The Buggre Alle This Bible

[Inventrix]

Crumbling paper and ancient cracked leather with a touch of tobacco leaf and incense.

On first application, it smelled like old book pages and a whiff of tobacco and something sharp, which I finally identified as leather. The paper and tobacco smell fade (the tobacco fades fastest), and leaves behind the smell of old leather bindings and a hint of old book papers.

It's like you open an old book and flip through the pages a bit before sliding it back onto the shelf, then wander through the room - which is filled with old, worn, leather-bound books.

I can see how the leather can come across as "cologney", as I get a bit of that feeling too. However, I realized it's just because it's a scent I'm wearing, so my mind tries to fit it into a category of scents that can be worn. When I think of it objectively, it's exactly the smell of old leather bindings. If I spritzed it onto my bookshelves, it would be right at home.

I wish it smelled a bit more like paper and a bit less like leather, but it makes a great subtle scent for that old library feel. I'll probably end up using it as a room scent (or maybe a Victorian librarian/historian cosplay, like an acquaintance suggested ).

[Eucatastrophe]

I keep trying the bookish scents, hoping for the perfect one to go with my ever growing book addiction.

 

Lurid Library? Bust.

 

The Buggre All this Bible? Just tobacco. I keep waiting for the tobacco to go away, but I'm starting to think that my body just amps tobacco as the same thing happened with the last blend.

 

So very sad. I really wanted to love this.

[angelicruin]

Sniffing the imp, I'm getting very bitter tobacco.

 

Wet on the skin, it's a very stinky tobacco and a bit of incense. A couple minutes after application, I finally smell a bit of leather, but that tobacco note, is drowning everything else out. Usually tobacco smells great on me, but this stuff smells like cigarette butts on my skin with a dab of leather and incense.

 

Fortunately, once it fully dries, the cigarette smell dulls considerably with the leather becoming the stronger note. Still, it's not enough to save this scent for me.

Edited July 22, 2009 by angelicruin

[topazphoenix]

This was mostly incense on my skin till the drydown, after which it developed a rather pretty cedar/paper-ish note and the leather became more recognizable. It strikes me as a rather masculine scent and isn't really my style.

[dixiehellcat]

Okay, I'm reading the notes...reading them again...so how come this smells exactly like my beloved Caswell Massey sandalwood lotion on me? Me likee.

[Venneh]

In the bottle, this smells very similar to Aziraphale, only with a tobacco note. On my skin, the woodsy cologne aspect is amping again, with the tobacco also being prominent, having a feeling that this'll be going the same way as Aziraphale on me. Tobacco and wood cologne here, not for me.

Edited March 29, 2010 by Venneh

[Magpie]

In imp: Whoaaaaa sandalwood (or maybe vetiver, judging by the other reviews? Smells like sandalwood to me, but substitute whichever one is correct). Not terribly promising, but it's a nice sandalwood, the same one I think is quite like paper and leather. It's in Aziraphale, so this is like a more one-note Aziraphale.

 

On wet: Still sandalwood. Not as horribly strong as expected, quite light actually. Quite sharp, like sandalwood always is on me. This is warming up to be a kind of creeping round-the-edges scent. It's nice, if it evens out. Not so much the dusty pages of an individual text, this is more like a library - I get tones of wood in there too.

 

Uh...OK...my famously weird skin chemistry is making a appearance. On my left wrist, I have muted sandalwood tones which if I squint and pretend I don't recognise could be book-smell. My right wrist is kind of...acrid? But not in a really awful way, just kind of weird. It evens out as it goes, though. I think it might be the tobacco coming out on my right, but it's a bit nicer now.

 

I actually like this so far. It's very Aziraphale, but also nice. It becomes a velvety sandalwood scent with a bit more oomph to it underneath than plain sandalwood, which is a bit high and ethereal on me. The incense and tobacco really balance this.

 

Overall, it turned into a dusty, soft smell that feels undeniably old and nostalgic, perfect for Aziraphale's bookshop. I'm still a little worried that I might just have hit a fluke good day with it, but the original scent has rounded out and warmed up. I can live with this. It clings close to the skin, but is just kind of there in the background, without intruding. I do worry that my skin is going to swallow it, however, so I'm not sure what the staying power will be like.

