Philosopher in Meditation

[shelldoo]

 

Philosopher in Meditation, Rembrandt van Rijn.

Smoldering woodfire embers, Galen's Kyphi, and Abramelin incense.

 

in the bottle:juicy wine? grapes? uhhhh whuuu?

 

on:ahh more like it where did that sweet scent go? now it is definitely wood fires, ambers personified. yes i get incense also. and something almost grain like. there is still something almost sweet about this scent but not the grape like scent in the bottle. this is a resinous, incensy, sex in a bottle blend, i am gonna need more.

 

eta this reminds me slightly of the lion. but the lion in an incense chamber

[Heavenlyrabbit]

Abramelin incense comes in one of two varieties- the Biblical and the newer Thelemic. The Thelemic/Crowley being VERY full of cinnamon fire.

 

This would be the older variety, thank goodness. Along with Galen's Kyphi which (for the fun of it) is as follows:

 

Raisins, wine, honey, asphaltum, bdellium, camel grass, sweet flag, cyperus tuber, saffron, spikenard, aspalathos, cardamom, and cassia.

 

Perfect for when I'm studying and doing ritual work. Also perfect for any other occassion I can think of.

 

A perfect compliment to another of my favorite BPALs Tzadikim Nistarim & Anubis. This being the "fruity" incense blend.

 

Upon dry down the raisins, wine and honey becme quite pronounced on me. Almost reminding me of Rugelah. Maybe we can think of this as the Monastic version of Cockaigne.

Edited May 23, 2007 by Heavenlyrabbit

[clover]

I've been wracking my brain trying to remember what this reminds me of. Is it Athens?!? Gah.

 

Anyway...honey and wine is the impression that I get. It smells enticing and evocative - a bacchancalian dream of a scent.

 

Sadly, it doesn't seem to have a ton of lasting power...which just means I'm going to have to slather more on, because this is freaking fantastic.

 

ETA: I finally figured out that it was Tintagel that it reminded me of.

[supremegoddessofall]

Very spicy and quite yummy!

[sarada]

I've had this for a week and I've only just now been able to compose my thoughts concerning it! My initial desire in purchasing BPAL was to have oils that smelled like incense, so I could always carry the scent with me. Philosopher in Meditation is a little different from the other BPAL incensey blends, but shares a few common notes...

 

The grapey scent reminds me of Urd, but without that strong champa. It's a little bit like the 'black wine' in Horreur Sympathique as well though not nearly as overwhelming as it is in that blend. I'm not getting a lot of a 'smoky' feelings, but I definitely imagine loose, soft incense that you would sprinkle over coals. The sort of mossy (in texture, not scent), thick, crumbly chunks of natural incense.

 

It's got a glistening, flickering deep soft warm glow to it, glossy dark brown relieved by specks of gold light.

 

Anubis is definitely a cousin, moreso even than Cairo, but it is not overwhelmingly sweet. A shade of Urd, a dab of Al Azif. But overall if you like incensy blends this is one to get. I feel a little spoiled by the vast variety that I have in this particular category now!

[portalkat]

OMG - This is everything that I had hoped for. I love kyphi and incense in general and this is a perfect kyphi blend. There is the sweetness from the fruit and honey in the kyphi and the wood notes in the Abramelin incense. Add to all of that the woodfire notes that I love and I am incredibly excited about this perfume. It is subtle, something I find in all of the Salon blends and I find that it works very well here. On me, this lasts forever

Edited June 14, 2007 by portalkat

[Tal Shachar]

The dark, sweet wine (kosher wine? it's that sweet) and the sharp smoky incense hit my nose first as it's wet. Dry, the frankincense and the woodsmoke fade, although the honey/fruity note stays strong. It's a very sensual smell for such a...cerebral-looking painting, but you can in fact smell the golden light and the warm ruddy darkness. Much love.

[Lunaratu]

Something about this reminds me very much of the early stages of Purple Phoenix—I guess it’s a myrrh incense quality that dominates on my skin perhaps. However, it certainly doesn’t dry into the same scent. This is definitely a golden scent while Purple Phoenix was, well, very dark purple.

