Kathmandu

[any_old_actress]

OLD KATHMANDU:

The scent of sacred incense swirling up the steep slopes to Swayambhunath Stupa. Saffron, blessed sandalwood, Himalayan cedar and the miraculous lotus of the Buddha with chiuri bark and Nepalese spices.

 

FIRST SNIFF: cedar...

 

WEARING IT: at first, this scent is pure cedar with sweet spices emerging in the background. it almost has a vicks vapo-rub quality to it. i can't detect any sandalwood, but as it dries the incense becomes more apparent. it reminds me of walking in the mountains, surrounded by evergreens and crisp, cool air and smelling smoke from a fire in the distance.

 

VERDICT: not a scent i'd normally wear, but am glad to have tried it.

[Effluvia]

in the vial: (GASP!) Sooo impressed...I love the atmosphere of this one...I smell ceder and incense. Very dark and woody.

 

on my skin: Ceder, and I definitely get the Vicks Vapo Rub note any_old_actress mentioned...and the spices...if I concentrate, I can pick up the lotus, which softens the fragrance a bit. This mostly smells like antique wood, though.

 

This would be INCREDIBLE as a room scent, but I don't think it's very wearable on me. It may be wearable on me in the fall/winter, though, we'll have to see...

 

ETA: Today, as I try this for the second time, the lotus is much more present. It adds a rich, creamy sweetness to the dark, mysterious woody notes and makes it much more wearable for me. This is an outstanding piece of art, as all of the BPALS are.

Edited August 10, 2004 by Effluvia

[Lady_Ell]

Incense and cedar, with a hint of spice. Which fortunately are my skin's favorite things. I can't describe this very well in poetic terms... except to say that I LOVE IT.

 

It seems to fade kinda fast, but I didn't put very much on, so I'll be more generous next time I wear it.

 

It smells very similar to Aureus on me, which is my current favorite... this is the feminized version of Aureus, kind of like "Aureus-lite."

 

Soooooo good.

[omly]

In the bottle this one was very incensy. During the dry down there was a slight spiceness that I really liked. Once it was dry though there was something about this that made me ravenous. I have no idea what... I don't mean to suggest that it is foody at all; it isn't. After about an hour and a half the slight spiciness was back with an underleing slight sweetness that must be th lotus. I liked this a lot more than I thought I would initially, but I am not sure if I will keep it.

[ChupaChup]

My skin seems to amp up sandalwood and with that and cedar in Old Kathmandu, all I could smell was dry wood. I never got the lotus in this and I was dying for some kind of sweetness. After about half an hour, the spices appeared. The saffron smelled a little funky but whatever Nepalese spices are, they are wonderful. I would love to see those spices in another, sweeter blend. All in all, not something I will use but I'll see if the boy likes it.

Edited August 13, 2004 by ChupaChup

[AnnetteL]

An imp of this was thrown in as an extra on my latest order. I thought from the reviews I had read that it probably wouldn't work for me (Vicks Vaporub? - not my thing!)

 

I put it on and thought "ugh, I was right"... but within 15 minutes it had become a delicious blend of incense, sandalwood and spices with the unpleasant notes completely gone.

 

It is unusual, and will require delicate application, but extremely good. I think I will have to get a full bottle because now I can't stop sniffing my arm! I mean that literally, it is hard to type this because I keep trying to jam my forearm up my nose...

[Northernminx]

Erg... hmm cedar and something biting in the bottle.

 

On me, this uh..ew. Well it was a nice thought! The cedar was momentarily predominant but then this strong astringent smell took over. Stinging nose, eyes watering, sharp and bitter scent. Went to scrub this one off. Wow that one hated me!

 

The cedar was nice, whatever hit me after was not.

[Morrighana]

In the bottle, and Wet on my skin: Oh crap. It's that damn cedar again! Out of the bottle this one smells *just* like Cathedral to me. But, I'm going to wait it out, because that one calmed down quite nicely, and hopefully this one will too.

