Apple IV

[Dark Alice]

Red apple with blackcurrant bud, black clove, and vanilla bourbon.

Alas, This apple is not for me. It smells like a green honey crisp apple on my skin. And that's all. No vanilla bourbon. No clove. No Nothin. I am going to keep this for another couple of days and then smell it again...if it continues to be like this...it is going up on the sales block.

ETA: After giving this a day to rest, the other notes become apparent. It starts off as a green apple, and then the vanilla bourbon and clove poke through and then poof, my skin eats it. I think aging will help this greatly b/c right now it has no staying power at all.

Edited October 11, 2015 by Dark Alice

[Numanoid]

In the bottle: Yep, a crisp apple.... seems to be a green apple to my nose. It is very sharp, but in a FRESH apple way...not cloying that some apple scents have done to me before.

 

On Skin: It immediately warms up and softens, a bit....can detect a hint of the clove....a hint of vanilla. Not getting any blackcurrant as of yet.

 

Dry down: To me, it almost smells like Pure Applesauce, but without that tar or tobacco note. It has a low throw on me and stays close to the skin. Seems to be disappearing pretty fast... might let this one sit a while. It ends up being real soft, barely there kind of apple and warm vanilla. Perfect for those who want an apple scent that isn't strong. It is nice.

[doomsday_disco]

In the bottle: Black clove and red apple, followed by the blackcurrant.

 

Wet: Apple and clove reign. The blackcurrant is next in prominence, and I'm still not smelling any of the vanilla. The clove becomes a lot stronger as the scent sits on my skin, but that's something that clove tends to do on me (and I don't mind – I like clove!). The blackcurrant note has also gained strength over time.

 

Dry: Clove dominant, with the fruit notes lingering in the background. There's still no vanilla to be found. The clove in this one isn't the dusty clove found in Arachne of Lydia (which also features blackcurrant).

 

After a while, I can smell more of the blackcurrant than the apple.

 

Verdict: I am keeping this because I like clove scents, but I would have enjoyed this scent more if it had just been apple and clove (or perhaps if the vanilla bourbon appeared – maybe aging will bring that note out).

[Jeni Mullen]

This turns 100% Granny Smith apple on my skin, like I've rubbed the fruit all over. I don't get any of the clove of the vanilla until almost half an hour in. It does something beautiful and mellow at the half hour or so mark but the throw by that point is so minimal that I have to press my nose to my wrist.

 

It does smell amazing but having to wait so long and then losing the throw does not a keeper make.

[savage_rose]

Sweet apple with a hint of blackcurrant and a little warmth of clove. Sweet, but not too sweet. Lovely!

[ziggystardust13]

One of my favorites of the weenies I have tried from this year!

 

Initially, this is all green apple. I did not think I would like this at all!

Then, as it dries, it turns to a subtle red apple! But this scent is in no way overly fruity or sweet. Its balanced so well with the other notes. The clove does not take over like it does in so many other blends I've tried. It just adds warmth and depth. LOVE

[theshapeshifter]

As other people have found, I got straight green apple in the bottle.

 

On skin, it's apple - perhaps more of a red apple? - and clove, with a subtle background of vanilla. Over time, it became more earthy, and I had to go reread the scent notes because I was almost getting just a hint of patchouli. It's not as strong as some fall/Halloween scents (like my beloved Samhain 2005, which I can't wear around the scent-sensitive), so I foresee it being a very everyday-wearable choice for this time of year.

[puck_nc]

Origin: decant circle

 

Initial Thoughts: Apple can be good. I tend to do well with the fruit blossoms over the actual fruit, so I was curious about blackcurrant bud. I love clove and vanilla. I'm hoping for a sweet version of a clove apple.

 

In the Vial: Like many other reviewers have noted, the first impression is of a very tart Granny Smith apple. On second sniff I get a hint of dusky spice and a tad of vanilla.

 

Wet: A Granny Smith apple, but with a pleasant aromatic something in the background.