 

I can definitely pick up a bit of smokiness to this one which is very appropriate yet it’s also sweet, I’m gathering that sweetness comes from the Galen’s Kyphi.

 

As it dries it becomes even more golden and resinous with that smoky quality—this scent is filled with shadows and inspiration. Not exactly what I expected when I read the ingredients but beautiful nonetheless.

 

Rating: 3.5/5

Edited October 9, 2007 by Lunaratu

[gwynethr]

This is the first time I've bought one of the full Exhibit sets, and am trying everything without previously reading people's impressions. Since this was in the middle of the set, I tried it first, and it's just so wonderful. I'm about 50-50 on the Salons so far, and still have three to go from the first two exhibits, but it's the darker, more incensey ones or the bright florals I've enjoyed the most, and this one just exudes incense. It's so dark and smoky, with that faint honey and wine scent to back it up.

 

After a few hours, it settles into a totally honey note for me, which I'm very happy about. Definitely a great first one to try.

 

It's very interesting reading about the notes above, too. I love that kind of information, as I'm sort of a scent ignoramus in many ways, and it's very helpful in understanding what appeals to me.

[penemuel]

Delicious sweet incense at first -- the sweet notes of the Kyphi are really in the fore when it's wet. Then it dries down into a sweet, smoky incensy scent that is just lovely! Another one that stays really close to my skin, and it doesn't last long, but it's beautiful. Definitely contemplating a bottle!

[dawndie]

Wet: sweet smoke

 

On skin: very smoky dark incense

 

Half-hour later: sweetens up a bit, but still lots of incense

 

In conclusion: this reminded me very much of both Midnight Mass and Pit and the Pendulum, that heady thick incense. Midnight Mass mostly. It ends a bit sweeter though, like the philosopher pondered the ecclesiastical and has moved on to other deep thoughts.

[forspecial_plate]

Wow...reading the other reviews, I was interested in all the bpal comparisons other people got from this. I'll get to mine in a minute.

 

After reading about Kyphi I was a little worried that this would be too fruity or raisiny or something. I needn't have worried. This scent is very, very good, and pretty much exactly what I was hoping for. Sweet smoldering wood. Dark, golden, contemplative. The fruity notes just add to the scent as a whole. The scent is subtle but does have a lot of strength. I think I put on too much yesterday so I'll remember that for future reference. But I just love it.

 

For me, after a few minutes, I realized this reminded me strongly of Hunter Moon. After my mind made that association, it started to smell exactly like Hunter Moon to me. I had to actually put on some Hunter Moon for a comparison. While they are two different scents, the tone and 'feel' of the scents is remarkably similar to me. Hunter Moon has a deeper wine note, while Philosopher is more about woods. The fruit in Philosopher is sweeter. As the two scents dry they diverge a lot more. Philosopher ends up sweeter and slightly powdery. It's a wonderful scent I'll be wearing again, definitely.

[edenssixthday]

Philosopher in Meditation - In the vial, this smells like wine and wood smoke. I don't really care for either of those scents on their own, but I love the wet scent of this blend. As soon as it touches my skin, there is obviously a honey note in this blend that not only stands out above the other notes, but is actually a type of honey that works on my skin. On my skin, it's mostly a smoky honey scent over a layer of rich, red wine. Somehow, the notes work together in a way that reminds me a lot of Chrysanthemum Moon -- only a richer, deeper, huskier, incensier Mum Moon. This is really gorgeous and I absolutely positively need a bottle of it! The throw is strong initially and then maintains an average level of throw throughout the majority of it's stay on my skin. It has some of the best staying power of any BPAL blend (lasting a good half-day on me), which amazes me since the Salons usually disappear on me quickly.

[yeahbutnobut]

Philosopher in Meditation

 

In the bottle: sweetened grapes! Like a sweet red dessert wine and honey. It reminds me of Cairo, for sure, but also of Tum without the herbs. Very Tummy, this one is.

Wet on skin: mmm, now the kyphi really shows off, like raisins soaked in honey and incense, with a hint of smoke.

