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Almost Every Strange South Perfume Known To Man (an ungodly number of reviews) *PART 1*
HOLY COW, alright, so I’ll freely admit I love the shit out of this brand. So much so that I’ve been gradually collecting every scent they’ve put out into the world. I’ve wanted to make a massive review post for EVERY STRANGE SOUTH PERFUME EVER for like a year, and for a while I did have every perfume in their catalogue, but let myself get held up in waiting for new releases and long-ass TAT. That, combined with a tumultuous 2020, means this monster list is still missing a number of things - everything new from this year, to be specific. But with the big sale going on I figured it was time to compile my notes and unleash this beast for anyone looking for reviews. Annoyingly, they won't all fit into one convenient post, so this will be split into two parts. This part ends at the letter H! The scents are listed alphabetically (not counting instances of the word "the" at the start of a scent name). Just ctrl+F for what you’re looking for :) And yes, I know how bad it looks to start off where it does, but that’s alphabetical for ya! Final note: I don’t yet have a solid grasp on which carrier oil performs better between fractionated coconut or meadowfoam seed, or how subjective that is. That's a future experiment that remains to be seen. _____ 3 Witches in a Fir Tree Oleander accord, muddy leather boots, pokeberry-stained ivy rope, and fir needles.
Aaugh, this is reading as mildew. Getting mild berry and elements of the other notes but altogether this smells like a wet, mildewy coat. Eventually the pokeberry starts to remind me of certain berry-scented soaps but the mildew never goes away. Hurk.
_____ 300 Years Candle wax shrouded in dust, chilled earth, and brittle black fur.
Super smokey, less woodsmoke-y than Devil At The Crossroads but still pretty heavy. Candle wax does balance this out a bit and soon enough the candle note overtakes the grill. There is a dustiness to this, and overall it does smell old. Not sure about that “brittle black fur,” though…
_____ A Skull Where Her Face Had Been Old letters, moths nesting in a fur coat, lettuce, brandy, and bitter wind.
Papery, astringent, bitter, a hint of booze. Potent! Smells like paper heavily perfumed with bitter high end florals. Intrigued by “lettuce” as a note, especially because lettuce smells like almost nothing to me. Certainly getting no definitive lettuce here, but I can easily imagine it’s that note giving this a somewhat watery green flair. This scent is pale, mostly clean (brandy muddles this a bit), and cold, so watery-pale-green is a fitting descriptor. An interesting contrast in that this smells wispy, almost ghostly in character, but the scent itself is really strong with serious throw. This is a ghost that wants attention. Love the idea behind this one; it evokes decrepit, distant memory and mournful decay. The brandy is an afterthought for me but does give this a slash of warmth at the base.
_____ Abe Lincoln, Ancient Astronaut Expert Damp corners with boxes full of stained notebook paper. Burned out halogen bulbs, an otherworldly fog, and the remains of this morning's breakfast: cinnamon and sugar toast. Blended with our unique base, The Ancient One.
Doesn’t even need a review, the description captures it so well. A core of The Ancient One, added atmospherics of fog and wet paper, and yes, cinnamon sugar toast. I’m amazed at this one. Damp, atmospheric, doing that “spiced frog” thing I get from Ancient One, all with a touch of toasty sweetness. This is a treat for weirdos.
_____ The Ancient One Kentucky timber, cedar chips, cherrywood, amber, and lavender fougère.
What an interesting affect the lavender fougère and cedar is having on my nose… Backed by the amber and other woods, this smells strangely spiced (in an herbal way), wet, and slippery. I’m visualizing frogs?? Looking at the notes it all makes sense. Without that reference it’s weird and unearthly. It’s really cool and wearable even if not something I personally want to wear.
_____ And From the Strong Comes Sweet Honeycomb, peach syrup, galbanum, rice milk, and a lock of golden hair from the lion's mane.
Warm, honey-sweet, and what is striking me as a spicy bitter green - I guess that’s galbanum? The peach note is very faint, more like a background flavor of the honey rather than it’s own thing. This is strange and interesting, warm and smooth. What I think is the rice milk strengthens over time and that warm-sweet-smoothness is flavorful and comforting.
_____ Baby Shoes Upturned dirt, gasoline, powdered skin, smashed apricots, cream, and white musk.
Strong initial blast of realistic cream, baby powder, and white musk. Strangely enough I kinda like it despite how unappealing that sounds to me. Definitely getting that smooth gasoline I’m so very familiar with from TSS, which is playing bizarrely well with the cream. Gasoline strengthens very quickly but doesn’t overpower. Not getting much on the apricot front but there is a subtle fruitiness here. Same for the dirt, which is more of an underlying hint than a blatantly noticeable smell. All in all this is actually quite unsettling! Absolutely reminiscent of babies but there’s something not quite right with this child…
_____ Banshee's Holler Moonflower, wilted carnations, white musk, birch bark, and decaying leaves.
Vaguely smoky? Dank leaves and undergrowth, spicy carnation musk. At first I thought I was getting the clean white musk as advertised but no, this is much deeper to my nose… Which is likely just the way it’s mixing with the woody bark and such. Smells like a sexy, outdoorsy ghost. Only a few minutes in that “smoky” scent ebbs away along with some of the pungency of the vegetation. I would whine about this except what’s left is beautiful - a little paler, softer, and more ethereal. More floral centric too. Generally a bit closer to what I expected reading the notes. Only downside is this gets a little too pale much sooner than I’d like. Sinks to a very light skin scent after about an hour. While still pleasant, doesn’t quite have the oomph it previously did. I don’t mind reapplying scents but this would be frequent.
_____ Before the Drop Peppermint, green tea, marshmallow, heather, violet, and evening rain.
Inexplicably beautiful and weirdly familiar. I can’t figure this one out. It’s dusty, sweet but mild… Makes me think of opening the door to a dust closet (what my mom called the cupboard where she stashed the vacuum & broom) and taking a big whiff, then stepping outside to watch storm clouds rolling in, the air heavy with the scent of summer rain. And also there’s musty marshmallows?? Doesn’t sound great out loud but I LOVE this blend and these impressions are hitting me in the most positive way possible. I think the “dust” feel is what’s so nostalgic for me. Looking at the notes, some of it makes sense: can pick out just about everything and see where some notes are combining to make “musty” (matcha green tea + somewhat powdery violet + marshmallow), but altogether it’s still a nebulous, nameless atmospheric feeling of a perfume. It’s fantastic, perfect for summer, and totally bizarre. To me this has a petrichor feel even if it doesn’t have a direct petrichor smell. Doesn’t specifically read as floral to me but that becomes a little more apparent over time. Lasts like 8-10 hours.
Smells like wet dog! Even gets the hair grease scent right! That’s too damn bad because after ~30 minutes it actually smells nice: warm, a little nutty, vaguely good in a difficult to distinguish way, and no more dog. I just can’t disassociate wet dog at the start and that makes it tough to get a read on even after the dog has left.
_____ Black Cat Oil A tincture of bay leaves, sage, three catnip leaves, opoponax, Himalayan sea salt, and iron nails, with honey (vegan), patchouli, tuberose, orchid, clover, cinnamon, and skin musk.
For all that’s going on in here I don’t seem to be getting much. At first blast, pleasantly herbal and sweet. Light vegan honey and pungent white tuberose (not overbearing to me; blends in quite well). The tuberose chills out fairly quickly and now I smell greenery and clean skin with a light hint of flowers… and that’s kinda it. Wears very close to the skin, have to press my nose there to smell it. Reminds me of a very nice, unobtrusive hand cream.
_____ Black Widow Chocolate covered berries, bitter coffee, and dank bud.
Yes, the gang’s all here. The bud is clear but inoffensive; wearing this doesn’t make me reek of weed. This is a fresher shade of marijuana green, uplifted by the berries but grounded and sweetened with chocolate and coffee. Smells like a delicious snack. I’ve really come to admire the straight chocolate note TSS uses, it’s so dark and smooth and real. Everything blends together more thoroughly as this dries and the chocolate, once prominent, takes a backseat. Starting to get a bit blah with the berries popping out as the most noticeable note - I think my skin is eating this one. Much prefer the fresh wet stage over this dry down: wet, this is thicker, headier, and wonderfully unique/tasty; dry, on me it becomes a shadow of its former self. To counter this I dabbed some oil on my hoodie and I 1000% enjoyed the comforting, scrumptious cloud I sat in. For someone who dislikes pot IRL I think the bud is an excellent contributor.
_____ Blackout Layering note. “How much more black could this be? The answer is none. None more black.”
Spinal Tap reference! Mmm, the house blend Black Musk. It’s a good one, a lovely balance of what I like and dislike about various black musks: black, almost oily, with a strong thrum of that sweet, sticky, nearly coca-cola quality I can’t stand sometimes. This smells dangerous, like animalistic motor oil and coke. Dries down to a beautiful version of its wetter self with cacao-like hints of bitter dark chocolate replacing the syrupy coke-feel, but that makes it no less thick and viscous. Goes on strong and intensely potent, calms down to heavy but quite soft. Can see this will make a wonderful layering note that won’t drown out the scent you’re pairing it with. That’s a damn great black musk.
_____ Blood Layering note.
Wow, does that ever warm up on my skin! Heat really makes this blossom. Spicy (perhaps involving a dash of cinnamon?), resinous, deep red, and fruity the way dragon’s blood is. If dragon’s blood isn’t actually involved in this, I would never be able to tell. Getting a slight tangy sensation - not much, and not in the extra coppery, meaty way real blood is, but it does elevate the idea. More reminiscent of fake blood than real, but that doesn’t cheapen it. This is a fantasy blood accord, and it’s a vampy teen gothic romance. Very long lasting.
_____ Blood on the Moon Pine needles, frozen leaves, frankincense, crystallized honey (vegan), blood, and patchouli.
Icy and cold. Light honeyed frank without the expected warmth and a sinister backdrop of patch and blood. Almost dreary; winter approaches. This is autumn decay on the cusp of winter and could easily be the olfactory setting of a Poe story. Gorgeous. Still going 8+ hours later.
