Day 1911 – BPAL’s Verbena, Orange Blossom, and King Mandarin

Tags

a little lunacy, A Little Lunacy 2020, BPAL, king mandarin, limited edition, mandarin, Menage a Trois, orange, orange blossom, Verbena

Scent Name: Verbena, Orange Blossom, & King Mandarin

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – A Little Lunacy September 2020: Ménage à Trois

Scent Description and Notes: “Verbena, orange blossom, and king mandarin.“-https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/a-little-lunacy-limited-edition/menage-a-trois-a-little-lunacy-limited-edition/verbena-orange-blossom-and-king-mandarin-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a 1/32 imp decant.  The decant was made by Yowahoshihime, who has the company name and collection information in large font on the front of the label, and her decanting info along with the scent notes/scent title on the back of the label. Image art is as follows:Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/product-category/a-little-lunacy-limited-edition/menage-a-trois-a-little-lunacy-limited-edition/

Scent:

• ITI: Ooh, mandarin flesh and skin suffused with orange blossom and a dash of bright verbena just behind it. Pretty!
• Wet: Bright, strong verbena with a spritz of mandarin oil from its skin follows by distinctly floral orange blossom after a few seconds on my wrist.
• Dry: After 2 hours, the scent settles into orange blossom with a softer verbena undertone. I do find that this one dissipates fairly quickly, but that’s often the case with citruses on my skin.

Other Impressions: “It’s like roses and bathroom stop hand soap. I don’t dislike, but it has that mass-market soapy smell. The rose note helps, though.” -Tony

Day 1788 – BPAL’s Surly Dragon

Tags

BPAL, Dragon*Con, DragonCon 2017, event exclusive, In Memoriam, mandarin, neroli, orange, pepper, pink pepper, rum, rum absolute, sour orange

Scent Name: Surly Dragon

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Event Exclusive: Dragon Con 2017

Scent Description and Notes: “SURLY DRAGON

Sour orange and fiery pink pepper with mandarin, neroli, and rum absolute.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.tumblr.com/post/164565732458/dragon-drop-the-con-collection-is-coming-eight

Oil Color: A slightly burnished light orange oil on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label wrapped around the bottle features the phrase “Dragon Marginalia” in small white shadowed block font along the top of the image.  The company name is located along in the bottom of the label in similar black block font, while the scent name above that is centered in larger shadowed white block font. The original label art is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.tumblr.com/post/164565732458/dragon-drop-the-con-collection-is-coming-eight

Scent: 

• ITB: Ooh, it smells like freshly squeezed oranges, complete with bitter flesh and cold, tangy juices! The neroli works brilliantly here enhancing the citrus top note, while  the hint of does add a sense of airy warmth behind the orange, mandarin, and neroli.
• Wet:  Fresh orange peel juice covering dewy mandarin flesh over neroli with a hint of pepper is a delicious combination.  The pepper is enough to make my nose tingle, but this is heavy citrus with a slightly incense-like vibe.
• Dry: After nearly two hours of dry-time, the pink pepper and slightly spiced and earthy neroli take the lead, while much of the mandarin and orange notes, which waiver faintly in the background.  As to where the rum absolute went, I’m not sure, but I don’t really mind.

Other Impressions: “Well, that is surly! It smells like strong lime zest and orange zest.
-Tony

Day 1726 – BPAL’s Fortuna Barbata

Tags

BPAL, Hymn to Fortuna, Hymn to Fortuna 2018, In Memoriam, king mandarin, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2018, mandarin, Musk, vegetal musk

Scent Name: Fortuna Barbata

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2018: Hymn to Fortuna 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “The Fortunes of Adolescents

A hymn to blossoming in wisdom and strength as you come of age: King mandarin and warm vegetal musk.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/hymn-to-fortuna-2018/fortuna-barbata/

Oil Color: Colorless.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 5ml brown bottle from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.  The label features the name of the company in small goldenrod bold block font outlined in black along the bottom of the label.  The collection name is in the same front along the top of the label.  The scent name is above in company name in a similar but larger white bolded font shadowed in black.  The label art is as featured below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/hymn-to-fortuna-2018/fortuna-barbata/

Scent:

• ITB: That’s softer than anticipated.  I get King mandarin soothed and soften by a beautifully clean vegetal musk.
• Wet: It reminds me of the spray you get when peeling a King Mandarin, filtered through a soft garden musk.  It’s kitchen comfort on my skin so far. This one has a healthy amount of throw.  I could smell it a good foot from my skin upon initial application.
• Dry: Four hours in and this scent is still bowling me over with its throw – a full 4″ from my wrist do tones of warm, almost amber’d mandarin adorned with a pleasing vegetal stained glass musk bloom.  Delish!

Other Impressions: “It smells like lemongrass and bubble gum.” -Tony

Day 1722 – BPAL’s Fortuna Balnearis

Tags

BPAL, green stem sap, honey, Hymn to Fortuna, Hymn to Fortuna 2018, In Memoriam, king mandarin, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2018, mandarin, orange, orange blossom, orange blossom honey, sap, stem sap, vanilla, vanilla husk

Scent Name: Fortuna Balenearis

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2018: Hymn to Fortuna 2018

Scent Description and Notes: “The Fortunes of Health and Well-Being

A hymn for good health and protection of the vulnerable: orange blossom honey, vanilla husk, green stem sap, and a drop of King mandarin.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/fortuna-balnearis/

Oil Color: The color of new motor oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Mystery213. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information while the front of the label features the image name, collection name, company name, and image art. The image art is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/fortuna-balnearis/

Scent:

