Vanilla Husk, Nutmeg, & Hay Absolute

[Seajewel]

No scent description.

[Bluestblood]

I am shocked no one is talking about this one yet.

 

The vanilla is similar to the vanilla in Antique Lace - sweet, golden, and brittle. The vanilla is supported by a deep undercurrent of sun-warmed hay. The nutmeg is not very noticeable to my nose, but I do detect more of it as this one dries. 

 

I wouldn't be surprised if this becomes a highly sought after Ménage A Trois.

[feyofthefellwood]

I was really excited about this one and slathered it as soon as I got it in the mail today. It is as amazing as I'd hoped, and I'm obsessed. If you liked Hay Moon, Rendezvous With Her Lover Behind the Rice Straws, and other sweetened hay scents, this is a perfect sister-scent. The vanilla husk is a light, dry vanilla that combines smoothly with the musky hay note to make this gorgeous soft vanilla musk. I don't pick out the nutmeg very clearly at this point, but I think it adds some brightness and sweetness to the scent. The overall combination of notes is golden, soft, and dreamy.

[ND¢]

Hard agree on the vanilla being reminiscent of Antique Lace. Hay Absolute note is a little more lemony right on top than I was hoping but this is literally right out of the mail. The overall scent combo is dynamite. Definitely a soft spoken cousin to Vision of the Courtesan to me. Maybe her wallflower cousin. Like. 

[Follow My Nose]

This is a lovely dry vanilla with that wonderful hay note that I love (and that ages fabulously!). There is a bare hint of sweet lemony-ness, like NDc said above, and the nutmeg is fairly light, just giving a warm spice in the background. I think this one will definitely be a Menage a Trois favorite and will just get better with time!

[Madame Mew]

This is lovely! Totally agree with the above reviews on the lemon. One of my favorites of the trios I’ve tried in recent years. If you loved or missed out on Hay Moon 2020, jump on this!

[Missanneshirleyofgg]

Fresh from mail:

 

On my skin this is a warmer vanilla than antique lace but much in the same vein. The hay and nutmeg is combining ro give me an almost fruity vibe. For me, this is as if someone Blended March 13 2020 with Antique Lace. Its so nice. Really enjoying it and will update review later with dry down.

[Casablanca]

Lovely blend in the vein of other sweet vanilla-hay scents. Specifically, it makes me think of the vanilla in Antique Lace added to Hay Moon.

 

On my skin, the nutmeg mostly vanishes after the first few seconds (unfortunately). There's also a certain floof to the vanilla that smells like a little marshmallow hides in it. And, after drydown, I seem to smell some skin musk in the mix.

 

I'm trying to tell myself I don't need a bottle of this because I have Antique Lace and Hay Moon. Not sure if I'll convince.

[doomsday_disco]

This is absolutely the Antique Lace-esque vanilla musk from On Wednesday, I Will Promise You a Phantom, paired with a somehow kind of lemony hay note. The nutmeg is not distinct on me. It's a floofy vanilla and warm, lemony hay that gets less lemony over time. So yeah, Antique Lace 2017 with hay.

 

Since I'm getting a bottle or two of On Wednesday and already have two bottles of Antique Lace 2017, a bottle of Hay Moon 2020, and a bottle of Rendezvous With Her Lover Behind the Rice Straws, I'm also trying to tell myself I don't need more of this... but it is so pretty.

[HerbGirl]

This is the closest scent to my beloved Hay Moon '08 and I am so very happy. Smooth, lemony, dry hay softened by vanilla and warmed a bit by nutmeg. Comfort in a bottle.

[Dark Alice]

This is such a fun scent. It's warm, sweet, but I not too nutty from the nutmeg. I may need a partial.

 

[frizzlechicken]

Wow wow wow this is amazing. It’s a real mashup of Antique Lace and Rendezvous with Her Lover Behind the Rice Straws and Hay Moon…with the nutmeg adding a little bit of smokiness. Divine. 

[puellacaerulea]

This blend is warm but dry, non-foodie vanilla, with a bit of added warmth and sweet earthiness from the hay absolute. The nutmeg slowly amps up on me as it dries down, adding extra sweetness to the vanilla, but not going into full-blown gourmand territory. Overall, a warm, approachable vanilla blend. Haven't tried Antique Lace, so can't make comparisons there, but lovers of Hay Moon or Cedarwood & Smoked Vanilla will probably also enjoy this.

[zankoku_zen]

Warm dry vanilla and sweet hay. This one smells warm and cozy. Might have to consider a bottle.

[wendyb1063]

I really, really like this one!  It's like Tombstone without the cedar, per my husband.   The vanilla is indeed reminiscent of Antique Lace, and the nutmeg is fairly quiet.  The hay is beautiful.  

 

Longevity is good:  I put it on more than 12 hours ago, and it's still very noticeable.  The scent profile doesn't change much over time either.  

 

 

[Happicuppa]

This is amazing. The nutmeg/hay combo really elevates the vanilla and makes this unique but comforting. Warm and cozy and not-too-foodie...I love it. Will be keeping this one. 