_____ Burning Rain of Death Damp wood and stone, ginger, pink peppercorn, cardamom, snuffed smoke, and wormwood.
Yet another blend that strangely reminds me of dogs at the outset, but at least this dog hair isn’t wet and smelly. That gently but quickly fades after a few minutes and the result is oh so pleasant. Everything is so well blended they melt into one another; all is soft and cozy. Ginger at the forefront, closely followed by peppercorn and cardamom and soft smoke. Wood and stone add depth and character. Wormwood may be the exception in that I either barely smell it or I simply don’t know what I’m looking for. Too cozy to associate with burning rain of death! Instead, yeah, a warm, snuggly dog. I’m picturing a golden retriever. Much later, wood, stone and smoke take the forefront and cool the scent down. So maybe the dog got up and left, but his presence lingers.
_____ Carrion Son Gasoline, blood, honeysuckle vines, swollen cranberries, and tobacco leaf.
Super tart cranberries. Honeysuckle, some greenery. Tobacco blooms after a minute or two. The cranberry hovers in the middle range instead of remaining on top, with the crisp tang lost to a more domineering tobacco. That is a fantastic development for me. Pretty sure I’m getting a hint of gasoline, but it’s a BG note for now. Same kind of gasoline smoothness as in Some Mother’s Boy. Blood is in there and it works especially well with the cranberry - the blood accord leans fruity, but that is offset enough by equally fruity berries to allow me to focus more on the BLOOD aspect. It’s pretty great. Aging has done beautiful things here and has amplified tobacco as the backbone of this scent.
Burnt sage is incredibly prominent, smelling singed and smoky. Altogether very herbal and fuzzy. The fruits are present but well hidden in the background, giving this a soft, plummy or deeply fruity base. Not sweet at all to me. Faintly floral in a way that compliments the greenery. Something in here prompts me to describe it as “herbal dust” but unsure if that’s due to the sage or another note. Fuzzy warmth spreads as this dries down and the fig shows its face a little more. After about 30 min the sage chills out enough to stop dominating. Soft, furry, herbal, lightly warm, and backed up by fig. A fresher kind of fig, not too thick and sweet and heady as I usually get. Can easily get a sense of warm cat fur after he’s been rolling around outside on a sunny day.
Soft Spanish moss swinging over a gently flowing bayou. This is a swampy aquatic without ever overdoing it on the swamp factor, nor does it remain too wet. Everything smells so delicate to me, light and refreshing and so reminiscent of this scenery, but at the same time never getting too real (real swamps have a funk factor). Mossy green, delicate floral, muddy water. And somehow that yellow cake is there with a dash of nutmeg to cozy it up and it just works. Struggling to describe this one: it’s as it says, but better. Light handed in scent but not a disappearing act. \(Sucreabeille Indie Marketplace exclusive)*
_____ Cold Season Chimney smoke, black ice, holly, pine, and petrichor.
That is some intense woodsmoke on top. For sure includes burning wood but luckily isn’t crazy BBQ. Behind that lies cold and pine and dark, icy nights. It takes some time but the woodsmoke does ease up, though it remains prominent. This smells just like a starless, frigid evening with smoke heavy in the air. Note: aging seems to have removed some of that bitter cold this initially held, so if you buy this and hang onto it the perfume may “warm up” over time.
_____ Come Play With Us Bourbon, waxed wood, stale water, red musk, and blood orange.
Seeing as how I typically dislike boozy scents I’m truly surprised by how much I like this one. The bourbon isn’t hitting me hard at all, instead blending very smoothly with the rest of the notes. The strongest notes in my nose are red musk and “waxed wood,” followed by a bourbon-ized orange citrus (this is not a bright n’ happy citrus). It’s like drinking an Old Fashioned at a darkly stained, highly varnished old wood bar, plus red musk. The musk has a spicy, resinous quality about it (or that’s the bourbon’s influence, in which case wow these two play very well together). Not getting any sort of aquatic feel. This is moody and honestly quite sexy; great for date night. Definitely tell your date what you’re wearing!
_____ Commala Mugs of spiced cider, tanned suede, prairie grass, rice, rain clouds, and dust kicked up from a heeled boot.
Spiced cider is very well blended and more atmospheric than any other cider blend I’ve tried. No killer strong spices, more like holding a mug and the smell is wafting up from it. Love that. A little dusty and grassy, a lovely compliment to the cider. Ever so slightly hints at water. This leather though… I love a good, old, well-worn suede note, but this one is leaning toward newer leather just as much as it leans toward suede, and I’m not so into that. Regardless, this one really tells an olfactory story.
_____ Concrete Angel Cypress, magnolia, water lily, potted fern, tulip, warm red dirt, and damp headstones.
Spiced green florals and dirt. I don’t know if “spiced” is the right word, but that’s what I’ve got - it’s somewhat peppery. Starts off a bit astringent but that burns off pretty quick. Very green with wet stone appearing after a few minutes. An atmospheric clean green scent. There’s a danger in this type going soapy but that isn’t happening on me this time, which is a nice surprise.
_____ Dagon Layering note. “I felt myself on the edge of the world, peering over the rim into a fathomless chaos of eternal night.”
Didn’t realize this was a Lovecraft reference at first, but on first whiff it suddenly makes sense. This is powerfully aquatic and one of the least laundry-like I’ve sniffed of that combo so far. Absolutely involves ambergris. Can smell it faintly in the bottle and it blooms as soon as it touches skin, making this briny and sea-like without overdoing it. The water aspect of this is incredible: it’s strong and fresh but with enough salt and ambergris added to make it oceanic. Still manages to retain a freshness that really works. A wonderful perfume version of the sea; I can picture turbulent blue-green waves frothing along the shore.
_____ Damn, It’s Dark Down Here Jasmine, vetiver, clary sage, damp soil, and coffin wood.
Quite floral and yet not indolic; this doesn’t strike me as jasmine, but that’s because jasmine usually sickens me. Herbaceously green without astringency. Earthy. A good graveyard scent, a sense of deep rot but in a romanticized way… Southern Gothic romance in a bottle. Develops an almost pale honey sweetness as it wears.
_____ Darling Violet, bitter pomegranate seeds, marshmallow fluff, and frost.
Wow, I really love this marshmallow note. Never thought I’d say that about marshmallow, but this one is so musty and strange and I love it. (I think my love can mainly be attributed to my love of the smell of actual dust and musty old books.) Perhaps it’s the mallow+violet making this blend musty/dusty/powdery, or however it should be worded - Before The Drop has that combo as well. This is very like BTD but is a little simpler, a little sweeter, and extremely comforting. Dusty, fluffy, and light purple floral, and I do think the violet promotes that vibe further. There’s a greater depth in here I want to attribute to some kind of pale musk, but no such thing is listed so all I can do is shrug at that. Not particularly fruity; perhaps there’s a hint of pom but I can’t pick it out. No frost either, although the longer I wear this the more likely it seems there’s a tiny bit of chilly mint. Smells old fashioned and frilly, but not nearly as delicate as you might think. Sadly, my skin eats this one very quickly.
_____ Dead Men Only Play the Blues Menthol cigarettes, sassafras, brown sugar and coconut husk, tuberose and honeysuckle, vanilla, teak wood, and sandalwood.
Thick, hefty, very warm and darkly sweet. Applies like POW to the senses but chills out after a couple minutes. The sweet is on the cusp of being molasses but never really gets there, instead keeping its brown sugar form like it’s supposed to. Sweetness is further emphasized by the coconut husk, vanilla, and sassafras. The coconut adds just enough character to be present and lovely without ever going sunscreen or true foodie, so I fully believe it’s more husk than meat. Sassafras is in competition with the heavier notes, but seems to strengthen as it wears. Tuberose is not too waxy-white and backs up honeysuckle for a lovely shade of floral. The base notes here are powerhouses: smooth sandalwood and vanilla, woody teak and tobacco. Has the slightest amount of minty menthol to make it interesting. Hefty and lasts for hours and hours. Very gender neutral.
_____ Dear Bones Three musks, plum incense, amber, Indian sandalwood, and fuzzy tonka bean.
Thick incense, almost smoky, definitely musky but not heavily so - mid-range, I’d say, and clean; not very animalic. Background is indeed warm and fuzzy between amber, tonka, and sandalwood. Purple, musky incense and amber draped sandalwood - very witchy! Though not intrinsically animal-like, I’m picturing a warm cat tummy; a witch’s familiar if we’re staying on theme. Sillage and throw are way fainter than I expected and this sits very close to the skin. Aging gave this strength in that department, but unfortunately still it disappears very quickly on me :(
Smells like a perfume version of afternoon in late summer. Sounds redundant to say “a perfume version,” but I mean that as in this isn’t a true atmospheric: it’s more of a suggestion. Dry straw and corn - impressed with how strong the corn is. Dusty-smooth with a pale creaminess that becomes more apparent as it dries. I can’t explain that creaminess but suspect it’s the musk at work. Juniper is on the faint side, still adds a nice twinge of gin-like evergreen. I have no idea how to identify antler velvet! Perhaps the velvet is what’s helping along that dusty-smooth feel.
_____ Devil at the Crossroads Twisted, charred oak trees and snapped pines, leather, pimento, mandarin, dragon's blood, brimstone, and bourbon.
Strong woodsmoke with formidable throw. Reminds me of wood chips on a grill. Hoo boy, this one is an attention grabber. Was waiting for that to burn off but after like 40 min it’s still going strong. Under all that smoke and presumably brimstone I do get boozy bourbon, burnt wood, a hint of leather and spice. But the smoke is potent, yo. It drowns everything else out if my nose isn’t close to the source. I might smell like I’ve recently been on fire, and that in itself is actually fitting for the name, haha. Picturing Satan at the crossroads in a leather jacket, wearing sunglasses at night, smoke steaming off him. Somewhere over an hour later this is still prominently smoke but has eased up on smothering the other notes. Would be extremely sexy with the right skin chemistry or any member of a biker gang who wants a bad boy bonfire smell to match the look.
