Miskatonic University

[Gemini noir]

A venerable New England university, whose vast library holds many rare, diabolical and obscure arcane works, including one of the few surviving legitimate copies of the Necronomicon. Home to innumerable scholars of the esoteric and the occult, and the notorious Dr. Herbert West.

The scent of Irish coffee, dusty tomes and polished oakwood halls.

The Springtime in Arkham scents have gorgeous labels -- most of them, this one included, have the the name of the scent labeled in English ... and a very cool design, featuring a otherworldly-looking star, with an eye in the center. The label is kind of a very pale rose colour.

In the bottle, Miskatonic University smells like Irish Coffee. On my skin the oakwood scent soon emerges, which is really nice. I don't smell dust, near as I can tell, but I can at least imagine that I smell books ... it's such an evocative image ... oakwood floors, Irish coffee, and a library filled with old books ...

The oakwood note mingles really nicely with the Irish coffee; it's like Irish coffee spilled on oakwood ... mmmm ... and I can tell there's something else playing in there too, though I can't quite put my finger (nose) on it. Must be the books. I really enjoy this ... the Irish coffee/oakwood combo is yummy, and I love the concept. This is so well-done, and I'm happy to have it.

Edited: Because some folks have been asking what Irish coffee smells like. Basically: Irish whiskey, coffee, and sugar (recipes vary a bit. Some call for espresso instead of coffee, brown or raw sugar; some call for whipped cream. But those three ingredients give you the gist of it). Edited September 15, 2007 by Shollin

[pekeana]

I got a niiiiice pretty bottle of Miskatonic University from chopchica, who went to Convergence. It's such a pretty little amber bottle with a lovely label, and then you open the lid and --

 

WHAM!

 

Coffee, cream, whiskey! Warm, smooth, creamy Irish coffee. Upon second sniff, I can smell something dusty and woody beneath the wham, bam, thank you ma'am of the coffee. I *love* the bottle scent in a rather unholy, caffeine-addict kind of a way.

 

Once on my skin, the wood comes up strong and heavy, and I love the coffee quite a bit -- of course, when I sit back and stop sniffling my skin itself, it smells like a sweet & sugary coffee. After a while, they meld together and warm on my skin, dragging a very sensual smack into the scent of library. Methinks of caffeine-addled all-nighters in the hallowed halls of Oxford, almost, as I sniff it and gasp in girlish glee.

 

Dear me, I might have to go out and crush on a librarian now.

[Silvertree]

Another Convergence bottle, by way of the fiendishly enabling (and oh-so-generous) chopchica!

 

Miskatonic University arrives in a pretty amber bottle, but I really think it would be more appropriate decanted into a hip flask. Especially since I want to carry this around with me and have it available at all times. Much as St. Bernards traditionally carried barrels of brandy to fortify and revive lost skiers and hikers, this scent could perk up all but the completely comatose. Student zombies, take note!

 

I love the aroma of coffee even better than the taste, but the caffeine rush is the best thing about these tiny brown beans. After my first sniff of the bottle I wonder if Beth has managed to include caffeine molecules along with the coffee notes, as I feel much more energized and awake. The creaminess and whiskey waft out, like an utterly decadent oversized mug of Irish Coffee.

 

On my skin, the oil stays pretty true to its bottle scent. I don't get too much of the dusty books or wood notes. It's like sitting in Caffe Reggio in the West Village drinking a huge mug of coffee, where the wood paneling just gives off the slightest tinge of something. It's the smell of the librarian's office, where the book wranglers need all the help they can get to stay awake (because you don't want to fall asleep around some of these tomes).... It's more of an atmosphere than a wood smell, if that makes any sense.

 

As it dries, however, the different notes blend into a beautiful and exciting combination. Miskatonic University is the Dorian of the coffee scents! I'm not sure how this scent made the progression from waking me up to turning me on, but I can easily see how that all-nighter in the rare books wing could become a caffeine-fueled encounter in a remote corner of the stacks. Mmmmm.

[empi girl]

I got an imp of this from chopchica (surprise! ), and I have to say, it is WONDERFUL!

 

In the imp: Sweet Irish Coffee..so yummy...

 

On: Very true to the imp (which isn't always the case, as eveyrone knows!). It stayed sweet, irish coffee, more coffee than cream, no wood, no dusty tomes. And it wafted! I had one swipe on my wrist, with a fleece over, and as I walked my dog I smelled it off and on for a mile. Delicious.

 

Stayed very true for 2 hours, and has now mellowed into a slightly woody, slightly "tome-y" sweetness. More library, with someone drinking irish coffee nearby... Still very pleasant, but more earthy from the wood.

