Great Vampire Bat

[Usagi]

Incense-touched jungle orchid.

Bottle: incense over lush tropical flowers

Wet: The incense is still there; richer, deeper. But it is now joined by cool flowers and wet leaves. These are the kind of flowers that grow in deep shade, their damp, velvet petals almost glowing in the half-light.

Dry: This scent last for a good while(4+ hours). On me it is almost as when wet, only the incense becomes a bit warmer and richer.

This scent really brings to mind standing beneath a rain forest canopy, staring into a clearing where the sun illuminates an ancient temple, and-- on the breeze-- the scent of incense from hidden rituals clinging to the surrounding rocks and vegetation.

P.S. It's the Norman Invasion! Okay, just my 1066th post, but it could be...somewhere.

[Mellifluous]

I dont so much get a wetness from it. It is actually kind of hard for me to describe. It seems to jump back and forth on my skin. One breath, I get only a crisp ozonic orchid scent, the next I get a heady jasmine/cherry scent, and then the next a slightly powdery sweet incense. They just seem to rotate through.

This scent has a nice sweetness to it. The more I smell it, or the longer it sits on my skin, the more familiar this smells. I cant place the fragrance, but I have definitely smelled one like this before. Also, as it dries, I am getting wafts of bergamot. I am thinking this smells similar to one of the GRENDEL scents. Is it Harlequin? I cant place it from the notes, but I'm thinking it must be. Not a replica, mind you, but its got similar levels of sweetness, crisp, and perfumey.

 

Not my kind of smell, but it isnt horrible.

[VioletChaos]

I was excited about getting to try this scent because I am a fan of incense and orchid scents alike, and it seems like a fairly ideal pairing, so let's see if my theory is a solid one, shall we?

 

In The Bottle: Yup. That's orchid alright! Was there an orchid note in Lady Lillith? Because I am very strongly associating the scent of that oil with this. Much more so than the Lune Noir I was sure I was going to get, actually.

 

Wet On Skin: Much the same, but with an added edge of the violet/water/floral that showed up prominently in B340. I'm not much for the overtly "perfume-y" kinds of scents, but the two afore-mentioned are the exceptions to be sure, so my comparisons to this are very good indeed.

 

Dry Down: Staying true.

 

In All: Medium to high throw- I'm finding that a little will go quite a long way. Although GVB, as with all the other Bats this year, was not what I had thought it would be- I was expecting a smoky plum-ish affair, not like one or two offerings from the Carnivale. Instead it's this clean, breezy floral that I think will do quite well when it's hottest this summer. Very womanly, rather French in terms of it's sensibility and weight, I'm pleased to have GVB, though of all the bats, I think this one will be the most misunderstood.

[pinkgyrl]

I *hate* floral scents - just hate them - but something about this one called to me and I had to take a chance. Maybe it was the deceptively simple note listing - I knew it would have an amazing depth, and I'm not disappointed. The orchid is freaking gorgeously sexy - almost a sweet violet and grape smell - so exotic - and the incense is light on my skin.

 

If I had to pick a color for this scent, it would be a light, unassuming purple - sophisticated but pleasing to one's eye. I thought the incense would be more in my face, because the smaller number of notes listed, but wow - so perfectly blended with the orchid note that I can't wait to wear this on hot summer nights. This is going to be a wafter with body heat, and those are my favorite types of scents.

 

Naughty rating: I would totally take this to bed with me on a weekend night

 

And, I adore my fairy - thanks to her I actually got to try these scents and wear them - she's a generous and kind soul

Edited May 24, 2012 by GirlinDenial

[GypsyRoseRed]

You can't judge this scent by the first hour of wear, that's for sure. I put this on my left wrist and almost immediately got a slightly bitter aquatic floral scent with a distinct, powerful ozone quality to it. So nasty, and so not my type of scent.

 

I kept sniffing it and it stayed pretty true until close to an hour in when it morphed to a ridiculously awesome, smokey, heady and exotic, slightly sweet incense. Seriously sexy. How the hell did it do that?

[ami226]

to my fairy!

 

Still slightly getting over a cold, so my sniffer might not be able to smell everything just yet. May need to come back a bit later and edit this review.

 

I love orchid as a scent (yay for the black orchid proto!), so I knew I needed to try this one!

 

On the skin: Huh, this one is not quite what I was expecting. I get a smooth orchid scent with a hint of.... lime? Must be that aquatic everyone else is getting. The combination though... it's very sophisticated and sexy! This does feel like the same sort of orchid from the Black Orchid proto which makes me happy!

 

I'll need to try this one again.

Edited May 26, 2012 by Catseyes

[Gateau]

Oh god, this is orchid-incense perfection! It smells tropical and sexy and mysterious and very damp. It smells exactly like my honeymoon in Bali, in fact. Bless my Bat Fairy for sending this to me, and so glad I went for two bottles--may need to search for another backup too.