 

[devilot]

The Buggre Alle This Bible

In the vial: I can detect the leather, but something smells more like… earthy. Like vetiver or patchouli.

 

Wet: Instant it hits, I can still smell that earthy note. Super fast shift, and now it's the spiciness of the tobacco. And mmm… leather!

 

Drydown: Much drier now. And I mean scent-wise. I think the tobacco is getting very sharp. It tickles my nose!

 

Verdict: I like this, I do. But I don't love this. Glad this is moving on to a new home.

[galahad]

In The Bottle

Tobacco and smoke with just a faint trace of leather

 

On Application

Seems to have a good dose of vetiver in this. Very smoky and that is all I smell at this stage

 

Dry Down

Surprisingly this softens quite quickly with the smoke/vetiver backing away to let through the glorious tobacco and something that smells suspiciously like a man's cologne. And then it becomes soft, papery and dusty with a whiff of incense. The leather backs everything up but is not really apparent. Gorgeous

 

Rating (0-5)

4.5

 

[meredevachon]

In the bottle: The particular chemically note I've come to expect from the Lab's leather. And dryness.

 

Wet: Leather and resin, a little sharp, but very solid underneath.

 

Drydown: Polished wood meets dusty books. And the incense/resins seem stronger now. I keep getting hints of other things, but nothing that sticks around long enough to say hello.

 

Dry: Sweetness of tobacco comes out eventually, along with something darkly bitter (coffee or maybe a smoky, peaty single malt), but there's still a dry, almost delicate scent that really evokes the feel of old parchment. The leather's still there holding everything together when I look for it, but very much in the background.

 

Overall: I can walk around with my nose attached to my arm, right? That wouldn't seem weird at all? 'Cause I don't want to stop sniffing this. It's got a dark, close, back of the library where nobody ever goes looking kind of feel which is very cozy to me. I love it as much as I thought I would. Maybe more.

[Aevie]

This scent blows me away.

 

Growing up, my whole family smoked. And while the second hand smoke always made me feel a little sick, when it mingled with my mother's leather jacket that she wore every winter, I felt comfortable. Several members of my family also worked in and owned casinos, so that dizzying scent of tobacco brings back childhood for me in a very good way. That, coupled with my absolute love for old books and their smell, makes this scent my version of heaven.

 

I think the thing that amazed me most was I was in the midst of a panic attack, took one whiff of The Buggre Alle This Bible, and calmed down. I am beyond definitely ordering a bottle of this one!

 

EDIT: Took it to my sister to smell, whose first reaction was, "Woah that smells familiar!" So guess it's not just my nose.

Edited September 23, 2010 by Aevie

[Penance]

Origin:

 

5mL from Aevie.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

Old paper, leather, tobacco, incense. Basically, what the description says.

 

First sniff:

 

This smells so familiar. I swear, there's another BPAL scent in my collection that's very similar to this, but I just can't place it. It's definitely leathery, but it's that strange, musky, almost fruity leather note that some BPAL scents have. A bit like Hellfire's leather, only lighter and less aggressive. I also smell some tobacco here and something musty and dry, that has to be the paper. No incense that I can detect in the bottle, but it's probably being drowned out by the other notes.

 

Wet on skin:

 

This one morphs quickly once it hits my skin. Initially, it's all musky-fruity leather and then it starts to shift into something that's, again, maddeningly familiar. At first I thought it might be Umbra or Typhon it was reminding me of, but I sniffed the bottles to compare and neither one is right. It's not Hellfire, either, although they could be cousins in some ways. I still don't know what it is that this reminds me of, but I like it. The late wet stage on this is soft and comfortable, like a well-worn leather armchair, but it's not particularly leathery. Instead, it's just a soft, musky, slightly earthy (it almost smells like a very soft patchouli and vetiver blend with a hint of spice)...brown scent. It smells comfortable and lived in. I like it.

 

Dry down:

 

The soft musky-earthy stage lasts for about an hour or two on me and then this suddenly turns into the scent of old, dry paper. The kind that crackles to the touch and looks in danger of disintegrating if not handled carefully. It comes close to being downright powdery, but, thankfully, avoids that pitfall, settling on a scent that's somewhat like an old leather-bound book. One so old that the leather has lost most of it's smell and just smells...well, old. There could be some very dry incense here, too, but it's hard to tease it out from the smell of the paper.