_____ The Drowned Choir Black oak, cypress, swamp mud, ambergris, moss, elderberry, and honeysuckle.
Lovely ambergris pairing so well with honeysuckle and oak. There is a thick, grounding backdrop of woods, moss, and mud (earthy but there is a touch of something wet). This is a romanticized perfume version of a swamp rather than a realistic interpretation, but I’m so pleased with how swampy it manages to be. Elderberry is hovering near the top, trying to add a brighter berry-sweetness, but it only partially succeeds. Similar to Slipped Between His Teeth, but Drowned is a bit brighteless dreary and feels more Southern to me than Teeth.
_____ The Emperor of Ice Cream Limp flowers on a windowsill, strawberry ice cream, tobacco leaves, tonka, and a dribble of young blood.
Disclaimer: I got a freebie sample of this before the notes were released, so this is broken up into first vs second impressions. My attempt to guess the notes is laughable but I did alright with the general feel. First impression: Pale honey and a very light, almost fluffy vanilla. Not as gourmand as I expected based on the name. Something golden starts to creep out. Blossoming into something beautiful - golden wood. Tobacco involved? Deepens and warms as it wears. Does not smell like ice cream to me at all. Makes me think of late summer warmth, with something green to offset the light sweetness. I wouldn’t be surprised if this had a mild herbal note involved. Second impression w/ notes: No honey, but the vanillic scent is explainable by tonka and probably whatever sweet creaminess makes up the ice cream. Was right about tobacco! Still not getting “ice cream” specifically but there is a faint, sweet creaminess involved (although I don’t taste strawberries). I’m either picking up on ice cream now because I know for sure to look for it, or that’s the awesome power of suggestion. As for the greenery, depending on how real TSS is with those limp flowers, perhaps there’s a bit of drying stem in there. And now I can pinpoint the bloody bite hiding in here. Still feels like summer warmth but with a spooky edge.
_____ The Family Plot Honeysuckle, carnation, pink peppercorn, dirt and kudzu leaf, dusty mahogany, and blood accord.
Watery floral but sans any actual aquatic. “Dusty” also works. If I focus I get honeysuckle, a hint of spice, a fruity kind of thing? (blaming blood for this) and an amalgamation of what could be dirt + wood + blood. Very pale, weak sillage, doesn’t smell like much.
_____ Don’t Fear the Reaper Creaky wooden stairs, spilled tea, and a menacing fog.
Whoa, that is some woodsmoke. Not subtle at all. After a bit, the smoke is thicker, wetter. Not the atmospheric fog I expected but closer to it than at the start. I’m willing to believe a fog accord is mixing with the ‘wooden stairs’ in a way that makes it smokier that it should be, though to me it’s like woodsmoke is an entirely separate note that was accidentally left off the list. It’s hiding the tea from my nose but I am picking up a muddled sweetness that suggests there was sugar in the cup. A heavier scent than anticipated but no less menacing. Roughly 30-45 minutes later (disclaimer: I’d stopped paying attention somewhere in that timeframe) this is right where it’s supposed to be: still faintly smoky but much foggier with dry, old wood in the background and a prominent tea-with-sugar note. If I’m going to be really, really specific this reminds me of a darkly brewed Thai tea.
_____ Fire in a Bottle Lemon balm, amber, vanilla, and distant campfire smoke.
Warm, sweet, and quite lemony. Smoke keeps to the background and actually feels distant. Uncomplicated and so, so lovely. Gets even prettier as it wears. Over time the smoke gets a little more prominent, as if we stepped a bit closer to the campfire.
_____ First Love A lone rose stands among hay stacks, threads of honeysuckle, cedarwood, oakmoss, and chypre accord.
A gentle floral with gentle sweetness and a lovely, blooming depth. Very pretty and what I’d consider “girly” without being, like, typical overly sweet teeny-bopper girly. A pale, delicate rose with equally delicate honeysuckle, softened by hay. The other notes add a warm grounding quality that really drive this one home and keep it from being too soft and pretty. Totally romantic and charming; perfect for a gentle first love. Like Ghost Milk I get strong nostalgic vibes from this.
_____ Fox's Wedding Summer rain, orange blossom, sunflower, juniper berry, white tea, and ylang-ylang.
A warm and summery floral afternoon in a golden field. What I think is sunflower is very pretty. Juniper berry is light but present. Leans soapy after some wear, which I think comes down to rain and white tea mixing with ylang-ylang and/or orange blossom. So, a fancy, good-smelling soap. This vibe calms down after a while, so I wouldn’t consider this any kind of screechy-soapy. Hours later, a simplified and very clean scent. Not mind blowing but it’s a super pleasant kind of clean skin smell that’s easy to like.
_____ The Gatekeeper Headstones buried under moss and ivy, rusted iron fencing, and gunpowder.
Cold stone, metal, peppery green. Seems like everything is accounted for! Much nicer than I expected. A fetching masculine scent on the surface but I would wear this. Murky green spiced with gunpowder. Stone and metal, neither sharp or strong, just there below a surface of spiced, dark green. There’s a very, very mild sweetness to this I can’t place, something that smooths the edges of this scent and adds a little warmth. I suspect amber. Over time I’m starting to get a hint of pencil shavings so now I’m suspicious of red patchouli (patchouli makes sense for the woody warmth I’m getting now). This would be a keeper but for the pencil note that I amp too much. Ah well. Still a good blend that I otherwise enjoy.
_____ Gatlin A cornfield burning against a night sky.
Very corn heavy, which is interesting and comes with a somewhat creamy texture as with Deerskin. The smoke is even heavier, raging and fiery, and comes out powerful at the start. Mellows out as it wears, which I appreciate. Hours later this is smoky, burning corn. Not like roasted corn, which is a whole different ballgame; this is more like a sinister fire and not at all foody.
This is a very likable vanillic amber. Smooth, gentle, and softly sweet; dreamy and a little powdery; baby-like, but not childish or screaming baby powder - this smells more like a sweet little girl. The orange blossom is just as soft as everything else and plays very nicely. Makes me picture white linen and lace and kind, young children playing on the floor of an old house, dressed in Victorian finery. There’s a gauzy haze about this one, like a glamour filter over a film lens. Good throw and long lasting. Super nostalgic, quietly beautiful.
_____ Glamour Violet, kudzu, cedar, black pepper, and warm rain.
Dusty florals, rain, greenery, strong pepper. Makes me think of a humid hothouse rainstorm. The pepper really packs a punch! Excellent. It dominates along with the rain and an ever-strengthening lush green, which overtops the wood and floral aspects. Has a clean edge that makes me think a wee bit of soap, but it’d be unfair to call this soapy. I’m pretty sure that’s just my general reaction to most aquatics. This is the kind of smell I’d associate with one of those fancy rich-people showers that has beautiful tiled floors, a luxe wooden shower bench, and jungle plants inside to help you soak up the hot water and steam.
_____ God Of The Lost Birch, mud, honey (vegan), pelting rain, and the hulking, faceless creature trailing your scent.
Dust, conceivably like old animal fur. Murky aquatic. Reminds me of the fur coat in Skull Where Her Face Had Been. This furry accord pops up a few times in the TSS catalogue but it’s pretty strong here. That remains the strongest part, but honey does come out to play in time. A woody base, but mostly that dry, musky, dusty old fur smell.
_____ Gravedigger Moss, recently disturbed soil, mahogany, citronella, strong black coffee, and the breath of the beast.
Fresh out of the bottle this is CITRONELLA like damn. Eventually other notes start cropping up, and I get soil + mahogany and maybe a hint of coffee? But otherwise it just kinda stays strong citronella forever.
_____ The Grimace of Love Rose, jasmine, spanish moss, rich amber honey (vegan), tonka, bergamot, black pepper, and patchouli.
Super in-your-face floral. Would definitely be a headache if strong rose and jasmine aren’t your thing, but if they are then this only gets better. Florals dominate but they’re backed by a chorus of interesting notes: I get the spike of pepper and bergamot, a lightly sweet honey, and the warm depth of patch and amber. Conceivably a grandma perfume, and does go a bit powdery, but grandma is awesome and smells great (if potent). This perfume is special to me in that it’s the first time I’ve ever sniffed jasmine in a bottle and not hated it. Impressive on that merit alone.
_____ Harbinger in White Black roses, black patchouli, and black feathers under a fresh layer of snow.
When first sniffed fresh out of the mailbox, this was sharp and astringent. Aging has done it justice: still carries the aforementioned traits at first, but they’re now deeper and more defined. That black patchouli is black as night. Roses are a sharp and dry floral, like a deadly dame’s perfume. There has to be black musk in here; I’m getting a hint of the Coca-Cola thing some black musks smell like to me. It’s thick but far less syrupy and not very sweet - now that I know what Blackout smells like I’m positive that’s what this is. Would all be so heavy if not for the snow, a cool and slightly aquatic feel that keeps things just light enough that it doesn’t fall into a pit of darkness.
