The Tumultuous Vultures of Stern Passion

[LiberAmoris]

Of such passion, I could form no estimate: sanguine red musk, red benzoin, wild plum, vetiver tar, and Indonesian patchouli beneath a still pool of sheer white musk and vanilla-gilded lily.

 

The Tumultuous Vultures of Stern Passion is such a wonderful surprise. I was seriously worried about the vetiver tar, because vetiver just doesn't do it for me, and 'vetiver tar' sounds like pretty strong vetiver. I can definitely smell it here, and for those who are really sensitive, it still may too much for them, but I personally think it's absolutely beautiful in this blend. It adds something rooty, earthy, green, almost citrusy...that comes down like a slender green spike through the other notes swimming around it.

 

The red musk is mellow here, with the benzoin adding a resiny, woodsy base. The patchouli is very subtle. The plum brings sweetness and a bit of tartness. The white musk and vanilla-ed lily add a lighter, floral layer that gives a lot of depth and complexity. At times I catch a phantom note of very faint leather and I'm not sure what could be causing that, but it's not at all unpleasant. The lily and vanilla actually come forward as I wear this one, peaking about an hour after application.

 

As with the other Ligeias I've tried, this feels like a classic, well-blended perfume that an Art Nouveau heroine would wear. I'll treasure my bottle.

[suki]

In The Bottle: It's rather strong, just from first sniff. My initial impression is one of BPALs passed: A mash-up of Crypt Queen and Mme Moriarty with some Haitian Vetiver tossed in for good measure. (This is somewhat typical for me, when a scent has a number of notes. The first impression winds up being something of a cacophony of impressions. It'll sort out, I'm sure.)

 

Wet On Skin: The sorting has begun. As the scent warms up on me, the vetiver mellows considerably and the plum and lily both make their presence a bit more obvious from their companions.

 

Dry Down: This has become what I had so wished Crypt Queen would be on me. It's basically taken the best part of CQ - the Plum and the Patchouli- and mingled them with resins to ground them and musks to sweeten them and created a stunning all-winter scent. Yes!

 

In All: Surprisingly low throw for such a heady scent. Still, I wouldn't slather until you see how it mixes their your own chemistry. Given the abundance of low-base notes in here, I'd say this is likely to age *very* well. I anticipate having this in heavy rotation throughout the winter, especially when I'm feeling all broody, like tromping around in the cold, grey world whilst listening to The Cure. Stern Passion shall be a perfect companion for such an outing, I feel certain.

 

[AmyO'Shields]

Oh dear. If there was no vetiver in this it would be perfect. The vetiver literally strangles poor white musk and lily who were just starting to make themselves known. Its a shame, the vetiver just doesn't behave (and it never will). Vetiver lovers rejoice!

 

I want to love this so badly. I can smell the perfume under the vetiver and it is heart achingly beautiful...maybe this will be the one vetiver blend i try to wear...hmmm.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Herb Girl

[Haltija]

This seriously is one of the most BEAUTIFUL scents I have smelled in a while. Sophisticated and rich but yet still a little uplifting. The lily keeps it still fresh while the patchouli and vetiver keep it dark. The plum keeps it sexy. But sadly the moment it dries I get extremely sad because it smells just like my Aunt's signature perfume and she passed around this time last year.

 

OH PLEASE MAKE MY EMOTIONS CHANGE BECAUSE I WANT TO LOVE THIS ON ME! I don't want to be sad and cry everytime I smell it.

[quickdrawkiddo]

I would have snatched up a full bottle of this unsniffed if it weren't for the white musk, which I have a complex (usually bad) relationship with. Usually it makes perfectly good scents go all musty and gross on me, but once in a blue moon I'll try a blend with white musk and it actually works. This one has so many other notes I like that I had to take a chance on a decant, and luckily it paid off. The white and red musks are both very subtle here -- I'm getting mostly plum with just a whiff of vetiver, musk, and vanilla in the background. I actually love red musk but I also tend to amp it pretty strongly so it's nice to find a red musk blend that's more balanced. I want to try it a couple more times and see if I need a full bottle, but I'll definitely use up the decant. So glad I took a chance on it!