[Invidiana]

This one is all lush, and dewy hothouse orchids entwined with tendrils of incense. It seems every color of orchid has been incorporated into here somehow, from white to dark purple, making this a gorgeous exotic floral with a mysterious, almost smoky finish from the incense. It makes me think of all the exotic things blooming around the Mayfairs' Garden District house in Anne Rice's The Witching Hour.

Edited May 29, 2012 by Invidiana

[angelamaria]

Much love to my amazing fairy!

 

In bottle: heady orchid and incense. It's a bit difficult to describe--there's a sweetness, and then an almost medicinal feel from it. That last part is very, uh, specific to me: it reminds me of medicine I once had as a kid...it's orange in color, and it was a tablet that my mother would crush in half for me. And of course once it's crushed in half, you actually taste it, which wasn't very pleasant.

 

Wet on skin: I can't seem to shake that medicine feel--I hope is disappears soon. Otherwise, we've got a jungle orchid--almost powdery--and incense, which doesn't really help with the powder. It's not sneezy or out of place; it actually feels rather pleasant. I think it helps tone down the orchid a bit.

 

Dry: thankfully, the medicine feel I'm getting continues to fade. I'm getting an almost citrusy feel from this, brightening the orchid and incense a little, sweetening up this blend. I have no idea what component is giving this that note I feel is citrusy though. It's something like the dark slightly-powdery citrus in Jingo Kogo v4. Later on my skin, I fluctuate between thinking it's a bit soapy and a bit too incensey--I will probably need to give this a few days to rest before deciding on its fate.

 

Verdict: this needs a retest after the oil has been given some time to rest from the rigors of shipping!

[Numanoid]

Thanks to my wonderful fairy!!

 

OOH...this is a beautiful scent! I love incense blends, but never too sure about florals, except orchids. This does not dissappoint!

 

Wet in the bottle: I can really smell the mix of incense and tropical flowers...almost sinister and beautiful at the same time!

 

On Skin: Whoa!! A little goes a looong way on me! The incense is more prominant than the flower, but you can still sense it there. Very sensual and grown up, but not in an old lady way!!!

 

Dry Down: Stays very true!! Great throw on me...I think that this is a going out on the town kind of scent. Not to be worn everyday, but it is soooo gorgeous!!

[orata]

So far this is my favorite of the Bats' Day scents! I'm not usually an incense scent lover, but this one attracted me and has been living up to my expectations so far. Rich, smoky, green, well-blended soft florals. Smells very lush and somewhat aquatic without being overtly salty (I don't like most aquatics). When it's wet, it has a slightly sharp, nearly fizzy, ozone-y or citrussy note (reminds me of the 7-Up smell of Pale Student of Unhallowed Arts) and something that smells like cedarwood, but this mellows out to a dark, smooth, hazy tropical floral scent without sharp edges. Sexy, dark, and heady, but there is also a clean aspect to it that reminds me a bit of clean linen.

[beachbabealways]

Out of the three bats I received this is by far my favorite and I am absolutely loving it!! I have never smelled an orchid like this. It has a sweetness to it. It reminds me of Treat 1 (with the watermelon) and Nag Champa. Just the right amount of sweetness and incense. The only problem I am having is staying power. Maybe aging will help in that area. I will never give up this bottle. SEXY as all get out on my skin! Thanks so much to my fairy.

[Larinessa]

Although I generally run screaming from florals, something said I had to give this one a chance. I did a light testing the day I got my bottles, and this one was the one my nose kept getting drawn to so it gets the honor of the first full day run

 

In the bottle: slightly aquatic floral.

 

Wet on the skin: Definitely a rich orchid note (my favorite flower) backed buy a subtle incense note. The aquatic 'feel' is present, if not an actual note.

 

Dry: seeming to be equal tandums of orchids and incense. They blend so beautifully together they seem seamless. This is a moderate throw on my skin, but I agree with the earlier posts that this will probably waft wonderfully on hot humid summer nights. This is a subtle sexy. A mysterious sexy. Something you wear when your out at night, wearing an open back dress, and you want to draw a guys attention not in a 'putting it all out there' sort of way, but in a subtle lure sort of way.

 

Ever so grateful to my fairy for the pick up. This blend is absolutely beautiful, and I know if I see it up for sale I won't hesitate to grab another bottle.

 

After testing all my bats, this is my favorite. Top 5 for sure!!!!

 

Awww bleeding hell. This is tied for first with Ghoulish. A truly exotic and gorgeous scent. I can't seem to stopped adding praise.

Edited June 7, 2012 by Larinessa

[OctoberGwen]

It makes me think of all the exotic things blooming around the Mayfairs' Garden District house in Anne Rice's The Witching Hour.

 

Aaaaaah. Since The Witching Hour is one of my favorite books, I just had to incorporate Invidiana's comparison here.

