Le Père Fouettard

[IronMollyBlack]

Whip leather, coal dust, gaufrette, and black licorice.

Oh, how I love this scent, and it loves me back!

All the notes play nice, I get just enough leather and a touch of coal dust to keep it from being too foody, the licorice and gaufrette are just sweet enough and gorgeous! I get a pretty long wear length on it, it softens to a nice vanilla-licorice with just a hit of leather in the background. It's naughty AND nice! Definitely going to get my hands on a back-up before this one is gone!

[greenranger]

Whip leather, coal dust and a whiff of something sweet.

 

 

So far, much better than I had thought it might be. The licorice is just a hint, beyond the faint scent of some sweet baked good. On me, the leather and the coal dust are the main notes.

 

Dusty, velvety, and very slightly spicy and sweet. On me this is subtle, without being faint.

[MisterShrapnel]

Wet, it's warm, buttery-sweet golden cookies and spicy leather ( ), with a hint of black licorice candy. Yum!

As it dries it become a little less buttery and the black licorice stands out a little more, but it's never very strong. The whole time I can still smell the amazing leather (it doesn't go sharp and soapy! Hooray! This could be the delicious variety that I first found in Crowley...), and after a while I think I can get a little bit of the coal dust (though I might just be imagining it because I looked at the description), tempering all the sweet notes. And there's probably some vanilla extract in those cookies...

This is definitely foody, but the leather makes it kinda sexy. I am amazed at this blend because I can actually parade it as a scent AND it smells like food D:

I have a bad, bad urge to hoard this one.

[anastasia]

I am out of control over this right now so thought I had better review it. I always like licorice but there is a cold licorice scent/flavor and a warm one. This is very warm. I cannot get over how smoothly it blends with leather. This is a very golden, resonant smell with a hot dark center. Initially it was fresh and sharp but the more I wear it, the softer and warmer it gets. I actually have had to mix some in with my unscented body lotion so that I can get a tiny undercurrant of it no matter what else I wear. So I will be ordering more before it goes away and a gift bottle for a friend of mine who loves licorice!!!

[Argentwolf]

Upon first application, it smelled like what I fancy an old-fashioned licorice candy would smell like: vaguely bitter, but with enough sweetness in its scent to lure one in for a tooth-achingly good time. I actually envision a licorice-flavored 'coal' candy with this one.

 

It is decent staying power and throw, and is pleasantly-sweet throughout; I can definitely pick out the licorice and leather notes. The coal dust makes it just a tad dry or powdery around the edges, without the whole thing crumbling into powderiness. It's very interesting, but an imp is most likely enough for me.

[Lirion]

Wet: Leather (lots of leather!) sweetened by licorice and the gaufrette.

As it dries the coal dust starts to come out. The coal goes REALLY smoky on my skin. And the scent goes through a stage of jsut coal smoke before the licorice sticks it's head out again and bring the leather out to play with it again about 15 minutes later.

 

I'm not a huge fan of the smoke stage - it's not pretty smoke after all - but overlal this one is full of win for me. The leather is gorgeous and rich and the licorcice is dark, the leather stops it being too sweet, and the edge of the smoke seems to give ti an almsot spicy tinge on ym skin.

 

Gorgeous, I wasn't sure what i expected this one to smell like and I am very happy with how it works on me.

[aquazoo]

Pizzelles! It's the anisette from pizzelles and something — the coal dust? — gives the baking side of it. And mom used to whip me when I made them. Ok, not really. But it does very much remind me of baking them, and I have the pizzelle iron downstairs somewhere...

 

Anyway, it's very nice on me. Good stuff.

[Wwindy]

What a quirky scent! Weird, but very appealing. I get mostly the vanilla licorice cookie scent that others are reporting, underpinned by the leather from De Sade. To my nose the coal just adds a little edge of smokiness, BUT -- beware! -- there are some people who'll find that the dominant note. A friend of mine with a sensitive nose had a bad reaction to my merely opening the bottle in the same room with him ("Ack, I smell the coal, close it close it CLOSE IT!").

 

I still think it's pretty neat, though.

[yeahbutnobut]

Le Pere Fouettard

 

In the imp: the same lovely sweet anise as Huesos, but with sweet waffle instead of orange cake.

Wet on skin: whoa, here comes the leather, and it’s strong!

Dry: leather with sweet liquorice whips and a gorgeous sweet waffle scent! I love the gaufrette note here, it smells like those thin wafer-waffles, and it’s one of those sweet notes that doesn’t cloy or turn funny on my skin. the anise note is very pleasant as well. the anise with the gourmand sweetness reminds me of Huesos, but this smells very different. The leather, for one thing, seems to be amping on me (it’s the De Sade leather), and I fear it’ll overwhelm the gorgeous gaufrette note!

