Tears Wrung Forth

[sprout]

Black cypress, celery seed, Italian bergamot, green juniper berries, ylang ylang, and petitgrain.

Preconceived notions: This was the one of the series I was most looking forward to sniffing since the notes are mostly things I really like and no known death notes. Petitgrain single note is euphoria inducing for me and juniper in a blend is something I usually sniff compulsively. I tend to like woody notes, and cypress is no exception. Ylang Ylang is a floral that usually behaves on my skin. So these notes are all win in theory. I am new to reviewing and a little hesitant to go first, as I have not experienced many single notes, and still struggle to pick things out of a blend, but most of these notes I have experience sniffing and as someone may need a review to make a purchase decision, I will venture forth, and please forgive my befuddlement and naivety. I have no idea what celery seed smells like, however. Source of oil for review was a decant from the lovely Fragrance Lush--Thank you!

In the vial (decanted): It smells a wee bit like paint thinner. Anyone who has ever painted with oil paints knows the smell that I am referring to here. Not quite turpentine, but definitely oil of evergreen tree.

Wet: Cypress for certain and juniper berries make their presence known for the briefest of moments before bergamot declares world domination and beats all other notes into submission. Dare I make the association? I cannot refrain from the dreaded comparison to Pine Sol. Sorry, Lab! It is the fated pairing of evergreen accord with robust citrus notes that brings the ubiquitous floor cleaning solution to mind. I cannot NOT smell Pine Sol here. Don't mistake me, I actually like the smell of Pine Sol, when I am cleaning floors. But I am not sure I want to wear it or have others associate me with smelling like it. This does wring forth MY tears with its sharpness and robust clean smell. Fresh, much!

Drying: More bergamot and evergreen. Bergamot amps over all. Starts on a high note and continues on an ascending scale. Juniper and cypress comprise maybe 10% of the blend, and these are not wall flower notes in my experience. This could be my skin chemistry, as I may be a citrus amper, but I think it is just non aged bergamot being a bully. None of the other notes (celery seed, ylang ylang, petitgrain) are detectable to this nose.

Drydown: Bergamot dominant for a good period (hours) but this eventually begins to wane and allow the juniper and cypress to get some nose time about 5 hours into the wearing. After the merciless bergamot burns off, the juniper and cypress smell like walking in a forest with those natural plants giving off their aroma. Did I mention that I find juniper lovely beyond compare? In this phase, I just love the forest smell. If you have ever squeezed fresh juniper berries and smelled them in your palm--this is it. Petitgrain and ylang ylang are no shows for me. If there is celery seed accord in here, I am not sure I would recognize it, but there isn't anything like celery, herbs or vegetable juice here either.


Final thoughts: I really wanted to love this and I believe these notes to be made of win. I enjoy bergamot flavor and fragrance in tea and as an EO. I did not account for it thrashing the bejeebus out of my beloved cypress and juniper! The late drydown was all juniper and cypress 50/50 dominant and was wonderful for a dedicated wood note aficionado. I expect the bergamot will age to be much less aggressive and sharp. As it is now, I cannot shake the association with the well known floor cleaning product. For the record, this decant arrived about a week ago and I let it settle, but I think it really needs to age a few weeks before I know what it will smell like in the long haul. After extensive reading, I learn that citrus tends to age out or mellow considerably. I love the juniper in this but the wet phase is a bit more than I can take. Sad face for the missing ylang ylang, some florals would soften this up some. Maybe its hiding beneath the bergamot, waiting to pop out when the bully relaxes. I love petitgrain but I don't think I smell it here, unless it could be tag teaming with the bergamot to be the citrus partner of doom. If you loved Jabberwocky, you will probably love this too as it has the citrus plus forest-y evergreen note. I am probably going to get a bottle and age this, as the juniper is worth the tears wringing forth wet stage and I am hoping the citrus will mellow. If not, maybe I can clean my floors with this. Or polish some wood.

[zankoku_zen]

Woods, bergamot and gin. This smells slightly fizzy because of the juniper berries, which always bring out that gin aspect which is always cool and herbal to me. The bergamot brings some citrus, on top of a woody base. This actually puts me in mind to Star Promenade - but like an ever cooler version than that. Star Pom had a very warm foodie aspect to it to contrast that with the cool tones that the gin brought out. Low throw, average wear length.

 

This one is more like cool tones on cool tones. It's fizzy, aquatic, cool.