Fortuna Annonaria

[Failmingo]

The Fortunes of the Harvest

A hymn for increasing fecundity, and to help nurture all the seeds that you plant in the coming year: patchouli, licorice root, tobacco, and sandalwood.

In the bottle: a cool, damp, gritty tobacco, like a pouch that's been kept in a farmer's pocket close to the skin.

On the skin: Almost immediately becomes warmer and spicier as the patchouli breaks from the pack of notes, in the most inviting way imaginable. I'm not getting a clear bead on the licorice root or sandalwood notes, they are all expertly harmonized with the tobacco in a beautiful earthy chord (so, don't let that licorice note scare you).

In the drydown the scent becomes less lively on the skin and more earthbound. The hint of sweetness from the tobacco (and I assume, the licorice) is quite pleasant. I would definitely scent a drawer or closet with this, in addition to wearing on the skin -- it completely reminds me of all the out-of-the-way corners of my grandparent's farmhouse, and the old books, clothes, and relics that gave off an enticing aroma of hard work and age.

[Pyewacket]

In the bottle: it reminded me of a less sweet Antikythera Mechanism, which I guess would be the similar combination of tobacco and woods.

 

On me: Like a comfortable but luxurious study that has been left to get a bit dusty. I'd like to smell it on my guy but I'd be happy to wear it as well. If you like Antikythera but sometimes find it a tad oversweet or noticeable, you'd like this.

 

I can understand the inspiration here. Annonaria smells like hard work; many long hours spent at a desk (with smoke breaks ) but you are confident your efforts will pay off in time.

[torikitty]

For a tobacco lover, this was my favorite from this collection. The tobacco is sweetened up by the patchouli, it almost smells like something you could chew on. I guess that's thanks to the licorice. Thanks to the licorice root, this almost smells like something you could eat. It mostly reminds me of sweet tobacco. I'm definitely going to need a whole bottle!

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: WHY, patchouli, WHY?! I used to think I really liked patch. I ADORE Banshee Beat. But lately, patchouli has been ruining pretty much every scent for me, regardless of how much I love all the other notes (and I love them all here). It smells dry, rooty, earthy - basically like dirt. Not the rich loam scent that I like either. Like dusty earth. *sigh*. I can smell the tobacco underneath, but so far it's not enough to sweeten up what is turning into a horribly dry scent - the sandalwood isn't helping with that in this case.

 

 

Dry: Yep, patchouli. Dirty, dusty, unpleasant patchouli. Makes me sad.

[Lucchesa]

This is a much more patchouli-forward scent than I usually favor. Four of the seven fortuna decants I ordered feature patchouli, so I guess I was feeling indulgent towards patch that day. But I love tobacco and sandalwood, and I had never tried a BPAL with licorice root, which I love in tea and was very curious to try in scent.

 

A fairly dry patch, woodier than the head shop variety, dominates on my skin. I'm having a hard time identifying the sandalwood and I think my chemistry is just melding it with the patch. The tobacco is floating in the background, and the licorice root wants to emerge around the edges of the patch/sandalwood, but it's having a hard time asserting itself. I wish the licorice root and tobacco were a little stronger; it feels like my skin is damping them down and encouraging the patchouli. ETA: I get a little more throw from this an hour or two in than is usual with me.

 

If you love patchouli and sweet, chewy tobacco, Fortuna Annonaria has your name on it!

Edited February 13, 2018 by Lucchesa

[zankoku_zen]

Licorice, tobacco, and patchouli. This is if anise decided to take up smoking tobacco and doused itself in patchouli. I don't know whats going on, but its a dark cabal. Very gender-neutral/masculine on me. Good throw and wear length.

[VetchVesper]

Really nice. This is just the kind of fragrance I love, and I'm extremely tempted to grab a bottle of this even though I'm swimming in patchouli scents.

 

To my nose, this is very much a patchouli blend. It's snuggly, soft, and a little bit earthy. Not funky though. It reminds me a bit of Goblin, but is less obtrusive. All the notes do make appearances, but they sort of swirl about in the patchouli, just poking their heads up long enough to remind me they're there. I LOVE licorice, but if you do not, I wouldn't let that stop you from checking this out. It's presence is very subtle. There is an oddly waxy phase to this about 30 minutes after I put it on, but it evens out fairly quickly, and by an hour, it's all yumminess again. Ergh.... I miiiiight have to grab this one.

[sunshinedaisybliss]

Wow.. this is really something! 
 

The standout note here for me is the tobacco - smooth, warm and golden, I recognise this as the French Tobacco SN from years ago. I am a patchouli fiend, but for me the patch is very much a background player at first - it’s there, and it’s a lovely soft one, but it comes out more at about 10 minutes and kind of throws a fuzzy blanket over the glow of the tobacco. A bit later on the tobacco and the patch lay down nicely together, but on me they keep switching out who’s on top - so it never turns into a flat merge, which makes this really interesting to wear because I’m getting a lovely waft of warm tobacco one minute, and soft fuzzy patch the next. 

The licorice root is very subtle, but it’s there. And the sandalwood.. also very subtle but there’s definitely a sprinkling of its lovely dry warmth through everything and it’s adding a very soft and warm almost-spicy element at the very base. 

 

This is a very clever concoction that stays alive on my skin for a long time, with good throw. Dark but glowy, soft but strong, it’s sophisticated and rich feeling - confident but stealthy, and also very snuggly and warm. Lovely!