Tenochtitlan

[anna1850]

The greatest of all Aztec cities, and capital of their empire. Amber, hyssop, coriander, epazote, Mexican sage, prickly pear and Mexican tulip poppy.

Strange mix of smells that I can't quite place. Slightly soapy but not very floral. It almost smells like there's pepper in this but I know there isn't.

2.5/5 Not bad but kind of 'meh.'

[Suu4LC]

Oh wow, this is really pretty-rich resinous flowers and dark fruits-a bit sweet, but not sugary sweet and with a smattering of spices.

 

I really don't know how to describe this very well-it reminds me a bit of Lune Noire for some reason, though they have nothing in common A rich, dark fruity floral with a Southwestern flair. Absolutely gorgeous!

 

Yep, for some reason this to me is like a Southwestern Lune Noire. Again, I don't know why my brain/nose is making that comparison, but it is. This is a really gorgeous blend-it's hard to review because it's hard to describe, but it is definitely something I could see myself grabbing a bottle of one day.

[sarajane]

Herby pear blend. Beautifully crafted, as always, but not really me.

[heathercaley]

This is such a pretty slightly fruity incense blend. Not too fruity though, which is perfect because sometimes the fruit can be a little food foodie for me. It's almost just the natural sugar juice from the fruit used to soften the poppy which presents itself as the floral in the highground. The sage is lovely too. It's not too powerful at all, it's just making things a little bit herbal. The amber is the dominate but underneath it all, almost holding it up.

 

 

'ees purdy

 

 

eta: spelled "too" wrong...

Edited August 8, 2009 by Purrsnikety

[azurelunatic]

My first impression was the sort of harmonious massed collection of notes that hit you upon opening a large box of various incense, and that impression has stayed. It's dusty and sweet and I could sort of just inhale this and roll around in it all day.

 

I think it's the amber that I smell the strongest.

[Diva Urd]

In the imp, this smells of green, sweet fruit (it's not exactly pear as in the d'Anjou pears you pick up in the supermarket, but close) and herbs.

 

On me, it's pretty similar - green fruit with herbs. The background gets slightly powdery as it starts drying, probably due to the amber. Once it's dry, the herbs are pretty much done for, and I get sweet fruitiness and a bit of powder. Three hours later, only some faint fruit is left, but it's still pretty noticeable.

 

This wasn't bad at all, but I can't see myself reaching for it often. I'll probably use up the imp, though.

[angelicruin]

Inside the imp, it's light fruit and floral.

 

On my skin, fruit and green herbs. Goes a bit soapy on my skin the more it dries.

 

This doesn't make much of an impression on me.

 

 

[Balame]

In the Imp: Super juicy pear on top of a slightly green, refreshing background – probably a contribution from the sage.

 

Wet: Dang, this is good. I don’t normally like the idea of mixing spicy things with fruit, usually it bothers me and I end up thinking scents should be one way or the other. Either ripe and succulent or flavorful with a bit of pizzazz. But this is a fun union. I’m getting more of the hyssop’s bite but it’s still mixing with the sweet pear, and there’s even something of a floral in here. I’m guessing the tulip? Even with all that’s going on, it’s not overwhelming. To the contrary this is light and conjures a carefree feeling. Like you’re in the desert and yet you’re sitting on a beach chair with all these servants attending you and serving yummy drinks!

 

Dry: Pretty much the same, the throw isn’t as strong of course but the notes haven’t morphed or lost their prominence. It’s a soft smell, and to me, a “vacation” smell. It almost reminds me of an island due to the fruitiness and gentle suggestion of wildflowers.

 

Verdict: Very nice. It would’ve been interesting to pick up more of the herbal notes such as coriander, but overall I enjoyed this a lot. It’s gorgeous, and yet I feel it isn’t me… a bit too delicate, and dessert-like? Be great to get a sniff on someone else though.

 

Rating: 3/5

 

[impolight]

:::TENOCHTITLAN:::

 

WOW! Tenochtitlan is kind of like a portal to another time, another place... A true form of wanderlust!

Tenochtitlan is remniscent of a lush, primieval kingdom; predating mankind's most elaborate fantasies of ancient civilization and it's accompanying vanities.

Tenochtitlan smells humid... This is the pearlescent drapery of tropical mists, snagging in treetops and kissing Bromelaids. This is the kind of sweet that will have your eyelids fluttering lepidopterically...

There is a resinous spiciness shifting around in Tenochtitlan that seems to have origins of unfamiliar, exotic spices ground into a powder and folded into an admixture of Amazonian honey, nectars, and saps...Tenochtitlan is the leaves of uncertain wattage, the chorus of fiery-eyed simians, and tree-frogs vibrant enough to make a 96 count bix of Crayolas weep...

On the skin, Tenochtitlan wars, darkens, dusks... The incensey notes here take on a powdery caramel character of previously unplumbed mystery . There is also a Cinnamon that smolders, pops, and dances with embers...

