Rumpelstilzchen

[stephvr]

Firewood and ash with an oddly otherworldly blend of patchouli, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, tonka, vetiver, and myrrh.

 

for some bizarre reason I didn't smell any(!) smoke or fire either in the bottle or on me, just really strong vetiver and myrrh, the myrrh faded after a while and some black pepper came in, but strong vetiver throughout.

this is actually the first bpal scent I've tried - my package of imps arrived this morning, and couldn't resist trying one out, but since I'd already been wearing a warm-spicy-neroli-ish scent with some patchouli in it my nose may not have especially picked up one those notes anymore. shame, I thought some firewood'n'ash would have gone well with it, but I mainly smell like an old friend of mine (in his 80s) who wears vetiver by the bucketload...

[strahlend]

I had a bottle of Rumpelstilzchen and then I traded it away thinking that I had several other smokey woodsy scents and that I wouldn't miss it. But I did. I recently bought another bottle and I'm so happy that I did. Vetiver is what I notice most but it really does have something in it that gives the feeling of a campfire. It's funny to think that there's tonka in here because I don't get any feeling of sweetness at all. To me, Rumpelstilzchen and Salome are both reminiscent of bonfires but Rumpelstilzchen is more woodsy in the places where Salome is a bit floral. They're both great and I'm never trading away Rumpelstilzchen again.

[angelicruin]

Smoky ash & vetiver. Smells like cigarette butts and myrrh.

[patina]

I like this twisted little goblin.

 

It is very smoky but the tonka and black musk ensure it's more of a dark perfumy scent than a pure smoke. It reminds me of a charcol drawing on brown paper- maybe one of Arthur Rackham's renditions of Rumplestiltzchen. Wicked and perfect for autumn.

[faithsstuff]

I waffled on buying the treasure for weeks and finally chose it over another of my favorite two. CAn I tell you that this mischevious little scent is amazing! It hot and humid here in Atlanta and I was afraid I couldn't get away with the initial smokiness of this but I was wrong. The pepper and vetiver (and I'm not a vetiver fan) add spice and dimension to the initial smoke. I thought this would be a strong empowering scent but I've learned that while wearing it my husband can't keep his hands off me! The smoke chills out and the tonka balances out the rest of the notes and I'm left with an almost musky aftersmell. I love it, I love it, I love it.

 

*I can't wait to get this on my hubby and see what happens

**it's also worked really well for layering with a too sweet scent

[meredevachon]

A frimp from the Lab

 

In the imp: As I was opening the imp, I got a sudden burst of fresh ground black pepper. Then when I actually sniffed, acrid smoke, and only hints of pepper.

 

Wet: Smoke from a wood fire, sharp, overpowers anything else that might be there.

 

Drydown: The smoke isn't as sharp, spices start to appear but other than the pepper as kind of generic spice melange.

 

Dry: Oh, I like this more after it's had a chance to develop. Sweet roundness of tonka. Something almost nutty (throw a handful of nuts into the fire to watch them roast and then pop open maybe?).

 

Overall: I had previously been surprised by how much I like Djinn, but I'm careful when and how I wear it, because it's not exactly an everyday kind of scent. Rumpelstilzchen is less pure fire and smoke, not as acrid or intense. I think, for the days I'm wanting to wear something smoky, I'm more likely to choose Djinn, as a personal preference, but there are probably times and places I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing Djinn where Rumpelstilzchen would seem okay for me to wear. I'll probably keep the imp, but don't need a bottle.

[Teaotter]

Wet: spicy, smoky cedar.

 

Dry: Fades pretty quickly into a spicy cedar-chest smell for me. Dryer than a plain cedar, but neither smoky nor spicy enough for me to love it.

[komakat]

This is almost what I wanted it to be. My goal was: Something that smells like pfeffernusse baking in a wood burning stove.

 

What I got was more smokey than the spices, but the cardamom, nutmeg, and pepper were right on. Just wish it weren't so overpowered by the smokiness. Still a big thumbs up from me and an "I don't hate this one" from the manbeast.

[Andrea912]

Vetiver hates me so much, and it is evident here...I sadly pull none of the other notes...

