The Avenue

[Lycanthrope]

Dark chocolate and clove bud with smoked amber, bourbon vanilla tar, and black and pink peppers.

Whoa. This is a little weird from the bottle, definitely spicy, and peppery. I definitely get a potent black pepper vibe, like black pepper essential oil. The chocolate is a dusky, dusty dark cocoa thing, definitely not sugary sweet! On my skin the pepper and cloves bloom immediately into a cloud of potent heat, with the cocoa riding along. After a few minutes, the immediate spiciness recedes, leaving a very sexy gourmand, cocoa-kissed incensy resin. I'm still getting a good deal of clove, kissed with depth with the amber and vanilla, which are not front and center. The cocoa always remains a slight foody twang on an otherwise beautifully sensual spice blend. Over a bit more time, this actually is veering towards Gelt (but like, sexier?)

Grandma's handing out fake coin candies but watch out! She's dangerous (and in lingerie).

I like this! I'll have to give it a few wears, but I do have my single bottle now lol. #blindbottlelifeyolo

[LizziesLuck]

I was lucky enough to have a kind friend allow me to test her bottle, before she even had the chance to test it herself!

 

Wet: Really dark chocolate, lots of clove. Quite smoky. Peppery! Makes my nose itch a bit. Not a lot of sweetness here.

 

 

Dry: As it dries, the amber comes out and sweetens it. This, to my nose, is the same dark/bittersweet chocolate note that's in the Candy Butcher. Dark chocolate, hints of sweetness from the amber, spicy clove, and a bit of pepperiness. The smokiness has faded into the background. This is nice on me, but I have a ton of chocolate in my collection, so likely won't purchase any of this. Really grateful to have gotten to try it though!

[sarandipitee]

Dark, unsweetened chocolate over clove and big kick of pepper, quite smokey. I agree with Lizzie, this is the Candy Butcher chocolate.

 

It's quite potent at first but on drydown everything comes together in this amazing, spicy chocolate dipped and vanillla sweetened amber that oddly, reminds me of one of my favourite Lush bath bombs.

 

It's very different from any other chocolate oils I own or have tried before. Quite nice, even with the morphing.

[DevilsCandyCane]

I absolutely love this, it was an instant 'I NEED A BACKUP BOTTLE!' scent!

 

I first tested it blind, and weirdly my impression was peppery, heady wildflowers - it smelled like my Gran's overgrown, beautiful Twickenham garden in summer. I'm not a florals person at all, but this is just beautiful, it's bright and happy, but spiced and sexy all at once. When I looked up the notes I realised I could identify it as dark chocolate (I agree with the above, it's similar to the new Candy Butcher, but a lot less in your face - it's barely foodie or chocolatey at all, in overall vibe), with just a subtle hint of sweet clove, and I'm pretty sure it's the pink pepper with the vanilla tar that somehow gives the wildflower impression. I wish I was better at naming flowers, because it is, it's exactly like sticking your nose into the most gorgeous, fresh flower - heady and deep and sexy without any artificial perfuminess, and I find it so amazing that it has this impression from such totally unexpected notes!

 

I see myself wearing this a lot - it smells like sexy summer nights, I could wear it clubbing, I could wear it at bedtime - I like variety too much to have a 'signature scent', but this is just, wow, if I was a signature scent person I would need far more than two bottles!

 

The Purple Snails collection has been blowing me away left right and centre, but this is my favourite of all so far!

[Laurel the Woodfairy]

Oh yeah, this is a BAMF scent! It opens with a blast of dark cocoa, but then becomes all Posh Spice. I haven't had a spice BPAL with this much pepper since the long-defunct Three Witches (RIP). It settles into a sexy clove cigarettes and vanilla base that still has a lot of throw. Three distinct phases, all really good!

[Wolfpeach]

Oh, my - this is deeply sexy.

 

First whiff out of the bottle, is a peppery, dark-chocolate blast with a healthy helping of clove - all of which i expected, so here we go;

Wet, the pink and black peppers, along with the clove, swirl around a dark, smooth, very rich and dry chocolate centre - and - oddly enough - leather? Unexpected but most definitely welcome - a leather - or rather, buttery suede note comes into play.

As it dries, a gentle, fruity-floral vibe comes into play - that's just my skin's usual reaction to amber, so no surprise there. The amber note is gorgeous, mingling seamlessly with a smokey vanilla that is not at all foodie. It's too smokey and complex to be considered a gourmand scent, imo, but foodie lovers like myself will still dig it. I'm also a huge fan of smokey, vetiver/patch scents - and the "smoked amber" in this definitely calls to that craving in me.

This is a seriously lovely scent - very grown-up, complex, and something i see myself reaching for a lot in these colder months.

 

ETA - Ok, i've had this on for a couple hours, and i'm getting a definite floral coming out, now - specifically, violets! And maybe...carnation? Very interesting - and i absolutely adore the lab's violet and notes, so this is a welcome surprise. The carnation could of course just be the clove softening up, but there's that fresh, stemmy green smell that makes me think it's floral - It's right alongside the chocolate, while the smokiness and leather has backed off a bit - not entirely, but enough that the scent has softened. It's quite lovely, and i can actually see wearing this in warmer months, now, as well.