Tenochtitlan is wild, exotic, exploratory... This would be right at home with a bodice-ripping version of one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's adventures of untammeled frontier.

Tenochtitlan is a surefire masterpiece.

Delirious on Him, sultry and beckoning on Her.

5/5!

[moon_lemming]

There's pear (not like, Bath & Body Works pear, but a sweet freshness) in the imp, along with some dry herbs and something that smells kind of sharp.

 

Okay, no, Tenochtitlan is not going to work on me. Aside from the fact that it's way too light, there is some sort of floral something -- I assume it's the poppy -- that is giving it a weird undertone. It is nice for a floral, as it smells like a flower and not detergent, but I think it's mixing with the amber (which is horrible on me) in a WRONG way. It's almost like the scent I associate with the Lab's lily note but not quite as detergenty. Just ~~off~~ enough that I don't want to wear it.

Edited March 19, 2010 by karen

[milica]

I don't know what is going on with this one on my skin, but I don't get any of the herbal/spicy notes, just amber with sickingly sweet pear and some florals that get stronger by the minute and eventualy stomp over everything except sweetnes. It seems that this scent is not for me, but I would have loved it if there was something herbal in it. Stupid skin.

Edited August 27, 2010 by milica

[AnyseLawsBray]

In vial: Pear, dull green & dusky-skinned.

Wet: Resinous, dry herbs and more pear. Sweet & sticky.

Dry: The hyssop and poppy leave a powdery dusting over the whole scent, and the spices (coriander, sage etc) spring for a little warmth. The pear is very present still, a sugary sweet base.

 

Verdict: I love the Aztec imagery! Carved stone, Mexican deserts & scrub, prickly pears growing with abandon... This is a great scent. Very unique, though at times I would catch a stray whiff & think "Christmas?!" The warming spices must have reminded me of cider. This would be a good go-to winter scent, on cold gray days you can imagine yourself exploring ancient ruins

[Helas]

Tenochtitlan is one of my stealth favourites. When I smelled it for the first time, I thought it was pleasant but forgettable. Now, two months later, I'm already scraping the bottom of my imp while most of my early favourites are still almost full. It's not the most mysterious or sophisticated scent, but it is unique, cute and addictive, and a crowd-pleaser to boot.

 

The dominant note on my skin is the prickly pear. Now I'm not a fan of the scent of pear as a perfume in general and the pear-containing BPAL blends that I've tried so far do nothing for me, but the pear note in Tenochtitlan is unique - tart and juicy with a definite tropical feel to it. The sage brings a dry, dusty herbal note to the blend that keeps the pear from becoming too candy-like, and the amber infuses it with a dose of sunshine and a feeling of antiquity. I'm not familiar with the other ingredients, but I definitely get a sense of overgrown tropical greenery, although it remains in the background.

 

It has a similar atmosphere to Machu Picchu (which makes sense) but with a stronger fruit note, while Machu Picchu emphasizes the greenery. I love them both but believe that Tenochtitlan may come out slightly on top for me at this time.

 

Four out of five stars.

[stellamaris]

I got this as a frimp with my Etsy order, and here now is my hopefully not lame review.

I looked at the name and thought ?????. In the imp and first on my skin it was green and I thought it was going to be very masculine, but then it turns peppery and incense/flowery, and dries down to a heavenly floral. This one is going on the list, while I can still spell it.

[zebracakes]

Age: 2011

Imp: Fuzzy, tangy fruits, slight spicing.

Wet on skin: Pear is dominant.

After 10 minute Dry down: A tuberose-like scent emerges from the pear that is buttery floral.

2.5 out of 5 stars.

Edited July 23, 2011 by zebracakes

[achromance]

In the vial: Ooh, the pear is very juicy! It's what I pick up the most, and everything else is overshadowed by it. The other notes are lurking about in the background, ready to seize the pear any given moment. And now I've given myself a funny mental image.

 

On my wrist: The intruding fuity sweetness makes way for a soft but spicy floral scent. The amber gives it a cream-like quality.

Tenochtitlan is a gorgeous juicy floral. It goes right to my favourites.

[jkfagtongpun]

This is not a scent I would have picked on my own because I don't know any of these plants, with the exception of coriander (which is shameful as I spent a lot of my chilhood in the US southwest). Luckily, though, it was a frimp in my latest BPAL order. I wasn't expecting much, I assumed it would be an unmemorable and perhaps too 'natural' scent for me.

 

Not at all! It's green and juicy, sweet and spicy, almost effervescent. On me, it smells like a juicier, fresher Blood Countess. Big bottle already on order! In fact, I think I need to put more on, RIGHT NOW!

 

Edited to add: received 5ml yesterday and OH MY GAWD, I love this more and more. It's definitely becoming a favourite. Yum. Yum. Yum.