After a while: the sweetness of the waffles, that delicious cosy sugary warm scent, wafts beautifully. The anise is a little fainter. But close up, it’s all leather with a bit of sweetness. I’d rather this was gaufrette with a hint of leather, not the other way round. But that’s the nature of the ‘kinky whip’ leather note, it amps on me and goes a little burnt…though that’s enhanced by the coal dust.

Verdict: I wish my skin didn’t amp the ‘whip’ leather note so much because the waffle note in here is so delectable! My skin seems to dislike a lot of foodies these days but this is one gourmand note that does work on me. It smells like waffles, or caramel wafers. Sweet and delicious, not cloying at all. I even like the liquorice note here. But sadly the leather completely takes over. I’m not as keen on this leather note because it smells a bit burnt and rubbery, very overpowering too. I prefer my leather notes to be bookish, not whippy. So this isn’t one I’ll wear much, despite the appealing sweetness.

Emoticon rating:

Is it a keeper? Not really.

If you like this, try: Huesos de Santo, Krampus, De Sade, Loviatar, Nanny Ashtoreth

[savage_rose]

A dark, dry blend...not too dark, but there's a bitter note in there that's unpleasant. It's not too strongly licorice, it seems well-balanced...just kinda meh on me.

[MCS4096]

In the Bottle: Licorice and sugar cookies with coal dust (just smells smokey and kinda dry) and the slightest hint of leather.

 

Wet: Mmmm it's like a not to sweet foodie scent. You definitely get sweet buttery cookies, but this is perfectly tempered with the licorice and coal/leather note.

 

Dry: the leather DEFINITELY comes out on me. But I like the leather, and it blends really nice with the licorice. This is a truly unique blend. The licorice just explodes, and the cookie is perfectly balanced. This is like smelling the inside of a bookish gentleman's leather briefcase where he's hidden his stash of licorice cookies I really like it!

[Ajila]

In the bottle – Sweet liquorice with dark, dirty leather behind it

 

Wet on me – The thick black leather comes through with just a hint of the gaufrette

 

Dry on me – A dry, dark leather, with just a hint of sweetness

 

Overall – I’m hoping that aging will kick the leather back a little, but all in all this is a gorgeous blend

 

[gingiemay]

In the bottle this is very licorice and gaufrettes... there is a definite foody bent. Not the best news for me, because my skin does not like the cookies and batter and whatnot...

 

HOWEVER! Once applied and after about 20 minutes, Le Père becomes a delicious perfect blend of leather, licorice, a sweet undertone and a tiny bit of coal dust. This stuff is like a miracle on my skin. I tried it at December Will Call and only realized after I left that I was in love... Dark Alice tracked me down a bottle and I'm forever grateful... seriously, seriously, serious delicious and perfectly blended scent!

[heavywhitewove]

Happy Dance - this one rules

 

This smells exactly like a cup of creamy lapsang souchong tea. I splurged on this the day the Yules went down - so glad I did!!!!! WOW

[voodoocatwoman]

Normally, I don't like licorice. Not to eat. Not to smell. Not to drink. This, however, is sweet and fuzzy. It reminds me of spice cookies.

[modillian]

Smells like licorice in the bottle!

Smells like LEATHER WOAH BABY on the skin. Like, not finished leather, but the unfinished stuff on the inside of a glove or inside a coat or pocket, with the little nubs. Raw leather, the low softness and the higher tannin-y waft. No detectable licorice.

Ten minutes later it's developing a kind of mealy...breadness? Cakeness? A grain-ish sweetness. Which must be the gaufrette. But so much leather, blargh! No licorice for me. :\

ETA: DOUBLE BLAAARGH, had to wash it off after ten minutes, too yucky.

Edited March 15, 2009 by modillian

[surf-tormented]

I like this scent, however the licorice/anise element of it amps up on my skin, killing off all the other notes.

 

After about three hours, it mellows into a nice leather scent, but the anise is so high before the drydown, I can't take it. Maybe I am slightly allergic to anise, I am not sure.

 

I wish I could keep it, but I know I won't wear it because of the way the anise amps, so I am hoping to trade it to someone else who either likes licorice a lot or doesn't have the reaction to it I do.

 

It's a strong scent, a little goes a long way. Like I only put a drop on and it was overpowering.

[thelaurenator]

Mmmm, my favorite leather blend. Well, it's the only leather blend that works for me.. and it REALLY works.

 

Sweet vanilla cookies or wafers, black licorice, and leather. On one of my friends, this smells almost entirely like vanilla cookies and licorice. On me, it's mostly leather with licorice and just a hint of cookie.... and I like it better on me. It's a sexy blend that is totally unexpected.

[Allumina]

Dude, I don't know what this smells like but I smell DELICIOUS. In a sweet way, but not necessarily all foodie. Hmm. No licorice. Frenchy and sophisticated and sweet. Mostly the cookie, I guess. Maybe a hint of what is supposed to be coal. No leather. I'm sad that I don't smell like coal and licorice in leather, but at least I smell very tasty.

