Let America Be America Again

[zankoku_zen]

O, let America be America again – the land that never has been yet: waving green grasses, purple-hued amber, smoked sandalwood, bay rum, clove bud, cardamom, and black pepper.

[torischroeder9]

This is just off the mail truck today for me, but I couldn't resist putting it on. This is really rough, and I'll do a more in-depth review later, but:

 

In the bottle, I get clove at the forefront, though it's soft rather than super overpowering. It's not a sweet scent there, but I'd describe it as less dry than the clove scent I get from Luke 10:25-37. 

 

As it dries, it goes through a stage on me where the grassy note is very prominent, fresh, and green, though the spices are still detectable. 

 

Once it develops more on me, the grass fades a bit, and the spices -- all of them -- come forward on the airiness of amber. 

 

I love amber and spice, and so find this very wearable -- but I think even folks who are a bit warier of spices than I am will find this a pleasant and well-balanced blend. 

[trinitysite]

I also made the mistake of trying this just off the mail truck, and it was grass! and cloves! and everything clashed and then I remembered to wait a few days.

 

So. The grassiness does come through right away, but it's a really unique/interesting blend with the cloves. The green grass dies down fairly quickly, and it ends up with a spiciness that I can best define as "juicy." (I was going to say "fruity," but I think "juicy" is more accurate.) Not overly spicy, but definitely dark. Purple-fruited*? I'll take it! Glad I bought this.

 

I just taught this poem in my civics class.

 

* Just read The Westing Game to my big kid, couldn't resist. Purple waves!

Edited January 4, 2021 by trinitysite

[groovyrooby]

Really pleasant dry grasses. Tested from a decant that rested a day or two.

 

Reminds me of Wer Opfer Heut Zu Bringen Scheut, which I love, but more spice and a different kind of sweet. Starts black peppery, then the sweet comes via spicy cardamom, like a nice masala, dry and aromatic. I get a whiff of green pepper for a second, but I think this is what balsam does on me - it quickly turns to dry almost anise spicy. Clove comes in last.

 

If I didn't already have Wer Opfer and love it so much, this would definitely be a big bottle upgrade for me. Still considering anyway.

[zankoku_zen]

Grass, cardamom, and a whiff of bay rum. This one smells green, clean, and gender neutral. Medium throw and wear length.

[doomsday_disco]

This starts off kind of similar to Nothing Gold Can Stay on me. Which is to say... green, unripe banana? It must be the grass note combining with something else. Maybe the rum? I also get a lot of the black pepper with it. Over time, a soft sandalwood emerges and becomes one of the main players, and the spices gain strength with wear as well, so that it's a grass, rum, and spice-tinged (more clove and pepper than cardamom) musky sandalwood by the end of the day.

 

I think this smells pleasant, but ultimately, isn't something for which I would reach.