The Ta-Ta

[stellans]

Boiled leather, carnation blossom, coffee absolute, and tobacco.

 

To say I was looking forward to this blend is an understatement; from the notes listed, this should have been perfect for me. To say I'm disappointed when applying this for the first time this morning is a massively wild understatement, because on me? Men's cologne. Only after dry-down, and at almost the end of its presence do I even smell anything else, and that 'something else' isn't even leather - it's coffee! Argh.

[AnnabelleLee]

In the decant: coffee with a hint of tobacco

Wet on skin: I smell leather but not the medinal type with spice from the carnation.

dry and after a while: the carnation becomes stronger.

Overall: I really like this scent! It has some of my favorite notes and it's very well blended. It's subtle on my skin and I can smell it for a couple of hours.

Goes to my bottle wish list!

[kelpsoda]

Wet: Leather. with carnation? Maybe that's just wishful thinking.

 

Dry: Leather, leather, leather. All I get - maybe I amp it? Wish I got more of a coffee scent.

[tinyvulture]

At first, this is all spicy carnation. It’s like Pink Moon ’07 but with less throw. Soon, the leather appears. Then, faint tobacco and coffee notes, which don’t stick around very long. I like how the feminine carnation and masculine leather play off each other. Really interesting combination.

[ami226]

On the skin: Coffee and leather with a hint of floral and sweet tobacco. An interesting scent. I can't think of any other scents that quite compare. Maybe Bachelor's Dog?

 

It's actually kind of a light scent. I was definitely expecting something... stronger.

[Alshneato]

This has no notes that appeal to me- I received a decant as a frimp, so I smelled it. I am surprised that it isn't turning me off and grossing me out the way I thought it would!! Pretty god pretty good.

[joyfulgirl]

i have a major love for all things leather and after reading the reviews, was excited to check this one out. my sweetie got me a bottle for christmas and i was so excited to try it out today!

 

in the bottle: cigars.

 

wet: wet cigars.

 

dry: just now starting to get a LITTLE bit of coffee and the occasional whiff of carnation, but mostly...cigars. not a sniff of leather to be had.

 

verdict: i am so disappointed. i am not sure if it is the specific bottle i got or my chemistry or my sniffer or what, but i just feel like i've been sitting in a cigar bar. the good news is: it's already fading after only 2 hours of wearing it, so at least i won't smell like tobacco all day. so sad

[Suusje]

Carnation and coffee aren't showing up on me, it's all leather and tobacco and I love it! And it's pretty smooth on me, not at all harsh.

[filigree_shadow]

Smells like leather and tobacco on me. Hint of coffee. Nice, but definitely masculine. My husband is a fiend for BPAL's leather notes, and he wears scents like this a lot... which is very likely why this smells definitely masculine to me. Doesn't smell like me at all -- smells like my husband. I will pass the decant over to him.

[neoncas]

Wow! I am so glad I took a chance and ordered a bottle unsniffed. This is a great scent for me. I get the carnation, some leather, and lots of strong coffee.

 

When I wore it to work the scent stayed pretty strong throughout the whole day.

[Invidiana]

I definitely see the similarity to The Arabian Dance here, especially with the leather and coffee which are the two dominant notes on me. Surprisingly this isn't very carnationy on my skin, and I often tend to amp the unholy carnation of doom but it manages to stay subdued. At first I thought it was that which was adding a bit of sweetness, but then realized it was the tobacco, most kinds of which manage to take on an almost caramelly quality on my skin, but there mustn't be that much of it because it's only a tinge of sweetness under the leather and coffee. This isn't unpleasant but I much prefer The Arabian Dance for its additional sweet elements which tone down the masculinity of the leather and coffee that really amps in this one.

Edited January 24, 2012 by Invidiana

[ajansuz]

In the bottle for me this is mostly heavy leather with a spicy, almost peppery note and sweet tobacco leaf. No sign of coffee, which is OK by me. I like the scent of coffee. I don't particularly want to smell *like* coffee, and it's not a note my body amps.

 

Wet: Strong leather, like a favorite pair of older boots, not fresh leather. Carnation! Tobacco! And something that makes me think of tonka, a little dry, almost vanilla-y without being that foody or plastic vanilla.

 

Dry down is when this totally shines on me. It's gorgeous well worn leather, spicy carnation, and sweet tobacco. My husband always comments when I'm wearing this. "You've got that spicy one on again. I love it." And I do find myself wearing this one a lot. I get complimented in it a lot. It's not a sexy scent, IMO, but a very confident, comfortable, in-your-own-skin scent. Throw is good and duration is really good. Once it finishes morphing, it stays true for hours. The coffee never did show up for me, and I've never had anyone else point out the coffee note in it, although a few have mentioned leather or carnations.

