Pickled Imp

[hkhm]

Cinnamon, clove, vanilla, and pine sap.

imp: wow! sweet pine and spices. this is much nicer than i was expecting!

wet: the cinnamon is pretty pungent, the only part that's burning is my nose where i pressed up against my wrist to huff this scent. the sweet vanilla pine is definitely in the background, but this is a very pretty blend.

dry: the cinnamon fades after a while (thankfully) and this is back to how it smelled in the imp: sweet, creamy pine with a hint of spice. bottle-worthy.

[Lamia]

Cinnamon + vanilla = apple brown betty.

 

This is a delicious foody smell. The pine sap comes through after a few hours, but it's only detectable as a separate note when I sniff my wrist.

[devilot]

Pickled Imp

The notes sounds sooo promising. I know I tried one partial decant before, and got all pine sap. Ick. But this decant? My skin is beyond amping the cinnamon and clove, but mainly the cinnamon. I wish I got the gorgeous vanilla blend that others talk about. *pouts* I'll definitely hang onto my "imp" but doubt I'll spring for a 5ml any time soon.

[tragedy]

I was thinking Pickled imp would be a grail scent and .... OMGITIS!!!

Its Three Witches without the heavy cinnamon drydown.

From onset its lovely lovely lovely clove-cinnamon-vanilla (in that order of strength)sweetness.

Its absolutely divine!!

no pine at all... which put me off because I couldnt imagine it with the others.

X 1,000,000

[arlith]

Oh my!

 

This is the most wonderful spiced vanilla deliciousness ever! I can't pick out the pine sap at all, but it might be what is giving this scent its depth. Its a sexy, warm, adult vanilla. I absolutely adore it. Its made it to the tippy top of my bottle wishlist!

[MamaMoth]

I can detect the pine more in this when it's wet. Dried, my skin seems to almost immediately whisk it away into that perfumed ether, where elusive notes go to die. It's a shame, too, because the pine combining with the pungent spice was really giving it that "pickled," greenish vibe.

 

On me, this becomes a nose-ticklingly cinnamon-n-clove foody. It does smell very good, and I actually had scent-flashbacks all day today from testing it last night. But in general, I don't like to go out into the world smelling of edibles. I'll keep my imp for the rare days when I'm barricaded in my blanket nest, but I probably won't need anymore than that.

[Siberia]

Cin-illa yum! Instant top 10.

[heleng]

Wet- all clove, instantly reminds me of Lush Skinny Dip, but the Imp is warmer and sweeter.

Dries to cinnamon and vanilla, lovely comforting scent.

Not sure that I want to wear this as it is. It will make a great room scent and I think it will be great layered with vanilla notes.

ETA: This lasts for ever on the skin, I could still smell spicy vanilla 12 hours later.

Edited January 6, 2010 by mimosa

[PeshaRocha]

Awesome!

Spicy, warm, creamy, deep--perfectly blended.

 

In bottle: cloves, pine sap

 

Wet: cloves, cinnamon, pine sap

 

Dry: cloves, cinnamon, vanilla and a tiny trace of pine sap

 

Absolutely love this!

[Geminirubyshoes]

Pickled Imp is devilishy sexy. The vanilla and clove mix to make a creamy, smoky scent with the cinnamon just kicking it up a notch. I don't ever smell the pine sap, but I'm sure its in there somewhere. This is my go to scent when I am unhappy because it's comforting and makes me feel much better about myself Mega Mega Mega hearts for Pickled Imp!

[Evilynn]

In the bottle: Cloves and a wee bit of vanilla

 

Wet on the skin: Mostly Clove and cinnamon

 

Drydown: The clove hovers on top of it all, but it gets blended with the cinnamon, and starts out a dry spiciness, except for when I huff my wrists, if I do I get some creamy vanilla underneath it all. I don't smell much of the pine sap, but I think it might be well and truly melded with the vanilla.

 

This reminds me a bit of Shub-Niggurath, and the drydown is defintely a cousin to Villainess Ginger Snapped. Spicy, with smokey vanilla underneath.

[impolight]

:::PICKLED IMP:::

 

At first this one was worrisome, because the first bit that wafted up once the bottle top was loosened, was, sugar cookie... Which isn't so bad if you aspire to smell like a sugar cookie.