• ITI: Breathy and soft, the orange blossom is tempered by the comforting vanilla husk while the mandarin, fresh with stem still attached weaves its way through the other scents.  This is a much more balanced, soothing citrus so far than Fortuna Huiusce Diei.
• Wet: Ah, there’s the  green stem sap, deliciously vibrant when paired with the uplifting mandarin.  The orange blossom and warm vanilla husk add a soft floral creaminess that evokes images of petals drifting in the wind on a sunlight spring afternoon.
• Dry: Ah, there’s the honey!  Thankfully, it’s like a honey dusting powder and it actually smells nice on my skin, unlike some of the other honey notes that I’ve tested from the Lab. After 6 hours, the scent has settled into an orange blossom honey deepened with faded mandarin pulp, softened with vanilla husk.  Nice.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1696 – BPAL’s Belle Époque

Tags

bewitching brews, BPAL, general catalog, lily, lily of the valley, mandarin, opium., red sandalwood, sandalwood, sweet opium, vanilla

Scent Name: Belle Epoque

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Bewitching Brews

Scent Description and Notes: “‘The Pretty Era”, France’s Golden Time: an age of beauty, innovation and peace in France that lasted from the 19th Century through the first World War and gave birth to the cabaret, the cancan, and the cinema as well as the Impressionist and Art Nouveau movements. Sweet opium, Lily of the Valley, vanilla, mandarin and red sandalwood.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/bewitching-brews/belle-epoque/

Oil Color: A slight yellow oil on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork:  This is a standard 5ml brown apothecary bottle.  The label extends just under halfway around the bottom.  The label features the name of the company along with the phrase “hand blended perfume oil” framing the BPAL symbol along the bottom.  The name of the scent takes up the largest portion of the label in tall block font.  All of this is set against a parchment colored background and framed by an ornate iron-work border.

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/general-catalog-perfume-oils/bewitching-brews/belle-epoque/

Scent:

• ITB: I was honestly expecting more floral from the scent, but instead I’m met with sweet mandarin infused with sandalwood, and flashes of lily of the valley.  There’s something almost sweetly effervescent about this scent so far that I find rather attractive.
• Wet: At first, it’s a whirl of bitter mandarin and screechy lily of the valley that has a hint of soap to it.  But after a minute or two, the complexity builds and the notes shift to reflect greater refinement. Mandarin peel candied over with lily of the valley petals, a swirl of opium, and red almost fiery sandalwood create a haughty and decadent blend that very much reminds me of Mucha and gilded lilies.
• Dry: After 5 hours and a number of hand washings, lily of the valley rimmed in opium and mandarin, slightly sharp and imperiously floral with slivers of forbidden allure and beguiling citrus, linger on my skin.  I did notice that the lily did amp during the first hour, but what it settles into is a pleasing complex floral.

Other Impressions: “It’s like a grapefruit wearing its first perfume. It smells saccharine and sweet, like for a younger person.  It’s too much.”

Day 1691 – BPAL’s The Scepter of the Empress

Tags

Amber, amber oudh, Aspects of the Empress, bergamot, BPAL, Florentine bergamot, In Memoriam, mandarin, mandarin rind, oudh, The Empress, The Empress - Aspects of the Empress, The Fool's Journey, The Fool's Journey: The Empress - Aspects of the Empress

Scent Name: The Scepter of the Empress

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – The Fool’s Journey: The Empress – Aspects of the Empress

Scent Description and Notes: “One half of the Tarot’s binary expression of archetypical sovereignty, governing comfort and succor, the healing power of the natural world, the fecundity of the countryside, the stability of earth supported by the passionate tides of water, and all that gently nurtures humankind. This is the safety of home and kingdom alike, the promise of enough resources to sustain you and your community, the assurance the fruitfulness of the harvest, benevolent protection, and the wellbeing of generations to come.

Amber oudh, mandarin rind, and Florentine bergamot.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/the-scepter-of-the-empress/

Oil Color: A thinly bright orange oil on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 5ml brown bottle from Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab.  The label features the name of the company in small white bold block font outlined in black along the bottom of the label.  The scent name is a larger version of the same font above that.  The label art is as featured below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/in-memoriam/the-scepter-of-the-empress/

Scent:

• ITB: Mmm, that’s good!  Juicy mandarin, flesh cool and delicious, enrobed with warm, gentle amber and florid bergamot make my mouth literally water.  It’s a brightly delightful citrus-dominant scent swathed with gorgeous spiced resinous tone so far.
• Wet: Amber and well behaved oudh, spicy and cloud-like pair so beautifully with the mandarin (it’s more flesh than rind) and those heavenly bergamot undertones.  It reminds me of a more sophisticated Body Shop citrus scent.
• Dry: I notice that the oud is starting to amp two minutes in, bringing with it  images of damp animal muskiness with a hint of wood.  The mandarin is still trying to hold its own against the oud, and I’m holding out hope that it will because the wet version is just so glorious. After a good 5 hours, the scent settles into a much more agreeable mandarin amber musk adorned with delightful bergamot.  Much better.