Edited March 2, 2016 by Wolfpeach

[LiberAmoris]

The Avenue is the pepper-iest blend I think I've tried! I love the black and pink pepper that comes through like gangbusters when wet—it's just a really different start. Aside from the pepper, I get dark, dry chocolate and clove. The smoked amber and bourbon vanilla tar come through as slight caramelized vanilla sweetness, rounding out the dark chocolate and spices. Dry, this is an amber-chocolate perfume on me with pepper and clove at the heart. It's really unique and I'll enjoy using this up.

[HerbGirl]

This is one of the most interesting perfumes I have ever smelled...in the best way! I can pick out all of the notes just after I put it on but then everything melds into chocolate, pepper fantasy backed by clove, which is my least favorite part of this. If you don't want to smell like anyone else, this is your perfume! I would buy a bottle but the clove, minute though it may be, is just too much for me. Really artsy and well done!

[Larinessa]

This was the unexpected winner of my decants. Strongly pepper wet, it's not long before the sweetness of the chocolate comes in, making this a lovely spicy sweet scent with a lot of punch. Definitely getting a bottle.

Edited March 14, 2016 by Larinessa

[roseus]

The clove in this blend definitely dominates on me. I get mostly dark chocolate, with spicy clove and black pepper. The pink pepper is giving it a nice rosy floral vibe underneath everything. The clove makes me think of Christmas so I have the inclination to wear this as a Yule scent more, but it's absolutely beautiful.

[patina]

Unsweetened chocolate polished with vanilla and faint amber until it's just sweet enough. The slightly bubblegum-ish floral pink pepper is amping on me and while this is certainly spicy, it doesn't make me feel like something is poking my nose, like some black pepper scents have.

 

Delicious.Gorgeous.

[agirlnamedfury]

In the bottle: smoky chocolate and black pepper

 

Wet on skin: The clove and black pepper in this are spicy and delicious set against a bittersweet chocolate backdrop.This is deep and dark and sexy. I love it.

 

It mellows out a bit once dry, but stays pretty true. This is unlike any of the other MANY chocolate scents I own, so I'm pretty damn happy with it.

[Little Bird]

The Avenue is one of my favorites of this year's Lupercalia blends. Maybe even the #1 favorite, in good company with Dark Choco Tobacco, The Imperfect Enjoyment, The Mark, Volcano in Springtime... I love chocolate, vanilla, resins, non-cinnamon spices and earthy blends. The Avenue is like a mix of all of my favorite things.

The Avenue has a gorgeous, silky, smooth, dark chocolate and luscious, creamy vanilla with resinous tones and a whiff of smoke (not sharp woodsmoke, but like a burning resin smoke). I was worried about the pink pepper, which is a death note for me, but I love black pepper and I'm only getting the black pepper from this.

I think that this could have been one of the chocolate bonbon scents this year. The chocolate and vanilla are so creamy. Those notes keep making me think of chocolate silk pie topped with a heavy whipped cream. The smoked amber, clove and black pepper give it a non-foodie, resinous, spicy, amazing oomph, though.

If anyone has ever tried Violette Market's "Veil of the Moon" fragrance (notes of 'vanilla accord, peppered woodsmoke, cedarleaf, vanilla honey and black pine resin'), this smells verrry similar, but I like The Avenue even more. The Avenue is smoother.

[VetchVesper]

After reading all the reviews here, I went ahead and sprang for a blind bottle. I was feeling adventurous and had good luck with Raw Cacao, Chestnut, Honey, and Patchouli. I was hoping for another deep chocolate, not so foodie blend. Over all I'm pleased. The two scents are pretty different, but both are dark, rich, warm, and not overly sweet.

 

Also, The Avenue smells just like those little chocolate donuts that come in the Little Debbie packages. Opening the bottle blasted me back to college, where those things got me through many a long night. Mmmmmmm... My husband agreed with the choc. donuts description and said he could smell them all the way down the hall, so good sealage on this one! Up close though, there's more spice and amber coming up, taking the foodiness down a notch and the sexiness up a notch. Glad I got a bottle and looking forward to how it ages.

[milo]

I'm surprised I got this, as pink pepper and I do not get along. Dark chocolate at first, and a LOT of spice. It's like a dark chocolate and clove mix, mostly, with a kick from the pepper. Clove is foremost now,, it kind of reminds me of Velvet Bandito on steroids, with a touch of dark chocolate. This is OK, but I have my Sin and VB when I'm in to spice, and nothing can compare to Boomslang for an amazing cocoa/chocolate blend.

Edited April 21, 2016 by milo

[tailoredshirt]

This is a nice chocolate scent! I was afraid of the clove since it tends to amp on me and take over blends, but that didn't happen here. It starts out with not-too-sweet chocolate, clove, and pepper. The spices never took over the blend, and it stayed nice and balanced between the chocolate and the spices. Over time, the vanilla and amber came out more. It was sweet but not ever cloying.