 

Frick & Frack!

Fiddle-dee-dee!

 

Before this could escalate into major bummification, a skin test should be administered to eliminate the possibility of foofooness. The bottle was given a threatening shake, and something similar to Cinnamon takes a peek... Hmmm.

On the skin, the jig is up! The Genie is out of the bottle and a massive ball of flame that is change fills the room...

The ever-alert Wife's head whips around and fixes the source with pin-point accuracy, pupils dilated... "Gingerbread?" comes the accusatory query. She is assured that this isn't so.

This is so far a fragrance that is best to be left alone with...

This is very NOM good, Very NOM spicy, Very NOM luxuriant.

At first there is a thought that Pickled Imp seems familiar because it is quite like Cinnamon imperials... With a hint of Bubblegum (?) in the background.

And then realization dawns... This Pickled Imp business is ver much like those Cinnamon-scented Pine Cones that can be found in select supermarkets during Holiday Season!

This is love!

Of course this makes sense upon decaffeinating... The notes listed DO include Cinnamon and Pine Sap. The Clove becomes more apparent after this has had some time to dry down, yet does not at all interfere with the Cinnamon and Pine.There is a woodsy sweetness to Pickled Imp that had a feel of either Balsam or Sandalwood.

Pickled Imp would be perfect for loafing about butt-naked before a crackling fire, drinking mulled wine.

This would also be an ideal scent to turn out the lights, scurry off to a secret compartment somewhere and slurp with the nose.

Pickled Imp is crimson velvet, ivory, evergreen, brass, and cinder.

Pickled Imp is the fragrance of whimsy in the Cabinet of Curiosities.

This fragrance skips and hums.

Pickled Imp would be the perfect accompaniment to oversized, cozy clothing, deeply cushioned furniture, and Vivaldi.

This is also a brisk stroll across slush and ice on one of those days where the sky looks white and the cold smarts all of the skin you dare to expose.

Pickled Imp is a gleefully debased fragrance.

Unctious and unisex.

A spiffy fireball for Him and a naughty bit of stickiness you can taste on the ends of your fingers for Her.

Delightfully 5 out of 5.

[Dianora]

Though I had some reservations about the pine sap note, I went ahead and just ordered this because cinnamon and cloves are by far two of my most favorite notes. When I first got it and sniffed, I got a serious 'baked goods' whiff from the bottle. I was worried it would end up too much like Shub Niggurath, and just be evil cinnamon cookies instead of evil ginger cookies.

 

Anyway, I like cookies, so I put some on. Ok, let's be real here. I slathered this sucker. And it was gooood. At first, that buttery cookie smell was pretty strong, but I think the pine sap must have tempered all that because it settled down to a delicious cinnamon clove scent with a hint of vanilla sweetness. It dries down to a sweet spicy scent that somehow reminds me of an old, slightly dusty kitchen that has seen plenty of cinnamon being tossed around. I have a feeling this Imp is going to just get better as he ages.

 

One interesting thing though. A while ago, someone generously gave me a decant of Three Witches, and it smelled like so much delicious love that I went and tracked down a bottle. The bottle I got must have been a different version, because there is a heavier smokiness in that bottle than was in my decant. I started fussing around when I didn't want too much heavy smoke, and eventually started adding a dab of Dorian when I wore Three Witches. Pickled Imp is really, really close to that. If Three Witches is a holy grail scent for you, try Pickled Imp.

[tailoredshirt]

[Aged decant, probably a couple years old]

 

Wet, this is a Christmas candle! I can't decide if this is a good thing or not. I definitely get spices, vanilla, and Christmas tree. It's definitely the spices making it smell like the holidays, because The Illustrated Woman and Golden Priapus (the only other two I've tried with some sort of pine/vanilla combo) did not particularly remind me of Christmas. I do like this and keep bending down to huff my hand, so it must not be a bad thing.

 

Dry, this is mostly the same, but more cinnamon, with vanilla next, then the pine. As time passes, I get lots more cinnamon. This is definitely a cinnamon blend on me. Good throw - I can smell it without bending down to sniff my hand. I like it, so I'll have to think about whether or not I'll wear it enough to warrant ordering a bottle.

