forspecial_plate

Wow, I guess it's my turn in the barrel for forum problems tonight. I've had hour-long stretches where I couldn't get anywhere, because the page just kept loading and loading.....eeeeever so slowly. Apparently it has been going around lately. In other news, fingers are crossed because my requests are in for the last 4 Lupercalia decants that I wanted to try. Still waiting to hear if they're available or not. I had thought about risking a bottle unsniffed again this time, but the choice is just too hard. I want to try them first. As usual, excited as heck about pending decants! More later if I am still this bored.....

[i will periodically copy and past my wish-list, because I edit it pretty often and sometimes like to look at old versions] Bold type just means I have a particular interest, or higher priority for that scent. I try to update this pretty often.... 5ml interests...or partials, I love partials! : ) A Blade Of Grass Baron Samedi Carceri d'Invenzione Carnaval Diabolique Cloister Graveyard In The Snow Great Sword Of War Obatala Satan and Death With Sin Intervening Scales Of Deprivation Theodosius Three Gorgons Wood Phoenix GC imps that I want (imps/decants would be delightful) Aelopile Baghdad Bensiabel Black Hellebore Brisingamen Bruised Violet Compound The Caterpillar Deep In Earth Frumious Bandersnatch Hanging Gardens Hecate Imp Inferno Intrigue Jersey Devil Kill-Devil Lampades Libertine Love's Torments Lyonesse Mary Read Nero Niflheim No. 93 Engine Nostrum Remedium The Phantom Wooer Port Royal Queen of Sheba Rome Santo Domingo The Sea Foams Blood Serpents With Glittering Eyes And Forky Tongues Strangler Fig Sundew Sybaris Thorns To A Woman Tushnamatay Verdandi The Witch's Garden 'Set Only' imps/unimpables I would like (imps or decants) The Ecstacy of St. Theresa Famine Haloes The House The Ifrit La Vague Lucretia Madonna Parsifal Silence Three Brides Three Gorgons LE/Trading Post/etc Decants ISO any testable amount 413 U.S. 15/Miller Vs. California The Blood Garden The Bloody Sword Cagliostro The Chapel The Contract Of Theophilus Of Adana The Cracked Bell Damnation Humbug Knucklebones Long Night Moon Moana Pumpkin Patch III (2007) Scattered Gloom Shill Tupapau Uncertain Horror Upa Upa Virgo 2007 Yule Single Notes dream list (decants) Ambergris, Black Cherry, Black Musk, Black Poppy, Cherry, Licorice Bark, Light Myrrh, Oakmoss, Red Musk, Red Mysore Sandalwood, Redwood, Siberian Musk, Tonka Bean, White Sandalwood

I've never been completely clear on the concept, but I always think of Wilde and Vicomte De Valmont. More recently Herbert West made me think "chypre" when I wore it. And maybe Dracul? These are all more towards the "masculine" end of the spectrum, but that's a matter of opinion I guess. : )

Sometimes I wonder why I keep trying these earth/soil blends, then I remember Jolasveinar......and Premature Burial......and sometimes even Zombi. Anyway, I do like some of them. And then there's Graveyard Dirt, and Badger, which just don't work for me. Earth Phoenix falls somewhere in the middle. It almost works for me, especially in the drying-down stage. And I do happen to like it enough to keep my decant. But I probably won't reach for it a whole lot. The dirt note is strong in the beginning, but I could tell there is more complexity....it's not just single-note dirt. As it dries, more of the backing notes come out, and it becomes a deep, dark, slightly fruity scent, with a solid streak of soil. I usually like jasmine, depending on what's paired with it, and I also like cherry.....actually, I like all the notes, even though I'm not sure what snakeweed is. But this isn't really a scent that I could pick apart (even though I always try). The cherry does come out, and I think I can smell plum and jasmine too. But otherwise, it's just all blended together. I should add, jasmine usually does not take over every other note on my skin, like it does for some many people. I could see myself being in the mood for this every so often, maybe on a rainy day, or when I'm just in the mood for something completely different. So I'll be happy to hold onto my decant (unless I happen to change my mind, lol). Edit: I'm glad someone mentioned Queen Of Clubs a few posts back, because that did give me kind of a reference point.

