Bluestblood

By what a subtle alchemy the green leaves are transmuted into gold, as if molten by the fiery blaze of the hot sun! A magic covering spreads over the whole forest, and brightens into more gorgeous hues. The tree-tops seem bathed with the gold and crimson of an Italian sunset. Here and there a shade of green, here and there a tinge of purple, and a stain of scarlet so deep and rich, that the most cunning artifice of man is pale beside it. A thousand delicate shades melt into each other. They blend fantastically into one deep mass. They spread over the forest like a tapestry woven with a thousand hues. Magnificent Autumn! He comes not like a pilgrim, clad in russet weeds. He comes not like a hermit, clad in gray. But he comes like a warrior, with the stain of blood upon his brazen mail. His crimson scarf is rent. His scarlet banner drips with gore. His step is like a flail upon the threshing floor. The scene changes. It is the Indian summer. The rising sun blazes through the misty air like a conflagration. A yellowish, smoky haze fills the atmosphere; and A filmy mist, Lies like a silver lining on the sky. The wind is soft and low. It wafts to us the odor of forest leaves, that hang wilted on the dripping branches, or drop into the stream. Their gorgeous tints are gone, as if the autumnal rains had washed them out. Orange, yellow, and scarlet, all are changed to one melancholy russet hue. The birds, too, have taken wing, and have left their roofless dwellings. Not the whistle of a robin, not the twitter of an eavesdropping swallow, not the carol of one sweet, familiar voice! All gone. Only the dismal cawing of a crow, as he sits and curses, that the harvest is over, – or the chit-chat of an idle squirrel, – the noisy denizen of a hollow tree, – the mendicant friar of a large parish, – the absolute monarch of a dozen acorns! Another change. The wind sweeps through the forest with a sound like the blast of a trumpet. The dry leaves whirl in eddies through the air. A fret-work of hoar-frost covers the plain. The stagnant water in the pools and ditches is frozen into fantastic figures. Nature ceases from her labors, and prepares for the great change. In the low-hanging clouds, the sharp air, like a busy shuttle, weaves her shroud of snow. There is a melancholy and continual roar in the tops of the tall pines, like the roar of a cataract. It is the funeral anthem of the dying year. A scent that wanders through the Ages of Autumn, from the last green leaf to the first breath of winter. This is truly magnificent. When it's wet, I smell it in layers and it truly does cycle (quickly) through different stages of Autumn. My nose catches (in order) green stems, dead leaves, tree sap, something sour and slightly sweet that reminds me of black currant or pomegranate. Once dry, it melds into a gorgeous leafy (dead and alive) scent with hints of the sweet/sour from the earlier stage. It is an up close and personal scent with little throw. I love this.

VENUS MURCIA Venus of the Myrtle Crushed grass, honey myrtle, and dew-touched green musk. I love, love, LOVE this. To me, it is a combination of The Laughter of Loki and Pale Without Name or Number. The green musk takes the lead in this one, for sure. There is a grassy, herbal quality which adds a complexity that goes above and beyond the listed notes.

Merry malice and malevolent pleasures: infernal red musk bubbling with sour white grape and bitter cognac. I love this! It's as if red musk's tendency to be grape-ish was removed only to be replaced by actual grape. To my nose, the drydown is red musk, grape, and red incense. I don't detect the cognac, but I do smell something akin to geranium...however it doesn't have that sharpness that geranium usually has for me. It is bright and deep simultaneously. Slightly tart, slightly sweet, slightly resinous. If you are the type of person who likes when red musk goes grape-y, you need to try this.

White cedar, black pepper, golden amber, bay leaf, and 4-year aged oudh. I can smell every single note listed in the description. The end result is a beautiful, golden-cedar scent. Cedar definitely dominates here and the amber and oudh add a golden glow that rounds it out and makes it more robust. The bay leaf offers a pale green somberness, and - at least to my nose - takes a bit of the spotlight off the amber/oudh and mutes them a little. The black pepper is an accent gives the whole thing a touch of prickly spice. It is really, really pretty.

A peculiar manifestation of light produced by physical mediums during ectoplasmic séances: otherworldly snaps of ozone glowing with unearthly light. This is a tough one for me to describe. It's definitely heavy on the ozone, but unlike any of the lab's other ozone scents. It is unisex/masculine with a subtly sweet cologne-y note, aquatic, and something that smells kinda like basil without being bitter. It has a vague tinny quality that would make it suitable for the Steamworks line, but also something that reminds me of smooth, light-coloured wood.

