Crypt King

[CreamyJade]

The Crypt Queen’s dapper consort: pomegranate juice, black pepper, oakmoss, coriander, black ginger, patchouli, dracaena, and a splash of lilac fougere.

 

In the bottle: Sweet pomegranate juice and something slightly floral yet mildly astringent (like lavender) - it must be the lilac fougere.
Wet on skin: Pomegranate juice still, earthy patchouli, and the lilac fougere (which in no way turns masculine).
Dry on skin: Pomegranate, earthy patchouli, oakmoss. Good throw and wear length.
Final thoughts: I was one of the lucky few who got their Crypt King bottles sans coffin from the second wave on the Trading Post Etsy and, boy, am I glad. I had tried the prototype at the Vermont Will Call and fell in love badly. There's definitely something alluring in this scent. I get none of the masculine feel or cologne some of the reviewers mention - the pomegranate is very present on my skin on the drydown, which I think makes it a feminine scent. The ginger and the black pepper are non-obtrusive to my nose, which is good because they were the notes I feared would turn on my skin. Lovely, lovely scent.
Try if you like: Queen of Clubs, Persephone

[vthesiren]

Starts off as mostly pomegranate and a bit of spice, then changes to men's cologne. The cologne phase wears off, and I'm left with earthy, musty remnants with just a hint of fruit. Crypt King is a dapper fellow, and the name is very befitting of this blend.

[celestia]

♔ Crypt King

 

In the Bottle: Tart pomegranate, generic cologne with a bit of heat and pepper

 

Wet: This was a pleasant surprise on skin, it’s a peppery black pomegranate, tart and slightly earthy- the pomegranate is dark and bittersweet, not unlike the pomegranate from The Fruit of Paradise- and then there is also an equal part of generic mens’ cologne. I don’t really get much patchouli from this at all, and without looking at the notes, I would never be able to identify the coriander and black dracaena. There is a touch of heat and I can just make out some pale purple- almost white floral- though I’d have guessed it smells more like iris than lilac.

 

Drydown: Both the pomegranate and cologne complement well together on the dry down. I’m really happy there is no show of the patchouli. If this scent were a colour, it would be a deep pinky-ruby red with a darker bordeaux gradient speckled with flecks of black. Definitely a sophisticated and upscale scent, a little tainted with darkness, though a lot less ‘mature’ than the title of ‘King’ let alone the name, ‘Crypt King’ would have me believe.

 

TL;DR: Tart pomegranate and generic cologne spiked with peppery heat

[Lucchesa]

Maybe my nose is busted, but I don't get pomegranate from Crypt King. Maybe a hint of fruity sweetness, but not identifiable pom. Wet the one note that stands out is the almost foody ginger. I do get oak moss and lilac as it dries, and very little patchouli. I'm going to pass my tester on so someone else can try it. It's too confusing to me. It's very nice but I like to have a better idea of what I'm smelling.