 

Drydown: Is that...mint? Couldn't be. The cedar is still predominant, but there is a lighter, fresher feel behind it than there was in Cathedral. As the cedar receeds just a tad, I think I'm smelling the saffron there too, but I'm not entirely sure. I'm not getting any of the spices at this point, either.

 

Dry: I think my nose is playing tricks on me, but I'm still getting a cedar/mint blend. I can detect the lotus now, but it is soft, in the background, supporting the cedar and keeping its sharpness in check.

 

Overall: Surprisingly enough, to me anyway, I like this blend. It's actually quite nice, but I don't think it is something I would wear. It could be quite a lovely room scent, though, as someone mentioned earlier.

 

Edited to add: About an hour after my initial application, the cedar has moved to the background, allowing a delicate wisp of lotus to slip out in front. The scent still carries the feel of mint, to me anyway, but it isn't as predominant as before. Not a bad thing, at all. In fact, I think I'll have to try this again before I discount it as a personal scent.

Edited August 23, 2004 by Morrighana

[Vicious Mistress]

I agree with what everyone else has said about Old Kathmandhu. It starts out woody with something green that I can't identify. I would almost think it's violet, except that this green note LIKES me, and violet does not. Then the lotus comes out a bit and sweetens it.

 

As someone said before, this is like Aureus, but not so heavy. It's very comforting and I feel very drawn to this scent. I wonder if there's a tinge of vetiver in this? Beth's vetiver doesn't usually like me very much, but I have an EO of vetiver that in small doses is extremely calming and comforting to me. I'm not sure OK is 'me', but I think I will wear it more and see if I can grow into it.

 

Very lovely.

 

ETA: I got no 'vicks' scent at all in this. Nothing sharp at all. Just woods and spices and just the perfect amount of sweet. Beth is a genius.

 

Edited again to add that there's a very beautiful ethereal scent towards the end of the day that smells nothing like the earlier scent of OK. I can't really explain it. It's faint, noticable 'from the corner of my nose' so to speak, but very beautiful.

 

Definitely a big bottle of this!

Edited August 24, 2004 by Vicious Mistress

[hypothermya]

First Impresion

 

Smells spicy, in a good way. And the cedar is very noticeable. Mmmm... Might be a bit too woody/dry for me to wear every day, though...

 

Wearing It

 

Mmmm. Cedar. I think this may be my favorite cedar scent by BPAL yet. The cedar is super strong, and the spices are the only other thing I'm able to smell. Except...ten minutes later, the cedar has faded a lot and it's turned into this delicious smelling mix of spices (mediterranean food spices), dry woods, and ...yes, that's the lotus, very faint... Mmm. I really like this one. This is *much* more balanced now.

 

It's kinda like Sherezade, only softer. And instead of a heavy musk scent, there's wood. I'm wanting to try this one out on my boyfriend who loves cedar scents, but I'm also wanting to hoard it for myself. What to do...

[diabolique]

in the bottle, i thought this smelled delicious. spicy and tangy. i swore i could smell something very citrusy lingering in the background, but my brain is making things up.

 

on my skin, it smells like rootbeer and cedar. it's a bit too woodsy for me, which i find hilarious. i thought i'd love woodsy scents, since i adore incense and the smell of the woods. i don't think i'll want to drink rootbeer for the next month.

 

i like you, old kathmandu, but unfortunately you just don't cut it. off to the swap pile with you.

[Vaniclion]

This scent is SO SURPRISING. I would never have chosen this for myself, but I have to admit that I am enjoying it since Beth and Co tossed it in as a freebie with my last order.

 

The spiciness really comes out right off, saffron and lotus playing alongside. On drydown, it goes the way of a familiar pencil shaving scent, like grade school… but not as sharply as in Jupiter. The spices are still here, behind it, and it sweetens a little. Perhaps HIGH QUALITY pencil shavings. Heh. I’m unsure I’d ever actually wear this, but I do enjoy it. Maybe I should give it a go. Might learn something new about my tastes.

