Atrous

This scent is all about the Tobacco and Vanilla. The other notes seem to be there to deepen, layer, support, and lend complexity to the two stars. For me, Vanilla usually gets lost in a blend and comes off just adding creaminess. In Mars Ultor the Vanilla is lush and stands on its own. I can definitely tell there is Vanilla in this and not just a generic creaminess. The Tobacco is dark and robust. Nutmeg makes the whole thing deliciously spicy. There is a sweetness that runs through both Tobacco and Vanilla. It borders on gourmand but doesn't go foody. There is an underlying resin vibe but doesn't go full on incense. The picture that enters my mind is someone smoking high quality, vanilla flavored pipe tobacco in a dark room. This scent is dark, smokey, vanillic, spicy, resinous. It has a pretty good throw and longevity. I feel it is unisex bordering on masculine.

Wet: the notes blossom in the order they are listed. First, it's all grass then the myrtle comes out and the scent goes a bit sharp and camphorous for a while. As the sharpness starts dying down Musk comes out. Dry: The green musk has an oily quality to it that I believe gives this scent a certain smoothness. The grass has a lovely freshness mingling with an herbal sweetness. The notes seem really balanced and play so nicely together. Quite complex for a scent with three notes. A scent that is restive, happy, grassy, herbal, slightly sweet with a medium throw. Lovely!

Wow, there is a lot going on here. At least half the name is spot on 'cause I was a bit startled when I first put it on. Wet: Startled Toad hit me hard. There is a heaviness to this scent I think is caused by so many notes contending for the top spot. On top of that the citrus is overpowering. It feels like coconut, carnation, and lemongrass are all fighting to be the champion. All three are really strong notes in Startled Toad which worries me because Carnation and I are not always friends. Dry: So, coconut decides to stop fighting. Instead, it sort of melds with carnation, so ends up a spicy, creamy carnation that's actually really nice. You'd think coconut and carnation wouldn't smell too good together but the coconut tempers carnation's bite. Its only then that I detect amber, vanilla, and a touch of frankincense in the background adding a layer of complexity to an already complex scent. Oh, and before I forget, I also get whiffs of mixed berries. No fruit notes so where is the berry scent coming from? I also never get any patchouli whatsoever. If that was all to Startled Toad this scent would be great but lemongrass spoils it for me. It never seems to stop fighting. It's dissonant with the other notes, I think, because its so damn strong. I like a strong citrus note but this lemongrass is overwhelming. Because of that, there is an underlying funk to the lemongrass I just can't get past. If only it were a bit weaker. I don't know if lemongrass gets stronger or weaker with age but I am going to try aging this and see if the lemongrass pipes down. If aging mellows out lemongrass I think this has potential to be a really beautiful scent.

This scent has an Ava-esque quality to it but less floral, more gritty. The White Musk is in the forefront and its beautiful. As it dries down the Ambergris blooms and mingles with Musk. Tobacco comes out giving the blend a smokey feel. I'm glad the Cacao in no way turns this scent gourmand. Instead, it stays in the background helping Tobacco in giving the blend a gritty edge.

This starts out as Vanilla and Cardamon with the tiniest bit of cinnamon. After about 15 minutes the faint scent of oudh is detected but Vanilla and Cinnamon fade completely. So this ends up as primarily Cardamon with traces of Oudh. I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. ____________________________________________________________________________________ Retest: I was really curious whether, after a few months, I would have a different reaction to this HG. I don't know if HG's change with age the way oils do or if it's just me but the vanilla is not fading out the way it did when I tested it fresh. Cardamon is still strong with a pinch of oudh. I'm also finally getting tobacco but not smokey tobacco. This one's chewy and goes really well with the vanilla and cardamon. I am much more happy with this HG after letting it rest awhile.

Birch tar, patchouli, and blackish-red musk. All win notes so I had to have this. I could smell this even before I ripped open the parcel. Its that strong and stays strong. Wet, I got a big whiff of Patch and a musk that smells more black than red. As it dries down the Musk and Patch stay strong but a charred wood note starts to make its way through. Since birch tar is the only other note I'm guessing that what is causing the charred wood scent. It pretty much stays that way after its completely dried. The notes are perfectly balanced, no one of them takes center stage, but they all have attitude. Krampus' Shadow is what I thought it would be: dark, brooding, and gritty. A great blend for Patch and Musk lovers.

I'm so glad this came back from being OOS for a second time. I blind bought a bottle thinking it would be easy enough to swap/sell if I didn't like it. You must roll the bottle before applying as the thick chocolate sludge separates from the rest of the blend. Wet: Starts out as dark chocolate cake. Other reviewers have commented that the Stout smells like Roasted Barley and that's exactly what I get. So, the Roasted Barley seems to seep into the nooks and crannies of the cake. Its really wonderful but I'm a bit bummed that I'm not getting frosting. Dry: Oh, there's the frosting! I had to wait for the dry down for it to come out. I am detecting a creamy vanilla now. Dark, chocolate cake...not too sweet and oddly enough not super gourmand either...with that Roasted Barley and topped off with Buttercream frosting. The surprise is that CSC smells unisex, leaning masculine and I can really see a guy wearing this. Since I tend to like masculine and gourmand scents this is a real treat for me.

In the perfume the notes are more balanced and I can detect them all. For me, the HG is honey drenched leather with the tiniest bit of rose in the background. I'm a little disappointed that I'm not getting the musks the way I do in perfume. On the other hand I do love the way the honey and leather amp...very sexy. I was bummed at first because I had a preconceived notion of how this should smell but I also realize that it's beautiful the way it is.

A blast of Grapefruit which dies down quickly and light, generic florals. Oh wait, do I smell tea? Oh, its gone. Not just the tea note but the whole scent...just vanished. It's not even completely dried down yet. Oh well.