[ajansuz]

I received this as a frimp with my last order. Another win for the lab!

 

In the imp, strangely enough both my husband and I thought this smelled like a really high quality sandalwood with something a little sweet underneath. I couldn't pick out patchouli at all, which I usually can.

 

Wet on my wrists, it went through an odd, dry hay scent. Not quite smoky, more dusty. It was like walking down a dirt road in late August, when some of the hay balers have started working and left some of the straw on the ground. Very evocative of late summer. In the dry down, some more sweetness developed and a sort of peppery scent twinged me in the back of the throat.

 

After about four hours, the scent is still very lovely. It always stayed skin close, almost no throw. I think the tonka and myrrh are making good friends. They're so sweet and resiny under the pepper and dry wood. It still has a sandalwood quality to it. I think this is beautifully blended. I'm a little disappointed that I never smelled the smoke others have mentioned, as vetiver is usually very smoky on me. It's still lovely and different. I'll have to wear it more to decide if this is one I need a bottle of. I could definitely see at least buying an imp.

[zmulls]

I should preface that my skin chemistry loves dark notes. As a guy, my chemistry is quite different from most other posters. Florals and the like just are wrong on me, and dark musky smells thrive. And vetiver, so wrong on so many, is a great note with my skin.

 

So Rumpelstilzchen is so much Win for me. Yes, I get the very strong smoke for the first few minutes. It reminds me a LOT of Brimstone. But where Brimstone is smoke, and just stays smoky for the duration, in Rumpelstilzchen the smoke settles in and becomes a blended note with the spices. The patchouli and vetiver keep it a strong masculine scent, and the nutmeg and other spices waft around them.

 

I can't take scents where the spices predominate, but I like it when the spice notes are accents to the darker ones. So this is just perfect. I do very few bottles, but the next bottle I get will either be this or Czernobog.

 

Not for everyone, clearly. But for guys who like things like Czernobog and Iago, or women who like strong notes, this is a winner.

[Ilex]

I liked this. And my hubby does too, which is a miracle. It is the miracle of patchouli, which can do no wrong on me, though honestly, until I read the notes I wouldn't have guessed it was there. It lends a little earthy quality to the proceedings and does not dominate.

 

Wet: smokey bonfire all right, with some sharpness from the vetiver and some sharp spice.

 

Dry: the vetiver means business and the smoke recede. Darn it, I'd have liked some smoke to stick around. I need a scent locket.

 

Long dry down: did the sweet vague spice routine.

 

I'll wear this, but I will need to carry the imp around to refresh during the day. Or I need to break down and get a scent locket. It reminds me a bit of one of my favorites, Kathmandu. I think it would be drool worthy on a guy, I may have to anoint the hubby while he's asleep to test that out.

[SophieCedar]

Patchouli and tonka were off to a running start however the smoke & ash beat them into submission. This is a great blackened smell. I agree with a previous reviewer's comparison to Coalface from Lush, which I love and crave the smell of. Great smell for mischief, if you're tired of Goblin.

[Celtic Goddess]

Since I am fond of the smell of burning wood and leaves this one is a win for me. On me, this smells just like a perfume called Burning Leaves by CB I Hate Perfume. I absolutely love that perfume so the fact that I can get my greedy hands on a cheaper version from a classy company makes me very happy.

 

It's pure woodsmoke, burning leaves, and something sweet (don't ask...I have no clue what the sweet stuff is). It's also pretty strong so a little goes a long way (another bonus!).

[milo]

Wet, lots of musk and vetiver and I'm getting a hint of raw leather. Dry, no leather anymore, just something like patchouli and vetiver, and it's getting a slight pickle juice vibe. There is only a slight smokiness here, but it's mostly patch now. This is a very outdoorsy scent and quite evocative of the character. I don't mind this, it's quite masculine so I probably won't be wearing it again.

[Diva Urd]

In the imp: What a strange blend... I definitely get smoky vetiver (it's just a tad bacon-y), patchouli and tonka. In the vial, I can't seem to catch the other notes. It smells interesting.