This is incredible. It starts off almost entirely frankincense heavy church incense on me with hints of what seems like copal and amber. As it dries, this dusty brittle vanilla pops out that reminds me of Antique Lace.

I have had a blast reading all of the reviews above, and I am stunned that my impression is so different. This reminds me exactly of darker, powdery Necco wafer candies! I get a combination of brown musk, wool, sweet tobacco, clove, and a hint of black coffee. While I do get a slight vinegar tang when it's still wet, it burns off quickly. It's fuzzy, evocative, and very nostalgic.

Lemonheads, candy corn, bubble gum, sticky chocolate wrappers, cheap caramel, and hints of wax candies...a masterpiece!

Black on black: inky vetiver and opoponax further deepened by red benzoin and five-year aged Sumatran patchouli, limned by mint and white mandarin, and touched by the saltspray of King Tides. Darker than dark! Wet: A vicious blast of dark, earthy vetiver and the menthol-like zing of red patchouli. Initial drydown: The vetiver still dominates and starts to share the stage with the saltspray. Opoponax and patchouli are present, but the patchouli has lost the menthol-like quality it had. I do not smell benzoin, mandarin, or mint. Dry-dry: Smooth vetiver, patchouli, opoponax and saltspray still dominate - I get the barest hint of mandarin and benzoin, and I have to try extra hard to pick out the mint. Overall, I would describe this as a salt-crusted, inky, darker than dark blend. It is not quite salty enough for me to be comfortable enough to call it an aquatic. Then again, it may just be that I am not used to aquatics being this dark. If I were to give it a persona, it is the bad boy in the black coat that hangs out on the pier at night. If you like vetiver and/or patchouli...or if you like being in touch with the darker side of yourself, this is for you!

Like many of us, I am a huge fan of Thieves' Rosin. I have noticed that my older bottles smell entirely different than the newer imps and bottle I received from the lab. The older bottles smell like golden wood, rich, almost cologne-like, with an edge that is tangy and almost metallic. The newer bottle smells more muted, smooth, closer to the skin, almost like a vanilla with the softest musk or leather. Has anyone else noticed this? Is it a batch variation or due to aging?

A sign of a better age: white sandalwood and crystallized vanilla absolute with white amber, Florentine iris, white leather, and red patchouli bursting through melting snow. This is WONDERFUL and reminds me of Monastery in the Mountains! The lab's snow note takes center stage, and it has a soft, pillow-y, smooth minty/vanilla cloud vibe. The softest sandalwood and leather notes peak out, with only a tiny breath of gentle florals. The patchouli, which is barely detectable, gives the whole thing a little bit of an edge. This is a must have for anyone who loved Monastery in the Mountains or Cloister Graveyard in the Snow. There is a stoic optimism about this scent that is difficult to put into words.

I have tried Oriental CTVII's numbered: # 87, # 88, # 89, # 90, # 91 They correspond (in some order) to the following reviews: O1 - Lavender, benzoin, golden amber, incensey O2 - Tonka, peach blossom, cherry, lotus, sweet O3 - Clove (?), citrus peel, wood O4 - Thin vanilla musk and embalming fluid O5 - Gardenia (I think), cherry blossom, teak, vanilla, sweet, sultry floral

I have sniffed and tested the following Animalic numbers: # 19 # 20, # 21, # 22, # 24, # 25, # 26, # 28, # 29, # 30 They correspond (in some order) to these reviews: A1 - Musk with castoreum (I think), amber, something bubbly and resinous like gum and styrax... reminds me of an oily earthy incense that gives off some sweetness, there is another note that reminds me of juniper and mallow A2 - Sweet and animalic, not foody, civet with what I think is heliotrope, maybe a hint of red tea, sweetness fades a bit as it dries A3 - Civet, cedar, red patchouli, frankincense, hint of musk A4 - Sweet floral incense, castoreum, white amber, white musk, champagne A5 - Verbena, amber musk A6 - Black musk, something mildly indolic, sweetgrass A7 - Lavender, peppermint, possibly castoreum, brown musk, slightly sweet, rooty mint A8 - Herbal, boiled leather, possibly tomato leaf A9 - Clove, brown musk, powdered tobacco A10 - Slightly sweet, possibly ambergris, sweet spice, amber incense