_____ Heat Lightning Coconut, hazelnut, clove, night blooming flowers, benzoin, and humidity trapped under a tin roof.
Whoa, this is strange and otherworldly. Thick, dank, dreamily atmospheric… “humidity trapped under a tin roof” makes complete sense. Make of it what you will but the first thing that comes to mind is “steamy iced tea.” This is a gulp of room temp iced tea that’s been sitting out for a while. There’s still condensation on the glass. It’s not as refreshing as you want it to be, but it’s so hot and humid in here, and you’re panting, and you just need some liquid down your throat. There is no booze in this tea but you suspect something illicit and heady may have slipped in anyway. Or maybe that’s just how you feel in this moment. Something about this perfume reminds me of sex. It’s not sexy in a traditionally perfumed or raunchy way… More like the humid atmosphere it evokes puts me in mind of a hot, dark night with sticky, naked skin. It’s unexpectedly sultry and highly evocative; not so much seductive as it is post-coital, with a distant storm rumbling closer. Stepping away from verbosity and into the actual notes: coconut is there and playing very nicely - this is not a coconut forward scent. Neither is it foody; it’s more like fibrous, woody coconut husk to my nose. Definite florals involved but I can’t tell what specifically. TSS is great with white florals and I wouldn’t be surprised if this blend included something indolic to dirty it up a bit. Clove dirties it up for sure, especially with benzoin backing it up in the base. Hazelnut is tough for me to pick out but I know it’s in there as an interesting back note. Can’t begin to describe this humidity business but dear god it exists and it’s fantastic.
_____ Hellmouth Burnt sugar caught between gnashing teeth.
While this indeed smells of burnt sugar, it also smells remarkably like an ice cream parlor. Not getting literal ice cream, but I am smelling a mix of sprinkles, waffle cones, and other toppings. Just the all around sweet atmosphere of an ice cream shop. But especially waffle cones! The burnt sugar aspect gives the whole thing a caramelized veneer.
_____ Hysteria Blue wisteria, white jasmine, rock rose, crisp cucumber, and aldehydes.
Aging has improved this. Much smoother, less screechy than when I got it fresh (iirc) and is actually quite beautiful. Wisteria, I think, is giving a hint of the screechy-floral still but it’s well tempered now. The rose is gorgeous and rounds out the jasmine, which is white and indolic as usual but in an animalistic kinda-sexy way that I can only imagine is what other people usually get out of it. Finally, I get a taste of what makes jasmine so desirable (I am detrimentally sensitive to white florals/indoles). This has never happened outside of TSS, so this is basically a miracle. The aldehydes perfectly match with the florals and promote a lushness I struggle to describe. A classic floral that suits an attractive older woman - this isn’t your grandma’s perfume, but it’s definitely not a young girl’s scent either. The thought behind this one is great, as this is a sexier version of an old fashioned perfume to go along with the old fashioned concept and treatment of Hysteria.
This is the last batch of samples I had waiting to review from Hexennacht. I'm super excited to place a full-size order to upgrade a bunch of what I've fallen in love with in my Ajevie sampling when Caroline returns from hiatus! Ambre Blanc – White amber Whoa, okay! I figured I wouldn’t care for this because of my very neutral reaction to Loup-Garou, but I like it quite a bit on first impression. It’s as if a thick sticky resin has been distilled down to something ethereal, nearly all the complexity somehow retained. It’s still got a very soft and delicate overall feel like LG did, but this also has a presence to it that I didn’t expect. It’s quietly assertive. There’s a hidden weight to it, like a fist wrapped in velvet. Very interesting indeed. Is this one of those elusive my-skin-but-better scents that will work for me? My general problem with those types of scents is that I want to smell like something if I’m spending money on a perfume! It has my attention though. Unfortunately, that potential revelation doesn’t last long. I can’t smell much of anything after 10-15 minutes on me. A few more minutes pass and it smells identical to how LG smelled on me. It’s basically just my skin… like I put my skin scent on top of my skin scent in some sort of awkward perfume inception experiment. It’s so weird. There’s a little strangely fresh/ green/ aquatic (?!) thing hovering on the edge (that I don’t really like). It’s reminding me of my least favorite aspect of Moonstone. That one is an anomaly because I ended up full sizing it, yet I don’t think I would buy it again. Idk. This is a clear pass. I guess silvery wispy ambers aren’t for me! Ambre d'Or – Thick, resinous, rich golden amber So, I like this a lot on first sniff. It’s gorgeous, drippy, resiny amber. This is hands-down my favorite kind so I’m like SCORE… but my immediate follow-up thought is that I already have Baltic Amber… and that one takes this exact base feel and twists it into something magnificent. I would repurchase that over this in a head-to-head comparison with no question. I would highly recommend this one to anyone who wants less of a “sexy tree nymph story” (BA) and more straight amber resin though. It’s got the beautiful sweetness that this type of amber brings without going gourmand. That aspect makes it a particularly great layering note because it can bridge to just about any kind of perfume, from foodie to woodsy. The dry down leans a little more into the sweetness because it doesn’t have any other notes to guide it somewhere else. That’s neither bad nor good inherently, but it is my experience. And again, it’s not sweet like food; it’s that unique amber sweetness you must smell on your skin to see how it plays. With that in mind, this would probably be slightly better than BA for sugary layering since it’s missing the other outdoorsy notes. I can’t complain about this soli-note at all. I simply prefer the scent journey and mastery that is BA. This is great too, but I personally don’t need both. Blue Moon – Blue musk, grapefruit, neroli, night air accord, lime peel First whiff, this is all about that citrus. It’s grapefruit-forward but backed by the lime and neroli (reading deep and viscous orange). So, it’s nuanced and that’s interesting. It’s a cascade of sour citrus fruit. Sorta reminds me of Guten Morgen, but a bit darke heavier. I liked GM but found it somewhat boring, so I’m interested to see where this one goes… until the musk and night air come through on my skin. Oof. This is kind of like ultra-fancy Clorox wipes on me now. Totally not what I want to smell like… it’s the best version of a cleaning product I’ve smelled, I guess? Like seriously, I would be happy to have this be the default “citrus” smell of all my cleaners. I don’t know what else to say. This is 100% not for me. That blue musk is spectacularly not jiving with my nose the longer it sits. It’s almost a little skunky… with cleaners applied to hide it. It’s vaguely reminding me of when people try to douse Febreze on their clothes to cover B.O. Yikes. That association in my brain kills it completely. The extreme dry down trends back towards grapefruit. It’s less offensive, but I can’t deal with the other phases. Still a big nope, nope, nope from me. Café Noir – Black coffee accord, coffee bean CO2, Coffea arabica L essential oil Mmmmmm. Oh, yes. This is coffee factorial. It reminds me of Freddy Loves Nancy without the bitterness. If you want pure coffee, this is it. This is the one. It’s So. Damn. Good! I can smell it wafting off my arm too. I don’t even have to get in close to get a full sense of the fragrance. Awesome. I’m just left trying to decide if I want to smell like straight coffee. I love the smell in theory. I also love drinking black coffee, so there’s that. On a related note, I have a weakness for Basic Bitch despite it being a faithful representation of specialty coffee I don’t even drink. I wear that all the time in the fall. This one though… it doesn’t have the seasonal niche, so when would I wear it? That’s the million-dollar question. I think this would be perfect for a kitchen oil diffuser. I like the idea of always having the smell of freshly brewed coffee whether I’ve made it or not. I’m beyond impressed with the perfection of the note here; I’m just unconvinced that I would reach for it if it were in my collection. So, 100% yes on the execution and up for serious consideration on upgrade for me personally. Bona fide coffee perfume lovers, however, you NEED this. Don’t think about it; just do it! Chocolat Blanc – Cocoa butter, sugar, milk solids Yoooo, I am blown away and immediately drooling as soon as I crack the seal on this. WOW. It’s so rich and sweet and creamy, but not in a scary milk note way. It’s smooth personified. And to my utter delight, it stays true on my skin. I never put much thought into how white chocolate smells tbh. I like my chocolate dark typically. I mean I’ve HAD white chocolate but sniffing this is like experiencing eating it for the first time. You know how when you eat something scrumptious, it’s an inextricable sensory combination between taste and smell and texture? That’s what’s happening here. It’s all up in my face engaging my senses, and I am so very okay with it! It reminds me of opening the wrapper on one of those Hershey’s cookies and cream bars and then letting it melt on my tongue so just the little cookie balls are left (and now I want one of those very badly too). My gut reaction is that I want this immediately. I don’t know if I need it based on what I currently own foodie-wise, but I have an intense desire. The dry down becomes more simplistic, but it retains its smooth sugary greatness all the way through. This is GOOD, you guys! I might even wear it alone. Like hot damn. I’m a sucker for alternates to vanilla for base sweetness and this scratches that itch precisely. Body oil or perfume, I’m down. Love! Fleurs Blanches – Tuberose, iris, tiaré, paperwhite narcissus, night-blooming jasmine Self-proclaimed floral hater here, sampling a pure white floral. Hold on to your hats (do people still say that?). It’s a little overbearing for me at first. There’re too many things assaulting my nose and vying for attention. I’m prepared to hate it. On my skin though, the jasmine becomes dominant with the rest playing supporting roles… and it’s kinda okay! It’s like the bold, extroverted cousin to Moonstone, which was one that weirdly grew on me despite it not being anywhere near my wheelhouse (because of the jasmine). This is much more traditional than I usually go for, but I can’t help acknowledging it anyway. It’s got an appreciable straightforwardness, yet it’s also a little unexpected in the execution. I enjoy the full wear too. The dry down gives me a fresh-cut flower smell that is so authentic and doesn’t once make me feel like sneezing. Then it goes just slightly sweet on my skin against the now barely-there florals, fading out gracefully. This is what floral perfume should do! I don’t think I’ve ever smelled one that made me question my stance on them before, so there’s that. I also don’t think I’ll upgrade it though (don’t quote me on this). I do think anyone who marginally likes florals should check it out though. It’s a pretty darn good one. Fumer – Bonfire, embers, woodsmoke Campfire in a