 

This is a gorgeous scent...Before I tried it, I wasn't sure if I wanted to smell like Irish Coffee or not... I do! A big bottle for sure.

 

Edit:

 

Maybe not...

 

yesterday, dried down to a lovely nutty vanilla (dh said it smelled like coconut, which he likes).

 

But today, tried it out, very dusty Irish coffee. Must be the "dusty tomes". I prefer my coffee without... But still, it is amazing that Beth can get that scent!

 

Will have to try it again for a final verdict.

Edited May 3, 2005 by empi girl

[kmasden]

I'd be scared to carry this in a flask as I might forget and drink it. It is that coffee smelling. Basically, this smells almost exactly the same as my coffee to which I add hazelnut creamer and some sugar. I would say it is a bit dusty, so I can see the "tomes" reference, but I don't really identify the wood, perhaps it is so well blended with the coffee I can't pick it up. But yes, definately sweet, hazelnutty, creamy coffee.

 

Not super boozy at all (I have a hard time detecting the booze in this, unlike say centzon totochtin or lady mcbeth etc).

 

I love the name and i'm still looking for a scent that has just a hint of coffee...i love the way this smells but don't know if i really want to smell of such a true "sweet coffee and cream." Perhaps this would be lovely in a bath bomb!

 

 

eta: Now that I've worn this a few times, I definately get a woody drydown, so indeed I am on board with the old library feel to this. Like arriving with my steaming coffee in hand (still with a flavored, perhaps nutty creamer) and then sitting while it cools at a big wood library table.

Edited May 15, 2005 by kmasden

[jj_j]

Mmm. Coffee, brown sugar, milk, and a splash of booze when I first put on Miskatonic University. Not seriously boozy like Juke Joint or Grog, but it's definitely there.

 

Most of Beth's scents dry down to their final stage fairly quickly, thanks to my strange body chemistry. Miskatonic U takes much longer than most, so I get to enjoy the yummy coffee and heavy brown sugar notes for quite a while. It seems like they get sweeter over time, so if you're not into sugary goodness, it's something to consider.

 

The oakwood stays hidden from me. It takes a long time for the bookish feel to come out of this scent, and because it happens so close to the end of the scent's life, it's pretty faint. Mercury from the Astrological oils had this feel to it, but in Miskatonic it's much less pronounced.

 

All in all, I smell like a very good cup of cappuccino with a flavor-syrup added. While I don't usually go for foody scents, I live for coffee and adore brown sugar, so I'll be wearing this one regularly.

[Rosaleen Dhu]

coffee coffee coffee at first. Soon the cream/ whisky combo creep out. Yummy, though I'm not sure I want to wear it. VERY foodie.

 

And then, on me it went through this strange mid period. It wanted to be coffee, lickable and nummers. It wanted to be woody. It wanted something... I don't know what, but I wasn't very fond of this stage.

 

Then the dust comes out, the coffee fades a bit, and the wood mellows the whole thing, and I'm in heaven. Reading my favorite old hardcover in a bed with a wooden headboard while waiting for my lover to bring me the coffee he's prepared heaven.

 

Yeah, I'll wait a few hours for that.

 

All hail the Beth!

[hepkitten]

Wet: Is it wrong to say that you want to drink yourself? If so, I don't wanna be right.

This almost made me blow off work to go down to the corner pub for an Irish Coffee or three. Exactly like the best I.C. I've ever smelled.

 

Dry: The woody and dusty notes come out, and the coffee and cream drop back into second place, with a faint whiff of whisky remaining.

 

Absolutely fantastic...a real triumph of fragrance art yet again. Beth, you rock.

[shelldoo]

*OMFGFAINTSINORGASMICPLEASURE*

 

in the bottle man this is strong, irish coffee, coffee house style, my mouth is watering like crazy. this is fresh brewed smelling, w/ just the right amount of cream and booze. excellent

 

on it stays pretty true, just not as sweet as in the vial yummy goodness. i am getting a light oak warmth that just makes this devine! this scent totally rocks. i am still waiting for the dusty tomes part but will update after several hours of drydown, if i can pull my arm off my face to type.

 

 

 

beth woman i adore you!!!!

 

eta i put this on more then 24 hrs ago and it is still there this one stays put, i even cleaned house today and i still have it lingering on me, the rest faded. lol now really i must go shower

Edited May 20, 2005 by shelldoo

[miss apple]

Miskatonic University

 

In the bottle it's all delicious creamy coffee and it's hard not to take a sip. Once on it's still all irish coffee, no wood, no dustiness. MU has great staying power and one little drop is quite potent. An hour later, still coffee and I think I smell hazelnuts now. Several hours later I get something a little different - coffee and something...old. Not dusty or woody but something that has aged and mellowed. I can imagine sitting in an old library in a huge comfy chair reading an old hardbacked book. Very comforting

[clover]

Miskatonic University

 

Sniffing from the bottle: I promise you, you'll want to drink it.