 

With the rich tapestry that BPAL affords us, it's easy to forget how beautiful a pared-down fragrance can be. Great Vampire Bat is simply gorgeous: exotic, lush orchids and sweet smoky incense. It is, indeed, like sitting on the Mayfairs' porch on a hot, humid night. I like Usagi's jungle temple comparison, too.

 

The drydown is all close to the skin sweet incense. A classic, subtle, sexy fragrance.

 

(Thank you, fairy and fairy broker!! xoxo)

Edited June 2, 2012 by OctoberGwen

[Monday]

This label is so cute. It's a giant bat (well duh) flying over some tiny people in what appears to be a jungle.

The scent is pretty much as described. Orchid and incense. It's a purple and smoky scent not smoky in a tobacco way but definitely the incense way. Very feminine and grown-up.

There is a slight aquatic or airy feel to it that adds to the jungle vibe of Great Vampire Bat. It's the label translated into a scent. Not sure if it's a me scent though.

[parrot_suspect]

I don't know what jungle orchid smells like, but I can tell you one thing. This fragrance is *not* a heady, humid, high-pitched floral. It doesn't really register as a floral at all. But then, I don't particularly get "incense" either, unless we are talking a very light incense (this isn't incense-y the way that, say, Snake Oil or Scherezade are incensey). This scent smells silver to me. It smells like clean laundry. Like dryer sheets -- in the best way possible. But not "soapy." It just smells GOOD. It's polished and somewhat subtle. It is not a heavy or strong perfume.

 

This would be a great perfume to wear to work -- although it would be just as good to wear out to dinner or cocktails. Really, anywhere. I'm about to head out to an outdoor festival and I just applied Great Vampire Bat because I want to smell clean and fresh on a hot, sticky day.

[stellamaris]

Thanks to my fairy as well.

I like this bat, but it smells like lady perfume to me. Not that it's a bad thing. This is very specific, fortunately, so I won't wear it too much, but I will wear it, and love it.

[yakiguri]

I think the forum ate my review. o.O

 

Anywho, sometimes simplicity is best, and Great Vampire Bat is a perfect example of that. The orchid is thick, heady, and lush, the incense soft and swirling tendrils rather than clouds of smoke. I definitely agree with Usagi's description of a jungle temple. If I were to ascribe a color to this scent I'd also pick purple, though I'm not picking up any grapeyness.

 

Just as the bat is giant, this scent is as well. This is one strong bat--seriously, one little dot is all you need to last all day. Any more and you might be swooping down and carting off your friends/coworkers/loved ones, and not in a good way.

[Ondine]

This is very light and sweet on me. It's reminiscent in a way of B340, with that sort of old-time perfume scent, but it's not heavy or dusty or anything. This smells fresh and floral without being overly heavy-scented or cloying. Very pretty!

[milo]

Beautiful. When I first sniffed this in the bottle, I was trying to rack my brain trying to think of what this reminded me of, and I still don't. Dry, still beautiful, incense with warm, damp floral. Maybe one of the Warrior Queens? At any rate, it's just beautiful, and I will treasure my bottle. Great summer scent!!

Many thanks to my Fairy and Fairy Broker!! :wub

 

Ha, reading back someone mentioned Lady Lilith, and that's what this reminds me of. Though it's definitely not that close, they remind me of each other.

Edited June 28, 2012 by milo

[Little Bird]

I seem to be in the minority, but Great Vampire Bat doesn't really work on my skin. It's a light, soapy, perfumey floral smell with whiffs of powder and sweet incense. It's the type of scent that would normally give me a headache, but it's light and subtle enough that it doesn't bother me in that sense. Within about 15 minutes, this has almost entirely faded on my skin into a hint of a floral scented laundry powder smell. Not for me.

[brilliantcat]

This is utterly feminine and gorgeously sexy. Rich, sultry, humid orchid blooming in the jungle. As time goes by, the incense note subtly creeps in until it's all smoky, deep, mysterious and incredible. I wasn't expecting this one to work so well on me but I'm in love

[zankoku_zen]

Sweet orchid, hint of melon sweetness and incense.

 

My skin eats this up.

[thekittenkat]

In the decant: As advertised! Only, with extra incense!

 

Wet: The incense calms down the moment it hits my wrist.

 

The dry-down: As this dries down, the lovely orchid blooms into some sweetness. Really, not as much of a morpher as I might have made it sound.

 

I can see this scent being worn by a Hollywood leading lady of the '40s and '50s in a film noir film. Very grown-up and elegant, beautiful, but not really my style.

Edited July 17, 2012 by thekittenkat

[porcelina]

there is almost something in great vampire bat that puts me in mind of egyptian musk? at any rate, like a nice clean, soft musk. but it's only there at the beginning; as it dries down the prominent note is definitely incense. the incense is not smokey; the whole blend smells fresh and lush. i actually love the incense note here and it blends beautifully with the "jungle orchid," which is sweet and lush without being a heady, overpowering floral. this was the only one of that bats which i wasn't sure about from the start but i like it quite a bit!

Edited August 25, 2012 by porcelina