bottle. That’s what I was promised and that is what’s been delivered in spades. It’s beautiful. Warm and woody, with just enough clean, billowy smoke to round it all out. I love how it tricks my brain into “feeling” heat. The blend is very much like All Soul’s Night but without the marshmallow goo woven through it. I was blown away by the realism in that blend and this is the same feeling but condensed and purified. I dig it, but would I ever wear it alone? Probably not… then again, the layering options are practically infinite. It’s already proven to work with sweet/ foodie blends (a la ASN) and I can imagine it also being great for more classic/ outdoorsy/ floral stuff. I can’t think of anything in my collection that would be a definite no for trying. I don’t typically buy scents if I ONLY think I’ll layer them, but this is a likely exception. It’s absolute perfection for what it is. The dry down is to-die-for too. I still feel heat emanating from it, but the smoke subsides ever-so-slightly to allow more wood to poke through. I’m huffing my inner elbow like a crazy person. Highly recommend for those searching for straight bonfire. It’s so good, I’m committed to buying it for layering purposes only. Winner. Laundromat – Laundry soap, fabric softener, ozone, and coin-op washing machines Yup, this smells like laundry detergent. Okay, check. But… then there’s more as it blossoms on my skin. There is a strange movie-like, dreamy quality to it, as if I’m stepping through a cut scene. Now I’m smelling the abundance of clean, hard water and the thinly metallic scent of washing machines and quarters… that’s just as the description says, so I shouldn’t be surprised. Still am. It’s not something I would imagine captured this way. It’s not even something I would have thought to attempt to capture at all, if I’m being honest. The “fabric softener” aspect is coming through now but as airy dryer sheets, sort of floating through the atmosphere. If you’ve been in a laundromat, you’re going to recognize this. It’s so accurate! Unreal. Huh. I don’t really know what I think. I’m impressed. I like it more than I thought I would because it’s such a snapshot of real life. I still don’t want to smell like this on my body, so it’s a pass for upgrading. But wow. Total artistry. Myrrhe – Spicy (almost cola-clove-y), resinous, warm, premium myrrh accord Inhaling this note on its own makes me appreciate why I’m drawn to blends with a myrrh component. I already knew I liked it, but experiencing it singled out helps me define why. It’s warm and herby in the exact right ways. It doesn’t radiate heat like fire/ ember notes can. It’s like a cozy skin warmth. It is resiny, but not in the way I usually think of it… not like a golden amber where it’s all oozy and thick. Here it’s a coy spicy and ever-so-slightly reserved resin, maybe a little on the drier side. A bit of crackle to it. I do see how it’s described as “cola-clove-y” too. It’s not the bold clove I also love, but it has a bit of that dark spice feel that clove has, a little bit of bite, while still maintaining its own identity. Sort of elusive, just like describing the smell of cola. I’m a little surprised that this isn’t stronger on me though. The bottle smell is intense, but on my skin it instantly melds. It’s relatively short-lasting too. I can still smell it after a few hours, but it’s very faint. It strikes me as an element of a whole, not one I want to wear alone. That’s totally fine with me. I love it, but I wholeheartedly want it IN more blends. So, the debate then is whether I want to own it so I can add this element to my other perfumes. I’m neutral/ negative on that. Could happen, but not a priority. Sign me up for more Caroline blends with myrrh though! Nanaimo Bar – Graham cracker crumbs, cocoa powder, flaked coconut, butter, heavy cream, custard powder, sugar, cacao absolute, chopped walnuts Ohhhh yum!!! My first impression of this is a chocolate-y, graham cracker-y s’more… but with custard instead of marshmallow? How would one do such a thing?! That’s a messy mental picture... Anyway, it is so freaking buttery when it gets on my skin I’m amazed. It’s floating around me in heavenly waves. I don’t even need to get near the spot where I tested it. The flaked coconut aspect here is intriguing because it doesn’t have the fake beachy overload that turns me off from typical coconut in scents. It smells like the real flakes, sweetened and just barely coconut-y, more like how the flesh of a coconut smells when you cut into it. Idk why this note is so hard for me to enjoy, but this version is one of the closest to perfection goes for my nose. Go figure. Dried and sweetened and shredded lol… I’m picking up a tiny tinge of bitterness in the blend that I assume is the walnut and it totally works to cut the sugar bomb sweetness and buttery richness a little. This makes me want to find a recipe for these! I’ve never had one and had never even heard of them before. We need to remedy that situation. I love this throughout the wear, and it lasts FOREVER. I can smell it hours later at about the same strength. There are traces left the next morning too. Impressive. This is going on my yes list of foodies (that’s a long list). It is too damn delicious! Overlook Hotel – White spruce, sugared vanilla, buttermint candies There’s a moment in the bottle that I think I might be able to hang with this one. The sugared vanilla comes through all crisp and bright with sweetness. I’m hopeful. When it first hits my skin, I breathe that in, and I quite like it. The refreshing mint combined with that is delightful. Then on comes the spruce. Now I’m a minty Christmas tree. It’s not offensive or astringent, so there’s that. It’s just very “winter holiday party with a giant bushy tree in the center of the room” now. I think the mint keeps it fresh and doesn’t quite let it go floor cleaner, so that’s a good pairing. I totally expected not to like this, and I don’t. The foodie parts are great though! The dry down eases more and more into sweet peppermint. It’s nice. I gave this a shot in the name of catalog completeness so I can check it off the list. I can say that spruce is infinitely better than pine for Christmas tree vibes. I just don’t want to smell like this type of tree. Ever. Very easy pass. If you like smelling like a Christmas tree, go all in. You won’t be disappointed. If you are like me and you enjoy the minty vanilla aspect specifically, go with Mallowmint, all day. Pamplemousse – White grapefruit, bitter grapefruit rind, ruby red grapefruit Huh. I don’t think I like this (and I expected to). I wanted fresh and clean and delicious. It’s astringent and bitter without any juiciness or freshness. Weird. It’s the same on my skin too. Sort of dried out grapefruit rind? I get that that’s in the notes, but I really expected some gorgeously drippy grapefruit to go along with it. I don’t understand this one at all. I’m at a loss for words. I don’t want to smell like this. I don’t really want anything to smell like this. After it settles for maybe 30 minutes, the bitterness recedes to a (still strong) counterpoint, and I get a slightly soft sweetness trying to nudge its way in. Still grapefruit all the way, but this is at least pleasant now. Even so, I’m left confused and I know this simply isn’t for me. I miss a juicy component. I miss a sugar aspect to balance it out. I’m not digging the dominance of the bitter. Easy pass. Poivre Vanille – Vanilla, pink peppercorn, black pepper, amber, cedar, conifers, clove Whoa, this one engages my senses as soon as it hits me. There’s a lot going on in the bottle and I’m having to concentrate to pick out individual pieces. When I put it on, I get sweetness at the get-go, but it’s quickly joined by a pepper-y and woodsy foil. There’s nothing dusty about it! I’m thrilled with that. Pink peppercorn as a note is exciting me with possibility now. I can feel the amber grounding this and giving it resiny depth, but it’s subdued. There’s just a breath of clove rounding out the pepper spices. I was a little worried about the “conifers”, but I don’t really detect anything tree-y in this. It’s spicy-sweet woods with softened resin. It’s… rather nice. I can’t compare it to anything else. Maybe a complex version of Vanilla Clove? It’s far superior to my nose. As I go back to sniff it as it dries down, I sometimes get a hit of vanilla and sometimes a hit of spices and wood. Towards the middle/ end, it’s vanilla and amber with some spices hanging about. Very, very interesting. I like it. It has neat transitions and then the final dry down is almost straight vanilla. It has tremendous staying power too. This is a body oil candidate for sure. I love blends that have a lot of aspects to build from in different directions. This is perfect for that. The longevity is just a bonus. Love. Purple Rain – Violet, grape, rain Yikes. Giant smack of powdery floral violets and what I guess is rain in the bottle. It smells like liquid fabric softener maybe. It’s not airy like I would associate with dryer sheets. It’s much heavier and sort of cloying. I almost feel it physically pawing at me. It’s way too aggressive and I’m nervous. I get the same impression on skin. The rain aspect is even stronger now, giving me the dreaded Febreze vibe. It’s like I’m in a cliché commercial desperately frolicking through a field of purple flowers to demonstrate how clean and fresh I smell, then cut to an old school clothesline filled with nothing but whites. Oof. I don’t think this is going to work out. I’m desperately searching for some grape, which is why I wanted to try this one. I struggle hard and I get nothing. There’s some extra powdery stuff coming from the violet the longer it sits… and I like it even less. Yeah… no. This one is a total catastrophe on me. Extra mega pass. Santal – Sandalwood incense, golden sandalwood, Mysore wood accord, vanilla sandalwood Yesss, all the sandalwood! I’m even more excited for this after my first whiff. The bottle is straight-up rich woody goodness. It’s the same on my skin, but now I get a tinge of sweetness. I had to recheck the notes and ah yes, there’s vanilla here too. So, this reads as a wood-heavy vanilla sandalwood blend on me, exactly what it claims to be in the notes. I like it a lot. The vanilla is a nice, subtle counterpart. It really sets off and showcases the exquisite sandalwoods. Overall, it’s not as strong as I would have expected, more nestling into my skin and chilling in a present, yet shimmery way. I get the incense impression after a few minutes… this is magnificent. Now it’s reminding me of huffing a new bag of sandalwood incense. You know when you get some of the incense powder on your fingers? How that smells? That’s this. Yum. It’s gorgeously straightforward. I can get behind this. I’m not really craving more complexity, which surprises me. It has just enough. I could be totally happy wearing this all by its lonesome. It could be layered sure, and if I owned it, I imagine that would happen at some point. It just doesn’t need it. I feel like a self-assured, elegant hippie right now and I’m all about the vibe. I was nervous about the lack of strength once it settled on my skin, but it lasts a super long time, so I’ve forgiven it! Count this as a winner. A very cool, complete winner. Want! Spectre – Vanilla, vanilla, and more vanilla. NO bakery/caramel notes This is very, very sweet and true vanilla in the bottle and on my skin. No change or morphing whatsoever. I must agree with prior reviews in that it