 

Drydown: Yay, clove! Lots of clove! And it's sweet and there's the apple, and I also get a bit of the earthiness that the last reviewer mentioned. I'm quite liking having the impression of patchouli in this scent, since I can't wear real patchouli due to amping.

 

Verdict: I think this is a winner! I want a bottle in time for Christmas, because this clove-vanilla-apple makes me think of the holiday season. And please can we have more things with clove and vanilla in them?

[LiberAmoris]

Apple IV is definitely red apple on my skin—I'm not getting the green apple as others above. The red apple note is tempered with the blackcurrant (counters the sweetness of the apple), and the clove and vanilla bourbon give it a spicy kick. This smells like a creative, upscale mulled apple cider on my skin...the clove really comes through on the drydown and the tartness of the blackcurrant also comes forward. I really like this!

[loubric]

In the bottle it's sweet, crisp red apple with hints of lavender. Some soft hints of spicy clove underneath.

On my skin it's a beautiful green/clean combination of tart apple and clove. The blackcurrant and vanilla add a soft sweetness to the overall smell. The clove makes it spicy and the tart sweet apple makes it sexy. Love love.

[tacey]

On skin, starts out oh-my-apple, no appearance from the other notes. Now that it's dried down for a bit, the apple's mainly gone and it's black currant and something I'm going to call vanilla bourbon. Nice smokey underlayer from the clove. Unfortunately, I think in my locket it's going to be appleappleapple, so it's a bust for my purposes.

[macabre_fae]

I like this one, but I have smelled others like it before.

 

I don't get green apple, I get a nice juicy red apple but none of the other notes. Like I said, I like it but it's not one I'm really longing for a bottle of.

[barilace]

On me this is a sweet red apple with a slight berry and then at the end a huge hit of clove. I really like it.

[zankoku_zen]

Crisp red apple and black clove. In alot of ways, this reminds me to the Red Apple HG from NYCC. Big juicy red apple with murky clove. Good throw, decent wear length.

 

For me, this would make an awesome room scent. Very autumnal.

 

Red apple, clove, fall fresh.

[Little Bird]

Smells like very sweet, candied red apple shampoo (has that undercurrent of soapiness) and sharp cider spices. I get no black currant or vanilla, and the spiciness doesn't really smell like clove so much as it does a really sharp cinnamon. I like the sweet red apple note a lot, but the sharp spice gives me a headache, and I'm sad that there's no currant or vanilla to be found.

[Gateau]

I really had high hopes for this, because I love blackcurrant, clove, and vanilla bourbon, but it's just not working. I think dark fruits like blackcurrant just do not love my skin -- they tend to turn into a "perfumey" mash. This is a perfect example of that. Apple is always lovely at first sniff, but it disappears really quickly and leaves me with this weirdly sharp fruity perfume. I don't make out any clove or vanilla.

 

I hope someone else will love this bottle, because it really should be lovely on the right person.

[Teamama]

I tested my decant straight out of the mailbox, and again today after letting it rest.

 

In the imp: sweet apple, clove, a hint of vanilla, and another fruity, red note that must be the blackcurrant bud.

 

Wet: Mmmmm, sweet! All the above notes are there, but it's got a dry, condensed sweetness. It reminds me of the tobacco sweetness in Antikythera Mechanism.

 

Dry: Within the space of five minutes, my skin has devoured everything except the clove and the condensed, sweet note. I smell like a pack of Djarum clove cigarettes.

 

Boo hoo hoo, where did my apples go?

 

Verdict: I really like Apple IV, but will not be able to wear it unless I get a scent locket.

Edited November 29, 2015 by Teamama

[astarinel]

Apple + clove. This is a sweet, red apple, and it's the first of the Apples I've tried that has had apple as the most prominent note!

 

I get a little touch of fruity berry scent, which I guess might be the blackcurrant, but not much vanilla. The clove is dark and a little earthy/smoky.

[Jeni Mullen]

In the imp: SO EXCITED!!! This smells like apple pie filling, but perhaps not as foodie?