 

That stage lasts for another few hours and then I end up with a sort of hybrid of the other stages. A very faint "gentleman's library" kind of smell. Very light, lived-in leather, a touch of pipe tobacco, old paper and what could be just the barest breath of incense smoke. Maybe it's the library of a gentleman who likes to dabble in the occult. Or one who traveled the Orient and brought back incense to remind him of his travels. Whatever his history, he's not completely what he appears to be on the surface. There's something mysterious lurking behind that closed library door.

 

The bottom line:

 

I really like all the stages of this one, although I've been having a hard time deciding if I like this a lot or if I love it (the difference between the two would decide which of my BPAL boxes it lives in). After giving it a couple wears, I've decided that I love it. There are some stages where it gets dangerously close to being too powdery, but they don't last too long and everything else about The Buggre Alle This Bible is great.

 

I'll most likely have to get another bottle or two at some point, although the price makes my wallet want to cry when I mention the word "backups" (I'm not used to paying so much for a non-LE scent, that's all.)

[strahlend]

I'm surprised there aren't more reviews of this scent since people seem to go kind of crazy for book and paper blends. Huh.

I've had trouble with other leather blends because they come across as sharp and kind of chemically - such is not the case here. This leather note makes me think of supple, soft, brown leather, very well aged. It's soft and sweet and warm. I never seem to interpret tobacco notes the way other people do, pretty much all I'm getting here is the smell of the lovely leather and something sweet and wonderful... it's what I imagine an aged and fancy home library would smell like. I've tried other book and paper scents and like this one the very best.

[CrazyPretzel]

This is remarkable: such a dry, pure leather and old paper scent. It is not like anything I've smelled before, and it is *so* atmospheric. For those of us that love old books, this is amazingly evocative and gives such a rush of happiness.

[biocarolyn]

This is the most incredible book geek blend ever. It is leather and incense, with tobacco and parchment. Just warm and beautiful. A bit masculine, but cozy masculine rather that sexy masculine. Yummy!

[joyfulgirl]

in the bottle: tobacco and leather. a touch of incense. very masculine feeling.

 

on my skin: oh man, i was worried that the tobacco would take over in this blend, but it doesn't at all. this is just the lovely, wafting, evocative scent of leather and sweet yellowed pages. i agree it is a bit masculine, but not overly so. although, i bet it would smell delicious on my boyfriend...

 

dried down: the incense has kind of taken the lead here...it seems to be the longest lasting note, but i am still certainly getting a bookish vibe from it. it's absolutely lovely. it reminds me of the lurid library for the obvious reasons, but it's more with the cozy and less with the musky/sexy.

[hibari05]

This is my first of the Good Omens scents, so I can't comment on how it compares to Aziraphale, but I thought I'd give reviewing it a go!

 

In bottle: This smells almost like gin to me, along with tobacco. It has a very boozy scent, but not in a sweet way at all.

 

Wet: The leather and tobacco are both very prominent, but the scent likes to cling to the skin. It definitely evokes the image of an old leather armchair in someone's study, with years of tobacco smoke clinging to it. It has some of the parchment smell to it too, but never quite ventures into the pencil shavings note that some wood smells can have.

 

Dry: As it dries, the tobacco mellows and a sort of skin musk smell comes curling out. It stays close to the skin and is unexpected sensual, like the smell of a man right at the collarbone. It's the kind of scent that makes me want to draw closer to inhale it deeply, since it's so subtle and yet so sexy.

 

Overall, I think this blend manages to capture all the things I was hoping for; parchment, the smell of a library filled with old books, and a hint of sweet tobacco. I think this would be a fantastic scent to wear either by itself, or blended with any number of other scents!

[Monster]

Oh boy! right out of the vial is khus! On my skin...yet, that's thus...a nice papery, dry baby vetiver scent all right As it settles I'm picking up the tobacco notes paired with maybe a kiss of vanilla? The leather in this is extremely light, I only get hints of it when I inhale deeply.