[Dark Alice]

This is the first time I have fallen in love with hay. The nutmeg keeps it grounded along with the vanilla. I really enjoy this one and glad I took a chance on a bottle.

 

[Beary Strange]

Fresh out of the mailbox because I couldn't help myself.

 

This is divine, I smell divine.💕 It's exactly what it says on the label on me: strong, warm vanilla, sweetened and made Spring-y by the hay, with just a dash of nutmeg. And it's got a nice throw to go along with it (though it smells so good I still keep burying my nose in my arm.) It may well be the best thing I've ever smelled from the Lab, Dorian notwithstanding, and I need backups.

[starbrow]

If you love the Lab's hay note, this is a slam dunk. A warm and cozy vanilla cuddles with the familiar sunny-grassy sweetness of hay, sprinkled with Hildegard's Cakes of Joy's nutmeg, an earthy and fragrant spice that lays low and deep. This lives in the same place as Hay Moon 2020 and the Hay & Clove duet, as well as Rendezvous with the Courtesan and Harvest of the Empress. If you have smelled those, you know that the hay note leans in a slightly more creamy perfumey direction, with a twist of lemony grass and sun-dried straw. It takes the vanilla and nutmeg out of a foodie realm, especially compared to other recent vanillas and marshmallows. I can't wait to compare this one to the Vanilla Marshmallow Benzoin trio.

 

This does occupy a different place than any of the other hays for me, because of the uniqueness of the lovely nutmeg and the prominent floofy vanilla amidst the familiar hay. I know I am keeping my bottle forever and ever (as long as it stays the same or better as it is now!), but seeing as I haven't used up an entire bottle (or even a quarter of) any of those others, I think this trio is pretty safe as a single bottle. Gorgeous gorgeous. Highly recommend to the hay and/or vanilla lovers!

[wolf_truffles]

I'm getting a lemon vanilla tea- reminds me of Dorian but the hay makes it incredibly warm. Dorian basking in the sunshine! Surprised by the lemon in this and I'm not sure what note is coming off this way. Definitely getting a bottle!

[maleficentsea]

Everything you've heard is true - this one is lovely! Like wolf_truffles said above, this is very much a lemon vanilla tea scent. This actually smells like an Earl Grey tea latte to me! It's got the warm vanilla component of Dorian and the buttery citrus component of A Little More Tea. Really nice springtime scent!

[Area51Fugitive]

Warm and comforting.  Never had the chance to smell Antique Lace (RIP) but this smells like I always imagined it to have been, so I'm happy.

 

Oh, and to those who miss Dorian?  Try combining a bit of this with a bit of Jareth.  Not the exact same, but it'll scratch that itch until it (hopefully) comes back.

[Amazonia]

Accidentally ordered two bottles of this, and I'm really glad I did.  I hadn't skin tested until today, so my bottle has had a few weeks to rest.

 

Upon bottle sniff, I am instantly reminded of my beloved Two Sheep & Two Goats.  It's a little cleaner and less fuzzy, but has the same scent profile to me.  As it dries, the slight lemony quality appears, as noted in other reviews.  It's not an in-your-face lemon though.  Not crisp and zingy, just a gentle citrus note that brightens things up.  Not getting a ton of vanilla, but since it's "husk", I wasn't expecting a sweet, gourmand scent.  It is a dry non-fat, non-sweet vanilla. Can't specifically pick out the nutmeg.  It's just a very well-blended trio.  Around an hour in, the lemon dies back down and I am once again getting a Two Sheep & Two Goats vibe.

 

I am picturing standing in the loft of a barn full of freshly cut piles of hay, with bits of chaff captured floating in the air by beams of golden sunlight.  I want to swim through the piles of hay and fall asleep.

 

Really cozy, close to the skin, and lovely.  Can't wait to see what aging does for this perfume!

 

[MamaMoth]

another winner from the duos and trios! i love an elaborate theme, but there's just something about their unfussy straightforwardness that really appeals to me.  that's not to imply simplicity, though. like with others in this group, i'm finding a surprising complexity to this blend. 

 

the vanilla husk is wonderful.  dry and warm and golden, almost a bit woodsy. hay is a new note for me that i'm exploring, but it's unmistakable when you smell it.  it's also dry and golden, sun-warmed and sweet.  as others have noted, it opens with a lemony brightness that i really enjoy. that lemonish note doesn't fade away exactly, but it sinks to the back, giving things a lovely bright lift that my nose is always searching for in a perfume. 

 

i'm not clocking the nutmeg precisely, but there is a warm fullness with maybe a *leeetle* spice character that i think it gets credit for.  i'm wondering if the nutmeg is possibly serving the same function here that a little nutmeg can bring to a nice cream sauce:  enhancing the rich creaminess without adding distinctive flavor. 

 

unfortunately this one shares the same woe i have with some of the other duos/trios:  i just wish it were a little stronger.  this may improve with aging, and i'll certainly give it the chance because it's just wonderful.

Edited May 12, 2022 by MamaMoth

[RoseThornAndOak]

Yep very Antique Lacey, the hay note is a bit more outdoor and warm. I already have a dupe for Antique Lace that I love but I'll keep the decant.