 

On me this was very fake apple pie, almost like a candle. It had a weird sort of strong, bitey APPLEness to it. I hate to describe it this way but it was a little like the Bath and Body Works air scented a a coworker loves.

 

It's not BAD. But it comes off as fake on me.

[sunlitgarden]

Despite being listed as red apple, this one smells a little tarter than the usual red apple (maybe that's the currant?). In the decant it's mostly apple with a little spice.

On my skin: Juicy, watery apple. I'm not getting as much of the clove as I would have expected and no vanilla either.

Hmm, after a few minutes I'm starting to get a little clove. The big question for me was whether "vanilla bourbon" is the same thing as "bourbon vanilla" but I'm guessing not since I don't really smell any vanilla in this. I'm not getting much of a boozy note either, but I guess the bourbon could just be giving it sort of a warm backdrop. Overall, this one feels more like late fall leading into the Christmas season than early fall.

Eventually, it starts almost smelling like a baked or stewed apple as the "crispness" fades. That juicy/crispy apple note never lasts long on me.

It's nice but not really something I see myself wearing often. The apple doesn't last too long and I have other scents that I like better for warm clove, like Spicebush Swallowtail.

[Voldie]

Just got a decant of this, so figured I would do a review.

In the imp I get apple. Nothing but.

On my skin, it's still predominantly apple but the clove slowly peeks through. The longer it's on me, the more I smell the clove.

The only down side is I have to put my nose right up to my skin to smell it, but since I wear perfume for myself and not other people that doesn't bother me as much as it would others.

I adore this smell, and will be getting more of it for sure.

[LizziesLuck]

Sadly, I am discovering that apple scents are just not for me...and I have to be careful with clove too.

 

 

This starts out apple single note, and dries to clove single note. It also burned my skin, which I have never experiences before, and I have tons of oils with cinnamon and other spices. I think Apple IV and I were just not meant to be.

[Pyretta]

Going through all my apple scents, since after smelling this Halloween's Honeyed Apple, everything else seems to pale in comparison.

 

Bottle: All apple. It reminds me of a very crisp and juicy red apple, a bit on the sweeter side.

 

Wet: Wow, OK. It immediately did a 180 into exactly what it says on the label! The apple fades into the background and all the juiciness is gone. Not a bad thing at all - it's mouthwatering, like apples cooking with clove and vanilla bourbon. There's a hint of blackcurrant too, which is nice.

 

Dry: I'm amping the clove and bourbon like crazy, though the throw is quite low. It smells like the most delicious apple cider when I bring my wrist close, and like cheery Fall spices otherwise.

 

Verdict: I'm definitely holding on to this one! It's pretty much perfect for Thanksgiving, and I can see myself wearing it on a brisk Fall day. It has a completely different feel from Honeyed Apple.

[Aveya]

Source: Decant through Swaps

Preconception: I want thick red apple with super prominent clove and vanilla-heavy burbon. These are all notes I swoon for.

 

Imp: Super plump crisp red delicious. I was scared based on all the other green apple comments in reviews? But this is 100% red delicious, or maybe Gala, to me.

Skin: Mmm cloves. The apple is strong, wet, crisp. Then the clove sneaks in slowly and starts adding that glorious yet oddly mellow clove-vibe to everything. There's a weird floral-esq note that starts to poke through here - assuming blackcurrant bud. That adds a bit of a floral tartness that for a brief moment threatens to go craft-store apple candle on me.

Drydown: Craft-store scare vanishes as soon as I think it. And clove just continues to add a smokey depth to the apple base.

 

Verdict: Corrupt, dirty spiced apple. This is a scent made for me. Based on the other poor reviews I'm betting I can hunt down a bottle somewhere.

 

This is loooovely. I'ma be layering it with some vanilla.

[Teaotter]

This goes on pure apple, then gets overtaken by herbal spice.  There's definitely clove in there, but something else that my brain keeps reading as a bramble bush for no reason I can put my finger on.

 

This is a dark, powerful apple scent. Clove and mulled cider, Arkansas black apple, and an inky hedge maze. I keep thinking of Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty.