Weisse Maus v4

[Invidiana]

A bit of history: the Weisse Maus (White Mouse) was a Berlin cabaret where guests could choose a black or white eye mask to remain anonymous. It was known for the naked "beauty dances" performed by women after-hours. The proprietor claimed they weren't supposed to be sexual. Right.

 

This one is very deceptive. At first sniff, this is an airy green floral with a lemony tinge, the greenness and lemony quality fading to give way to a certain "whiteness" as it dries down. To my nose it's probably white orchid, honeysuckle that actually behaves, possibly a non-cat pee jasmine and other white blossoms. It seems innocent enough. However, the further it dries down, the more its seedy underbelly comes through. There is a certain muskiness with a tinge of sweetness beneath, like a scented evocation of the supposedly non-sexual "beauty dances" that went on after the more wholesome crowd retired for the night. It seems to me like white musk and white amber (which must be what's adding the hint of sweetness)and white sandalwood. Even though it isn't a smoky scent, as a whole it's reminiscent of white smoke or vapor, like the characteristic haze flooding an actual cabaret.

Edited March 28, 2011 by Invidiana

[Wench457]

Sweetly delicate, ethereal florals. So very pretty! I'm also getting a feeling of "white" from this one, plus something that gives an elusive hint of violet every now and then. Not sure if it's really violet, or just my nose trying to interpret sweet+floral. Eventually goes just a bit soapy, but not enough to spoil this lovely scent for me. Very elegant and regal.

[zankoku_zen]

Thanks to a very generous forumite for a sniffie of this. You know who you are and I love you!

 

Again, echoing the previous review - this is a sweet, delicate floral. Hint of violet, freesia, perhaps some orchid. It definitely had more of a lemon tinge on wet that burned off. And a slight vanilla musk on the drydown.

 

Very, very pleasant and wearable.

[PurringPulsar]

Weisse Maus v4

 

In the imp: is that linden? It smells like a sophisticated greenish spring floral.

Wet on skin: ooh, this is pretty, it smells dewy and fresh like reeds and grasses.

Dry on skin: so lovely. This is full of linden-it reminds me of Creeping Mist. Like the Creeping Mist, I think there may be lotus here, or waterlily, as there’s a sweet aquatic floral note here, crisp and dewy and clean but not soapy. I smell something greenish and reedy and then it hits me-it could be the same iris note that’s in Nefertiti! That iris note was a lot wetter and less sweet than the usual iris. There’s something that could be cucumber or melon too, but I think that’s an effect of the iris/waterlily. It smells of fresh water, sunshine and spring.

After a while: the iris note loses its juicy scent and turns to a more classic iris scent, like Nefertiti without the incense notes, and the linden really shines. Now it reminds me of the scent of the trees in bloom that I remember when I went to Berlin (and I also wore Nefertiti when I was there which is why this scent brings back memories…) and there may also be a hint of non-soapy white lily, like the one in Veronica. I also think there’s moss here, and maybe some bergamot, maybe a hint of skin musk too. The scent does seem to fade fast though.

Verdict: springtime in Berlin in a bottle! To me linden (which seems to be dominant here) will always be associated with this city, because of the Unter de Linden, or the linden trees planted on the wide streets scenting the air on sunny days. It’s less like a debauched night in a cabaret (to me that would be more along the lines of Schwarzer Mond with added smoke), to me this scent is more suited to a carefree day strolling by the banks of the Spree. But like a mouse, this scent is quiet and shy and does have the tendency to hide away quite fast. Despite this, it’s really beautiful and perfect for spring. Thanks so much to my trunk show angel for getting me a bottle of this delightful scent!

Is it a keeper? Definitely.