 

On: Wow. Supersmoky, fresh-burned log with patchouli and a hint of Tonka. On me, it smells like "Dee" if you threw him into a campfire for a few hours! Definitely smells like a diabolical creature. Thankfully, no bacon-ness from the vetiver anymore, and it doesn't perform the Vetiver PUNCH in this, either. I do rather like it.

 

Later: Smoky patchouli with just a hint of tonka. I still enjoy it. I'm not sure this is bottleworthy for me just yet, but I will gladly hold on to my imp.

[curlsandpearls]

Bottle: An indistinguishable spice blend. I can’t make out the patchouli, so that’s a good sign. This looked like such a good blend that I ordered it even though it had patchouli… fingers crossed! Also part of why I ordered it: vetiver is love and campfire is one of my all-time favorite smells, and lots of reviewers said it was an amazing campfire scent (or not amazing, if you don't like that kind of thing). Here's hoping.

 

Wet: Wet, spicy ash. I’m not getting campfire yet. It’s a mix of wet forest and ash and a nutty spice. Why am I not loving this? I should love this.

 

Dry: [insert sad face] I wanted to heart this scent so bad, and the patchouli has finally showed up and effectively ruined it, though there wasn't much to ruin; the campfire never really showed up. Oh well…

 

Later: This scent has some throw, but it’s melded into some indistinguishable spicy hodgepodge. You win some, you lose some, I guess. I knew it was a risk since patchouli amps on me like no other. Swap pile.

[sabrebabe]

In the bottle: WoW! In the face with wood smoke, black pepper and vetiver! Lovely! It seriously smells like where I used to live in Southern Germany! Which makes me very, very happy, indeed!

Wet: more firewood, smoke, ash, lots of black pepper, and vetiver and tonka bean to smooth it out. Not too much cardamom, but I can pick up the nutmeg and the myrrh, just as a back note. Yum! ::happydances:: Green, green, and deep Black Forest smells (not the imp, the real thing!). Makes me dream of gingerbread houses and hot chocolate. The little stream that ran through the woods near our village (which the village was named for) and the woods up on the hills overlooking the farmland. Picking wild mushrooms in the woods and eating wild strawberries. I should also mention that this is a *very* masculine scent! I’d place it with a woodchopper/woodsman/huntsman. Someone who worked very hard outdoors.

Dry: Oh, the cologne! Firewood, vetiver, old leather, woodsmoke, and spices! All the lovely spices are now coming in, with black pepper in the forefront! Myrrh is coming forward and the tonka bean has pulled away. The vetiver is holding strong and latched on to the “leathery” scent. Patchouli is finally making an entrance. And now, just the tiniest hint of a sandal wood in the back. Lovely, lovely, lovely! Buy a bottle! (and try it on the hubby!)

[kakiphony]

I could swear I'd already tried this, but I recently acquired an imp and can't find a review so...

 

In the imp: Strong vetiver, which always reminds me of my grandfather. Very sharp and a bit feral/musky.

 

Wet on skin: Immediately gets deeper and less sharp with a prominent wood-like note. A bit of dry black pepper in the first whiff, with the scent fading out to more wood and a little green vetiver in the background as I breathe through it.

Early dry down (about 10 minutes): This is doing thing patchouli sometimes does on me where it turns very dry and woody -- almost like the inside of cedar closet or jewelry box. Good thing I happen to like that thing. There's also a little but of leather in here, but I'm smelling well worn sort of brown leather -- more like buckskin or suede rather than smooth leather if that makes sense. It's very warm, dry and masculine (which I happen to think is a very fine way for a lady to smell). I also get a very subtle note of something just a bit sweet -- it's almost like a very dry vanilla bean, but I suspect it's how the tonk a is playing in this blend.