 

Upon appliation: Honestly, there's not a lot I can add to the decriptions of Miskatonic U. It smells exactly like a gorgeous, deep, dark, flavorful cup of coffee, with a hint of Irish cream. After a few minutes, a slight dustiness starts to appear, but it stays very soft indeed.

 

Conclusion: While I thik this is slightly foody for my tastes, it's exactly what the description says. I think a lot of people are going to love this scent.

[Imbrium]

I'm sitting here with Miskatonic U on one arm, and an old library book in the other hand, and comparing the two.

 

In the bottle: Irish Coffee, without a doubt. That's quite an eye-opener.

 

On: At first, all I really smell is the Irish coffee - creamy, and very alcoholic. I want to lick my arm. As this dries, though, I smell a new note that smells so much like old books, it's not even funny. At least, it's frighteningly similar to the copy of Medieval Canon Law in my other hand. It doesn't really smell dusty to me, at least, not in a sneeze-inducing sort of way, so much as it smells like old, well cared for paper in leather bindings. The alcoholic smell fades away, and I'm left with coffee and books, which is delicious.

 

This is such a "me" scent that it scares me. It smells like all nighters in school, and the dozens of old library books that take up all the space in my apartment. I adore this; I might even have to pick up another bottle before June 1.

Scratch that - I'm definately buying another bottle. Boyfriend all but demanded another one, he loves it so much.

Edited May 21, 2005 by Imbrium

[sarahmarie]

This is *good* stuff.

 

In the bottle, it smells strongly of irish coffee. Lots of cream, lots of booze. You could mistake it for the real thing, so watch out.

 

On my skin, it softens and a teeny tiny hint of the wood/mustiness comes out. But the Irish coffee smell is still spot on. It's not as boozy on my arm as it is in the bottle, which is nice, actually - it becomes a softer, creamier scent (though it is still clearly spiked. ) I love Miskatonic University and I am tempted to buy a second bottle.

[donsixgun]

This is coffee with Irish Cream in it. Sweet, milky, and it lasts forever!

Sadly, I didnt get any old, dusty book scent, just coffee, which turned very hazlenutty after a while.

In short, thank goodness I got this for my sweetie, cause its too feminine on me.

[girlmadasbirds]

this is exactly as described. imagine sitting in an old library with a cup of irish coffee in front of you. that's this scent. i LOVE it. another good point - a little goes a long way and it's got great staying power.

[sh1mm3r]

In the bottle: Wow, I smell really sweet coffee. Sweeter than I expected.

 

Wet: I think I put too much on, it's a really sweet hazelnut coffee scent. Much like one of those Yankee candles.

 

Dry (within an hour): Still very strong, sweet coffee.

 

Dry (4 hours later): Ah, I'm now getting some of the dusty tomes and oak. In one of my librarian jobs, I added old journals to the online catalog, and this is totally that smell.

 

The next day: This time I applied much less, and it moved to the dusty/oak stage much more quickly, while retaining the sweet and coffee-ness of the original.

 

I like this, but think I would be more likely to burn it or add it to lotion than wear it straight. Or maybe I will like it more when it is colder outside. But it is mine, no touching.

[wickedgoddess]

Origin - an imp decanted by a lovely forumite

 

This smells exactly like I expected it to smell. Sweet, irish coffee and dusty books. This is amazing! The scent stays true once it dries and it lasts a very long time. I really like this a lot, but I honestly can't see myself wearing it. I will keep the imp for novelty and fun, but it's not something I need a big bottle of.

 

On the wickedgoddess scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being best, this rates a 3

[purely_cosmetic]

HMM YUMO.

 

 

In the bottle this smells like very buttery coffee - and seesm to have the same sugar note that's present in sugar skull, as there is a definate similarity.

 

On the skin, the first stage is my favourite by far. Hazelnut coffee. With a tiny bit of cream.

 

As it progresses, the "dusty" note comes out a bit, and the wood adds depth, but something goes ever so slightly "plasticy" on me for a while...however, afer an hour the original hazelnut coffee comes back but just much more faded.I love this! What makes it even better is that I feel like utter crap today, so it's wonderful to have a nice comforting smell like this!

[tsarina]

This is so perfect. I could smell it before I even took the bottle out of the plastic bag or opened it up! Dang that cap was tight.