 

I have looked and looked through BPAL for a good perfume where the carnation shines and doesn't fade or disappoint. This is it for me.

[bpalscentsual]

Interestingly enough, this went on me like evil bubble gum. I think it must be the sweet spiciness of the carnation. Wearing it, I get a hint of coffee and leather, but mostly carnation and tobacco. I'm starting to suspect that I amp tobacco to high heaven, and the carnation is... strange.

I'll have to wait and see how this performs during the day, but I have to say that I'm happy with the partial that I have.

[Mechanical Death]

*sobs*

 

I was so looking forward to this. It sounded so good! I love carnation, I love love LOVE Beth's leather notes, and the sweet and smoky tobacco is just deadly and sexy on my skin in every other blends. I was desperately hoping this would be a yummy sexy coffee. It just turned to mud though. Blugh!

 

No sexy coffee for me

 

Swaps. *cries* off to find another coffee blend. Maybe something with some cream and sugar this time.

[brilliantcat]

Imp: Tobacco and coffee.

 

Wet: I smell just like I did when I hung at this little coffee shop my friends ran when I was just out of high school. Chain-smoking and lattes with a hint of the leather jacket I used to steal from my boyfriend. Mmm.

 

Dry: Smoky sweet tobacco with a hefty dose of leather and just a hint of coffee. I think I need to find a bottle of this.

 

ETA: On my retest quest of testers I've had laying around for ages but couldn't decide if I *needed* a bottle, I revisted this blend. Aging seems to have smoothed the coffee note right out of here altogether It's now primarily tobacco, which is a note I thought I loved but discovered I needed in moderation as it can quickly go too sweet and end up nauseating. I also get spicy floral carnation and leather. It's still a lovely scent with notes I enjoy but it also seems to make me a bit sneezy. I think I have plenty of spicy leather scents and sadly don't need this one. If that coffee had persisted, I'd be on the hunt though

Edited December 24, 2013 by brilliantcat

[Magycmyste]

In the bottle: Dark leather and/or tobacco, and sweet coffee.

 

Wet on skin: Leather and/or tobacco and coffee, softened by the carnation. The leather and the tobacco are blending together beautifully here, so it's like I'm smelling one note that could be either of them.

 

Dried down: The leather is much more prominent now, dusted with tobacco. The coffee is still there, but it's a faint note in the background, like a whiff of coffee that has been finished, instead of right in front of you. I'm not really getting the carnation at the moment. This is someone wearing a leather jacket, who works in a tobacco shop, and has just finished their morning coffee.

 

Throw: Not a whole lot, but I think I'm ok with that, as tobacco can be a little overwhelming for me if it gets too strong.

 

Verdict: **** I'm very glad I have a bottle of this. I think I like Arabian Dance and Und Wir Dachten der Toten better for coffee scents, as in this one, the coffee fades rather quickly, but I like the leather/tobacco combination in this one. I'm starting to develop an appreciation for certain types of tobacco scents, the more sweet and fragrant ones - it adds a sophisticated edge. (Cigarette smoke and tobacco, though. Nuh-uh. Not for me.)

[aquazoo]

Boozy, then butterscotch candy. Then I get the leather. It’s warm and fuzzy.

[Coldfire]

Decant: coffee and carnation
Wet on Me: coffee, carnation and the faintest trace of leather
Drying Down: mmmmmm leather. and hints of tobacco. the carnation has left the building and the coffee went into hiding
Dry: leather coffee fabulousness! This is so many kinds of good. I'm huffin my wrist like a junkie needing a fix.

[LizziesLuck]

I love the name of this, and the label art so much!

 

 

Wet: Mmmfg, coffee and tobacco and everything good in the world. Reminds me of Pinched with Four Aces. This is some good stuff. The leather comes through a bit. The carnation adds some sweetness and spice (along with the tobacco) and keeps this from being too masculine for me. Oh gosh that coffee note is so good!! Coffee and tobacco together make me so happy (in life, and in scents, lol).

 

 

Dry: fantastic. In the same vein as Pinched, and also slightly reminiscent of Arabian Dance. A classic. Glad I found some!

[Lucchesa]

The Ta-Ta features four of my favorite notes, and I was very excited to be gifted some. At first, all I got was soft, warm leather and soft warm tobacco, seamlessly melded. And that is just fine with me -- it was beautiful in that wet stage, cozy and unisex. It took about an hour for this to develop and for the carnation to bloom on my skin. Leather, tobacco, spicy carnation -- not quite Spanked Revisited, one of my top ten, but up there. Really, really good. I never got a lot of coffee, and in another hour it was mostly gone, but this is well worth reapplying.