Dry on skin: mmm! This is like Cairo, but more intense and much darker, without that lemongrass tang. The kyphi in here is stunning! It smells more like one of my kyphi incense mixes than Cairo did, I can smell the honeyed raisins and wine mixed with the resins and spices here. There's also a drier, woody, almost Midnight Mass-ish incense note to it, which I'm assuming is the Abremalin? It is a little bit cinnamon-y and reminds me of some of the oude notes I've smelt in other scents. And there's a gentle hint of smoke to this, like incenses smouldering softly. No more 'sugary grape juice', this is more like a deep red wine.

After a while: the drier woods take a back seat now as the rich, fruity and deep kyphi does it's thing. it smells like wine matured myrrh now, with honey and raisins, a sticky scent but not too sweet, thanks to the smoke wafting from the incense. It really does smell like ancient incense, complicated and warm and mysterious.

After a couple of hours I see the Urd comparisons, it is a little bit like Urd with the patchouli and nag champa replaced with resinous incense. It reminds me of the raisin-y scent of Haloa but not as foody-sweet or creamy-oily. This is just like sniffing a fine batch of aged kyphi, or the smell of that incense lingering in a dimly lit room. The scent becomes a wonderful rich myrrh after some time, like Priala's myrrh, but less sweet and without as much spice.

Verdict: I am such a kyphi ho, and this is probably my favourite kyphi scent in BPAL, and fast becoming part of my top ten BPAL incense scents. Whereas Cairo was sunnier and more energetic in feel, this is introspective and, indeed, meditative…and the kyphi is much truer in here as well. It smells drier, less fruity, stickier, more resinous and smoky. I smell the honeyed raisins and the rich red wine and the myrrh, also some spices and woods, some of which may be part of the Abremalin incense, and that lovely wood smoke giving the impression of incense burning gently. This is a fascinating scent, very deep and complex, it smells incredibly ancient and aged. It's the sort of scent I want to get lost in, like getting lost in deep thoughts. The scent fits the thoughtful and calm colours and theme of the painting as well as smelling like an arcane blend of ritual incense, occult, alchemical, magical. Very beautiful incense, definitely along similar lines to the likes of Midnight Mass, Al Azif and Urd, but very different as well. Damn this is fantastic stuff, I love what Beth does with resins. I feel the urge to burn some kyphi now…

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Of course! This is an incense orgasm!

If you like this, try: Cairo, Tum, Priala, Al Azif, Midnight Mass, Haloa, Riding the Goat, Anubis

[Blood onmy hands]

Incense blends are pretty hit or miss on my skin. I love the spicy and powdery feel of Priala, and I love the smooth, sweet darkness of Midnight Mass. Those two, along with Cathedral, have ended up being my true keepers of the incense/resins. I dislike those types of blends when they have a sort of bright sharpness to them. I seem to do better when the blends are more on the simple side as well; I end up not liking resins that have extra fruit, musk, or floral type notes in them (Minotaur, Lycaon, & Haloa are some of the blends that were duds on me).

 

I am on the fence about Philosopher in Meditation, but this probably won't be a keeper for me. I'm not sure why it didn't dawn on me that this would be fruity. It has that grapey-sweetness that is similar to Urd (which I thought I loved, but that fruitiness made me sick after a while) layered with a sharp smokiness. In the drydown, a smoky, sweet honey seems to take over the blend. In the background I can still smell that dark fruitiness and something of a smoldering, woodsy incense. I actually might like the soft, almost powdery woods here, but I have a hard time wearing wine and honey notes.

 

Philosopher in Meditation is, I think, a little too much on the smoky side for me, and perhaps a bit too sweet.

[euterpe414]

Definitely an incense lover's dream This one is quite a heavy incense blend, with the woodsmoke and fruit being in the forefront. It doesn't become so sweet that it is cloying, though. While it is in the same family as some other BPAL incense "classics" such as Midnight Mass, it is definitely it's own unique blend that is defnitely worth a try. It doesn't have a lot of throw once it dries, keeping it a contemplative scent for personal use. Like so many other salons, I am really loving this blend and will definitely cherish my bottle of it.

[themerrybaker]

The Philosopher is sweeter than Minotaur but doesn't turn to grape kool-aide on me the way some of the GC incense blends do.

