Juushika

In the vial: Plum, fruity, juicy, and slightly bitter; along with it something that I can't pin down, white and starchy and so probably the rice. On me: The plum loses its bitterness as it is smoothed out by creamy vanilla. The gently-sweetened plum has a bit of a candle-like quality to it, which might be toned down by the sandalwood or nutmeg were I getting any of either; however, the candle-like quality isn't offputting. There's perhaps a touch of paleness from the rice, but mostly this is just plum and vanilla. Scent-color is a waxy pale purple. Throw is moderate to low. Verdict: Lovers in a Ricefield is pleasant but a bit flat. It's just plum and vanilla for me, which is nice enough but lacks dimension—there's no warmth and texture from the spices, barely any starch from the rice, or whatever else I was supposed to find here. I don't know yet if I'll keep my decant, but I certainly don't need a bottle.

In the vial: Hello herbal. There's a hit of sugar too, but mostly I'm getting a dark wet herbal, not at all thin light violets I was expecting but instead something rather reminiscent of the catnip in 13 April 07. On me: I'd never smelled violets in perfume, and so I didn't know what to expect—but I certainly didn't expect this. The white chocolate is present, sweet and pale and smooth, but it's far secondary to the herbal violets. On drydown they lose their wetness, resolving to a dry and almost powdery herbal, dark green and deep. They die off a bit with wear, but remain the dominant aspect of the blend, and still remind me strongly of 13 April 07. Scent-color is powdery deep green. Throw is moderate to low. Verdict: I wish the white chocolate were a bit more present, but even if it were I doubt a sugary herbal would delight be. I'll retest this in a few more days, to see if the scent is still settling after shipping, but as it is this is just too herbal, too light on the chocolate, and all-around too odd for me. I'll trade away my imp. ETA: As it wears, the stark herbal nature of the violets continues to dry down. Within an hour this becomes much more pleasant, a soft powdery herbal against a more noticeable sweet white chocolate. However, it never quite reaches the point where I enjoy it. While it improves as it wears, I'll still pass along my imp.

In the vial: A touch of purple fruit and spices against thick, warm, creamy vanilla (like Antique Lace, but without the florals). The fruit and spice give it warmth and color, and all I can say is "god this is good." On me: For the first half hour, the date amps up to a sticky sweet rich fruit teetering on the line of artifical. But after that half hour, it fades considerably. Red ginger and a touch of oud are the star, a warm, slightly smoky spice that grounds the sweet fruit. The vanilla remains through it all (the oud's smoke conceals it slightly, but only when sniffed up close)—it's rich, smooth, and almost liquid, but not too sweet. Scent-color is red gold; throw is high drying down to medium-low. Verdict: When I sniff my skin directly, the oud is a little too smoky-dry for me. But from a distance, floating around me in a whispered haze of scent, Rutting Cats is simply lovely. The vanilla is rich and creamy, colored and spiced by the red ginger and just a touch of date, and it's a beautiful balance of smoothness and spice. I wish I could bury my nose in the scent, but instead I'll be content to enjoy the waves of it that surround me. I'll keep my decant, but don't need a bottle.

In the vial: Wet dark greenery with a perfumey floral edge, a thick, damp, decaying scent. On me: I'm reminded of the green waters of Oblivion—but where Oblivion is smooth and still, Isle of Demons has more life and movement. The greenery, grown less dark and rotting, adds a touch of something living. The florals are heady and, with the gas, have an airy quality—tropic steam floating over green waters. The musk is a faint nose-prickling sharpness. Scent-color is forest-green touched with magenta. Throw is low. Verdict: I could never wear this—I find the green water unsettling and the tropic floral isn't to my taste, and so I will pass along my imp. Still, this is an interesting scent—it's a wild wet tropic scent with dark unisex greenery, but it also has a surprising airy quality.

I recommend: Wezwanie / Hold, Hazelnut, vanilla bean, red sandalwood, amber, myrrh, and honey. I generally don't have problems smelling, but every now and then my nose goes a bit numb and most scents smell flat or weak. W/H is what I reach for thenit's a thick foody scent, strong sweetened hazelnut. It has a lot of body and it's a very distinct scenthard to confuse or ignore. And it's pretty lovely.

In the vial: A watery, fresh sweet pea—it's surprisingly refreshing and lovely. On me: A burst of pear and then a veritable explosion of flowers. I can't pick apart the florals, but there's heady fleshiness from the lilies and sweetness from the sweet pea and honeysuckle. The musk is powdery and dowdy—it hints at old lady. For a while the pear is just a touch of moist fruitiness, but within an hour it amps to a major component, tuning down the musk and turning Juliet into a crisp, wet fruity-floral. The florals are strong but not heavy, the pear is glistening and crisp. Wear length is moderate; throw is moderate to high, dying down to low. Verdict: The fruity floral combination here is quite palatable, but the wet freshness prevents it from being too commercial. It's a strong, bright blend. Despite being nice in its own right, I don't think it's a very good match to the inspiration and it's definitely not a good choice for me. This isn't my sort of scent in the least, and so I'll pass along my imp.

