Crane Moon 2022

[Seajewel]

The thudding beat of powerful alabaster wings: bourbon vanilla, blackened sandalwood, Himalayan cedar, cardamom, orris root, ambergris accord, and drops of cacao.

[Lycanthrope]

This is a bit of a marvel.  It's been a while since I've reviewed a scent, but here goes:

 

I was so very intrigued by the description for Crane Moon that I immediately bought two bottles, and I don't regret that I did.

 

Wet, it has that same type of 'wing and feather' feel that is present in things like The Raven and in particular Crow Moon, but whereas the other two veer a bit more towards dark violet/floral and definitely the darker, shadowy side of things, Crane Moon starts off with that same sweet feathery medium/high tone.  I can feel the slight dry, bitter cedar and cardamom floating above the sweet vanilla/sandalwood combination, which is what I think is the similar feather-scent in the other birdy scents.  

 

On my skin, the cedar and cardamom continue to dance a bit and give this potentially sweet scent some balanced depth without being overtly spicy.  The orris root dusts things up a bit, kind of like how I'd imagine a cascade of white feathers would smell if they were falling around me.  I can definitely see that if a crane was mostly white with a few accents of black on wing tips, that the dry woods, dry spice, dry root give it a shadowy side without going full raven (that's so?).  

 

I am not getting too much direct ambergris, but I think it's giving a smidgeon of aquatic feel, like the water the Crane is standing in.

 

As I wear this, the cocoa emerges here and there as a dry tickle that again grounds the whole scent and balances it.  

 

There's plenty going on in this scent but overall it has a similar feel to other avian aromas but with a bit more dryness probably from the cedar and cardamom combo, kissed with a bit of dry cocoa powder (not chocolate!).  Very wearable and I think a great evening scent.  

[theshapeshifter]

Crane Moon on me is primarily a soft cardamom as it seems like my skin amps that note. I love it, but going to let it rest a bit and see if some of the other notes will come out to play more next time. 

[LavenderCoffee]

I was drawn to this scent because I randomly drew an association between the description (The thudding beat of powerful alabaster wings) and "The Sound of Her Wings" story from The Sandman. I have "You Get What Everyone Gets" but I find it difficult to wear (won't stop me trying!), so I decided in my head this could also be a Death scent. 

 

Freshly applied, Crane Moon is rich and soft with vanilla, blackened sandalwood, and cardamom. I don't get much distinguishable cacao on my skin, even though there is some in the bottle. Each time I test it, the notes seem to shimmer in an otherworldly way as the scent settles and dries, like it pivots in midair and changes course. Bourbon vanilla never seems to last very long for me, but I enjoy how it contributes to the morph in this blend. It becomes darker and woodier to my nose, the cedar increasing in prominence alongside ambergris, but with orris to prevent it from going too sharp. Some sandalwood also has a tendency to go musty on me after it has dried, but here there is a pleasant dry dirt/dusty quality that may be the sandalwood and orris joining forces, providing a nice balance to the perfume tendency of the cedar/ambergris. I'm glad I snagged some of this.

[Casablanca]

Crane Moon is surprisingly soft and subtle on me. Primarily, it's vanilla orris, suggesting pale feathers --- and also the pale powder of a cockatoo. I find a suggestion of white cocoa powder, as well, but just a tease.

 

In drydown, some warmth builds from cedar and cardamom, though again they are soft. This phase makes me think of nest-building, and by extension homemaking... But then, I already associate cedar with the idea of Home.

 

This one is a soft, delicate, powdery-pale bird with hints of dry warmth.

[MamaMoth]

spicy-leaning cardamom over slightly smokey, slightly vanilla'd cedar. melds together nicely as it wears, into a gently spiced, creamy-soft woodsy scent.  very comfy. 

[dancingchair]

This is complex and very nice. The collective impression I get from all the notes is a woody and spicy non-gourmand vanilla. The cedar plays off the sandalwood well, making the wood notes both delicate but also robust. The cardamom isn't super strong on me, but it's there enough to add a lovely spicy element. I really like the cacao here. It's just a light dusting but it deepens the other notes. The ambergris is definitely there, giving an aquatic feel to the entire thing that I really enjoy.

 

Crane Moon feels elegant and atmospheric. I can smell it and imagine a crane standing in a secluded lake.

[puellacaerulea]

This is one of those complex, well-blended scents where the whole is more than the sum of its parts. The vanilla (with a hint of cacao), cedar, and cardamom are the notes that stand out the most on me, while the orris adds a certain softness without going powdery. It's dry, soft woods, vanilla, and orris, but the ambergris is also a presence, adding some subtle muskiness. Pale, soft, and atmospheric. I'm glad I snagged a bottle of this.

[zankoku_zen]

Patchouli, vanilla, and a whiff of cacao. This is a beautiful vanilla-patchouli blend. Medium throw and wear length.