Although I am not usually a fan of incense perfumes, this is the truest evocation of the little burning cones that I've tried yet. Philosopher is heavy, syrupy and sweet but definitely in contention for a bottle purchase.

[alicia_stardust]

Just as in Rembrandt's piece, the scent that Beth created seems to have a balanced duality; male/female, light/dark, yin/yang.

 

Wet: I get a soft, cool wet wine with a touch of spice, a touch of honey. There's a sweetness there.

 

Dry: I get a conflagrant, smoldering scent that reminds me of Priala without the strong spice. The wood smells amazing in this, and I get a sense of dry smoke and incense resins. There's a slight bitterness there to the woods/resins.

 

This is just beautiful. I must keep this one.

[fountaingrl]

Oh this is wonderful! I had been afraid of the "embers" note, silly me! I loved Minotaur, and had a brief fling with Athens (but it was too sweet on final drydown). I still have a thing for Minotaur -- but my partner dislikes both Minotaur and Athens. But: Philosopher in Meditation? He LOVES. And it has the honey scent I love and a wine note like in Athens, and the incense & resin blend of Minotaur, but it is the best of both.

 

I am going to need several bottles of this. I smell like honeyed mead and soft, expensive, ecclesiastic incense.

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Sweet, gorgeous incense

 

Wet on me – A sharp citrus followed by a dry hear that I can’t identify

 

Dry on me – Warm, slightly bitter and slightly sharp incense

 

Overall – To me this speaks of the desert, hard and distant and yet somehow entrancing. This is definitely something I would wear

[moon_lemming]

HA! In the imp and wet, this reminds me of grape Now & Laters! I'm all whaaaaa? The philosopher be gettin' DOWN with teh WINE or summat.

 

It gets a little smoky as it dries, though, and spicy, and about twenty minutes in it picks up a veil of honey. Sort of like grape incense, with a little honey mixed in. The grape never disappears entirely from my skin, though.

 

Not really my thing, but interesting.

Edited August 1, 2007 by karen

[cuervosueno]

This is interesting, and at first I thought I'd love it, but I note I just don't put it on much. What's up with that?

 

Then last night I grabbed it and put it on, completely forgetting what was in it.

 

I had two reactions: first, an occasional what is that vaguely dirty sock smell? and then, did I put on something with amber in it? (understand amber sometimes goes slightly dirty sock on me).

 

I didn't go back to check the notes last night, but this was basically all amber all the time on me.

 

Then of course, I look it up this morning and see Kyphi.

 

Well, in any case, this is very golden on me, very amber-like and I don't get much of the other notes, although I did get a hint of honey.

 

I should like this, but in the end I'm not crazy about it.

[bombus]

what a wonderful representation of the artwork. I smell the incense and the fire in the air, as well as the sun coming in through the window. It is a really beautiful deep scent. I have an imp now but would love to get a big bottle.

[filigree_shadow]

Hmmm. I believe this may be my favorite BPAL incense scent. Until now I've always like Al-Azif best, but this one is... more comforting, maybe? It smells familiar, warm, and inviting. I am getting none of that grape scent other reviewers have mentioned. There's a sweetness to it, but it doesn't smell like grapes to me.

 

I'm quite picky about incense (don't like the sweet stuff, and I don't like it when it's too hazy), but this is a good one. I really like the wood that's with it. It's a dry wood, not like cedar or anything. More like a big old hunk of dry old oak that's on a fire.

 

Yeah, I like this a lot.

[The_Merf]

I was very nervous about trying this blend because I desperately wanted it to work--I haven't yet discovered the BPAL that is my ideal "smoky wood" scent. This one starts off brilliantly in that regard--it is warm burning wood, lovely and comforting and I adore it. If the blend stayed there for the entire time and did not change a bit, I'd be thrilled. Of course it does morph by becoming more resinous, and when it hits this resinous stage (where there is still the afterglow of woodfire), it also becomes a much weaker blend in terms of throw. I really do like the various stages that this one goes through, but I will have to test it again to see how I think its throw will hold up. In terms of how the resin behaved on me, I did not get much fruity, juicy, grape, raisin effect; there is a hint of that there on the edges in the scent's late drydown state, but it was never dominant.