Edited August 20, 2011 by trumpette

[vige]

forethought and blah blahs:

none

 

in the bottle/imp:

clean and a bit soapy

 

wet:

very clean and fruity. starting to smell the herbs coming in.

 

dry:

juicy, wet, clean and fruity, with a touch of green rounding it out.

 

overall opinion:

clean, bright and juicy, very interesting and well crafted.

 

verdict:

neutral.

this is most definitely worth testing since it's so interesting. i like it, but its not for me. swap!

[Drae]

This is one of the scents I was most excited to try when reading through the BPAL GC descriptions.

 

In the Imp: Sweet desert blooms. Very slight medicinal quality, but I really like it. It smells "sunny"

Wet on skin: Soapy like whoa! Flowers still at the forefront.

Drydown: The soap dissipates, and the spicy herbs begin to warm up the fresh florals. I adore the taste and smell of prickly pear (which, might I add is VERY different from regular pears for anyone unfamiliar) and I can only detect a small amount of them.

Dry: no more soap (yay!) and the amber is adding a nice woodsy resin to the mix (amber usually amps like crazy on me)

 

Verdict: A nicely balanced floral/herb/resin. Possibly a bottle in the future!

Aged imp update, 10 months later: I like this so much more now! Any soapiness is completely gone. The scent is a juicy floral with a touch of powdery amber to keep it from being too fruit juice-like.

Edited October 2, 2012 by Drae

[Cthulhuesque]

Tenochtitlan was one of the first imps I ordered from BPAL. It wasn't my favorite at the time, but it has grown on me.

 

In the imp: Amber, florals, and just a hint of something fruity... not a fresh, sparkling fruit scent, but a dark, borderline-overripe fruit.

 

Wet: Much the same as in the vial, but the floral notes become even more prominent. At first they are a bit overwhelming, like the type of scent that might give me a headache. I'm having trouble discerning the herbal notes (coriander and hyssop are nowhere to be found).

 

Drydown: The florals sort of mellow out and the whole scent feels lighter and greener, although I still can't detect the coriander, which is a bit of a disappointment.

 

Dry: The amber and the fruitiness have stuck around, although the fruit seems much lighter and sweeter once dry... almost edible, like prickly pear candy.

[ami226]

A sweet floral that isn't quite like any other floral I've smelled. It's a pretty, sweet, slightly green floral. I think I might need to try this one again. I just can't decide if I like it or not.

 

Later: This is just yummy! My SO doesn't like it too much, but I do! Nice and pleasantly spicy.

[BoneBone24]

Wet: Slightly spicy

 

Drydown: Light spice over what i can only describe as an herbal musk. Sweet glowing amber enters the mix and settles in as a top note.

 

Dry: Spiced pear, muffled amber, and smoky poppy. Warm and soft with a touch of green.

 

 

 

 

6.5 out of 10 bones

Edited June 21, 2013 by BoneBone24

[fufu_berry]

In the imp: Orale, epazote! I love the smell of this stuff - not sure how to describe it except that it has a kind of medicinal smell like I really like.

 

Wet: Mostly prickly pear fruit (we call them tunas in Spanish; not the fish though!). I love to eat it, but it has kind of a bubblegummy, light pink smell that I'm not super into. Really sweet.

 

Drydown: Still sweet prickly pear, but also some "fuzzy" notes from the sage peeking through.

 

Much later: Still a little sweet, but much more herbal and desert feeling. I like this, although the middle is a little sweet. It has great staying power; I might try layering it with something a little earthier to see what happens.

[Lethran]

In bottle: Strongly floral. The Amber is strong support for the tulip poppy. The herbs are third strongest, but well represented. I’m not familiar with some of the ingredients, so I can not tell you which is epazote and which prickly pear. The sage is lovely and the coriander goes well with the other herbal notes, with the hyssop giving it a hint of mint. It’s quite lovely and well suited to its concept. Wet: significantly more hyssop on the skin, to the point that it’s hyssop dominant with sage and poppy in close second. The herbs and plants come out beautifully as it warms, giving a Mexican brush sort of feel to it. I’m not hyssop’s biggest fan, but this is a gorgeous setting for it. Dry: It’s surprisingly rich on the dry down. The amber ends up dominant, and it does something lovely with the hyssop and either epazote and/or prickly pear.

[kythe]

Well, this was in my first BPAL order and I found out I amp florals and powder like nobody's business. Basically, the dreaded grandma perfume syndrome.

 

wet: A cross between grandma's powdery bathroom and scented Anthropologie candles.

 

drydown: Wow! It's really evoking summery warmth. Bubblegum, sage, earth, and some muggy warm air. Despite that I'm still getting half old-lady-bathroom.

 

30 min: Back to candles.

 

2 hours: Subtle now. It's transformed to a pleasant, juicy sweetness. Like a scented soap.

 

6 hours: A faint hint of that fruity scent.

 

Interesting but didn't work smoothly enough for me.