Mabel

[annemathematics]

Mabel Loomis Todd is probably best known as the first editor of Emily Dickinsons poetry and editor of publications of Dickinsons posthumous works. She was also a fearless and experienced adventuress, eclipse chaser and astronomer, and trekked over the globe locating unobscured sites to witness solar eclipses. She published Total Eclipses of the Sun in 1894, a list of past and future total solar eclipses, and recorded her experiences in her travels through painting and journals.

Rose-tinted amber, golden chypre, ambergris, tobacco leaf, and clove.

mostly a strong ambergris/tobacco combo, similar to Hag Grey hair gloss, only the tobacco is louder and grittier, enhanced by the spicy sidekick of clove. while I do get some rose in the bottle and when first applied, the floral sweetness vanishes during drydown and I'm left with something strong, dark and authoritative. powerful stuff!

 

 

eta, after 5 days of settling, this dries down to a dark rich ambergris-focused perfume. the rose amber feels more emollient in spirit and the tobacco clove lend a dark gritty edge to the ambergris: aka ambergrit?

Edited August 21, 2017 by annemathematics

[patina]

This is my favorite of the eclipse scents I've tried. The golden chypre and clove along with the tobacco give it an early autumn feeling. In fact, I'd say this would fit right in with the Weenies fall collection.

Similar to In the Time of Plague (if that was the one with the clove tobacco and roses.) This is smoother if I remember correctly.

 

Edit: after testing: I do get amping rose, tobacco, clove from both. My skin must be doing that. However, Mabel is perfumy and smooth while In the Time of Plague has big nasty rough dark wooden teeth. They do have a very similar edge to the throw though.

Edited September 14, 2017 by patina

[Chatoyant]

Complex tobacco and clove with golden resins - @patina, I'm going to have to cagematch it with In Time of Plague!

[LizziesLuck]

This was the only blind bottle from this series for me - I can't even tell you exactly why, this one just spoke to me.

 

 

Wet: Wow, that's gorgeous. Very perfumey (in a good way) and feminine. Amber, ambergris and chypre are the main notes on me, with the faintest hints of smoky clove and tobacco. I don't think I get any rose, which I am OK with (it often steals the show). As always with a strong chypre, this is so much more than the some of its parts. Oooh, I am glad I got this! I had doubts right after I ordered, as I bought it in haste and then really couldn't decide WHY, based on the notes, but this is so different from anything I have, and truly gorgeous, I must have just had a brilliant psychic moment when I picked it.

 

Dry: I really wish I could do this scent justice in my description of it, but it's just so difficult to describe, as none of the notes are prominent, it is so well blended, and so much more than the sum of it's parts. The feeling of it starts with sweet and perfumey amber, but it's so much more than that. The chypre is really something special in this. Either the ambergris, or a component of the chypre makes this musky in a way I adore. The tobacco is so faint, but I can just barely pick it out. It's almost like a cross between tobacco and tobacco flower. This is beautiful, feminine and sophisticated on me. So glad I got a bottle.

[writergal969]

I split a bottle with someone mostly because my first dog was named Mabel and I miss her like crazy. I know that doesn't make sense since the notes don't really remind me of my doggo, buuuuut I'm glad I did it

 

First off, I don't usually like most of these notes...Rose-tinted amber, golden chypre, ambergris, tobacco leaf, and clove...but the chypre got my attention. Clove is usually a nope for me, as is tobacco as I amp them. I'm pretty on the fence about ambergris as well.

 

When I put this on wet, I smell like someone's sophisticated granny. It doesn't go into powdery sharp granny-mode but it gets damn close and I was definitely worried for a few minutes there.

 

On drydown, I'm getting a little more rose and tobacco. Touch of rosy amber.

 

About an hour later, this is absolutely lovely. I can smell pretty much everything but the ambergris. I'm getting a soft rosy amber that neither goes powdery like some ambers or sharp like some roses, a hint of warm tobacco, and the clove isn't coming off as a roundhouse kick to the face like usual...it's mostly just a spicy background note. It may be a 'mature' scent, but I wouldn't call it 'granny-like' anymore. It's sophisticated and warm and pretty perfect for fall.

 

I may have to find another half bottle...

Edited September 13, 2017 by Happicuppa

[zankoku_zen]

UGH, this has the same clove/tobacco base that Voodoo Queen does but I get more amber, rose, and a touch of chypre on it. But oh yeah, this is lovely. It's that clove/tobacco leaf base that I love though. Medium throw, great wear length.

 

And while lovely to smell, do not get this on your finger tips and then attempt to eat the cookie. I tasted more of the chypre than I smelled on my skin. Let's just say chypre was not made to be tasted.

[Jenjin]

Mabel is mysterious in a way, the opening is long, like a multi-dimensional opera of all the beautiful notes. It is exceedingly elegant, all the woods, luxurious ambergris and delicate rose amber coming together in haunting seduction. It transports me to a room filled with shining antiques, melancholy romance and all nice things, beautifully scented ladies and vintage perfume salons. The chypre keeps the amber in check, and it never leans powdery and continues to glow. It is wistful, uniquely magical and a MUST HAVE.

[roseus]

Wet this was slightly vegetal. I was told jalepeno and couldn't shake that idea for a while. Dry it's a sweet tobacco and ambergris scent. It is basically Hag Grey in perfume form on me.

[MischiefofRats]

Hello, Hag Grey. You've added a little rose and a touch of golden warmth, but that's definitely you, in perfume form.

 

Honestly, my only regret is only buying two bottles. I wish I'd bought a third. This is beyond lovely--Hag Grey was my hands-down favorite last year and I was ready to beg for it in perfume form. I'm so glad I got this!

[djnevermore]

Jenjin's review steals the words out of my mouth. Also, the comments of it being incredibly well blended. I cannot pick out individual notes at all, and probably wouldn't have guessed any correctly. It's sophisticated, elegant, commanding but not brash, drop-dead gorgeous. I've not tried hag grey (but probably need to now!). This reminds of Hesiod's Phoenix.

Edit: this amber does not go powdery on me.

Edited January 6, 2018 by djnevermore

[velvet]

I love every other note in this blend but Chypre... is a no FOREVER. This does not sit well with me. It is wash-off-bad. It's one of those scents the gets stuck in my nose and I can't get out. It's metallic and floral and overpowering AND powdery.

[forspecial_plate]

This smells very pleasant but it smells like an atmosphere scent and not a perfume for me. Like a candle or room spray. I'm blaming the ambergris and I'm starting to think it's a note I should just avoid altogether.

 

I might possibly wear this in the fall when the weather turns cooler.