I thought I'd link in my similar post, asking for scents that remind people of animals. Some of the responses overlap with scents which smell like fur, for those still looking.

The 2006 version. In the vial: Sweet and golden honey with a fleshy pink floral (primarily rose). On me: There's an initial burst of amped-up bitter red rose, but during drydown the notes rebalance and round out. The fleshiness of pink florals are combined with a touch of rounded, slightly tart fruit, a warm base of amber, a hint of spice and incense from the sandalwood, and plenty of thick, creamy, slight sweet honey and vanilla to smooth it all out. It's a rich, thick, sensual blend, creamy and slightly heady, but more golden than dark. Scent color is pink gold. Throw is moderate. Verdict: Given my general distaste for florals, this is much more lovely than I ever expected. It's definitely a floral blend, but the resins ground out the headiness of the flowers and the creamy base of honey and vanilla is sensual and delightfully indulgent. This scent isn't anything like my usual style, and I don't know how often I'll wear it. But it's so lovely that I have to keep it around.

A sinfully playful lust blend. Inspires sexual spontaneity, a little bit of kinkiness, and new and inventive ways to get dirty. In the vial: Red, slightly floral, and candy-like—a bright, sweetened, slightly artificial scent. On me: Heavy florals and a touch of spice over that candy-red background. The florals is predominant throughout wear, a heady, fleshy, potentially tropical flower. The red background is probably dragon's blood resin, but this is it's candied form, sweet and thick and fruity-floral. The spice is very faint, perhaps a drop of cinnamon. Scent color is a pinkish red. Throw is moderate to high. I can't judge wear length, as I expect I'll wash this off shortly. Verdict: This scent doesn't really spark my sexual proclivities—probably because I don't feel comfortable in this scent, and so it has a difficult time making me outgoing or otherwise randy. The heady florals here are just too much for my tastes, intended use aside. I washed it off, and I'll trade away my imp.

In the vial: Astringent warm resinan odd combination, no doubt, of cypress and frankincense. On me: After an initial overwhelming hit of cypress, it calms down to a mere accompanying note. At its heart the scent is warm, smooth, and solid, frankincense perhaps touched by hazelnut. There's a bit of herbal dryness from the oakmoss, slightly powdery and masculine, and a bit of airy astringency from the cypress. The scent is very faint, throw is very low, wear length is low as well. Scent-color is smooth light neutralsgreen, touched by brown. Verdict: The initial strength of the cypress is outright intimidating, but the drydown is surprisingly pleasant. The resin, moss, and cypress is an odd combination, earth-warm but air-cool. It's a very quiet scent, subdued, just a hint of something surprisingly pleasant. But I'm not a fan of pine, and so I can't get past the astringency; the scent is also a bit too light and short-lived for my preferences. This was an interesting blend to try, but I'll pass it along.

2008 version. In the vial: Pine! A white pine, and I already think that this is not going to end well. On me: Commercial perfume, lightened by snow, brightened by pine. At first the commercial perfume is the dominant aspect, but the pine quickly overwhelms. Bright, astringent, and strong, it's just too much for me. I had to wash this off. Verdict: Absolutely not my scent and not a keeper. I'm learning that I truly hate pine, and this is a shining example: it's too astringent and too strong, and I can't stand it. Even without the pine, the underlying commercial floral perfume doesn't appeal to me. I'll pass along my imp.

In the vial: Airy, watery, bright, golden, and a touch floral. On me: The florals are predominant, light and perfumey, even a touch commercial. The herbs barely make themselves known, leaving the scent a bit too light and almost cloying. There's aquatic here, but there's nothing nighttime about it—this is a bright daylight scent, like sun on swiftly-fading mists. There may even be a touch of lemon. As it wears and fades, the headiness dies down and this becomes an airy, misty light floral which is quite pleasant but very faint. Scent-color is translucent pear yellow. Throw is moderate dying down to low; wear length is short. Verdict: I'm unimpressed. I was expecting something a bit more delicate and unusual, but instead get a light commercial perfume misted with aquatics. It's light, floral, gently glowing, and not unpleasant, but not really my thing. I wish it were more subdued or a bit more herbal—something to cut down the headiness of the floral. All told, this just isn't the scent for me. I'm glad to have tried it, but I'll pass along my imp.