Other Impressions: “Musk powder.  It smells ambiguously sexy.” -Tony

Day 1663 – BPAL’s Geisha in a Green Kimono

Tags

bergamot, blackcurrant, BPAL, currant, green musk, green tea, gunpowder green tea, gunpowder tea, In Memoriam, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2016, Lupercalia 2016: Shunga, Lupercalia 2016: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, mandarin, Musk, neroli, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, red mandarin, Shunga, Shunga 2016, tea, thyme, white thyme, wood, wormwood, yellow bergamot

Scent Name: Geisha in a Green Kimono

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2016: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Scent Description and Notes: “Gunpowder tea, yellow bergamot, white thyme, blackcurrant, red mandarin, wormwood, neroli, and green musk.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: A cheerful slightly limed pollen colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is a woodblock print of a woman in a muted green kimono rubbing an amorous male’s phallus while he returns the favor.  The image is an unedited version of below:

Image fromhttps://scentbase.com/scents/black-phoenix-alchemy-lab-bpal/geisha-in-a-green-kimono/201603220237142555

 

Scent:

• ITI: Clean and mouth wateringly refreshing – the mandarin, neroli, and blackcurrant muddled with the thyme and tea so far are really rather sublime, smacking of refined mixed drinks or  high-end body wash.
• Wet: Similar on my skin after immediate application, the bergamot and wormwood amp seconds after application, however, rivaling the juicy fruits embittered slightly with hints of zest, neroli, tea, and thyme. I really would love a linen spray in this.
• Dry: Faded mandarin, green tea, and darkly spiced neroli still are distinct, while impressions of musk and bergamot are just mere suggestions in the background.  Pleasing, for sure.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1620 – BPAL’s Hanksite Phoenix

Tags

balsam, BPAL, BPAL 17th Anniversary, BPAL Anniversary, BPAL Anniversary 2019, cistus, fougere, Geology, Geology 2019, ginger, ginger moss fougere, green mandarin, khus, Lime, lime peel, limited edition, mandarin, moss

Scent Name: Hanksite Phoenix

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – BPAL 17th Anniversary: Geology 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “An effervescent ginger moss fougere with cistus, lime peel, green mandarin, balsam, and khus.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/17th-anniversary/hanksite-phoenix-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: A cheery honeyed broth colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Yowahoshihime.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent, the name in green, and her decanting name. The front of the label has the phrase “BPAL 17th Anniversary.” The label art appears as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/17th-anniversary/hanksite-phoenix-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: Dish soap?  Specifically, the green Palmolive dish soap comes to mind. Once I sweet that image away, I get the lime peel, fizzed ginger, and khus. 
• Wet: I still am getting dish soap, but 3 seconds in, the mandarin starts to make itself known, adding some much needed sweetness.  The ginger has gone to powdered ginger on me, yet the lime and heady khus still thrive at the center of the scent.  The soap quality seems to lessen as it sits on my skin, thankfully.
• Dry: This doesn’t have the best staying power, although I did put it through its paces with the chores.  After two hours, the scent has faded into a faded lime fougere with impressions of ginger and headiness from the khus.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1550 – BPAL’s Carotene

Tags

Amber, apricot, BPAL, chrysanthemum, ginger, ginger root, Halloween, Halloween 2019, Halloweenie, Halloweenie 2019, Halloweenies, Halloweenies 2019, limited edition, mandarin, patchouli, red mandarin, sweet amber, The Fall of the Leaf, Weenies, Weenies 2019, yam

My BPAL Halloweenie scents came in yesterday, so now it’s time to review!

Scent Name: Carotene

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Halloween 2019: The Fall of the Leaf

Scent Description and Notes: “Sunset orange, a marigold-bright throb of light: sweet amber, ginger root, apricot, patchouli, red mandarin, chrysanthemum, and yam.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/halloween-autumn-collection/the-fall-of-the-leaf/carotene-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: A bright and cheery yam color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz). This is a decant from Yowahoshihime.  On the back, she has the notes of the scent and her decanting name. The front of the label has the phrase “Weenies 2019.”  The label art on the bottle is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/halloween-autumn-collection/the-fall-of-the-leaf/carotene-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: Wow, that is…unusual.  I’m getting freshly grated ginger, complete with its juices, yam mashed potatoes, mandarin juice, and resin pearls.  There’s a bit of floral from the chrysanthemum underneath, but with the other notes on top of it, it reads as steamed carrots to me.
• Wet: The ginger is less assertive on my skin, replaced instead by warm apricot and heavier resins atop yam and ginger puree. Much of the bright, bitter but lovely mandarin has been replaced by the apricot.  I am just getting pictures of my kitchen in the fall, full of root vegetables and ginger, amid meal prep.
• Dry: 45 minutes after application, the scent still is heavily vegetal for me.  Yam and ginger root with dried apricot, chrysanthemum, and resin remind me of fall soup with a hint of incense for some reason.  I think I’d like this better without the yam.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1543 – BPAL’s Thirteen (13): September 2019

Tags

angelica, bergamot, blue tansy, borage, BPAL, chamomile, cubeba, Frankincense, hops, In Memoriam, king mandarin, Lavender, limited edition, listea cubeba, litsea, mandarin, Oman frankincense, patchouli, Roman chamomile, sandalwood, tansy, thirteen, ylang ylang

Scent Name: Thirteen (13): September 2019

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Limited Edition: Thirteen

Scent Description and Notes: “13 is significant, whether you consider it lucky, unlucky or just plain odd. Many believe it to be unfortunate…

…because there were 13 present at the Last Supper.
…Loki crashed a party of 12 at Valhalla, which ended in Baldur’s death.
…Oinomaos killed 13 of Hippodamia’s suitors before Pelops finally, in his own shady way, defeated the jealous king.
…In ancient Rome, Hecate’s witches gathered in groups of 12, the Goddess herself being the 13th in the coven.

Concern over the number thirteen echoes back beyond the Christian era. Line 13 was omitted form the Code of Hammurabi.

The shivers over Friday the 13th also have some interesting origins:

…Christ was allegedly crucified on Friday the 13th.
…On Friday, October 13, 1307, King Philip IV of France ordered the arrests of Jaques de Molay, Grand Master of the Knights Templar, and sixty of his senior knights.
…In British custom, hangings were held on Fridays, and there were 13 steps on the gallows leading to the noose.