While testing this scent I keep thinking..."if snowballs were warm this is what they'd smell like". Okay, I had to voice that thought even if it doesn't make sense to anyone else. On to the review: The Snow note is quite faint for a snowball blend (at least compared to others I've tried). Rather it serves to quiet the other notes a bit and gives the blend an overall vibe of fluffiness. There is a bit of that snow smell but it's more of a mushy snow due to, I think, the warmth of the other notes. On first contact with my skin the Hay note blooms. Its really lovely...fresh, warm hay, ummm. As FS dries down a nice, light honey and creamy oak take on a more prominent role along side that lovely hay. Skirting along the edges is a nutty, warm Oudh giving this blend a wonderful complexity. I haven't tried a snow blend quite like this. It is glorious!

Chilly, ethereal florals entangled in wisps of mint. Occasionally, I get a tease of white chocolate and then its gone. There are a few moments during the wet stage where the flowers threaten to go into soap territory. As the scent dries down the floral notes blossom sending soap running far, far away. Lady A. is a feminine, light, cold, spectral scent. She's Snow White's more floral, big sister. I cannot distinguish the individual floral notes but, combined, they give off a lavender-colored vibe. Lady A. is a true beauty. I will be purchasing a bottle with my next order.

Hummm. I'm getting a bit of a different experience from most other reviewers. First off, from bottle sniff to dry down I never smell any of the following: Red musk, vetiver, patchouli or rose. Which is weird because I tend to amp all of these but vetiver. In the Bottle: Single note leather. Smells like the same leather as in Adam. Wet: A clean, black leather with pepper and ginger giving it a spicy edge Dry: The leather note stays put. By that I mean that the leather note doesn't fade but doesn't amp. A slightly sweet, pulpy coconut comes along to play. Neither note dominates the blend. They are both equally matched. I really like this spicy, non-creamy coconut, black leather scent. I don't mind that none of the other notes are coming out...maybe with age they will. I'm certainly going to have to revisit and see how this ages. Also, like another reviewer, I do get similarities with Loviatar.

super short review: Ginger bread and incense. Smells Yummy!

Wet: Sharp, overwhelming rose with a hit of citrus Dry: The sharpness of the rose goes away but stays quite heady, especially in combination with the other floral notes. Citrus floats in and around the rose. Underneath the florals is a dark, strong incense. I like this okay but, when compared with the rest of the series, falls a bit flat.

Now I get what all the hype is about. Wet: I get something similar to TKO except where TKO is, to me, a cool scent; Haloes is a warm scent. I think the TKO connection comes from the vanilla which I swear is the same in both blends. Dry: A smooth, creamy, fluffy blanket of vanilla with apricot, oak, a touch of spice from the ginger, and a distant floral teasing me. The scent is warm and comforting but still grown-up and I do get some similarities to Antikythera Mechanism. Haloes just shot up to my top three scents of all time. It is absolutely stunning

Wet: Well hello there Rose! This rose isn't fresh but it's more complex than dried roses. Dry: Rose, Oudh, and Amber are the stars with well blended resins and musk supporting the blend. Resiny, Rose Musk is how I would describe Queen Venus Rose is a note that can go a variety of ways on me. This rose has depth and beauty due to the symphony of notes surrounding it. Surprise hit for me.

Yep, this is Hemlock (sharp, green, herbal) with a lovely honey note. Often Honey goes powdery but the Honey in this blend never does, which is a nice thing. The sharp, herbal quality of the Hemlock and the sweetness of the Honey strike a really nice balance. I wear this scent often because its simple and smells the same no matter what is going on with my chemistry or hormones.

2011 Version: Wet - smells identical to Bliss Dry - Old, dust covered chocolate. No thanks.

For the first hour or so this is Tea single note. Which is fine, I guess. I love tea notes but the Lab has better Tea blends so I'd never reach for this if I wanted to smell like tea. Plus, after the first hour this turns to soap.

This is going to be a short review: On me this is artificial fruit, rancid butter, and meat. Tried to scrub it off three times and I can still smell it. So gross.

I love this in the wet stage. It's juicy, purple fruit with hints of something bright coming through. But dry, its a hint of fruit with generic perfume. Its just okay. Glad I got to try it.

The bitterness of the orange and the sweetness of the tangerine strike a nice balance. As this is drying down I can smell patch, amber, tobacco individually but once it dries they all swirl together with those lovely citrus notes dancing on top. I never do get any white musk but that's okay because this is beautiful just the way it is. I'm expecting this to age wonderfully.

With frank and myrrh in this I expected it to be a lot stronger. It stays surprisingly close to the skin. I'm going to echo other reviews in saying this smells like sweet incense ash and snuffed out candles. But, it doesn't smell like a church. I'm in love with Relics and will have to purchase a bottle.

Wet: This smells like green, unripe banana peel. Not what I was expecting. Drydown: The banana peel scent fades and turns to a juicy, green scent with a bit of sweetness. Sandalwood comes out but stays low key the whole time. Dry: Lotus has taken on a well balanced sweetness and remains green while orris has come out to lend its powderiness to the mix. Sandalwood is barely noticeable but its there. I don't get any vanilla. The longer this stays on my skin the more the musk comes out and the more beautiful this scent gets. I didn't have much hope when I first applied it but it morphs into something special. Love it

Right away I get a blast of chilly, sparkling snow. It morphs quiet a bit during the dry down. For awhile there's a strong juniper berry scent to this and as it starts to recede there a short time where this smells exactly like Skadi. The frosty note continues to dominate this blend but isn't quite as chilly and there is a hint of greenery. slowly vanilla and then sandalwood make their appearance but stay low key. A truly lovely blend.