Thirteen (13): July 2012

[artisjok]

This 13 was created by Brian Constantine. Voluptuous and somber: a Thirteen created as a reflection on the capricious nature of Tyche - bittersweet cacao and dragon's blood resin sweetened by honey and vanilla bean, brightened by saffron, and touched by the contemplative depths of oak leaf, solemn opoponax, frankincense, myrrh, black amber, hiba wood, aged patchouli, burgundy pitch, and Balm of Gilead.

 

13 July 2012 starts out like many have said- juicy lucious raspberryish chocolate. I like it alright, but as it dries down, I like it even more! The berry juiciness tones down and becomes more obviously dragon’s blood resin. I can pick out the vanilla now and the chocolate has gone down to a supporting note. In the background, I can tell the other resinous components are making the blend more complex, but can’t pick them out individually. This reminds me of a softer, darker, more complex Dragon’s Milk, since the vanilla is making a show and the DBR is the main dry down player. 

Good wear length and decent throw. It’s floating around me gently. 

I was a little nervous when swapping for this thirteen, wanting all the beautiful notes to come through. Glad I took the chance! Yum...

 

Edit: I wore this today after deciding to swap, but my little one tore the label, so what the heck, I’m keeping it.... and it had a smoky edge I didn’t remember the first time. The chocolate note seemed to last stronger and longer, too. I think the slight skin chem shifts throughout the month really effect the blends that have so many notes, a la Thirteens. Makes the experience fun! 

Yay for torn labels! 

Edited March 2, 2019 by artisjok

[Lucchesa]

I don't love dragon's blood, but everything else here is luscious, so I was hoping as one of thirteen ingredients it would be quiet.  The dragon's blood merges with the honey and vanilla to create the fruitiness others have spoken of, but I like this better than I would have liked a 13 filled with actual fruit notes.  This is definitely a deep dark fudgy chocolate, but the darkness of the cacao and the woods and incense notes keep this one dark and deep and out of the pure foodie category.  Very very nice.  Not a lot of throw (normal for me) but it lasts a good long time.