If you like this, try: Creeping Mist, Nefertiti, The Unicorn, Veronica, Enchanted Wood Florist

Edited April 9, 2011 by yeahbutnobut

[persianmouse]

When first applied, Weisse Maus smells like the finest, old-fashioned men's cologne. Now, some might take that as a bad thing, but hear me out. I don't mean a modern cologne with all its overwhelming syntheticness, I'm talking from way back in the day, when men's cologne still used essential oils and didn't come in a Windex bottle. When men wore hats and sock garters and knew how to wear pants that didn't collapse into a sad little shar-pei puddle at their feet. This is what Don Draper would smell like, minus the booze and smoke and sex sweat and lies. In short, it smells like a male guest at the Weisse Maus cabaret, right at the start of the evening, before all the booze and smoke and sex sweat and lies.

 

Then, for a brief period as it starts to dry down, I can smell the greeny smell the other reviewers noted, where it goes all green and crunchy. An unexpected salad bar at the debauched cabaret.

 

But once it dries, it smells almost exactly like Pinaud-Clubman talc. For those not familiar with Pinaud-Clubman talc (OMG why aren't you?!), it smells nothing like baby powder or talc. No one smells baby powder and thinks "God, I'd love to mount something right about now,". The same cannot be said for Pinaud-Clubman talc.

[saralaughs]

Very powdery, soapy floral with a bit of wood or something in the background. Not good on my skin.

[Little Bird]

This smells sort of like perfumey white floral and soap on me. It makes me think of spring floral scented dryer sheets. Not so good, and the sharpness starts to give me a headache after a few minutes.

[countessmouse]

Mostly musk and very little floral at first, but the floral is starting to pop after nearly 3 hours. Pretty, but I don't know if I'd call this one a favorite.

[angelamaria]

In bottle: oh! Green/white slightly-sharp florals. This is almost aquatic. I can't really pinpoint the florals--but I'm fairly sure there is jasmine here. Almost fruity, maybe citrusy.

 

Wet on skin: lemony! Pretty white florals, creamier on my skin than sharp like in the bottle. Light throw as usual, but very dainty, like an elegant lady in a white summer dress. The florals are coming out more--this is an airy white floral, with a hint of green grass, with jasmine and maybe a bit of lily. I'm liking this a lot I dont know for sure if there is linden in it, but I am getting a The Unicorn feel from this. Love love love. I think I need backups!

 

Dry: oh my. Suddenly, now that it's dry on my skin, I'm getting the cat pee jasmine some people have been talking about o_o oh noes! This is the first time I'm getting this from jasmine, I even have jasmine blends that I love (Zorya, Evening Star, Lydia) that have never turned cat pee on me. I am sad. This is so, so pretty. Without that note, this is still a white, almost aquatic floral, more throw than The Unicorn (sob!) with the same light feel.

 

Verdict: I'm so sad. This was so pretty! I toyed with the idea of ignoring the cat pee (lol) but with so many other BPAL blends out there, I can't justify this. Sigh.

[Monday]

Wet: Nose tickling flowers. At the same time it's light and sophisticated. It reminds me of Cristalle by Chanel.

It warms up a bit when it's drying down. There's a muskiness emerging which is probably white musk, I have a bit of a blind spot considering white musk so ymmv. The florals go from greenish/white to slightly sugared and powdery. There might be some gardenia in this. I'm not getting jasmine out of this.

Dry: It's a lot more powdery now. The powder-note reminds me a bit of the bergamot in Bernardino Dotted Blue. Weisse Maus v4 has got a decent throw.

Nice, sophisticated, a little old fashioned. I think I'm going to hang on to this decant.

[Threemoons]

Very interesting blast from the past; got a bottle just recently.  In the bottle: This reminds me of very old-school high end perfume from the 20's: Green, sharp floral with a bit of aldehyde/almost hair spray tinge to it; wana say almost like an ancient bottle of L'Air du Temps as remembered from my Grandma's vanity but with a fresher bend. On, wet: Opens up with more white florals--maybe a touch of linden blossom as well as jasmine? Also a sort of waxy/paraffin note like a non-wax candle or expensive lipstick? Hair wax? Drydown--Notes stay stable but you get more of the "cosmetic" scent and white floral musk--think the powder/changing room for a Berlin cabaret in the 20's. Love it.