax, wood, maybe a hint of salt, sandalwood, and something soft and sweet. This is a very intriguing scent, one I am hard pressed to define or pick out notes for. I'm not sure how much I'll wear it, but it's definitely something different. 3/5

[sunshinedaisybliss]

I really had very few expectations for this one - I wasn't quite sure how it was going to smell!

 

I get the beeswax, which is quite soft and ever-so-slightly sweet, and the woods which are really gorgeous. There seems to be a lot going on in here - there's a touch of saltiness, and something very golden, but most of all it's the beeswax and warm woods that are winning here.. together they're just lovely. This blend reminds me a little bit of Wezweenie/Hold from the Salons - it's much less rich than W/H, but it has the same kind of feel to it. I also love the way that it's settled in to my skin - it's not on my skin, it's in it - like it's my skin but better smelling.

 

I won't be surprised if this becomes one of the big hits from the 2010 Yules - it has a lovely complexity without being too fussy, and a gorgeous warmth that's very comforting.

Edited January 14, 2011 by sunshinedaisybliss

[thekittenkat]

In the decant: Something a bit spicy, yet also like an old-fashioned man's cologne, that must be the waves, and with a almost hidden depth of creaminess attributed to the beeswax.

 

Wet: Much the same as when first sniffed

 

The dry-down: As it dries down, I'm getting a hint of wood from those old desks and the forest, and something metallic from the gold coins. However, everything just blends together on me into a more perfect whole. I like this, but suspect it would smell divine on the bf. The beeswax, always a favourite note, also adds a touch of sweet cream, but mind you, only a touch.

Edited January 14, 2011 by thekittenkat

[melange]

This is another scent that is wonderfully evocative of its description. When I first tried the decant, I saw it as old wood bookcases with beeswax rubbed in years ago, long enough now that you can only sniff that old warmth when you're looking for it.

 

After having let the decant sit for a couple weeks, though... this is amazing. Beeswax and incense and so many good things, and better, it lasts and lasts. It reminds me of Morocco, not that it smells just the same, but there's something about it. This may be my favorite of this year's Yules.

[ofthegood]

This scent... just confuses me. I mean, the description alone is pretty overwhelming. But the oil is very complex and I had an ever-changing response to it as it dried and developed on me. I still can't decide if I like it or not.

 

There's definitely a lot of elements that make this oil "golden," and that's the color it immediately evokes. Honey, beeswax, amber, polished wood, golden coins... very rich. At first, I definitely got a lot of the beeswax and wood, and was pretty pleased. But then some other notes popped up, and it turned into more of a masculine cologne-y scent... and that beautiful waxed wood scent was drowned out. It wasn't bad, just more generic and less nuanced. Further development brought out some notes I didn't really like - maybe some of the salty, metallic, peppery ones.

 

Overall, this was just weird. I liked it... I didn't like it... I sort of want to keep trying to figure it out!

[surf-tormented]

This one starts out metal wood on me, which I really like. Then it morphs into something gross. Is that the beeswax note? I don't have any beeswax notes in any of the perfumes in my collection, but if that is the note, it becomes a very horrible sour milk, honeyed garbage type smell. Not for me.

[milo]

This ends up being strong, bitter woods on me, with something that smells kind of like furniture polish. Definitely not for me.

[Invidiana]

Comforting warm woods and that lovely beeswax I recognize from The Lights of Men's Lives, thick and rich with honeyed overtones and a bit of something vanillic. I think I detect some amber in here as well, probably part of what makes up the "scent of gold coins". It evokes a schoolhouse of days gone by without actually smelling like an old house (that one's reserved for Copulating Mice on me). This is one of those scents that warms up the imagination even if it's freezing in reality.

[Vega]

When I first tested The School, shortly after I got my decant from a circle, it was purely woody. Saddening to just get the school-house and none of Scrooge's daydreams! So I stashed my decant away for several months to age. About 8 months later, the blend has undergone a tremendous transformation, and exactly as described in the Christmas Carol scent description, which I reported in this thread, and below...

 

Sniffed: Initially light, pale woods, but with something else lurking underneath. A bit of sweet aquatic, a bit of green forest?

 

On skin: WOW, The School has changed dramatically with age. I still smell hints of wood, but now a blue-green, sweet aquatic blooms during the wet stage! Sadly, it burns off rapidly with drydown, but lurking beneath the dominant light, pale and dry wood notes is a mélange of something more interesting and tantalizing. I get a light blue aquatic, a whiff of spices, and maybe a hint of evergreenery peeking through the bland woods. These other notes morph in and out over the woods, tantalizing the nose. Indeed, this is imagination at play, conjuring ephemeral visions amidst the wooden school-house. Colour impression is a vivid splash of cyan fading rapidly into light plywood brown.

 

Verdict: While The School remains largely wood-dominant, I'm so glad that it's aged into something beyond a one-note blend. Something magic happened, just like its description! I can't believe it, how does the Lab achieve something like this?! This is worth keeping and aging, perhaps the other notes will strengthen over time!

[achromance]

In the vial: An old stone cellar and beeswax, then maybe some dustiness.

On my wrist: The beeswax is dominant and quite sweet and the dust tickles my nose a bit too much for comfort. Apply with care. So far it's just not working on my skin. I think I need to retry with a lighter dose.

[aleciarivas]

This is quite simply amazing! Not one I would have picked out for myself... Slightly woodsy, slightly perfume-y, slightly sweet and vanilla-y. Overall, QUITE lovely and surprising myself I will be keeping this bottle!!!