smells a lot like Vanilla Bean Noel from B&BW. It’s not the same, but it has a recognizable similarity. If anything, it’s a filtered version of it (which I’ll classify as a good thing because it reads as a chicer and more refined vanilla perfume). Still reminds me of baking though. Haha… vanilla is a central component of baking sweet treats, so I don’t understand the desire to separate them! I get that the smell of something after it’s baked is not the same as vanilla, so maybe that’s the distinction…? Anyway! There’s nothing wrong with this. I like it better than I liked FLICK. It reminds me of Tihota as I sit with it, like vanilla extract has had the alcohol component stripped out. I want more complexity from it personally. I could see it being a great base in a perfume, but I don’t really see myself wearing it alone. It’s somewhat boring, despite its impressive authenticity. It smells great, but it’s not grabbing me in any way. I do like it more as it fades. It softens and melts deep into my skin; I smell like I just magically sweat vanilla. It’s coming across as a vanilla skin musk scent now. Great longevity too. Very cool ending. Vanilla fiends come on down. Otherwise this is a soft no for me. I wouldn’t pass up a good deal on it in a trade/ swap, but otherwise probably not going to seek it out. Sucre – Sugar This smells so weird in the bottle, sort of a thin chemical smell. I have no idea. It’s not sweet. I’m a little nervous. It has a little of that remaining when I get it on skin but is improved. I get a slight sweetness now. I guess it smells like sugar… like the white granulated sugar I bake with, but not a fresh bag. The problem is that smell quickly becomes faint in real life. So, it follows that a recreation of it would be too. I’m not into this one at the start at all. After it settles for several minutes, the chemical impression is gone (phew). It’s really, really, really faint sweet. I can’t decide if my skin is eating it or if it’s just that weak. I was not prepared for this! After about 30 minutes, it smells like sugar recognizably. It’s a searing white sugar, faithfully represented. It’s now middle ground on strength. After a couple hours, this is suddenly revitalized and gorgeous. I have no words for the difference between this scent and the beginning stages. Now it smells like real sugar crystals sparkling in the sun like jewels, almost liquid in its smooth profile against my skin. It’s clear and present. This was a peculiar journey. I don’t know if I can put the start aside to stick around and enjoy the finish. But wow, this ending is superb. I’m bewildered. Thé Noir – Black tea Yeah, it’s black tea. This is a steadfast representation of the smell of plain black tea leaves, both in the bottle and on skin. It has a nice calm herbal feel, so it occurs to me that it could be classified as a sleep scent. It’s an interesting experiment to sniff this without any cream or sugar, since that’s the common theme for tea perfume. I feel like I’m in an olfactory alchemist’s shop smelling a component they work with. My impression is very much that this isn’t a finished product though. It’s not bad; it’s also not doing anything for me. I need it as an aspect within something else, for sure. Now I know. I’m not even sure I would have much use for this as a layering note, if I’m being honest. I’m worried I would need a lot of it to make its presence known, so I’d rather just buy a tea blend that a professional has concocted. Easy pass. If you specifically want to smell like black tea and nothing else, this is it. Your search is over. Whitechapel 1888 – Christmas rice pudding with a drizzle of maple syrup Oh wow! That maple syrup though!!! In the bottle and initially on my skin, that’s the star. Old-fashioned, real maple. Delicious. I get an obvious rice note supporting it, so they’re probably about 60/40 maple/ rice at the start. It absolutely smells like rice pudding. Neat. I don’t feel like it’s screaming holiday or winte fall at me though, so it could be worn year-round easily. The rice creeps forward more as it wears on me. I lose the maple glory I was digging to start with, but it’s still nice. I feel like there’s a light cinnamon dusting, though that isn’t a note listed so I could be wrong. I’m less enthusiastic about the blend as it dries down. There’s more and more rice with less maple. It’s still good, but I liked the opening much better. That’s a bit of a flip for me with Hex. I’m almost always a fan of the dry downs! I will give it extra credit for staying power. I could smell it at the same strength for hours. Sweet rice pudding. Ultimately this isn’t something I’m going to upgrade. Still a solid foodie, but there are more in the catalog that I like more. Rice note fans should check it out though! Favorites: Chocolat Blanc, Fumer, Nanaimo Bar, Poivre Vanille, Santal Honorable mentions: Ambre d’Or, Café Noir, Fleurs Blanches, Myrrhe, Spectre, Whitechapel 1888
Good Skin Days - C’s The Day Serum It feels like just a few days ago when I was sitting in on a Zoom call hosted by Charlotte Cho...where she revealed/announced the Good Skin Days line. I was so happy and excited for her and this next step in the Soko Glam journey. Needless to say, I picked up the three initial product launches as soon as I could and got my hands on the fourth (the Prime Time Cleansing Toner) last week. But, I’ll save my thoughts on the new line as a whole for the full brand review. Right now I want to focus on one product (the first that I’ve incorporated into my routine)...the C’s The Day Serum. When Charlotte first brought this serum up during her presentation I thought “Wait, you already have a vitamin c serum...and it’s one of my favorites!” The Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid was one of the very first K-Beauty products I purchased and it was the one that kind of sold me on vitamin c. That product contained a powerful concentration of L-Ascorbic Acid that, for the first time, really started to fade my hyperpigmentation and acne scars. Issues I had been dealing with for literal decades finally started to show improvement and I was hooked. At that point, Soko Glam and Charlotte Cho could do no wrong in my eyes (I guess that is still the case LOL)! Now that the Triple C Lightning Liquid has been discontinued (which hurts my heart but I understand given some of the stability and storing issues) we have this new serum to take its place...to a certain extent. Let’s dive in. The C’s The Day Serum is a lightweight/fluid product featuring 10% Ascorbic Acid, Camu Camu Fruit Extract (for added vitamin c power), Licorice Root Extract, Niacinamide, Japanese Goldthread Extract, Ginseng Berry Extract, Hibiscus Flower Extract, and Cocoa Extract. This blend of ingredients claims to not only provide the brightening/antioxidant boost of vitamin c but the other extracts heighten the antioxidant abilities even more. These ingredients can be great to fight against free radicals and block potential damage from sun exposure (not in a sunscreen protection manner however). I love the clean/simplistic packaging and printed testimonials on the boxes. I’ll cover packaging and marketing in the brand review but let’s just say I’m left feeling impressed by Good Skin Days in an aesthetic and “purpose” perspective. The actual serum comes out in a dropper format and applies/smoothes onto the skin really easily. It’s not quite as fluid as the Cosrx Lightening Liquid meaning you have a few seconds of “play” before the product drips off of the face. However, I found it to be easier to just apply a few drops to my hands...and then pat the product into my skin. It had been quite some time since I had a vitamin c product in my routine...so I did experience some slight tingling on my skin. This was a bit more intense on areas that I shave (jawline and cheeks). But, after a few uses (I use this every AM) this effect totally went away and the C’s The Day Serum was just as comfortable as any other serum in my routine. One of the things I really appreciated about this formula was the lack of tackiness or sticky feeling after application. This was something I had come to accept with concentrated vitamin c serums but this one was much more comfortable/approachable. I’ve never found it to be a real issue as I am usually applying several “steps” over my vitamin c...but those that dislike the feeling have little to worry about here. After the first week or so of use I really noticed an improvement in overall skin brightness and tone-evening. While this serum wasn’t quite as potent as to really diminish specific acne marks...it did a really nice job with general “maintenance mode” brightening. I’d have to say this is probably the biggest difference between it and the Triple C Lightning Liquid. Those that are hoping to find a direct replacement to that classic vitamin c serum from Cosrx...I really don’t think this is it. Don't get me wrong, I really like the C’s The Day Serum. But, it just doesn't have that super high concentration (and the volatility that comes with it) to really get in there and lighten the darkest of hyperpigmentation. For me, the C’s The Day Serum is something that is more geared towards those just starting with vitamin c or who have previously experienced sensitivity to the ingredient. It does the job of moderate/overall brightening really well...but would point to the By Wishtrend Vitamin C 21.5% Advanced Serum as a more direct replacement for the Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid. That one is much more “intense” and suited for spot treatment use. But, what is lost in regards to potency over the Cosrx product is made up for by how easy it is to “care” for this vitamin c. No refrigeration, no clogged pipettes, no off color (at least in the month that I’ve had mine open) are to be seen here. This is a really well formulated and stabilized vitamin c in my opinion that once again lends itself to a wider customer base (aka people like me that dont want the hassle). I wouldn’t be providing a proper comparison without mentioning my all-time favorite vitamin c serum...the Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Bright Serum. That product uses a blend of Ascorbic Acid alongside Pineapple Fruit Extract and Lactic Acid to not only brighten the skin long-term...but also give an immediate “glow”. I love the versatility and instant results of that product so, so much. The C’s The Day Serum offers similar results over time but is missing that instant “hit” of brightening and glow. But, coming in at nearly half the cost...it is a fine and affordable option that I think so many people are going to fall in love with (I certainly have)! This is a total win from the Good Skin Days line and one that is worth picking up if you are in the market for a nice, easy to get along with, easy to care for, relatively affordable, and effective vitamin c serum. I can’t wait to get the rest of the line into my routine! Full Ingredients List: Aqua (Water, Eau), Butylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Niacinamide, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arbutin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coptis Japonica Extract, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Sodium Metabisulfite, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dextrin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Lecithin Where To Buy ($26.00 USD on Soko Glam): https://sokoglam.com/products/good-skin-days-cs-the-day-serum https://preview.redd.it/ewclzg23kue51.jpg?width=3524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b9c97871e668fc7d13167aea6c1ad33f2dbed209