To combat the superstition, Robert Ingersoll and the Thirteen Club held thirteen-men dinners during the 19th Century. Successful? Hardly. The number still invokes trepidation to this day. A recent whimsical little serial killer study showed that the following murderers all have names that total thirteen letters:

Theodore Bundy
Jeffrey Dahmer
Albert De Salvo
John Wayne Gacy

And, with a little stretch of the imagination, you can also fit “Jack the Ripper” and “Charles Manson” into that equation.

More current-era paranoia: modern schoolchildren stop their memorization of the multiplication tables at 12. There were 13 Plutonium slugs in the atomic bomb that was dropped on Nagasaki. Apollo 13 wasn’t exactly the most successful space mission. All of these are things that modern triskaidekaphobes point to when justifying their fears.

For some, 13 is an extremely fortuitous and auspicious number…

…In Jewish tradition, God has 13 Attributes of Mercy. Also, there were 13 tribes of Israel, 13 principles of Jewish faith, and 13 is considered the age of maturity.
…The ancient Egyptians believed that there were 12 stages of spiritual achievement in this lifetime, and a 13th beyond death.
…The word for thirteen, in Chinese, sounds much like the word which means “must be alive”.

Thirteen, whether you love it or loathe it, is a pretty cool number all around.

…In some theories of relativity, there are 13 dimensions.
…It is a prime number, lucky number, star number, Wilson Prime, and Fibonacci number.
…There are 13 Archimedean solids.

AND…
…There were 13 original colonies when the United States were founded.

Says a lot about the US, doesn’t it?

This version of 13 is a departure from our usual theme for this ongoing project. So many of us are going through so much right now; it seems right to make an oil that contains 13 herbs, flowers, and resins of peace, tranquility, and grounding: lavender, litsea cubeba, sandalwood, ylang ylang,  king mandarin, patchouli, blue tansy, Roman chamomile, bergamot, Oman frankincense, angelica, hops, and borage.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/13-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: A pale white wine colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is as follows on the front:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/13-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: This 13 is very much a departure from the previous years.  It’s softly citrus-like (it’s not mandarin, so I think it might be the litsea cubeba) with bright ylang ylang and strong, soothing herbal overtones, especially of chamomile, borage, a sliver of lavender.  There’s an interesting resinous musk under all the herbal elements too.
• Wet: I wasn’t expecting the gentle sandalwood and alluring frankincense to be so forward on my skin, but they waft beautifully forth, followed a few seconds later by the lovely and centering herbal notes.  After 10 seconds, the listea cubeba and ylang ylang with a squirt of mandarin reach my nose, like waves upon waves lapping at the shore.  Dang.  I wish I had gotten a bottle of this.
• Dry: This still had some throw midway through the day, but by the end of the evening, this scent is a sedate and soothing combination of lavender, chamomile, and a hint of blue tansy.

Other Impressions: None

Day 1486 – BPAL’s Butterflies and Plovers

Tags

Amber, blood orange, BPAL, In Memoriam, king mandarin, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2008, Lupercalia 2008: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, mandarin, nectarine, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, orange, patchouli, Shunga, Shunga 2008, violet, ylang ylang

Scent Name: Butterflies and Plovers

Manufacturer:  Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Lupercalia 2008: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements

Scent Description and Notes: “Blood orange, King mandarin, nectarine, patchouli, violet, ylang ylang, and amber.” -BPAL.org

Oil Color: A lightly yellowish orange oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a 5ml standard brown apothecary bottle. The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the scent in thin white block font just above the collection name, which is  in a baby blue smaller version of the same font.  Below that is the company name, which is in a smaller version of the scent name, although in an orange.  The label is a shunga woodblock print of both of a Noh character, fully dressed save for one crucial part being manually pleasured by a female-looking character. Butterflies adorn his kimono and plovers adorn hers.

Scent:

• ITB:  This is a gorgeous blend of mandarin, blood orange, and well-balanced patchouli tinged with violets. It’s citrus’y but not overpoweringly bright. I like it.
• Wet: Wow, that’s great.  Musky blood orange and mandarian overlaid with a soft, almost anise-like patchouli that reveal ylang ylang and a hint of violet as it settles.
• Dry: Nearly 12 hours later, I’m surprised there’s any scent left. What I am getting is a watery mandarin sweetened with ylang ylang and amber.  It’s feminine, subtle, and lovely.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1389 – BPAL’s Carnaval Rat

