The Legerdemain

[JMorgynWhite]

The twilight in between the stage performer and the Magus; the sleight of hand trick transforms into true sorcerous skill: black silken musk, dark clove, guiac wood, black pepper, frankincense, and cardamom.

Herbal wood-spice and a little soapy. Turns into more soap-with a funky wet wood underlying. Some mineral like wet stone and a little alcohol like sniffing an herbal liquor. It’s the funkiness I don’t like, while I can imagine that might be exactly the perfect scent for someone else. It’s not my thing. I expect the funk comes from the clove/cardamom blend. I like both those spices on their own but obviously not together.

[Lucchesa]

The Legerdemain is one of the few BPALs where I really feel like I can make out all the notes - maybe even the elusive black pepper note I seem to be anosmic to. First I get lemony black musk, then wood and dry frankincense appear with the clove and cardamom and a bit of bite that may be pepper. But this is primarily a black musk blend on me, with the frank and wood and spices playing backup, and it's lovely, though it seems more suited to fall/winter. It wears close to the skin (which is usual for me) and is just about gone three hours after application.

[Darkersolstice]

Wow, this is wonderfully dark and mysterious on my skin. Like, individual notes are not easy for me to identify here. Cardamom and...spice drawer...and musk? Musk, sure. But I love how there's nothing in here that I amp to a hellacious sweetness, and this just ends up being wonderfully deep spice. This is not something I'd wear on my femme-presenting days, and I think a lot of people will read it masculine overall. But goddamn, I am loving it for the office.

[zankoku_zen]

Black pepper, cardamom/clove and musky leather. This is masculine. It's a piratey-version of a Magician blend if you ask me. The pepper and cardamom/clove are very present. Great throw and wear length.

[Aveya]

Source: Decant circle

Preconceptions: I love clove. I love cardamom. I love spices. Black musk has been amazing and horrible. Wood of any kind could go #2 pencil. Frankincense is a weirdo to me. I'm expecting a general spicy weirdo scent.

 

Vial: Heya weirdo! You smell funky. Like, dirty damp maybe moldy funky. I'm going to put you on my flesh though.

Skin: Sorta like, freshly moistened dirty socks. ... Cool.

Drydown: Eases out of gross sweat socks and into a much lovelier scent. Musky is dominant, very very very musky. The spices tend to lend to the animalistic dark gritty edge and come across less as dominant notes. It's almost leather or dirty skin musk. Sexy in a really gritty way.

 

I think this will be a hit for some. Dark, brooding, gritty, but warm. First-take masculine, but is really very non-binary. Comes across as strong and powerful - could be wicked delicious on the right person.

[bheansidhe]

Wet, this is a deep, austere incense over gritty musk. The cardamom-clove-pepper mix smells rich and toasty-bitter (in the way that roasted chicory coffee is bitter), not gourmand or foody. Unfortunately, black musk usually smells like scorched hair on me, so this is not a chemistry win.

 

The drydown is a spicy incense blend with a meditative quality, like silence at dusk. I agree it starts off rather harsh and masculine (not cologny), but the finish is gender-neutral.

 

I have other incense blends that work better for me, but this one is definitely worth trying if you play well with black musk.

Edited June 6, 2018 by bheansidhe

[VetchVesper]

The dry down of this is almost identical to All That I Possess on me. Soft, dusty amber, wood, and clove. Masculine and beautiful.

 

The beginning is a bit different though. The nose itchy tingle of pepper and clove is very strong in this at first, along with a green bite from the cardamom, and I worried this would become a strait up spice cabinet on me, but everything blended down very quickly, and the cardamom smoothed out and hid itself. A bit of an animalic note surfaces, a bit like oude. I don't know if it's the wood or the musk, but it smells like old house, or an old room that needs to be aired. That passes, and then I get the lovely ATIP vibe. I'm considering a bottle. I think this one will age nicely too.

[annemathematics]

spicy musky deliciousness with my favorite bpal frankincense at the base. love this. the first time I tested my magician decants, this scent kept wafting out at me and making me mash my nose in my wrist and huff like it was the air i needed to keep on living. fits me like the perfect little black dress. a 2018 favorite. gracias, beth!