In the vial: A great deal of sharp, bright, light lemon over a light-colored floral perfume. On me: The lemon calms on the skin, turning into a glowing yellow brightness cast over the other notes. The florals are white, perfumey, and a touch sweet. Something, probably the pale musks, has come out to provide a slightly deeper and more solid grounding. Over time the rose of the rosewood amps on me, as it is wont to do, pink, velvety, and a bit cloying. It reminds me of similar blends in the catalog which feature lemon and pale florals, but this blend is particularly pale and glowing. Scent-color is gold-tinged white light. Verdict: This is perhaps the antithesis of everything I look for in a blend, so it's no surprise that I don't like it. But, were my tastes different, perhaps I might—this is a light, gently radiant, slightly masculine, perfumey-floral blend of bright lemon, white florals, and just the hint of a solid background. It's not unpleasant, it's just not something that I'd ever want to wear. I'll pass on my imp.

In the vial: Smokey sweet and redI'm actually reminded of candy. On me: This is not what I expected, but it is delightful. The dragon's blood resin is smoky, spicy, rich, and darkmoreso than I expected for this blend, and moreso than it usually is on my skin. The honey and vanilla are smooth and deep and gently sweet. On the skin the candyness disappears, leaving just a hint of non-foody silky sweetness; the usual fruity/floral aspects of DBR are incredibly subdued, mostly contributing a round redness. This is dark, spicy, warm, full, and slightly sweet. Scent-color is a dark dim red; scent-color is spicy powder floating over silky cream. Throw is moderate to low; wear-length is moderate to high. Verdict: I think I was expecting a sweeter, lighter, candy-like scent, but the dragon is not missing from Dragon's Milk. I don't know where the spiciness comes from, but I'm glad it's here. This is a spicy, warm, sweet scent with radiates from the skin like one's own warmth; it's unexpectedly deep, and perfectly intriguing. I am so thankful that I have a whole bottle of this blendI imagine I'll be wearing it often, and I'm equally excited to see it age. Absolutely a keeper, and a new favorite.

The 2006 version. In the vial: Smoky, dark, and sweet—in the bottle, it's a darker cousin to Glowing Vulva, oddly enough. On me: Smoky, dark, and remarkably smooth. I get caramel, tobacco smoke, and opium—the caramel has lost some of its sweetness, calming down to a deep browned, slightly burnt sugar; the tobacco and opium balance each other beautifully, smoky yet solid, dark yet smooth. There's also a touch of spice and a heart of resin that further makes this a smooth, solid blend. I'm still reminded of Glowing Vulva—like GV's teak and lotus, this is a smooth but sweet combination, though Red Lantern is many shades darker. Scent-color is dark caramel; scent-texture is gummy opium wafted by dark smoke. Throws is moderate to low. Verdict: I was wary of the tobacco and the smokiness, but Red Lantern is a delightful surprise. This blend works, and it works like a dream. It's rich, dark, smoky, smooth, sweet, with a sense of intimate sexuality. It hovers just above the skin. The smooth smoke is a delicate balance. I can't stop sniffing, and I sort of want to bathe in it. So, yes, this is absolutely a keeper, and I'm so glad to have stumbled upon this lovely aged bottle.

Having just recieved an imp of it, I had to come back and add: aged Smut. (I don't know about the fresh stuff, since I've never tried it.) It's not the thickest I've tried, but it's got a pretty nice consistency. What's remarkable is the color, which is so deep and dark that it's almost black. It's a truly lightless oil.

In my sudden windfall of pomegranate scents, I found Queen of Clubs similar to Hymn to Proserpine. The Queen is a more nuanced, complex scent, but Proserpine is her somewhat similar cousin. Both are bright pom subdued by a dark background.

In the vial: Why hello there, rose—but it's a sweeter, smoother version of rose than I'm used to. The pomegranate is not as tart as I expected, and rather rounds out the scent into a very rich, warm, sweetened fruity-floral. On me: Ah, there is something of the missing tartness—which amps at first and then fades a bit during wear. Pomegranate and rose indeed: the rose is velvety, lush, and thickly floral; the pom is full, rich red, and fruity. The touch of tartness makes the scent more unique and less Glade candle. It's not particularly complex, but this scent is pleasant, lush, feminine, and full. Scent color is crimson. Throw is moderate to high. Verdict: Persephone is pleasant, but it's a bit too simple and too floral for my tastes. I don't love it as much as the other pomegranate scents which I've had the pleasure to try lately. I do like it more than I expected, so don't necessarily let the rose scare you away—but this is without doubt a feminine fruity-floral blend. I'll forgo this for my other, darker pomegranate loves, but I'm glad I had the chance to try it.