Tags

absinthe, acai, acai berry, aconite, aftershave, almond, almond milk, Amber, Ambergris, ambrette, ambrette seed, apple, apple blossom, apricot, apricot flower, Babylonian musk, balsam, Baltic amber, bark, bay, bay rum, beeswax, benzoin, bergamot, berry, bhay, bile, birch, birch tar, bitter almond, bitter wine, bittersweet chocolate, black amber, black cardamom, black cherry, black coconut, black copal, black currant, black incense, black lotus, black musk, black myrrh, black orchid, black oudh, black patchouli, black pine, black wine, blackberry, blackberry leaf, blackcurrant, blackened vanilla husk, blood apple, blood orange, blood-creme, blossoms, blue lilac, blue musk, bone, bourbon, bourbon vanilla, bourbon vetiver, BPAL, bread crumbs, brimstone, bubblegum, Burmese oudh, calla lily, candied apple, caramel, cardamom, carnation, carnaval diabolique, cassis, Cedar, cedar smoke, champaca, champaca attar, champaca flower, chaparral, cherry, chocolate, chocolate truffles, chrome, chrysanthemum, cinnamon, cinnamon leaf, cistus, clary sage, coapl, cocoa, cocoa absolute, coconut, coconut hull, coffee, coffee bean, cologne, copal, coral, corsage, cream, cream accord, creme, crushed candies, currant, Damascus rose, dark musk, dragon's blood, dragon's blood resin, dry bone, dry flowers, dust, embalming herbs, English ivy, fig, fir, fir needle, flickering blue musk, Florentine iris, flytraps, fougere, Frankincense, French gardenia, French vanilla, gardenia, ginger, ginger lily, golden musk, green sandalwood, green tea, guava, hay bale, heliotrope, hemlock, henbane, herbs, hibiscus, High John the Conqueror root, honey, honeyed leather, honeysuckle, hot metals, hyssop, ice-cold skin, Incense, Indian resins, Indonesian oil, Indonesian patchouli, iris, jasmine, jasmine sambac, Kashmiri tea, kelp, king mandarin, kush, labdanum, Lavender, Leather, lemon, lemon balm, lemon flower, lemon peel, lightening, lilac blossoms, lilies, lily, lily of the valley, Lime, lime fougere, limited edition, linden, linden blossom, lotus, lotus root, magnolia, mahogany, mallow, mallow root, mandarin, milk, mimosa, Mint, Moroccan jasmine, moss, mucilage, muguet, mushroom, Musk, myrrh, narcissus, nectarine, neroli, netmeg, nicotiana, night-blooming flowers, oakmoss, ocean spray, oleander, olibanum, olive, olive blossom, olive leaf, opium smoke, opium., opoponax, orange, orange blossom, orange blossom water, orange peel, orange pulp, orchid, orris, orris root, osmanthus, oud wood, ozone, Pale bergamot, pale white berries, palm, palm frond, palmarosa, paperwhites, papyrus, passion flower, pastries, patchouli, patchouli leaf, pear, pepper, Peru balsam, pine, pine bark, pine pitch, plum, plum blossom, plumeria, pomegranate, poppy, raspberry, red amber, red currant, red gardenia, red ginger, red musk, red patchouli, red pepper, red rose, red sandalwood, reeds, rice, rice milk, river reeds, rockrose, Rose, rose geranium, rose otto, rosewater, rosewood, rum, rust, saffron, Sage, salt, sambac, sandalwood, sarsaparilla, sawdust, sea moss, seaweed, sheer musk, Siamese benzoin, singed straw, skin musk, Snake Oil, snow, Spanish moss, spun sugar, star jasmine, Sudanese myrrh, sugar, sugar cane, Sugared coffee bean, sugared cream, sugared incense, sugared nuts, sugared violet, sweet oudh, tar, tarragon, tea, tea leaf, tea oudh, teak, teakwood, Tempranillo grape, ti leaf, tobacco, tobacco smoke, tobacco tar, tomb dust, Tonka, tonka bean, trees, tuberose, vanila flower, vanilla, vanilla bean, vanilla husk, vanilla mint, Verbena, vetiver, violet, violet water, wet tobacco, white amber, white carnation, white clove, white frankincense, white hemlock, white honey, white mint, white moss, white musk, white peach, white pear, white pepper, white sandalwood, white tea, wild plum, wine, wisteria, wood, wormwood, ylang ylang

Scent Name: Carnaval Rat

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Limited Edition

Scent Description and Notes: “Derived from the same pseudo-scientific process as last year’s LAB RAT blend, but constrained to the Lab’s Carnaval Diabolique collection. Each bottle contains a slosh of every Carnaval scent currently in stock. The result? An inhalation of the miasma hovering over the midway after a busy, near-endless night of debauchery.

In the interest of peer review, here are our internal notes from the blending process, tracking how the scent evolved as through the collection alphabetically.

A-C: “Chocolate truffles filled with blood-creme, rolled in sawdust.”

D-G. “Two… no, THREE corsaged puppeteers screwing in a hay bale.”

H-L. “Rusty barber’s shears sterilizing overnight in a jar full of rum and rosewater.”

M-P “This is eerily reminiscent of lightning striking a gondola full of off-duty showgirls.”

O-Z “Luminous, opalescent bat wings serving as the bellows for a lunatic calliope, whooshing gusts of wind through blossoms on dying trees, the bark sticky with blood that is, for some mysterious reason, flowing upward. The music! can you hear the music?”

[Sadly, we have been unable to elaborate on these findings as the intern in question abruptly left their post shortly thereafter.]

Eau de Carnaval Diabolique. The cumulative weight of dozens of scents — a cacophony of carnies, haunts, snakes, grindhouse dancers, and other attractions, all simultaneously clamoring for your attention.“ -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/carnaval-rat-perfume-oil/

Note:  I tried my best to distill all the available Carnaval Diabolque notes into the scent note section.

Oil Color: A beautiful bay colored oil.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is as follows on the front:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/carnaval-rat-perfume-oil/

Scent:

• ITI: What a melange of notes! Thick, aggressive chocolate cherries, cocoa, black tea, hay, reeds, and brittle bone give way to honeyed hibiscus, cinnamon, atop swaying moss and wild herbs and a hint of fiery patchouli.
• Wet:  The most clear impressions are of red patchouli, chocolate cherries, vanilla mint swirled with bourbon musk and a sinuous trail of kush and cedar smoke.
• Dry: After 17 hours, the scent is still present, although now a subdued tinkling of lavender, lemon balm, cocoa, faint, faded white florals, the subtle tang of metal, and a smidgen of fougere.  I’m intrigued to see how this might shift on someone else, but I actually like.

Other Impressions: None

Day 1363 – BPAL’s Twelve Tastes in the Classification of Passion

Tags

BPAL, carnation, clove, clove bud, limited edition, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2019, Lupercalia 2019: Shunga, Lupercalia 2019: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019, mandarin, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019, Shunga, Shunga 2019

Scent Name: Twelve Tastes in the Classification of Passion

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lupercalia 2019: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “Mandarin, carnation, and clove bud.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/lupercalia-2019/novel-ideas-for-secret-amusements-2019/twelve-tastes-in-the-classification-of-passion-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: The color of a young white wine.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is a shunga woodblock print of a man with six women, each of them taking part in the coupling.