 

Late dry down (about an hour): This faded quickly and stayed very close to my skin (which is a big positive in my book). Notes stay as above in early dry down -- after the initial fade this didn't morph on me much at all. It's very pleasant and quite me, but so close to several other scents that's not an immediate purchase. (I put it on my wish list, but it's by no means a huge MUST HAVE if only because I own other stuff that fills the same sort of dry woods with a hint of spice niche.) I find it very similar to Black Rider (but less sweet), Tree of Life (but less cologne), Aelopile (less sweet/citrus), Krampus, Uncertain Horror and even Spanked (much less spice),

 

Interestingly, when I reviewed Uncertain Horror I said, "It strongly reminds me of both Krampus and Spanked, leading me to believe that the combination of patchouli and leather develops in such a specific way on my skin that the other notes along for the ride really don't matter all that much." I think that statement continues to hold true and this very much falls into that category.

[hexnut]

RUMPELSTILZCHEN

 

Tested blind.

 

In Vitro Neither strong nor distinctive.

 

Wet Sweet resin, maybe some spice, no floral or fruit. I couldn't identify any notes, but at very close range I detected something that was almost bitter.

 

Drying As it dried this developed a sharp, dry, headache-threatening quality reminiscent of L'Examen de Minuit. Thankfully that faded and the overall scent mellowed. Thirty minutes after application it was very faint. One hour on I thought I briefly smelled soap, and for the next three hours an extremely faint sweet musk-type note persisted.

 

I had high hopes for Rumpelstilzchen and all were dashed. No smoke, no spices, no sweet tonka or grassy vetiver. That just leaves Myrrh, once again the prime suspect in wrecking a blend for me.

 

 

24

[zmulls]

I know I'm already on record upthread as being a fan of this scent. But I can *only* wear this in cool/cold weather, when the bonfire smell is most appealing. It just doesn't work in Spring and Summer.

 

We got our first good solid chilly spate this week, and I pulled my Rumpelstilzchen out of the box for the first time in months. It's lovelier than I remember -- the smoke comes in early, and wafts, but it's the trailing notes, the burnt/sweet spices, that linger for hours. I feel bad for those (many) who cannot do the Vetiver, because there is so much yummy going on in this scent.

[madscientistdh]

Purchased from Babypopje!

 

In bottle: A swirl of smoke, charred wood

 

On skin: More woodsmoke, and somehow a hint of post coitus? O.o must be tonka. Sandalwood maybe?

 

Drydown: Burning sandalwood/incense, creamy tonka/vanilla undertone, and it's lost that sex smell haha

 

Verdict: I do LOVE this one! Even the part where I had my eyes closed enjoying the scent of a bonfire, and ol' Rumpy decided to stick his junk in my face. I don't know how she does it, but there's burning in this bottle. Good burning. Me gusta.

 

ETA: Checked out the description once more... Where on earth am I getting sandalwood? BUT I LOVE THIS SCENT.

Edited November 14, 2012 by madscientistdh

[BoneBone24]

Wet: Earthy and spicy. I can definitely detect the vetiver, although it’s fairly subdued.

 

Drydown: Dry wood and light, indistinct spices. The vetiver is still in there, lending a hint of smoky green earthiness. the spices are warm and somewhat powdery.

 

Dry: Smoky vetiver and dry wood with a touch of myrrh and pepper. Smoky, earthy, and charred.

 

 

 

 

7 out of 10 bones

Edited June 21, 2013 by BoneBone24

[Magpie]

Rumpelstilzchen

 

Wet in imp:

 

Vetiver.

 

On wet:

 

Smoke. I can still smell the vetiver distinctly. It's a bit soapy, as I find vetiver always has a slight soapiness to it on me.

 

I can smell the peppercorns coming out more as it warms, and the the myrrh, nutmeg and cardamom. There's very little sweetness here, just smoke and ashes and spice. It's quite harsh on the note but not as harsh as Bengal.

 

On dry:

 

Fades down a little bit so it isn't as powerful, but still sticks around for a good long while. This scent, despite being smoky, seems somehow cold compared to something like Bengal or the Ifrit. Though that might be because it's snowing outside...

[fufu_berry]

Somehow forgot to review this - this is the only "smoky" scent I've tried so far that actually smells smoky to me, and I love it! My skin always seems to tame vetiver into something golden and vaguely earthy, but this stays as smoky spices. The only problem is it fades really quickly. Most scents stick around all day on me, but Rumpelstilzchen only lasts a couple hours. All the more reason to invest in a bottle, I guess...