In the vial: Deep fruit against a dark background. It's slightly tart, almost reminding me of plum; there's a faint floral component in the background. On me: Rose usually steals the show on my skin, but thankfully it stays subdued here. And goodness, with obedient rose this is simply lovely. Slightly tart, full, red fruit (primarily pomegranate) just touched by velvety red rose, set against a shadowed background of resin and a touch of dirt. Full, rich, dark, tart, slightly sweet—and I am in love. It reminds me distinctly a more nuanced, complex itteration of Hymn to Proserpine. Scent color is shadowed and subdued burgundy. Throw is moderate, but wear length is very long. Verdict: I've wanted to try Queen of Clubs for a while, though the rose and rarity made me hesitate. Receiving it as a gift has been a blessing—because it is lovely and has bowled me head over heels. When I need something more complex than Hymn to Proserpine, I'll reach for this treasured imp. Feminine, powerful, rich, fruit against darknessthis is everything the description implies, but more lovely than I had imagined.

In the vial: The faintest whiff of something sharp (carnation?) and fruity (plum?). On me: Yes indeed, carnation, plum, and musk. The plum is the fruity heart of the scent, dominant, full and dark. The carnation is spicy and gives the scent lovely warmth. The musk is a rich, sensual aspect which melds the two notes together and contributes to the carnation's warmth. There's some odd bitterness in the scent at first, but on drydown it becomes a touch of tartness—which is not particularly pleasant, given the other notes, but remains largely inoffensive. Scent-color is a dusky reddened plum; scent-texture is a touch powdery and dusty. The throw is fairly low, but wear length is medium to long. Verdict: I like the idea of Bathsheba more than the scent itself—which, despite the lovely notes, doesn't quite capture my heart. I wish the plum were less dominant and less tart. Nonetheless, it is lovely: warm and rich; feminine and seductive and yet an unusual take on both. I'm not in love, and the boyfriend think it's just nice, but I like it enough to keep my imp for now and see if I wear it and how it ages.

In the vial: Very fresh—effervescent is a good word for it. On me: I get Sprite, which (needless to say) is a bit odd. The boyfriend smells Irish Springs soap. After ten minutes, I also get the soap—soap topped by carbonated lemon-lime. After a bit longer some darker tones come out, and under their shadow I see how this scent can truly be lightless yet effervescent. The soap still lingers. After a bit longer, I get a touch of eucalyptus and the soap and aquatic die back (though they're faintly present). Verdict: Despite its strange and ongoing evolution, this is a scent which suits its description: the effervescence of lemon-lime and the airiness of eucalyptus against the shadow of dark aquatics. But those aquatics are a touch soapy on my skin, and regardless this isn't my sort of blend. It's unusual and I'm glad to have tried it, but I'll pass along my imp.

In the vial: Sweet, warm, wet, with a touch of floral that tends towards golden fruitiness. It's lovely. On me: The fruitiness is more prominent (though still a minor component), and I think it's along the line of a white grape. At its heart, however, the floral is the star: golden and slightly tropical, it's definitely ylang ylang, giving the scent a perfumey edge. Beneath that, the scent is warm and golden, sticky, palpable—a very physical, bodily scent full of resin and honey. I don't get much in the way of musk. Color is pinkish gold; throw is moderate to high. Verdict: This is a lovely scent, a wonderful match to "being"—it's sweet, golden, and very physical, in the line of O but with a more solid and less powdery resin. But I'm sad to see the ylang ylang amp so much, simply because florals aren't my thing. Where that aspect more subdued, I would love this scent; as it is, it's just too flowery and perfumey for my tastes. I'll trade away my imp.

In the vial: Blood over vetiver, a smoky, ashy, dark-red combination. On me: It goes on with a plume of dry smoke and ash which honestly makes me feel like I need to cough. Slowly it calms, growing richer and lower, and the other notes rise—more blood than tears, and neither particularly distinct. This is an odd scent: thin ash settled over dark dry wood, made slightly richer by flakes of dry yet ruddy blood. It's surprisingly light and hovers like smoke over skin-level. Scent-color is charcoal gray just touched by dry dark red. Verdict: I'm not quite sure what to think. For all its vetiver and blood, this is a surprisingly light and unassuming scent. It's not unpleasant, but neither is it lovely. It's just sort of there, unusual but uninteresting, somewhere between acceptable and pleasant, and I'm not sure what to make of it. I guess I'll keep my imp and test again, and then decide whether or not I want to keep it.

I was just thinking the same thing! And there I thought I didn't know what I wanted to spend them on...

In the vial: Nose-biting, astringent woods over a deeper, darker background. On me: The astringency calms but lingers, a sharp, dry note above the rest. Incense frames it, smoky and dark. The wine is a light touch of fruit, not golden honey, rounding and fleshing everything outbut on the whole, this is woody astringency over incense. It doesn't morph much, either. Scent-color is dark gray. Verdict: For someone that likes astringency, this may be lovely. Balanced against smoky incense, it's unusual and intriguing. For me, however, it's a deal breakerI'm just not fond of it and certainly don't want to wear it in a perfume. I'll pass my imp along to someone else.