• ITI: The mandarin and clove bud emerge at the same time, giving me the impression of both fresh mandarin flesh and a spiced Orange Julius smoothie, yet the carnation adds a spicy floral with a subtle hint of green that is equally pleasing next two the other notes.
• Wet: At first, the clove bud softly wafts forth, yet soon the mandarin zest rushes forward, adding a lovely citrus bitterness to the scent before carnation softly threads itself through.  However, As this settles, the carnation just blooms next to the clove bud while the mandarin adds a lovely citrus note to the warm, spiced floral.
• Dry:  Beautiful, vivid carnation, delicately spicy and glorious with the addition of the clove bud note.  This is such a spicy, lovely floral combination.  It has good through and longevity as the notes are still distinct 6 hours later.

Other Impressions: I love this in its dry form so much that I’m thinking about getting a bottle.

Day 1356 – BPAL’s Joyous Middle-Aged Couple

Tags

bois de rose, BPAL, Cedar, Frankincense, green mandarin, green tea, honey, limited edition, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2019, Lupercalia 2019: Shunga, Lupercalia 2019: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019, mandarin, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019, oudh, Rose, Shunga, Shungas, tea, white oudh

Scent Name: Joyous Middle-Aged Couple

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lupercalia 2019: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “Green tea, white oudh, cedar, green mandarin, frankincense, bois de rose, and honey.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/lupercalia-2019/novel-ideas-for-secret-amusements-2019/joyous-middle-aged-couple-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: The color of beeswax-infused body butter.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Absinthetics. Her label features the scent notes on the back along with her decanting information and the scent name. The label art is a shunga woodblock print of a middle-aged couple kissing and joyously copulating. The man has completely disrobed, while she is only partially clothed.

• ITI:  Now that’s an delightful green scent spritzed with orange!  It reminds me of a mossy forest floor, wrapped up and transported to a drawing table laden with bright, exquisite rose blooms and ripe mandarins.  The cedar and frankincense add the right amount of woody aromatics to tie everything together.  I was honestly worried about the oudh since my last encounter was less than pleasant, but so far, this one is playing nice!
• Wet: It shifts a bit on my skin, but it’s still so pleasant.  At first, it was mandarin and cedar with a cup of fine green tea, yet the rose warms after a few seconds, along with the honey and frankincense, bringing me back to that wonderful still-life scene. The reminds me of some fabulously high-end bottles I smelled in Harrod’s perfume section in London. As long as this settles well, I’m going to need to grab myself a bottle.
• Dry:  The scent has faded much more than anticipated. I think I noticed it fading around hours 6, but around hour 10, I’m left with a very tiny whisper of scent – bois de rose, white oudh, and a bit of honeyed green tea. While I wish this had more staying power, I could certainly be happy to re-apply during the work day.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1350 – BPAL’s Three Lovers

Tags

BPAL, carnation, Cedar, cedarwood, dried red currants, Himalayan cedarwood, limited edition, lupercalia, Lupercalia 2019, Lupercalia 2019: Shunga, Lupercalia 2019: Shunga - Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019, mandarin, Musk, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019, red currants, Rose, Shunga, Shunga 2019, silk, violet, violet silk, white musk, white rose, wood, yellow rose

Finally, I’m on to my favorite section of the Lupercalia updates!  There’s something about the unusual combination of subtle tones ranging from hay to green tea to yuzu that makes me so eager to test as many as I can from this sub-release.

Scent Name: Three Lovers

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Lupercalia 2019: Shunga – Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements 2019

Scent Description and Notes: “White and yellow roses, violet silk, Himalayan cedarwood, mandarin, white musk, carnation, and dried red currants.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/lupercalia-2019/novel-ideas-for-secret-amusements-2019/three-lovers-perfume-oil/

Oil Color: Colorless on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard brown apothecary bottle.  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the scent in bolded leaf green block font just above the company name, which is in a smaller version of the a shadowed white version of the name’s font.  The label is as follows:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/lupercalia-2019/novel-ideas-for-secret-amusements-2019/three-lovers-perfume-oil/

• ITB: Wow, that is a flower market’s dream set against the Seine!  The yellow and white rose notes are so fresh and vibrant against the subtle waftings of cedarwood and violet silk.  Carnation flickers briefly between the top and bottom notes, while the mandarin and musk notes undulate against the florals. It’s elegant, feminine, sumptuous, and vibrant all at one.
• Wet: The mandarin is stronger once applied to my skin, but the creaminess of the musk mellows out any harshness that might have been present from a citrus note. Carnation cheerfully and mingles with a dried, earthy red currant while tender yellow rose subtly sits atop a cedar chest. I’m not detecting the violet silk in this stage, but I do hope that it shows up later.
• Dry: After 10 hours, the scent has mellowed down into a yellow rose powdered musk with a hint of carnation.  Nice!

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1250 – BPAL’s Bellicose Clam Alchemy Lab

Tags

BPAL, BPAL Anniversary, BPAL Anniversary 2018, Citrus, grapefruit, king mandarin, lemon, lemon peel, limited edition, mandarin, Musk, pink grapefruit, Sweet Sixteen, white musk, yuzu

Scent Name: Bellicose Clam Alchemy Lab

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – BPAL Anniversary: Sweet Sixteen

Scent Description and Notes: “If America’s political outlook doesn’t improve soon, this one is still a solid rebranding option.