[lixolux]

this is DEAD ON EXACTLY what it smells like in western china-tibet places when you walk into the beautiful buddhist temples and out of the bottle it has the exact incense smoky sharp smell of old wood and incense of a thousand years: upon wearing it mellows into a ceder then a smokiness that is exactly what it smells like in the country near Zhongdian, just outside the town in northern Yunnan Province closest to tibet, sleeping in a yurt, someones started the fire outside for buttered tea breakfast outside, waiting for our horses that never show up to try to ride into tibet unnoticed...

 

and then it mellows out to a sweet soft incense that reminds me of dinner at my grand uncle's home, always a coil of incense burning at their shrine to Kuan Yin.

 

this is a KEEPER its the smell of my ancestral home, its the smell of my spiritual homeland. Im freaking out. I have never had such a real physical reaction to a scent like this, im there in china while sitting on my dusty porch in LA>

thank you so much for making this!!!!!!!! you guys are AMAZING!!!!

[VelvetSky]

I have to agree that Old Kathmandu is very similar to both Cathedral and Aureus, with a handful of mint tossed in, some spices, and a drift of incense. I really love the freshness of this one...there is something so 'high' and elevated about this blend that just makes me feel so peaceful and calm.

 

For me, this is the perfect meditation blend. This scent is more than just a perfume, it's an experience. This is one perfect example of why I love BPAL.

[shadow]

I've had this one for a while now, and kept putting it to the back of the try pile. Now that the weather has chilled to about 40 degrees, I'm feeling the need for heavier, denser, warmer smells, so I tried this. For some reason I was afraid this would smell just like Masabakes, which didn't do well on me at all, but I was completely wrong. This is what I thought Old Morrocco would smell like. I love OM, but it has a tendency to smell a bit like cake after the first 1/2 hour or so. This has complexity and warmth but doesn't go foody on me.

 

On me this smell is all spice and incense with a soft sweetness. I don't get any cedar (if it's in there, it's very faint), the sweetness of it must be from the lotus. I think I'm catching the saffron if I smell deeply and closely, it's a strange, sharp note that's not completely blended into the rest of the spices.

 

Overall this is gorgeous, and I'm so glad I got this. It's a perfect autumn/cool weather blend.

[malanna]

This is a woodsy smell and very incense-y, too. It's not incense in the way of a Buddhist temple, but an earthy sort of incense. This is a really strong scent that lasts rather long, too. This makes me think of a hollowed out seat, worn with wear. At the same time, it also made me think of Kill Bill 2, when Kiddo was training in the mountains with the Asian guy. In fact, it's a mix of the place where she trained at the Asian master...hm.

[feycat]

ok, I received this as a freebee. I never would have ordered this on my own....but I really love this one. Thank you!

 

It is a little harsh when wet, (perhaps the cedar?) but on drydown it mellows into sweetness and light spicy incense.

 

Iit doesn't remind me of Katmandu, but it is a work of art nontheless.

[darkling]

Unfortunately, the only note in this scent that seeped into my skin was the incense that smelled just like a weaker version of Cathedral. While I adore Cathedral, Old Kathmandu remained as a washed out version of this resin scent

[Faerykin]

Old Kathmandu

 

Swiped across wrists and along collarbone.

 

Initial Wet (8-8:30am): This initially goes on so thick it almost took my breath away - literally. Then after a few moments, a sweetness begins to grow under the spicy, smoky incense. Then I could swear I got a hint of coca-cola, and then the sweetness came back. Is that chocolate? A nearly-bitter, just sweet enough, rich baker’s chocolate.

 

Initial Dry (8:30-10am): The scent certainly rounds itself out. I can detect the spices now, and they are divine. Spices with a woodsy undertone. Yes, I can definitely see where this would be a meditation blend – it is so calming, earthy, grounding and centering.