[Monster]

Oooh oohhh ooohhhhhh! This is Three Witches + Pine Sap. It's like Three Witches crashed thier broomstickes into the woods!

 

I this!!!!

 

This is all cinnamon, clove and umm..pine sap. Yep, exactly like the description says. The cinnamon is more of the "red hot" variety. This is a great cool weather scent. I can see myself enjoying this in the fall. I'm not sure I would wear this as a perfume, this is something I'd enjoy in an oil burner. I think wearing this would just make me smell like a seasonal candle

 

This is lovely though, not terribly complex or unique, just fun and yummy

[simi46]

So...this was instant love (or almost instant, anyway). In the bottle I mainly smelled clove, possibly pine sap - not a hint of vanilla, which worried me a bit. But then it hit my skin...and it was pretty much a dead ringer for how Arcana's Chai LN smells on me.

...

:love!:

 

Sweet, spicy vanilla goodness.

 

MUST HOARD. 10/10

Edited August 5, 2010 by simi46

[animalcule]

Knew I would love this so I ordered a bottle unsniffed.

 

I do. I smell like a delicious spice cookie with a hint of cool freshness. I suppose that's the pine - there is just enough to evoke Christmas and make the blend more interesting.

[Ashenrook]

I accidentally got a drop of this on my finger when sneaking a sniff of an imp I ordered for a friend. Sooo, I decided to rub that drop onto my wrist.

 

In the Bottle

Huh. It almost smells like black top asphalt with spice on it.

 

On Skin: Wet

Well, I forgot that there was cinnamon in this. I was promptly reminded! Lordie, I amp cinnamon like no one's business...

 

On Skin: Dry

Cinnamon, cinnamon, aaaand more cinnamon.

 

Afternotes

The cinnamon is still very much present, to the point where I can't smell any clove and, surprisingly, no pine sap. The vanilla, however, I can smell just a tiny bit of.

 

Verdict

On an American scholastic grading scale, I would have to give this a D-.

 

Cinnamon and me just don't get along, apparently. : /

[Incendiare]

Pickled Imp is such a pleasant surprise. In the bottle, mostly red hot cinnamon with pine. The pine sap note worried me a bit because I generally don't care for pine, but it actually smells really nice in the bottle. Once I apply the oil to my skin, the pine disappears anyway and I am left with blazing cinnamon and some clove in the background. The magic really starts to happen with time. After a while, the vanilla arrives and smoothes out the fieriness. The final dry down reminds me so much of one of my favourite black teas which includes cinnamon and vanilla. It's like a cinnamon bun fresh out of the oven. Five billion thumbs up for this one.

[imaginepageant]

In the Vial: Spicy, sweet woodsiness. I can pick out all of the notes, but the clove is definitely the most prominent, which is a pleasant surprise because it usually hides behind the cinnamon.

 

Wet: Aaaaaand here comes the cinnamon, pushing the clove out of the way as usual. That damn clove is such a pussy, it never stands up for itself. The vanilla is getting stronger, and the pine sap is keeping up that woodsy background.

 

Dry: Maybe I judged the clove too soon; it does seem to be coming back now. The cinnamon isn't quite as offensive as it was just a few minutes ago.

 

An Hour Later: The cinnamon won the battle, but the clove is still noticeable enough. It's still sweet and woodsy as well.

 

Overall: A little too heavy on the cinnamon for me, but not bad.

[invisible iris]

In the decanted imp, Pickled Imp smells straight up like xmas. Spices and pine. Freshly applied, the vanilla kicks in and I get spiced xmas cookie.

 

But as it dries, the holiday and baked goods vibe kind of falls by the wayside. The spices, which are dark, dusty, and dry to my nose (not glowing, candy red, liquid, glowing, or sweet), are what I smell most. So I get, with strongest first: dusty clove (this is the same clove I detect in Arachne of Lydia, which I adore), dusty cinnamon, mildly creamy vanilla, and a hint of woodsy (not sappy) pine. Pickled Imp is simple, comforting, dry, dark, and cute, but not cloying at all.