 

Update: Saw it being offered as a 2013 Yule and jumped on that like nobodies business. 2013 version is still awesome, a foodie scent for those that don't like foodie scents. <3 The licorice note that had dissipated in my 2008 imp is lightly here, as well as a strong leather backing note melding with the slightly less strong but still delish gaufrette. LOVE THIS.

Edited December 27, 2013 by Allumina

[ljaylh]

Well poo. In the bottle, this smells all rich and delicious but when it hits my skin.. not so great. The leather is the most predominant note, but it's not a nice musky leather - it's a sharp and bitter leather. I'm getting none of the sweet vanilla licorice that other reviewers have mentioned.. darn it.. that's what I was hoping for most of all. Really I'm just getting the leather, maybe some of the coal and dust. It's not unpleasant or nasty smelling at all - it's just not what I was hoping for.

 

I'll test it again later to see if I get a different result, but unless the licorice comes out to play then I think Mr Fouettard will need to find a new home.

 

[hlemonds]

Wow, this is one interesting blend! I definitely like it, and will enjoy wearing it, but i will probably NOT be wearing it, say, to the library for the childrens' story hour i run, lol. On the top i definitely get sweet (slightly buttery) licorice cookies, but underneath there is a very dark and sinister smoky leather that makes this blend so unusual! The throw is primarily the warm sweet cookies, with the coal and leather hiding underneath. But close to the skin the leather (and coal, whoa!) are much more potent, enough so that huffing my arm kind of tickles my nose and throat (i'm guessing that's the coal dust). I'll definitely be keeping my bottle, and i for sure want DH to try this too, his skin loves leather! But this bottle should last a good long time

[Schmoozy]

Leather sugar cookies. It's almost like Krampus and Sugar cookie got together and did the 'ole bump & grind.

I love it. Very odd combination, but on my hubby it smells fabulous. Like I just caught him snarfling cookies.

I detect no licorice whatsoever.

Edited November 3, 2009 by Schmoozy

[iletaitunefois]

Every so often, notes just go horrifically awful on me. Some yummy foodie scents, in particular, turn into a particularly repulsive plastic.

 

I'm still kind of hmmm-ing about this blend, I'll admit. I was extremely happy to receive an imp from a fellow forumite a few days ago. I adore black licorice, and I have heard that this is THE black licorice blend, so...match made in heaven, right? Not quite. I honestly get barely any licorice from this at all, on me or in the bottle.

 

Wet in the imp, this smelled sort of like butter cookies on a plastic tray.

Wet on my skin, it warped into something even worse--butter cookies at the DENTIST'S OFFICE! Something slightly minty along with the smell of sealant. Gross.

 

As it dried, though, it did get better. After 5-10 minutes, I got butter cookie with a very slight amount of licorice. I think I like it, but whether it's worth the trip to the dentist remains to be seen...

[loladae]

I was really lucky to be able to try this. There's definitely leather and cookies which certainly makes a licorice vibe. later on the dry down they are less like two entities and more like licorice and leather. It sounds weird but I assure you they complement each other very well. To me this compares to Liz which is smoky vanilla and lighter. I like this one a lot better, unfortunately as I'v never smelled a BPAL blend like it.

[fairnymph]

Sweet and foody! Slightly buttery, caramel-y rich cake (gauffrete, really!) and a bit of De Sade-style sharp powdery leather. There is something here that could be coal dust...a stony sort of note that I quite like, but I'm not detecting any licorice.

 

More leather, and the licorice comes out in force immediately. This also turns to a darker sort of foody, caramelized sugar, like the topping of creme brulee, less buttery cakey (although the butter note is still there and reminds me of movie popcorn - it's actually quite a nice foody note, not too sweet or heavy. There's also a creaminess to this blend which tempers the sharpness of the leather. The licorice is now the strongest note, followed by the gaufrette, then leather, then barely detectable coal dust.

 

Ugh, the leather is amping, and its sharp chemical-powder is clashing with the still-a-tad buttery caramel cake in a most nauseating way. The still strong licorice - never a note I like in perfume - doesn't help either. And it's definitely LICORICE, not anise or fennel. I am getting a bit more coal dust, which to me smells a bit like vetiver and crushed stone - an interesting and not unpleasant mix, but overwhelmed here. The leather note here and overall feel of this blend reminds me a great deal of Spanked.

 

Doesn't seem to be morphing anymore - the leather is now in command, much as it is in the drydown of Spanked, followed by strong black licorice, and then shortly thereafter a rich caramel cake note that stays true on my skin (no weird mustiness or plastic, but it's still much too foody for me), and then a little gritty vetiver and soft stone dust to round things out - an interesting and relatively unisex blend with great throw and good longevity.