This scent is very rich to me, very strong too. Somehow it doesn't quite work out for me and I'm not sure why, because I thought I liked all the notes here. It's just a little too powerful and kind of masculine/aftershavey (which is okay sometimes, and other times turns me off). I think I'll hold onto my decant for a while longer, because who knows what a little aging might do. Overall, it's so well blended that I can't really pick out individual notes, except maybe some of the incense and fruit/berry (although to be honest, I'm not even sure what sea buckthorn berry smells like...). I think it has potential, and maybe it will calm down a little with some aging.

Right now I'm leaning towards Snake Oil or Carceri D'Invenzione. I wish I could find my decant of Guhlheim, it seems to have vanished. : /

Oooh, I really like this scent. Warm and slightly spicy, with some musk, and of course woods, but I can't really recognize any specific wood notes. When I first put it on, I can just pick out a little of the bamboo shoots, just a hint of aquatic in the mix. I admit I was worried about the fig, because in Lucifer it turned into banana (which isn't terrible, just not very Lucifer-like ). But in Wood Phoenix, the fig and walnut just add a nearly foody aspect to the blend, making this almost like a warm spicy nut-bread that would scent your whole kitchen in a beautiful way. But there is also that wood and the other perfumey elements, keeping this from being a totally foody scent. Basically, it's warm, slightly musky and spicy, complex, and just a little sweet. I actually love it, between this and Fire Phoenix I'm considering bottles of both. Wood Phoenix is versatile....it's quiet and dignified, so that I can wear it to work (which I am right now), but it would also work for a weekend night out.

I'm so annoyed! I was thinking Ghûlheim might be great for NYE, and I wanted to try it again today, but I can't find my decant anywhere! I searched for over an hour, and there aren't that many places it could be. Somehow I think my cats are behind it. Although, to be fair, I spent a couple hours the other day re-organizing all of my imps/decants, so it could also be my own stupidity.

Yeah, I remembered you like Death Adder....that is more dry and husky, but I can really pick out the coconut in both. When I first tried Death Adder it reminded me a lot of Snake Charmer. I think Snake Charmer is more smoke/resin, with that dark plum note as well that adds a slight fruit element. I think it's a safe bet for you. : ) Besides, I think it would be relatively easy to swap or sell....usually I cringe when people say that, but Snake Charmer is pretty popular. Edit: Just out of curiosity, I searched for "feminine" and "masculine" in the Snake Charmer reviews. I came up with 6 that said "feminine", "like Snake Oil but more feminine", etc.....and 1 vote for "too masculine for me". Still, I think it could work for either a guy or girl, just depending on one's taste.

Edit: Short answer: Yes, I think it can work for a guy. I wear it, and I'm a guy. It really depends on your tastes, though. (longer answer below....) ... Do you like Snake Oil, Death Adder, or Mme. Moriarty? If you like those, I'd say there's a real good chance you may also like Snake Charmer. Opinions vary but I find it really is its own scent, so to speak, but with similarities to those other ones. When I first tried it, I wasn't sure if I could pull it off. It's not that it's feminine.....actually, it's not really masculine either, IMO, it's pretty much gender-neutral. But on my skin, it's really strong and I can only wear little dabs of it. But I do love the smell of it! I think there's a more popular opinion that it's like a lighter cousin of Snake Oil, but for me it's stronger than Snake Oil. Anyway, I like it enough that I've hoarded 3 decants of the older Snake Charmer, and I have a bottle of the resurrected S.C. on the way. It's a really special scent that I don't wear all the time, but there are situations where it really fits. Hope that helps a little.

New Year's Eve! I want to wear something deep, maybe smokey, classy, 'grown-up', and sexy. In the running are On Darkness, Great Cry In Egypt, and Chrysanthemum Moon. Possibly Philosopher In Meditation or one of the classic old-school blends like the old Hunter Moon or Blood Moon. I can't decide, and it will probably come down to what mood I'm in as I'm getting ready. I might flip at the last minute and reach for something more aggressively spicy like Hellhound On My Trail. More possibilities.......Chintimani-Dhupa, Premature Burial, Pumpkin King (why not, right?), High Priest Not To Be Described, Devil's Night, Dr. John Seward. edit: Forgot to mention, I'll be going to a smaller local club, kind of a straight-friendly gay dance bar down the street from my apt. I'll be sort of dressing up, but in thrift store clothes in non-traditional colors, and a sports-coat, but no tie. Comfort will be more important than dressing to impress, but that's the usual for me.

