thekittenkat Report post Posted August 6, 2011 Black plum, opium poppy, dusky amber, opoponax, castoreum accord, dried berries, tolu balsam, clove bud, and lime. In the decant: Fascinating! It's like I'm getting a whiff of many of the notes. It's a blackened purple feeling, very goth. Wet: The black plum and the opium poppy are most obvious, but sweetened by the berries and the tolu balsam. The dusky amber doesn't do too much of that powder thing, thank goodness. The dry-down: This is a dusky scent, good for long summer evenings in a bar that's not well-lit, down some alleyway in a city that you've never explored before, drinking cocktails made with Stoli's blackberry or blueberry volka. Wear a LBD, black pumps, a pearl necklet, and some vampy red lipstick and lots of black mascara, and pretend that you're at the start of a film noir when John Garfield walks in. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyPretzel Report post Posted August 8, 2011 Interesting.... Totally fresh, it's sharp and medicinal and not very pleasant - even a little plasticky. Once on my skin, the lime is the first noticeable note, and the clove which I think is what was giving me that plasticky/medicinal vibe. Then the opium poppy really comes to the fore and makes the scent much more perfumey, much more glamorous, much more BIG-BOSOMED, somehow. I can't make myself stop sniffing it at this stage. The clove is still there, but it settles down and blends in with the balsam and the musks to create a spicy, sultry backdrop to the opium poppy, and yes, there's purple fruit there too. I mostly smell poppy, but that's probably what I'm zeroing in on as it's one of my favourite notes. It's beautifully set off against everything else in this blend, like a fine painting in the most exquisitely matched frame. What a dramatic difference a drydown can make! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
porcelina Report post Posted August 18, 2011 oh wow. my first impression is "dusty dark purple velvet." there's a big blast of dark plum, berries and resin, with a bit of clove. but there's something funky, bitter and, um, biological lurking underneath- i'm thinking this is the castoreum accord. this makes me reeeeally nervous at first. i've never met a musk i didn't like, but this might just be it. over time, the individual notes all calm down and blend (even the pesky castoreum), but there's something too perfumey and kind of old-lady-powdery about this. maybe it's the poppy? or it could be the castoreum. i don't really see myself wearing purple spotted swallowtail. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gateau Report post Posted October 11, 2011 It's taken me a while to be ready to review this, because my mind has changed so many times about it. Bottle -- Rose's lime juice Wet -- a big burst of sweetened lime, plus something sharp but also a little dusty Dry -- the lime disappears and the plum comes forward. Oddly, I don't get much balsam or clove, which are notes I usually amp, but I get a lot of the dark and dusty amber and opium. All together, it adds up to something a little dusty and oddly metallic in a way I can feel in the back of my throat. I get a strong impression of deep plummy colors. Bottom line -- This confirms that while I love limes and plums in real life, I don't especially care for them as perfumes, and opium remains troublesome. This one is pretty, but it's not something I'm totally comfortable wearing. I think I want my dark fruits and deeper notes combined with spice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
crebbsgirl Report post Posted January 12, 2012 Plum, berries and a hint of lime with the opium poppy just underneath. This is a little sharper on my skin than I was expecting. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Andalei Report post Posted March 7, 2012 In the vial: Lime! Sweet lime candy. Wet: At first this smelled a lot like bathroom cleaner, but nice bathroom cleaner if that makes any sense. The lime disappeared pretty quickly though and got rid of the cleaner smell. Dry: I can really smell the black plum and opium poppy with a bit of spiciness lurking underneath. This is a very nice scent, but not as dark or purple as I was hoping for. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyPretzel Report post Posted April 8, 2012 Purple Spotted Swallowtail starts with a strong blast of lime that is a bit cleaner-y, but it quickly becomes tempered by the clove and balsam. The lime keeps the clove from becoming too bitter. The long drydown for me is plum and soft opium poppy. I don't get any discernible amber from the blend. This is a very pretty and unusual summer scent. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gin Report post Posted May 21, 2012 My weakness for plum has struck again. No plum to be found in the Purple Spotted Swallowtail--it's just lime and dusty flowers? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kawaiiferreto Report post Posted June 18, 2012 This was pretty. A little dark and a little fruity, with added depth from all the different notes (but I had a hard time picking out anything in specific. Would not have guessed it had lime in there!) It does have a "purple" feel too it. Dark purple! I wasn't in love though, so not a keeper for me! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoddesShel Report post Posted October 22, 2012 I bought this from a forumite on the strength of the plum and berries notes... I've had it for awhile but this is the first chance I've had to test it. At first, I get a blast of lime, over something very drugstore-perfumey. I was prepared for this from previous reviews so I waited... The lime wears off pretty quickly, but then I'm left with the drugstore perfumey. No plum, no berries. Dammit! I really wanted this to like me! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ralenth Report post Posted February 9, 2014 Hello, this one is a morpher! Source: Bottle, aged since release (2.5 years). Wet: Bright lime, with dashes of cleaning product. Drydown: Violet candies, and soft, powdery florals. Dry: Old ladies at the bar in twilight. Mmm, no. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