[zankoku_zen]

Smoky dark chocolate, clove and a touch of pepper. This one is a peppery/smoky chocolate clove blend. This would be right at home with the Box of Chocolate blends actually.

 

Honestly, Imperfect Enjoyment smells what I hoped the Avenue would smell like.

[Jenjin]

Skydiving without a parachute. Blind bottle purchase from the lab on a quest for a chocolate addition without too much sweetness.

IN THE BOTTLE:

What the heavens is this? Upon first sniff, I can detect a chocolate, but also spice and a booze shot. The real story is a secret until this creation mixes with body heat.

WET:

Well! Here comes the dark chocolate along with a slap of clove and a spank of pepper. Och! I'm liking this!

DRY:

I'm smashing my face into lavender pink spring flowers. This smells just like spicy Stock blossoms! YUM! Smooth, pepper/clove top notes with amber and vanilla mid-tones making an appearance here. The chocolate takes a step back, folding itself into the spice in delicious ways.

NOTES:

This is so sexy. I feel so delicious while wearing it. It's deep, warm and soothing yet not heavy. Very balanced and beautiful.

UPDATE: Honestly, I don't know who will read this, but I have been wearing this all day, and i'm in so much love. I keep catching little whiffs of it and its so gorgeous. Little notes of soft sweet spice, creamy vanilla, and chocolate. Overall it reminds me so much of sinking my nose into a boozy, hot cup of Mexican champurrado. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh Yes! Back-Up Bottle here.

RATING:

9.8

Edited May 20, 2016 by Jenjin

[Soupy Twist]

Chocolate in the bottle. Goes on as that pepper/tar note from Pottaskefill. Some chocolate works its way back in briefly, and then it's back to pepper. This starts to morph into clove, which isn't so bad, but the amber shows up and I'm done.

[revived]

For some reason this one brings me back to a very specific memory of the smell of church on Easter. It's spicy, smoky, and slightly floral. I'm not even sure if floral is the right word, but it has the same nose-tickling quality of blooming flowers in the spring. The chocolate is there but it isn't very sweet; it's more of a dark cocoa scent which becomes slightly more sweet on my wrist. I like this. It's comforting and pretty.

[doomsday_disco]

In the decant: Lots of dark chocolate, spiced with clove, black pepper, and pink pepper.

 

Wet: The dark chocolate reigns, followed by the clove and pink pepper. After a bit, the bourbon vanilla tar emerges, adding some sweetness to the spicy, dark chocolate.

 

Dry: The dark chocolate note has calmed down somewhat, and the spices are more prominent, with the clove and pink pepper still being the strongest of the spices on me. The amber seems to be content with its background role.

 

Verdict: I really enjoy how strong the clove is in this one! I almost ordered a blind bottle of this back in 2015, but decided against it because I have too many chocolate scents in my collection. And I would have been happy if I had done so! I don't think I need to hunt down more of it, even though it's really nice, because I have too many chocolate scents as it is, but I'll certainly hold onto this to pair it with El Dia de los Reyes HG or Black Clove, Tobacco Flower, and Grave Soil HG. I'm so glad I got to try it!

[torischroeder9]

In the decant: Super dark, bittersweet chocolate, smoke, clove bud, and black pepper. 

 

On my skin:

 

Wet, it's much the same as in the decant. As it dries down, the scent starts to make some sense of itself, positing the dark chocolate as the backdrop for the clove bud, black pepper, and wisp of smoke. The more I let it sit, the more the clove bud takes over, supported and darkened by the bittersweet spice of the other notes. 

 

I received this as a frimp (frecant?) in a recent swap from Lucchesa, along with a note saying she thought I'd like it. The dark chocolate on the list of notes gave me pause, but ultimately, she was right. The lovely clove bud takes center stage, with other notes working to ensure that the overall profile is deep and sweet and spicy. I think I'm going to put this away for several months, as this strikes me as more of a cold weather clove scent, but I'll definitely be hanging onto it!

[aquazoo]

Warm and spicy. Cocoa and cork. A little bit of tobacco. A complicated mix with the chocolate sitting right on top.

[Lucchesa]

In the bottle, The Avenue smells quite a bit like Dia de los Reyes, one of my favorite chocolate scents.  On my skin, though, the cocoa moves to the background, the clove bud takes center stage, and the whole is wonderfully spicy, warm, and delightful.  There's a little smoke, a little amber, a lovely vanilla, a peppery quality (I am often anosmic to the Lab's pepper note), and a lot of clove. It's cozy and sexy and uplifting, perfect for this dreary rainy day.  

[LavenderCoffee]

This goes on smelling a bit like chocolatey tobacco to me, thanks to smoky amber. Clove and pepper not present in the bottle pop right out on my skin, adding spice without being spicy. Dark and unsweet, softened by wafts of vanilla/amber.

Still reads cozy choco-tobacco-y to me when dry. Sensual, unisex. Lower moderate throw and decent staying power.