 

Verdict: I could easily see myself reaching for this often, especially bundled up near the woodstove during the colder months. Although I'm not certain I'd ever choose it over Arachne of L. But that's hard to predict.

[Penance]

Origin:

 

5mL from the Lab.

 

Preconceived notions:

 

I've been curious about Pickled Imp for quite a while, but never got around to ordering it because I've already got a spice heavy blend (Three Witches) in my collection and I wasn't sure how pine and cinnamon, clove and vanilla would work together. But with the Carnaval disappearing for a while, I figured now was the right time to grab it. I am finding that the Lab's pine sap/tar note disappears on me in no time flat. My skin just seems to absorb it and it goes completely AWOL within minutes, so I guess that it's going to be more or less irrelevant here.

 

First sniff:

 

Cinnamon rolls! Cinnamon rolls over a very faint layer of pine needles to be exact. It's sweet and spicy and very foody. It makes me think of Cinnabon, but Cinnabon at Christmas with a live pine tree by the counter where they're making the cinnamon rolls.

 

Wet on skin:

 

The same as in the bottle. This is definitely different than Three Witches. It's sweeter for one, but also more foody since it doesn't have the pepper that Three Witches has. I'd swear there was cream cheese frosting in here rather than vanilla. That's hot sweet it is. It's bordering on being cloying but still manages to smell delicious.

 

Dry down:

 

As predicted, the pine is AWOL. Even the faint hint of it I got before is gone without a trace. All I get is cinnamon rolls. It does make me think of Christmas, even without the pine sap. Why I would associate cinnamon rolls with Christmas, I don't know. It's probably the inviting warmth of the scent. It just smells cozy and makes me think of roaring fireplaces and warm sweaters.

 

The bottom line:

 

Who knew that a pickled imp would smell like fresh-baked cinnamon rolls?

 

This is too sweet to be an everyday scent for me, but I do really like it. I don't normally wear scents seasonally (if I like or love something, I wear it whenever I damn well please), but somehow Pickled Imp just feels all wrong for summer. I have a feeling this will be one of the incredibly rare scents that I only wear during certain times of the year (autumn and winter in this case).

[Numanoid]

Sniff in bottle: Hmmm....almost has an astringent smell. Kind of has me nervous!

 

On Skin: Ok...better! I do smell every note, the pine I am worried about, but it is soft and fades fast!

 

5 minutes later: Mmmmm....much much better! This is a wonderful spicy scent! The cinnamon and clove stand out the most, but it isn't harsh or crazy as one might expect. The cinnamon is more like a Red Hot or Schnapps scent!!

 

10 minutes later: Everything softens up nicely!! This is a great Fall/holiday scent! Glad I got it!!!!

[madscientistdh]

Purchased from Chromeoxide!

 

In imp: pine, eggnog, and sugar cookie. Hello Christmas?

 

On skin: A spicy cinnamon/clove smell, this did irritate my skin to a lovely shade of pink, but I pressed on.

 

Drydown: I'm rewarded for my efforts with vanilla chai tea eggnog. The vanilla and pine must make the eggnog scent?

 

Verdict: Surprisingly yummy for something so ghastly! Part of me was rather hoping this would be unusual and bordering on disgusting, but I like this scent in general. I recommend wearing this while eating pie, because YUM.

Edited November 24, 2012 by madscientistdh

[Alethia]

Thoughts before testing: When the Lab announced that certain Carnaval blends would be going up on Etsy, I was immediately on high alert for Pickled Imp. I didn't discover my love of cinnamon and clove until after CD went dark, and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to snatch up a bottle! I'm slightly worried about the pine sap in this, but everything else is a forever love note so hopefully the pine behaves itself!

 

Wet: The perfect mixture of cinnamon and clove. My spice-loving self is going bananas over this. Just a hint of vanilla at the end, no pine sap yet.

 

Dry down: Cinnamon and clove and vanilla, but not foodie/sweet and not craft-store spice either. The throw is strong enough that I can smell it wafting up from my arm.

 

Dry: After about an hour, it changes from spices with vanilla to vanilla with spices. This is so fabulous I can't even.

 

Final thoughts: The pine sap never made an appearance and I couldn't be happier. This is my perfect spice blend

 

Verdict: Hoarding