Impassioned patriotism cloaked in the guise of a love song: golden frankincense gilding pine pitch, sun-touched amber, and oakmoss resinoid. This scent is sex in a pine forest...for serious. When it's still wet on the skin, something about this reminds me of the earthy element in blood musk (minus the red) if that makes sense; however, this scent is far from red. The initial impression I get is dark green pine pitch with a resinous, earthy richness that reminds me of blood musk. As it dries, the frankincense shares the stage perfectly with the pine pitch and the two combine seamlessly. Golden amber does this thing that reminds me of body sweat (in a good way) and gives the blend a second-skin quality - which is quite a feat with a note like pine pitch. The oakmoss is barely detectable by my nose, but it serves as a reminder that this scent corresponds to a place. It grounds the other notes from taking on too much of a persona and instead makes me call to mind a location. Overall, this is gorgeous and will be taking a place in my collection. It is forest-like and resinous...and it really does remind me of gettin it on in a golden pine forest.

Hothrun Dath, Three Swords, and I agree with The Coiled Serpent.

When this is wet, it smells like the soil and grass before a thunder storm...I was about to abandon it to the swap pile when.... Dry, this is a whole different story. This reminds me of the dank, almost moldy scent of a dark haunted house ride! The leather is the leading note (thank god), and I can pick out the other notes if I really think about it but they really do become a greater sum than their individual parts. Something about this scent touches a deep part of my memory and frightens me! I love this!

Disclaimer: I hate floral blends. The fact that I am even reviewing this should say something. Redwood and beautiful demure roses softened and rounded out by the tea. The lilac is detectable but not overpowering. Overall, this is classy, classic and ageless; it has a vintage vibe to it. In summary, this is gorgeous, and exudes innocence and mystery.

This is gorgeous. It starts with a strong blast of the lab's snow note backed by the most gentle vanilla and sandalwood. It is almost exactly like Monastery in the Mountains.

This is ultimately a creamy, resinous golden amber with sharp cedar, some other wood note, incense ash, and hints of leather and paper. It has a rich, creamy, red quality that reminded me of red musk and cacao combined. I agree with my buddy above when she says it could easily fit in the Steamworks line. It is, however, unique compared to the line's other blends. For me, the drydown was predominantly warm musk, creamy redness and incense ash. The incense ash was spot on.

This reminds me of a fruit flavored hookah tobacco being exhaled in a cold, well-ventilated room.

Lemon PEZ. ...which is not unpleasant =P

Oh, lords. This is naughty. When it's wet, it reminds me of a boozy baked apple minus the apple. Once it dries a bit, the two notes that most dominate are clove and birch. I know birch because it just might be my favorite thing in the world (I am 99% sure it is the wintergreen-like note I love in Hamadryad). Indeed, it is similar to the woodsy Hamadryad. I smell zero tobacco, and the leather plays all but a supporting role. The rum is there offering a sour, boozy quality that comes and goes. Sniffing this close to the skin is like sniffing a sweet clove and wintergreen liquor. It is a dark, sultry scent. This blend pushes my limits because it almost reminds me of a food (orange spice?) at first, and I hate foody scents.

Wet it smells like pure basil and other herbs. Dry it is still green herbs, a hint of cucumber (like the note in Whispers of Monstrous Things), green musk, hint of engine oil, metal and this air incense resin I used to have. It's pleasant, a bit perfumey, and grounding.

Clover and sweet wildflowers with barely a hint of grass. I am not picking up on the iron or marble, but probably only because my nose does not have a template for them. There is absolutely more to this scent, I am just having trouble naming what it is. It definitely has a ghostly quality to it, as well as a sweet green herb vibe. As a rule of thumb, I hate florals. However, I adore the scent of clover and this does not disappoint. It reminds me of rural upstate NY in the spring or summer.

As I was reading Ina Garten Davita's review, I was thinking "how the heck is a scent 'chewy'?" I get it now. While there is nothing caramel-like about this scent, something about the richness of the tobacco evokes the feeling of biting into a rich coffee licorice caramel candy. There is something about this scent that reminds me of candy-coated black licorice. The tobacco is very dark, rich, and a little sweet. As it dries, it mellows out and becomes a much more well-rounded scent. The opoponax and tobacco share the spotlight, and the other notes (especially the pepper) are detectable and refine the scent into something beautiful and quite evocative of Fall. It is similar to Achluophobia, but more of a dark brown (rather than pitch black) scent.