To me this is incredibly similar to Great Sword Of War, except Fire Phoenix doesn't have cocoa. I love the big burst of citrus, and I would swear this has lemongrass, or some kind of orange or mandarin note. It's a little bit like Antonino, also (in addition to Great Sword). Anyway, enough comparisons. Something about Fire Phoenix is nearly buttery.....which is funny, because someone else said the same thing about Metal Phoenix. But there is a richness to Fire Phoenix that makes it nearly a foody scent to me. I think of orange when I wear it, the color, that is. But there is a spiciness and heat to it, as well. Overall, it's pretty complex. I think I can smell the red musk but not the Chinese musk. But that doesn't surprise me, judging from the other Phoenixes, the Chinese musk is very light and I'm not sure I can pick it out of any of them! I'm sure it's contributing, though. What I don't smell here are the floral notes. I suppose the cactus flower could be contributing to the 'oranginess', but overall this isn't a flowery blend to me. It's mostly spicy and musky. I'd love to smell more of the sarsaparilla, but that could come out more with a little age. I do really like this, and out of the Pheonixes, this is the most likely bottle candidate. Edit: I've decided I like Wood Phoenix a lot better than this one. I will still wear it, though.

I think that Lines Written Among the Euganean Hills smells a lot like the L'Inverno perfume oil, although I only tried L'Inverno once, briefly.

How funny, surlygurl.....before I even opened the thread I was ready to suggest Scales Of Deprivation too! : ) Scales is complex, but I agree that the sage stands out. Not to mention, it's just a fantastic scent.

I agree....totally not my scent but that label is soooo pretty~

When I first tried this, I was instantly transported back in time. This smells just like something my mom used to wear in the 70's, when I was little. It was uncanny. I'll have to ask her what she wore and if she remembers, I'll report back and edit my post.* Anyway, I agree with those who said this is perfumey or cologney.....I would add sophisticated. There is a chilly element, but otherwise I couldn't really pick out a single note. Maybe much later, I could smell the amber, but that could be my imagination. It's just all seamlessly blended to my nose. I think each note is adding something to the whole scent, but again, I can't pick them out separately. Because it reminds me of my mom, I think of this as slightly more feminine than not, but that doesn't mean I can't wear it. It seems like a great perfume for a winter night out, slightly formal, and very classy. It makes me think of night-time, despite the name. *Edit: she says she wore Ambush and Heaven Sent, but also Charlie which is what this made her think of. Which is kind of funny because my dad's name is Charlie! : )

Looking at the notes, I couldn't remember why I wanted a decant of this, but now that I think about it, I was going through a sort of floral phase at the time. Anywho, on to the review.... This is indeed fresh and slightly fruity, but no single fruit note stands out. It's more of a roundness that comes from the different fruit notes. I hate to say it but when I wore this, I was reminded strongly of shower gel. It is nearly aquatic. It's not a bad smell at all, and I do like some light/pretty floral scents every now and then. I also really like aquatics, in general (well, a lot of them). This one just goes slightly over the line into a soapy territory that I don't find exciting. Ah well, you win some, you lose some, right?

Out of all the Yule update, I chose this scent to order without hunting down a decant first. I really wanted a fresh rain scent, and the promise of incense sounded even better. Visiting smells pretty much exactly how I was hoping it would! It's fresh and uplifting, a little more cheerful than the title and description would suggest. I can't really pick out the incense separately, but it is present. I don't get a whole lot of dust. To me, this isn't so much a cold, wintry rain, as it is a mild March or April rain.......just as the cold of winter is lifting, but before spring has really set in. I do get a little of the effervescent quality that the other reviews are mentioning, but it stops short of being 'fizzy'. Visiting is a very light scent, and fades pretty fast, which is fine since I went straight for a whole bottle, and I can freely apply as much as I want. This is another one of those truly neutral scents as far as gender is concerned. I don't feel that it's masculine or feminine. I imagine it must be difficult to make a scent like this, without having it smell like soap, shampoo, or shower gel. If that's true, this is a wonderful example of how it can be done. I have absolutely no clue of what the 'real' notes are in this scent, and I think it might be fascinating to find out, although it would take away the mystery, of course.