Good Skin Days - C’s The Day Serum It feels like just a few days ago when I was sitting in on a Zoom call hosted by Charlotte Cho...where she revealed/announced the Good Skin Days line. I was so happy and excited for her and this next step in the Soko Glam journey. Needless to say, I picked up the three initial product launches as soon as I could and got my hands on the fourth (the Prime Time Cleansing Toner) last week. But, I’ll save my thoughts on the new line as a whole for the full brand review. Right now I want to focus on one product (the first that I’ve incorporated into my routine)...the C’s The Day Serum. When Charlotte first brought this serum up during her presentation I thought “Wait, you already have a vitamin c serum...and it’s one of my favorites!” The Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid was one of the very first K-Beauty products I purchased and it was the one that kind of sold me on vitamin c. That product contained a powerful concentration of L-Ascorbic Acid that, for the first time, really started to fade my hyperpigmentation and acne scars. Issues I had been dealing with for literal decades finally started to show improvement and I was hooked. At that point, Soko Glam and Charlotte Cho could do no wrong in my eyes (I guess that is still the case LOL)! Now that the Triple C Lightning Liquid has been discontinued (which hurts my heart but I understand given some of the stability and storing issues) we have this new serum to take its place...to a certain extent. Let’s dive in. The C’s The Day Serum is a lightweight/fluid product featuring 10% Ascorbic Acid, Camu Camu Fruit Extract (for added vitamin c power), Licorice Root Extract, Niacinamide, Japanese Goldthread Extract, Ginseng Berry Extract, Hibiscus Flower Extract, and Cocoa Extract. This blend of ingredients claims to not only provide the brightening/antioxidant boost of vitamin c but the other extracts heighten the antioxidant abilities even more. These ingredients can be great to fight against free radicals and block potential damage from sun exposure (not in a sunscreen protection manner however). I love the clean/simplistic packaging and printed testimonials on the boxes. I’ll cover packaging and marketing in the brand review but let’s just say I’m left feeling impressed by Good Skin Days in an aesthetic and “purpose” perspective. The actual serum comes out in a dropper format and applies/smoothes onto the skin really easily. It’s not quite as fluid as the Cosrx Lightening Liquid meaning you have a few seconds of “play” before the product drips off of the face. However, I found it to be easier to just apply a few drops to my hands...and then pat the product into my skin. It had been quite some time since I had a vitamin c product in my routine...so I did experience some slight tingling on my skin. This was a bit more intense on areas that I shave (jawline and cheeks). But, after a few uses (I use this every AM) this effect totally went away and the C’s The Day Serum was just as comfortable as any other serum in my routine. One of the things I really appreciated about this formula was the lack of tackiness or sticky feeling after application. This was something I had come to accept with concentrated vitamin c serums but this one was much more comfortable/approachable. I’ve never found it to be a real issue as I am usually applying several “steps” over my vitamin c...but those that dislike the feeling have little to worry about here. After the first week or so of use I really noticed an improvement in overall skin brightness and tone-evening. While this serum wasn’t quite as potent as to really diminish specific acne marks...it did a really nice job with general “maintenance mode” brightening. I’d have to say this is probably the biggest difference between it and the Triple C Lightning Liquid. Those that are hoping to find a direct replacement to that classic vitamin c serum from Cosrx...I really don’t think this is it. Don't get me wrong, I really like the C’s The Day Serum. But, it just doesn't have that super high concentration (and the volatility that comes with it) to really get in there and lighten the darkest of hyperpigmentation. For me, the C’s The Day Serum is something that is more geared towards those just starting with vitamin c or who have previously experienced sensitivity to the ingredient. It does the job of moderate/overall brightening really well...but would point to the By Wishtrend Vitamin C 21.5% Advanced Serum as a more direct replacement for the Cosrx Triple C Lightning Liquid. That one is much more “intense” and suited for spot treatment use. But, what is lost in regards to potency over the Cosrx product is made up for by how easy it is to “care” for this vitamin c. No refrigeration, no clogged pipettes, no off color (at least in the month that I’ve had mine open) are to be seen here. This is a really well formulated and stabilized vitamin c in my opinion that once again lends itself to a wider customer base (aka people like me that dont want the hassle). I wouldn’t be providing a proper comparison without mentioning my all-time favorite vitamin c serum...the Glow Recipe Pineapple-C Bright Serum. That product uses a blend of Ascorbic Acid alongside Pineapple Fruit Extract and Lactic Acid to not only brighten the skin long-term...but also give an immediate “glow”. I love the versatility and instant results of that product so, so much. The C’s The Day Serum offers similar results over time but is missing that instant “hit” of brightening and glow. But, coming in at nearly half the cost...it is a fine and affordable option that I think so many people are going to fall in love with (I certainly have)! This is a total win from the Good Skin Days line and one that is worth picking up if you are in the market for a nice, easy to get along with, easy to care for, relatively affordable, and effective vitamin c serum. I can’t wait to get the rest of the line into my routine! Full Ingredients List: Aqua (Water, Eau), Butylene Glycol, Ascorbic Acid, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Bicarbonate, Myrciaria Dubia Fruit Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Niacinamide, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Arbutin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Coptis Japonica Extract, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Crocus Sativus Flower Extract, Tuber Magnatum Extract, Hibiscus Sabdariffa Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Extract, Glycereth-25 PCA Isostearate, Hydroxydecyl Ubiquinone, Sodium Metabisulfite, Xanthan Gum, Ethylhexylglycerin, Adenosine, Dextrin, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cetyl Ethylhexanoate, Hydrogenated Lecithin Where To Buy ($26.00 USD on Soko Glam): https://sokoglam.com/products/good-skin-days-cs-the-day-serum https://preview.redd.it/1nr2age9kue51.jpg?width=3524&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ace06607c81b775d90d641e684200f1ddc1681ed
Over the past few months I’ve gone through a small collection of bourbons. I liked most and I have even done a few flights to see which ones I might actually prefer. But I wanted to go further. I gained inspiration from users here, as well as a couple YouTube channels, so I purchased a box with 12 2-oz. bottles, poured bourbons into them over time while marking the undersides with assigned numbers, recorded the numbers in a separate document and shuffled the bourbons around until I gave them another label, this time with a letter. Obviously 12 bourbons is a lot to go through, and I already learned the hard way that doing more than four at a time overwhelms my palette. What’s In the Box?
Maker’s Mark
Larceny
Eagle Rare
Bib & Tucker
Wild Turkey Rare Breed
Buffalo Trace
Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Four Roses Single Barrel
Wild Turkey 101
Knob Creek Single Barrel
Evan Williams Bottled in Bond
I did these three at a time, with brief notes and assigned grades along with other thoughts to help me sort them out--I ranked them per flight and cumulatively. In a later post, I’ll take the winner from the first four flights and do a final blind flight to figure out how I’d rank the top four. It’s also worth keeping in-mind that tastes can change from day to day, and I’ve had some bourbons leave vastly different impressions on me depending on when, where and how I have them. A bourbon I’m indifferent to today may win me over the next day and then not be to my liking a couple days later. Am I making excuses ahead of time for a potentially sinful ranking? Only one way to find out. Without further adieu, let’s begin! Flight I Bourbon A Nose: Honey, apple, cherry and caramel. Nice and sweet; the more I smell it the more I begin to think of syrup. After smelling the others, this has a tire-like rubber essence that I can’t shake. Palette: Sweet nose translates to sweet palette with caramel, vanilla and some bright fruit, like apples and cherries. Get a brief bit of that rubbery funk while transitioning to the finish. Finish: Clean and short-lived. Maybe some honey and grain, but there’s not much to speak of. Grade: B/B+ Additional Thoughts: Quite pleasant and easygoing, begins to remind me of wine. Definitely the brightest and sweetest of this bunch. I’d happily consider this for a daily drinker. Bourbon B Nose: Mild and musty; leather and light tobacco. Doesn’t smell sweet to me at all. Of the three, this seems the most docile. Palette: Plenty of leather. Mild oak and brown sugar with some rye come up as we enter the finish. Some floral notes bordering on perfume, but dialed back at just the right time. Finish: Like Bourbon A, this doesn’t stick around for long. The aforementioned rye seems dominant while earthiness and grain arise. Faintest touches of fruit (maybe pear?) before it closes. Grade: B Additional Thoughts: Slightly uninteresting. If someone served me this at a bar without telling me what it was, I’d probably be slightly bored by it. Might work interestingly in a cocktail, bring out some notes that the bourbon itself can’t quite provide. Bourbon C Nose: Oak, chocolate and peanut butter, on the dry side. The most confounding nose of the three. Palette: Light, a bit dry and earthy. Peanuts too. Seems to have more in-common with Bourbon B than A, but not as much potential nuance, and what’s there isn’t particularly pleasant. Finish: Moderate compared to the other two. Get some liquidy peanut butter with a little caramel but it’s only somewhat sweet. Grade: B- Additional Thoughts: Went back and forth with Bourbon B, but the more I sipped this, the less pleased I was. Mild and reminds me of a peanut butter cup with the thinnest coating of unsweetened cacao. And I’m a Reese’s Big Cup fan, but I don’t think it works as well as it should here. Ranking
Bourbon A
Bourbon B
Bourbon C