[zankoku_zen]

I get plum, a metric ton of white lily, and hints of musk. As it dries, I get more of the red musk and a touch of patchouli. In general though, I went "Moonlit Plum is that you?" But it lacks the dreamy quality of MP. It's more of a perfume/musky sort of blend.

 

There's something slightly agitated about this. Lilies, plum, and musk.

[Magycmyste]

In the imp: Benzoin, plum, patchouli and a tinge of vanilla. This is sweet, but not overly sweet, something between a dried coconut husk and a not-too-sweet melon.

 

Wet on skin: Same as before. I can smell the vetiver tar darkening this in the background, but it's very slight.

 

Dried down: This is mostly a dusty patchouli-benzoin now.

 

Throw: Not much.

 

Verdict: *** This is pretty, but it doesn't really stand out to me. I'll pass.

[EphemeralFey]

In the imp: Musk, patchouli and a hint of floral sweetness. Very pretty!

 

On me: Initially patch and the vetiver tar. After a moment they tone down and the lilly comes to the forefront with the musk playing a nice backup. I think I am getting some of the sweetness from the plum, but thankfully it hasn't gone fruity sweet.

 

After a while: This has settled on a light lily musk scent with a very faint earthy note at the end.

 

Thoughts: Typically there is only one scent out of all the update decants that I order that really works on me, and this is the winner! Absolutely lovely blend and I am going to need to hunt out a bottle of this!

[thekittenkat]

In the decant: Vetiver and lily--this does not bode well.

 

Wet: Lily drowning in the white musk.

 

The dry-down: In the end the hints of red musk, vanilla, red benzoin, and wild plum team up to try and subdue the wild vetiver and wilder lily. It's a good try, as they keep the vetiver somewhat in check, but the lily, a note of doom, waves its hazy and heavy flowers about, making me long for its disappearance, which won't take place, alas!

[yakiguri]

Maybe it's because I'm still fighting off the last vestiges of a particularly nasty sinus infection, but I smell nothing here. There's a vague floral soapiness which I suppose is the lily, but nothing else. ARGH. I can smell the Lyonesse I have in the crook of my arm, so I have the sinking feeling that this is just how this blend is on my skin.

 

Hoping a looong stint in the aging box will help the other notes come out.

 

EDIT 11/28/15: Nope nope NOPE. I can smell it now, but it's a super high-pitched and powdery floral, and the white musk is making it even MORE screechy. I guess I'm adding lily and white musk to "NOPE can't wear these" notes list.

Edited November 29, 2015 by thatbrownelf

[Dark Alice]

This is the one that was NOT SUPPOSED TO WORK!! Lillies? HAHAHA? White musk... YEEAHHHH RIGHT!!! But it works!!! The lilies make a very brief appearance and then disappear! The musk takes over, the vetiver and plum dance this wild and beautiful jig on my skin and then BOOM! Gorgeous plummy musk! I love it.

[milo]

Vetiver and heady lily at first. I like this combo. The two opposites complement one another. After a bit, pickle juice and musky cologne with a touch of vetiver. Not for me after all...

[topazphoenix]

Based on the notes, I thought I'd be in love with this - I'm a huge lily fan (Tiger Lily, The Lilies and Languors of Virtue) - and the rest of the notes seem wonderful, but the vetiver tar adds a shrill, sharp hard edge to this one. I agree with zankuku_zen that there's something "slightly agitated" about this. After drydrown the vetiver seems to blend into the scent better, the white musk has become more prominent with age and I can smell the lily better as well. Unfortunately it is not enough to supply my lily fix. I would love this scent if the vetiver note disappeared completely.

[rayvn1]

This is weird, but I got...pickles? Almost all of the notes should have been a win for me, (I blame the lily) but this doesn't stay on my skin long and is exceptionally strange while it's on there.