Yuzu, pink grapefruit, King mandarin, white musk, and lemon peel.”  -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/sweet-sixteen/bellicose-clam-alchemy-lab/

Oil Color: Colorless

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Yowahoshihime. Her label features the scent notes and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which looks like

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/sweet-sixteen/bellicose-clam-alchemy-lab/

• ITI: Bright and effervescent grapefruit pulp, bright yuzu, and lemon rind joyously leap forth from the vial.  What an uplifting combination.  It makes my mouth water!
• Wet: Yes, that’s a stunning scent.  Grapefruit, ruby and juicy, sweetened with yuzu and garnished with lemon peel makes more a a citrus perfume that rivals the juicy veracity of The Body Shop’s old Satsuma formula.  As it settles, the musk begins to creep in, adding a dreaminess to the bright, vibrant citrus notes.
• Dry: 8 hours later, it’s a deliciously beautiful white musk and very subtle citrus.  Even after significant wear time, this still has a little bit of throw and presence.  This is a winner for me.

Other Impressions: I imagine layering this with a fizzy champagne or crisp snow note would make this absolute heaven.  If you are a citrus lover, then give this one a try.

Day 1239 – BPAL’s The Tastes of the Duke Were Peculiar

Tags

absinthe, anise, black currant, BPAL, currant, gilded vanilla flower, Halloween, Halloween 2018, Halloweenie, Halloweenie 2018, Halloweenies, Halloweenies 2018, ink, iron, iron shakles, king mandarin, laudanum, mandarin, Masque of Red Death, neroli, opium poppy, opium., poppy, star anise, The color of, vanilla, vanilla flower, Weenies, Weenies 2018

Scent Name: The Tastes of the Duke Were Peculiar

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Halloweenie 2018: Masque of Red Death

Scent Description and Notes: “But, in spite of these things, it was a gay and magnificent revel. The tastes of the duke were peculiar. He had a fine eye for colors and effects. He disregarded the decora of mere fashion. His plans were bold and fiery, and his conceptions glowed with barbaric lustre. There are some who would have thought him mad. His followers felt that he was not. It was necessary to hear and see and touch him to be sure that he was not.

The swirl of a thousand glittering vices: absinthe and laudanum, opium poppy and neroli, star anise and black currant, whip leather and iron shackles, gilded vanilla flower and King mandarin.”  -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/halloween-2018/masque-of-the-red-death/the-tastes-of-the-duke-were-peculiar/

Oil Color:  The color of wheat.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard 1/32 ml imp that has been decanted for me by Yowahoshihime. Her label features the scent notes and her decanter information on the back. The front has the name of the  scent and company name along with the label art, which is as below:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/autumn-collection/halloween-2018/masque-of-the-red-death/the-tastes-of-the-duke-were-peculiar/

Scent:

• ITI: On first sniff, I’m getting absinthe and star anise  with an herbal quality to it. As I concentrate, the neroli becomes more distinct, but the absinthe and star anise are the star players so far.
• Wet:  Ah, there’s the laudanum, mingled with the neroli – exotic and nefarious – while the star anise and absinthe lurk in the background, outlined by faint vanilla flower.  It’s dangerous and rather alluring at the same time. I’m a fan, so far.
• Dry:  After 4 hours, the scent is a musky combination of faint vanilla flower and hints of mandarin with a touch of spice.  The absinthe has completely faded, as has the star anise.  It’s definitely a shifter, but enjoyable in each stage.

Other Impressions:  None.

Day 1147 – BPAL’s Kubla Khan

Tags

Amber, amber tobacco, balsam, bewitching brews, BPAL, champaca, dark vanilla, ginger, golden sandalwood, hay, hay absolute, ice, jasmine, lily, mandarin, Moroccan jasmine, opium smoke, opium., Peru balsam, sandalwood, smoke, sugar, sugared lily, sun, tea, tea leaf, tobacco, vanilla

Scent Name: Kubla Khan

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab –  Bewitching Brews

Scent Description and Notes: “

In Xanadu did Kubla Khan
A stately pleasure-dome decree:
Where Alph, the sacred river, ran
Through caverns measureless to man
Down to a sunless sea.

So twice five miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round:
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills,
Where blossomed many an incense-bearing tree;
And here were forests ancient as the hills,
Enfolding sunny spots of greenery.
But oh! that deep romantic chasm which slanted
Down the green hill athwart a cedarn cover!
A savage place! as holy and enchanted
As e’er beneath a waning moon was haunted
By woman wailing for her demon-lover!
And from this chasm, with ceaseless turmoil seething,
As if this earth in fast thick pants were breathing,
A mighty fountain momently was forced:
Amid whose swift half-intermitted burst
Huge fragments vaulted like rebounding hail,
Or chaffy grain beneath the thresher’s flail:
And ‘mid these dancing rocks at once and ever
It flung up momently the sacred river.
Five miles meandering with a mazy motion
Through wood and dale the sacred river ran,
Then reached the caverns measureless to man,
And sank in tumult to a lifeless ocean:
And ‘mid this tumult Kubla heard from far
Ancestral voices prophesying war!

The shadow of the dome of pleasure
Floated midway on the waves;
Where was heard the mingled measure
From the fountain and the caves.
It was a miracle of rare device,
A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice!

A damsel with a dulcimer
In a vision once I saw:
It was an Abyssinian maid,
And on her dulcimer she played,
Singing of Mount Abora.
Could I revive within me
Her symphony and song,
To such a deep delight ‘twould win me
That with music loud and long
I would build that dome in air,
That sunny dome! those caves of ice!
And all who heard should see them there,
And all should cry, Beware! Beware!
His flashing eyes, his floating hair!
Weave a circle round him thrice,
And close your eyes with holy dread,
For he on honey-dew hath fed
And drunk the milk of Paradise.