I've had my decant of On Darkness for more than a week, and I admit I've been avoiding it. Black poppy, black amber, black incense, rose geranium, and rosewood, ALL had the potential to turn this into powder, soap, or just plain weirdness. Well, why did I even want to try it, right? Something about the description just called to me in a way that I couldn't resist. I'm so glad I trusted my intuition on this one. This scent is just beautiful! Very sultry and seductive, purple, deep and dark, slightly fruity. After I had it on for a few hours, and nothing turned on me, I just knew that this will be my scent for New Year's Eve. It seems just right for a slightly more formal occasion. I get a slightly similar feel from Lurid, but this is much more wearable for me, and more unisex. In fact, on the 'gender scale' (if there is such a thing), this falls pretty much right in the middle, in the best possible way. I will definitely be buying a bottle of this before it goes away. After my disappointment with some other Yule scents, I was so happy to fall for this one!

Frau Holle starts off very much like Ice Queen without the fruits, but as it dries, it becomes its own scent. So, it's icy/floral/pine at first, stronger pine than I was expecting. But the pine backs off eventually, and the flowers and musk come forward a bit more. It's a fresh and slightly sweet blend of notes, but lots of things turn sweet on my skin so take that with a grain of salt. Actually, pretty far into the dry-down, I smell a note that reminds me slightly of marshmallows, kind of herbal and sweet. It's a striking scent, and I consider it somewhat feminine. I think if you've always wanted to try Ice Queen, this is a chance to get an idea of what it smells like. Not exactly alike, but close, especially in the beginning.

I smell a lot of dry leaves at first, which I love. I love the leaf note that's in October and Blade Of Grass, and I think it's here too. I personally don't get ozone or much of anything 'cologney' like some other people got. To me it's more of a natural scent. After 30 minutes to an hour, the scent does an about face and it becomes all about the fruit. It is in the mood of apple, but not such a strong apple as something like Coral Snake. It's more like the suggestion of apples. It's kind of hard to pin this scent down, as the description might suggest, it's kind of dreamy and non-specific. I can't very often pick out that dust note and this is no exception. The leaves are still there, but they moved to the background somewhat. This is a great scent, and I will have to consider whether I need more than a decant. It's somewhat similar to October, and I already have a bottle of that. However....Nowhere In Particular has a more natural feel, and it makes me think......this is kind of what I wanted from Chant D'Automne, which didn't work out for me. This is the mood that I wanted from that scent, but so much more gentle, soft, and dreamy.

This is the last of the 'small animals' Yule scents that I've tried (I want to say 'small furry animals', except we also have Toad). And as it turns out, this one was probably the most successful for me. It's true, it goes on sharp and astringent. After a short while, the sharpness of the wood backs off a good deal. The scent becomes something slightly sweet, mellow, and pretty wonderful, really. I think the vetiver must be of the light and grassy variety. In fact, this reminds me a little bit of Guerlain Vetiver, only more natural and woody, and less commercial and cologne-like. There is a hint of orange that's just right. I like this blend a lot, and I'll have fun wearing it again.

Possibly the GC scent that starts with an X that I can never remember how to spell......Xiuhecatulti or something.....except I don't think that has rose. That is about the only thing I can think of that comes close. Any other opinions?

I love this! It's a bit hard to describe, and I don't remember smelling anything quite like it. I couldn't say exactly which notes I'm picking up. It's a quiet scent, dark, brooding.....kind of thrumming. There is something nearly soapy about it, but in a good way, not an obnoxious way. The closest thing I can think of is Djinn, but this is much quieter, and even darker if you can imagine that. I just really like it, and I wish I could describe it better, but I may end up with more than a decant somewhere down the line. Edit: after reading the description again, I wanted to say that I wouldn't call this disjointed at all. It seems unified and expertly blended to me. Opinions will vary, I'm sure!

This is another scent that disappointed me. I came close to liking it, and I will most likely try it again at least once before giving up. I smell the dry, powdery sweetness of the sandalwood, which reminds me of Brown Jenkins. It's not horrible, just not something I feel like wearing. After a while, the scent dries and reminds me of Death from the Tarot scents. So there was a shift, but still, this scent isn't grabbing me like I wanted it to. Again, it's not terrible, just not my thing. Just a little too powdery and almost sickly sweet.