 

Throughout the Day (10am-4pm): This is dissipating way too much way too fast. I still catch faint whiffs here and there, but it is just not enough. I want to tape my arm to my nose – this smells so positively brilliant.

 

This was thrown in as a freebie with our last order – and it initially went to Kimberlyn. This last weekend, she passed it along to me at our little smelling party. I am glad she did, as I probably would have never ordered it on my own. This is such a gorgeous, spicy scent – made even more striking by the fact that the spices are not typical, get-anywhere spices – no, these spices are exotic, timeless, aligning the chi spices. So hard to explain, so wonderful to experience. Thank You Beth!

 

This is a true testament on how an oil can smell one way in the vial and completely morph on the skin. This is going directly to the Big Bottle List!

[nephthys_lvx]

Old Kathmandu smelled a lot like Cathedral in the bottle (especially the cedar), but when I put it on, it smelled like wintergreen! After a half hour, it's mellowed out into a beautiful floral incense scent. This one's a keeper!

 

I didn't like it much as a room scent, seemed to disappear quickly. But in the oil burner it smelled a lot like Cathedral, so it doesn't matter.

[sarahmarie]

The cedar came out most for me, as it seems cedar likes to do on my skin. That's okay though, I like cedar. There was a touch of incense to the woody smell though, and that made it seem far different than the other cedar-y scents I have tried. It smells sort of high and clear on me, if that makes any sense. It made me feel focused and centered, and while it wasn't necessarily my favorite scent to wear, it evoked a sense of calm and relaxation as soon as I put it on.

 

I will definitely keep the imp for those times that I need to feel peaceful and centered. It isn't really me (at least, in the sense that I wouldn't want to wear it every day), but it is beautiful.

[Reinaluna]

Old Kathmandu is not as strong as I thought it would be. It starts off strong cedar and mellows down into real soft faint incense. I thought to get a bottle of this but now I dont think I am. It smells great on my brother who I gave it to. Nice smell to it though and I will use up the imp.

[grrrlennyl]

old kathmandu

 

at first: wow. the lab tossed this in as an extra and it is wonderful. it's so different. i smell spices, but i can't place which ones. it's also a bit on the watery side. this is very nice.

on: weird. i don't think i like this. it's some weird kind of spice.

1 hour later: much softer. i have a feeling this one won't last on me. the "weird" smell is gone, which is great.

2 hours later: yup. it's pretty much gone.

overall: i "cheated" and looked up the ingredients. the "weirdness" was most likely cedar, since it so clearly hates me. this one will be swapped.

[hadaverde]

The primary scent upon application is dusty old wood, like something that's been locked away in a historical society's storage attic for many years. After a few minutes, the almost-but-not-quite-musty overtone subsides, and a mildly spicy/incensey note becomes apparent.

 

Around twenty minutes in, it is rich, dark, and exotically spicy with a woody lower note. Just a touch of sweetness, and a definite flavor of the Far East amid the spices. After an hour, the saffron and lotus bloom nicely, softening the heaviness of the woods and spices, creating an exotic yet mellow blend.

[tempete]

I wanted to try Old Kathmandu because hypothermya noted that it seemed to be a softer version of Scherezade, which I love.

 

Wet, the incense notes hit me right away and then fade into the woody notes. Unfortunately, it seems that my body chemistry loves to latch onto woody notes. For the first hour, I smelled like a piece of sandalwood. The next hour I smelled like a piece of cedar.

 

Finally, the saffron, lotus and Nepalese spices emerged and it was a glorious, heady mixture. At that point, Old Kathmandu did remind me of Scherezade, presumably because of the saffron. I prefer Scherezade as a personal fragrance because I don't have to suffer through "smelling like a piece of wood" phases, but I plan to use Old Kathmandu as a room scent.

 

Edited to add that I'm using it right now as a room scent and it is giving me the most godawful headache

Edited October 18, 2004 by tempete