Through sunlit caves of ice, roses unfurl amidst dancing waves of serpentine opium smoke and amber tobacco, golden sandalwood, champaca, tea leaf, sugared lily, ginger, rich hay absolute, leather, dark vanilla, mandarin, peru balsam, and Moroccan jasmine.” – https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/bewitching-brews/kubla-khan/

Oil Color: A very faint peach wine color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  The label wrapped around the bottle features an Art-Deco inspired phoenix with name of the company next to the phoenix. On the other side, the title of the scent written in large, clear black font outlined with red on the front.

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/bewitching-brews/kubla-khan/

Scent: 

• ITI: Mmm, that is delicious.  Dark vanilla and sugared lily practically embrace the sweet mandarin, while the champaca, amber, and sandalwood festoon a resinous veil over the scent.  There’s a touch of hay absolute the more I try to concentrate on the scent, but I’m surprised I’m not getting any jasmine or balsam.
• Wet: The hay absolute is much clearer on my skin while the mandarin steps back to allow the Moroccan jasmine and ginger to take over. Sugared lily still abounds and champaca still reigns true, but the opium, tobacco, amber, and sandalwood are lost under the notes my skin tends to amp (I’m looking at you, jasmine).
• Dry:  What’s left after a full day of running around is a nice blend of vanilla, a hint of sugar, and just a whiff of faded opium smoke.  I really enjoyed all phases of this scent, so in the “to buy” list it goes.

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1082 – BPAL’s Blood Bespattered Locks of Grey

Tags

Ambergris, anise, bay, bay leaf, BPSL, Cedar, grey oudh, Ides of March, Idus Martiae, khus, lemon, lemon peel, limited edition, mandarin, oudh, star anise, white cedar

Scent Name: Blood Bespattered Locks of Grey

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Idus Martiae

Scent Description and Notes: “Woe for the blood-bespattered locks of gray, alas for the rent robe, which you assumed, it seems, only that you might be slain in it!

– Cassius Dio

Ambergris and bay leaf, lemon peel and regal mandarin, white cedar and khus, grey oudh and star anise.” –https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/blood-bespattered-locks-of-gray/

Oil Color: Clear on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard BPAL brown apothecary bottle.  The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the scent in bold, white letters set just above the name of the company, which is in smaller, bold white font. The label art is as featured:

Image from https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/idesMAIN-1.jpg

• ITB: Ah, delightfully soft, grey ambergris floats above the faintly beautiful mandarin and white cedar.  The star anise is surprisingly gentle as a bottom note.  I’m also picking up something faintly peppery underneath it all.
• Wet:  Yes!  The cedar and ambergris are delightfully grey and foreboding, like the think Humbolt fog that settles over the sound, obscuring everything under its spell. A touch of lemon – the light far off in the fog.
• Dry:  After 10 hours and a walk, there’s no scent left, so be prepared to reapply.  Upon second dry-down, the scent has become soft and sweet since the ambergris has mellowed with the emergence of the oudh while the cedar has vanished.  There’s a touch of sweetness from perhaps the mandarin, but it’s so ephemeral that I can’t really identify it save for adding sweetness to the scent. If you wnjoy ambergris or soft resins, you might consider giving this a try.  As for me, I’m happy I have a bottle!

Other Impressions: None.

Day 1064 – BPAL’s Mythological Scene, with a Warrior Addressing a Lady Outside a Classical Mansion, Two Maidens Riding Unicorns Behind

Tags

ambrette, ambrette musk, Art of the Unicorn, Art of the Unicorn Part 1, bergamot, bourbon, bourbon vanilla, BPAL, butter, Florentine orris butter, In Memoriam, king mandarin, Leather, leather accord, mandarin, Musk, orris, patchouli, red sandalwood, saffron, sandalwood, vanilla, white patchouli

Scent Name:  Mythological Scene, with a Warrior Addressing a Lady Outside a Classical Mansion, Two Maidens Riding Unicorns Behind

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Art of the Unicorn Part 1

Scent Description and Notes: “Florentine orris butter, red sandalwood, white patchouli, leather accord, and ambrette musk with a drifting eddy of King mandarin, wild bergamot, bourbon vanilla, and gold-limned saffron.”  –https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/mythological-scene-with-a-warrior-addressing-a-lady-outside-a-classical-mansion-two-maidens-riding-unicorns-behind/

Oil Color: A slightly apricot-tinged pale ale color.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard vial / imp size (1/32 oz).  This is a sample from Mystery213.  The label features the name of the company and the name of the scent.  The bottle art is as follows:

Image by Susanna Duncombe fromhttps://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/limited-edition/mythological-scene-with-a-warrior-addressing-a-lady-outside-a-classical-mansion-two-maidens-riding-unicorns-behind/

Scent:

• ITI: The first note reminds me a bit of mineral oil mixed with the almost insect-like quality of ambrette.  Soon thereafter fallow mandarin, saffron, sandalwood – altogether the scent seems to be more reminiscent of fruit cake than I had expected.
• Wet: The scent retains its vaguely insect-like quality.  I think the ambrette note really isn’t too fond of me, as most of the other notes play nice with my skin chemistry.  I do pick up orris butter and saffron with  a touch of bourbon and patchouli, but the other notes seem lost on my skin.
• Dry:  After 12 hours, the scent is just faint hint of bourbon vanilla and the memory of patchouli.  On reapplication, the mandarin and bergamot settle to become a scent more reminiscent of  tea with orris butter and sandalwood made overly sweet by the ambrette note. It’s a pass for me.

Other Impressions: “It’s like tobacco and maple syrup.” -Tony