 

Oh and... this dries into such a pretty, sweet incense scent on my skin. SO lovely! How many emoticons can I use to express how much I love this? I'll be adding this to my bottle want list

Edited March 7, 2014 by Monster

[catalyst]

My one and only complaint is that it disappears so quickly. After an hour, it's gone except for the faintest hint of a dusty leather right on the skin itself.

 

I've checked out other book and paper scents, like Philologus, but this one actually really does smell like a very old leather-bound book that's been around the block. I don't get any of the smoker's tar that some other people have mentioned, the tobacco is very mellow like a plain pipe tobacco in a pouch, which some very old books can actually smell like a bit, depending on the type of paper and where they've been.

 

Keep in mind that this is about a Bible, so the incense in the background is perfect. Frankincense, probably, and maybe a little dot of something floral, like for Mary. It seems like there's an aged wood in here too, like old oak pews maybe, but it's not on the note list. Could be my imagination.

 

Years and years of church incense and candle smoke has worked its way into a leather-bound Bible that's several hundred years old. As an ex-Catholic, this hits home with me. It's comforting and familiar.

 

The lab has done a perfect job with this one. It's on my wish list for future bottle purchases.

Edited September 9, 2012 by catalyst

[Monday]

Thanks a lot to the kind forumite who frimped me this!

 

Soft comfy tobacco, paper and a bit of dust. Very nice so far it reminds me of the Dogs Playing Poker series. The incense shows up when its drying down and makes the blend go a bit sharp but it manages to stay sweet and comfy. This ends up smelling almost of coconut but a parchment-y leather coconut.

I like it plus I love Good Omens.

[Balame]

Strong wet tobacco and (sandal)woods at first. Bit of a dry papery note in the back. I get the coconut comparison by Monday, it smells almost exactly like the one in Al-Azif. Pretty sure it's a resin of some sort.

 

This starts out robust but quickly dries to a softly sweet incense blend. It's a lot like Al-Azif, come to think of it. I lose the tobacco completely and it's just coconut suntan oil, light musk and resins. The leather finally comes out around 20 minutes later which darkens it up, but for some reason it smells almost... sweaty? Surprisingly it isn't "bad" just unusual, but it's not working too well with my skin chemistry.

Edited February 25, 2014 by Balame

[tinyvulture]

I worked in libraries for many years but this doesn't remind me of old papers, books, anything like that. It's SEXY INCENSE. Dark, heavy, with hints of sandalwood or cedar. It has that raspy, "wood shavings" aspect. There's a similarity to Midnight Mass. And just a touch of soft leather. So sexy! I just re-read Good Omens (hilarious!) so I'm very glad I discovered this decant in my possession!

[LizziesLuck]

I adore Good Omens, and all things Neil Gaiman, and mostly just wanted to try this for the name and idea of it more than anything. Other than the hint of tobacco, the notes don't actually appeal to me, but I have never tried a "book smell" and am quite curious!

 

 

Wet: Mmm, this smells like wood! Not what I was expecting, but makes sense since that's what paper is made out of. It's sweeter and lighter than most wood scents are on me, but unmistakeably woody. It fades really quickly though, down to what smells more like the memory of a scent than freshly applied perfume. It's really interesting though! I find it rather masculine.

 

 

Dry: I like this much more than I expected! It's still not a me scent. I think it would smell nice on a guy, fairly unisex. Soft leather, faint tobacco, hints of what I am assuming is parchment but reads as wood to my nose. Nice! Glad to have gotten to try it.

[Lucretia]

This goes on much sweeter than I would have thought (must be the incense or the tobacco), and dries down to a soft musky leather. It still not quite that old leather book smell I'm looking for and remember from books as a kid. I think it's that it is more musky than musty. I'll probably hold onto this, but I just wish it wasn't so sweet.

[SolarEclipse]

This is an unexpected favorite. It opens with the dusty paper of an old favorite book long set aside and revisited after an age. Underneath it all is the sweet faint scent of tobacco, fragments of leaves trapped in between the pages and forgotten as you rolled a handmade cigarette. This became for me the scent for a subdued day, when you need some peace and quiet to rest a weary mind, and enjoy the subtle scent surrounding you.