The Dead Hour of the Night

[Failmingo]

Mist-shrouded pine and moonflower creeping over flaccid opium poppies.

One of the best things about this Tell-Tale Heart collection is that each of the scents really do paint a picture of the exact scenario described, covering a wide base of moods and private horrors within one person's swift descent into madness. The palette of each blend includes flashes and colors and characterizations that set it apart from the others, but they're definitely all part of the same story.

I'm a sucker for a pine scent and am wild for Black Forest, so I was very curious about this one.

Whereas most of the collection depicts the character's internal state, this one is a reminder of the story's setting. As such, it is a bit smoother and more calm, though the pine note reaches upward in a way that communicates the rising dread of being awake and alone late at night. That piney nerve-jangle consistently pokes through the blanket of mist and dark flower base notes.

In the bottle, all I get is the pine -- not the dry scruffy pine of "This Is Our Wilderness," more like the damp juicy pine of Black Forest.

Within a few minutes on the skin, the poppy and moonflower and mist have all risen to cloak the pine, just as in the description, creating a landscape where the only dominant effect is darkness. So, if you're worried about smelling like a Christmas tree, this one shouldn't be a problem for you. (That comes later, with the Yule update!)

Whereas Black Forest dries down to a sweet black musk, I can tell already that I'm going to be left with a gentle whiff of opium as this evaporates.

[dementia_divine]

In the decant: A very realistic pine.

 

Wet: Pine backed by florals. I'm not sure if it is the moonflower, opium poppy, or both. Although the pine note is currently the dominant, the florals in this are quite strong. I think I'm getting the poppy and not the moonflower, but I could be wrong.

 

Dry: The pine really does smell like it is enshrouded in mist. The florals have softened around the edges, but still remain rather strong. The pine also seems somewhat sweeter to me during this phase. It's not a menacing pine, although sometimes it does feel like it is trying to reach up through the florals, as Failmingo noted above.

 

Verdict: I do think this one fits the description. I don't feel the need to obtain more of it, as I guess I prefer my pine notes without florals, but it is nice. I'm glad I was able to try it.

[zankoku_zen]

Moonflower, opium poppies, and a touch of pine. This one is ghostly, opium poppies. I am oddly enjoying this blend. Medium throw and wear length.

[LizziesLuck]

Wet: Blarg! So much cat-pee-pine!! I hike in the woods almost every day. I LOVE trees. Pine - why you always gotta do me like that?? YUCK.

 

 

Dry: An hour later, the cat pee is gone, to be replaced by soapy opium poppy. This scent was doomed on me from the start. *sigh*.

[lady_pandora]

I bought this based on Haute Macabre's review comparing it to running across the moors in a gothic novel! I'm glad I did--this one works out pretty well on me.

 

The pine comes out first and is sort of a cleaning-products blast in the early going, but the other notes come in to balance it out before too long. Opium usually works well on me and it does here too, a soft floral-incense cloud that I imagine as purple, and then the higher-pitched moonflower luminous and cold in the background. The pine isn't dominant anymore but sticks around to ground the blend.

 

This reminds me somewhat of the "full moon night in the woods" feel of HM's Esbat, and I may deathmatch them at some point. But I think there will definitely be moods where I want this.

[freyasfae]

The pine in this doesn't have that cleaning liquid scent to me, which is great. I think the mist and other notes keep it from going there - instead, for me, combined with the opium it has a very languid effect, but like a languid of cold nights, deep in the forest, like a dark fae - yes, this to me is the scent of the unseelie court.

[joopjoop]

First of all, how awesome is "The Dead Hour of the Night" as a name for a scent? I know BPAL has a lot of cool and crazy names, but "The Dead Hour of the Night" is just plain badass. I want to tell people what I am wearing. Ahem. So I'm already predisposed to like this, and I am really hoping the moonflower shines through in this blend.

 

So in the decant and wet it is all pine pine piney pine pine on me. And to be honest it is overpowering - I can't smell anything else.

 

As it dries down the pine calms down a little bit and I can smell the moonflower, and if I really look for it, the opium. The pine is still dominant note, however, and while it is a much nicer pine now - and with the other notes it is a little misty even - I'm not sure how I feel about that.

 

Much later, when this is fully dry, the pine and the moonflower are in harmony and this emerges as a really beautiful haunting scent. I can just smell the opium at this point, if I concentrate - but it is barely a trace. It does smell like a moonlit night. Very true to its name. Romantic - this would fit in with the Crimson Peak line well - it is pine and moonflower, instead of lavender and moonflower like Lullaby.

 

I really love where this ends up, but I'm not sure if I am willing to go through the intense pine phase at the start. Hmm, decisions.

Edited February 5, 2018 by joopjoop