 

Beautiful coffee scent. It has a note that is slightly bitter and rich, that reminds me of a similar note in Gluttony. I think it might be hops? Beautiful creamy, spiked coffee. After a short time, the wood comes out. Damn, you can just smell how polished and beautiful it is! I love this.

 

Sadly, I broke out on angry red bumps. I'm terrified I might be allergic to this. Argh! I love it so much.

[Macha]

There isn't much to add about Miskatonic University that hasn't already been said. It starts out on me as extremely strong sweet Irish coffee, adds woody notes as it dries, and is uniformly lovely from start to finish.

 

I would like to add that it's strong. Very strong. Possibly the strongest BPAL perfume I've encountered to date. A tiny dab at 6am this morning is still perceptibly there at 8pm, and wafted strongly enough that several co-workers made comments about how good my coffee smelled upon entering my office. Needless to say, it was my perfume they were smelling, not my coffee!

 

ETA: Make that "Stayed strong from 6am until 11pm, when I showered it off!"

[Digital_Hypoxia]

I love me some coffee. Black coffee, fancy pants coffee, Michael Jackson coffee….

There isn’t a word to describe how much I love this coffee.

 

I put it on the car, and the warm foody goodness filled the whole cab. I wanted to inhale my skin- and stop for coffee. Sweet Georgia Brown I love this stuff!

 

 

The dry down is no less amazing-soft hints of coffee with a decided bookish note. If I’d been allowed to drink my coffee in the library on campus, this would be the smell of studying. Luckily I wasn’t, so Miskatonic U is more novelty than nostalgia. I’d hate to think of vile stacks of Corups Juris Secundum and the Annotated Code every time I wear it

 

If you walk into Starbucks/ insert coffee shop name here; inhale deeply and love it-this is the scent for you.

[Lori]

I went to the mail today, and found that I had received 3 imps, from a fellow BPAL'er: Whippoorwill, Al Azif and Miskatonic University, from the Arkham series. I have never done a review before, on any of the oils, but since these are being discontinued as of midnight tonight, I thought I would let you all know my thoughts on them, in case anyone was waffling on whether to buy them or not.

 

Miskatonic University - Sniffing the imp, there is the overwhelming aroma of chocolate...like a very expensive chocolate liqueur. Smells yummy but I don't know if I want to wear it or eat it! Wet on skin...uh oh, there comes the coffee! I do not drink coffee and really don't like the smell of it. Plus, I used to buy my ex-husband Irish Cream coffee all the time (his favourite) and this is smelling just like it...it is not bringing up the best memories there. Drying now, still smells exactly like irish cream coffee! Beth sure captured that well! The coffee has gotten stronger and the chocolate softer, though and it is making me feel ill, now. I don't smell musty library halls or books at all, unfortunately. That was what I was hoping for. Oh well, I have saved myself another $15!

[Aurelius]

Hee. I feel horribly redundant with this review. As everyone has mentioned, this smells of coffee. Nothing fake or cloying. It smells as if I have coffee brewing on my skin. I don't seem to get any wooden notes or library-ish drydown. On me, this is nothing but pure, leaded, strong coffee. It lasts and lasts and...lasts even after I shower!

 

Wonderful, wonderful scent. As I am actually not all that enamored with coffee, this will find a home with a coffee enthusiast. I have nothing but compliments for this fantastic blend! Truly a must have if coffee is your thing. You'll want to drink your bottle. Or lick your skin.

[requieminblack]

Close your eyes. Imagine this-

 

You are sitting in an old cafe in New Orleans. Inside the cafe the furnishings and decor are exactly as they have been for 125 years. You can faintly smell the antique furniture over the scent of sweet southern praline candies and piping hot pastries being served all around you. Finally your order arrives. It is a cup of chicory coffee bigger than your head and a huge plate of sugared beignets. Now pick up the coffee and inhale the aroma.

 

That is what Miskatonic-U smells like.

 

edited to add- The sweet scent of hazlenutty latte stayed strong on my skin for hours. It even persisted after I took a shower in the morning! I think this one has the longest staying power than any other BPAL I have tried.

Edited June 5, 2005 by requieminblack

[ChupaChup]

I was looking forward to Miskatonic University the most, out of all the SIA scents. Mainly because I love foodie scents and I was dying to see what Beth would do with a coffee scent without florals. Well, I was not disappointed, not in the least! This stuff is pure heaven. It goes on sweet and really creamy, thank you requieminblack for mentioning pralines, that's exactly what it smells like. Praline coffee ice cream. And yay, I get the booze note really strongly and it lasts and lasts. It's been on now for a couple of hours and I'm just starting to get a hint of the lovely aged books smell. It's really rather welcome as it serves to tone down the sweetness which could be a little much if it hung around for the full duration. Love it, love it, love it !