Flight II Bourbon D Nose: Light, bright, candy-sweet peach, cherry and apricot. Mellow baking spice-like notes in the background without being “spicy.” Positively delightful. Reminds me of cherry Twizzlers. Palette: Up-front heat that quickly gives way to some balanced sweetness. Fruit, this time rich, warm and vibrant as the finish begins to build. Caramel and buttery biscuits emerge after giving the pour time to rest. Finish: Lovely finish. Takes the warm essence at the tail-end of the palette and runs with it. Flavors of fruity pies fresh out of a local bakery. Grade: A- Additional Thoughts: Just pleasant all around and doesn’t seem to dip too much into any particular personality, other than how sweet it is. But it’s a kind of sweetness that I really enjoy. Bourbon E Nose: Musty, grain and oak. Maybe some caramel. Feels like it’s holding back. Eventually I get the smell of diet soda, like an 80/20 mix of A&W/Dr. Pepper. Palette: Mellow, dusty with a moderate body. An initial hit of dessert that becomes cinnamon and caramel on overly toasted bread. Finish: Grain-like flavor, some bread, barley and malt laced with dry roasted peanuts. Grade: B- Additional Thoughts: Middling. Wouldn’t search out this particular expression. Brings some interesting notes to the table, but not in a way that it wins me over beyond being able to somewhat appreciate it. Bourbon F Nose: Utterly faint. Maybe some honeyed apple fruitiness and possible bread note, but it’s tough to pick up much of anything on this one. Mild, lemon-citrus ethanol; generally unpleasant. Palette: Packs some youthful heat up-front that’s tough to shake off; feels like I rubbed a gauze pad with alcohol on my tongue. Grain, citrus with orange and caramel near the end. Finish: A bit dry, lacking in flavor and personality. Has the fleeting essence of an orange dreamsicle. Feel like this would be a good bourbon to have prior to a tasting to help neutralize your palette. Grade: C- Additional Thoughts: Easily the least enjoyable thus far. Incredibly light on flavor and arguably less so on pleasantness. Not totally offensive, but regret doesn’t stray far from this. I honestly don’t want to finish my scarce pour or keep the rest of the bottle. Ranking
Bourbon D
Bourbon E
Bourbon F
Flight III Bourbon G Nose: Light, mellow, rye, malt, grain, plainspoken yeast. Probably the most difficult nose to pick up on thus far. Barely smells like bourbon to me. Imagining a tobacco shop decorated with fresh flowers. Palette: Heat and spice over a moderate body with caramel, vanilla and assortment of baking spices. Joyously toasty Finish: Short-medium. It’s pleasant but doesn’t last long enough considering the flavor profile. Grade: B Additional Thoughts: Deceitful nose. Compared to Bourbon H and Bourbon I, it offers neither the richness of the former nor the sense of challenge from the latter, which may make it seem bland. But it’s a nice, pleasant sipper, and the spice factor is easy to adapt to. Best experienced in a vacuum. Bourbon H Nose: Fruity; caramel, vanilla, medicinal cherry, slight oak presence. Begins to smell of buttered biscuits. Palette: Packing heat, but it’s quick to calm down with a sweet, palpable blend of caramel, vanilla and nutmeg; this is begging to be paired with some GBD cookies. Finish: Buttery biscuits build up with caramelized cherries. Feels like it just builds and builds without asking too much. Grade: A Additional Thoughts: As of now this is the favorite and bourbon to beat. The initial hit upon sipping throws me for just enough of a loop to catch me off-guard, but I’ll be damned if that quick-to-appear and slow-to-end finish isn’t damn-near orgasmic. Bourbon I Nose: Cherry, rye, grain with caramel and ethanol on the back-end. Definitely has some heat. Palette: Aggressive. This must be what the barrels feel like when subjected to charring. Charred oak, grain, dried peach. Later I get a rich ensemble of vanilla and caramel to mellow out the other flavors. Finish: More of that grain and almost metallic oak with mild to moderate dryness. Later on the vanilla comes out more with a custard-like dessert taste, maybe even creme brulee? Grade: B+ Additional Thoughts: A lot going on, but it’s intriguing rather than off-putting; drops just enough breakcrumbs to make me think “I’ll get you next time.” Towards the end of my tasting, I find myself liking it more and more. It still doesn’t hold up to Bourbon H, but I wouldn’t call this a pushover, either. Ranking
Bourbon H
Bourbon I
Bourbon G
Flight IV Bourbon J Nose: Light; peanuts, mild oak, malt and acetone. Palette: Lackadaisical, a sprinkling of vanilla and cherry flavor before tannins take over. Traces of the vanilla faintly linger. Has an undercurrent of white grape, citrus and other dried fruits. Finish: Almost nonexistent. A bit of the aforementioned vanilla is there with a touch of orange-citrus. Grade: B- Additional Thoughts: Spectacularly bland at first, but coming back to it after having Bourbons K and L, it grew on me. I feel like this would be a great introductory bourbon for someone who’s interested and already has a liking for white wine (and the occasional red). Bourbon K Nose: Imagine a wine-finished bourbon, turn it into a perfume and you’ve got this on the nose. Fairly mellow. Almost has an oatmeal raisin cookie aroma baked with a drop of extra vanilla extract aroma to the side. Palette: Palpable corn upfront, mellowed caramel and vanilla quickly follow. Light-medium body that goes down smoothly. Finish: Clean and short-lived, other than the fact it gets (and stays) dry for a bit. The vanilla notes stick around, but not long enough to leave a lasting impression. Grade: B- Additional Thoughts: Simple, easygoing pour with nuance and without challenge. Straightforward, but not terribly interesting. A bit dull for my current tastes, but I could see this being a worthy revisit once I’ve further developed my palette. Bourbon L Nose: Vanilla, grain and cherry. Palette: Warm cherry pie, vanilla, brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon on a slightly dry mid-palette body before getting right into the finish. Finish: Sticks around for a decent length of time. Toffee and vanilla laced with cherry. Reminiscent of a medium roast latte with discrete caramel, sugar and creamer. Now I want a croissant. Grade: A- Additional Thoughts: Almost wins this flight by default for being the only bourbon that has what I’d consider a strong personality. That said, it has a really fascinating finish and nice initial taste that maintains my curiosity and keeps me coming back for more. Ranking
Bourbon L
Bourbon K
Bourbon J
Before the Final Flight I went back and forth with whether I should reveal the ones that don’t make it into the final flight, thereby informing me what bourbons were in the top running, or keep myself completely in the dark until then. While it’s abundantly clear that some of these bourbons aren’t as familiar to me as I thought, I do feel pretty confident at what the four finalists are: Knob Creek Single Barrel, Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel, Wild Turkey Rare Breed and Buffalo Trace. So I decided to do the reveal now and leave the final flight for later. The results for ranks 5-12 are: Ranking
Bourbon I: Knob Creek Single Barrel
Bourbon G: Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Bourbon B: Four Roses Single Barrel
Bourbon K: Buffalo Trace
Bourbon J: Maker’s Mark
Bourbon E: Bib & Tucker
Bourbon C: Larceny
Bourbon F: Wild Turkey 101
Redemption? Remember what I said at the beginning about a sinful ranking? Yeah, this is what I was referring to. The fact Wild Turkey 101 definitively came in last place left me so flabbergasted, I’m sure I said “what” and “no” more times than the characters mention “destiny” in Netflix’s The Witcher. Granted, the approach I took with these flights is obviously flawed; a more fair set-up would probably be six flights of two, then two flights of three and a final flight of three. I suppose hindsight is like life: a bitch. Plus spreading 2 ounces of bourbon is already difficult if we’re talking upwards of 3 Glencairn pours. I did do two more flights without factoring them into the final ranking, so I took liberty with what bourbons would be in these flights. I already know I probably won’t buy Larceny, Maker’s Mark and Bib & Tucker again, so they got put into a flight with Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond. The other flight was comprised of bottles I’ve found myself looking at fondly in the past, so this would be a way to test how they stack up against each other. The rankings for these flights came out as:
Bib & Tucker
Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond
Larceny
Maker’s Mark
And:
Knob Creek Single Barrel
Four Roses Single Barrel
Wild Turkey 101
Buffalo Trace
Hoping to conduct the final flight later this week, unless I come down with a cold (feels like my allergies started acting up after I finished this post, but that’s a game my body loves to play with me: allergies or cold?).
Reviews from Quarantine Pt 5: Mixing It Up A Little
It’s time for a review dump! I think after this one I should be caught up on my reviews! Still mostly at home, working and reviewing my collection. My last few reviews were largely Poesie and NAVA. Not saying that there aren’t going to be any of those, but I’ve at least tried to branch out! Poesie Full Moon at the Temple(fragrant white rice, shiso leaf, bitter yuzu zest, hinoki wood, green tea, lakewater) So of course I open with a Poesie review. This is a really intriguing scent, and while I’m not sure how wearable it is, it’s a pretty neat almost-atmospheric. Wet, I get the lake water and the rice. The lake water really does smell like a lake. It’s got that greenish and muddy undertone to it. And let’s talk about the rice. I love rice scents, and this is definitely japonica (sushi-type) rice rather than the basmati rice note from Cozy Soft or Madar. (Can I have more of all of these, please?) As it dries, I get a bit of citrus and some greenish notes that are distinct from the lake water note. I can’t tell if it’s the shiso (I don’t recall ever encountering shiso in real life, unfortunately) or green tea. It dries to a soft, kind of outdoorsy scent with peppery green edges. In some ways, it reminds me of the wet, green aspects of Sixteen92 Supercell. The notes that stick to my skin the longest are the rice and the lake water, of course. I don’t get a lot of the tea or wood or yuzu. I wouldn’t full-size it if it comes back in the next re-issue, but I might get a 2mL mini bottle. Poesie Watson(lavender in bloom, apples plucked straight from the tree, sweet dried tobacco leaves, a scattering of hay, polished mahogany & rosewood) Um. I have non-Poesie scents coming, I promise. I remember testing this ages ago when I first got this sample, but I think it’s changed with age. Anyway. Wet, I get apple (a red or golden apple rather than green), maybe a bit of hay and tobacco. The wood and tobacco notes come out as it dries….and then it disappears for a little while. Then it comes roaring back as an almost cologne-type scent (I think it’s the same lavender that’s in Byronic Hero, which has the same issue for me), and I nearly scrubbed it off. I’m glad I didn’t, because after about an hour, this lovely rosewood note showed up and stole the show. I love rosewood, so I could not stop sniffing my elbow. If you don’t like rosewood…well, maybe it’ll behave differently on your skin? I think there’s some tobacco and hay in there too, but I wasn’t paying much attention because I was too busy huffing that rosewood. Sorry, not sorry. Astrid Sumatran Tiger(Coconut, shea, sea spray, green tea, lemongrass, velvety fossilized amber, and rock rose) See? It’s not another Poesie review! Wet, it’s shea butter, lemongrass and maybe salt. I like the lemongrass note in this. Often lemongrass notes in perfume oils smell like deep-fried lemon zest to me. Not here! Any coconut in here seems to be dry and non-foody (or it’s coconut flesh blending with the shea). My one complaint here is the sea spray note. It seems to go straight for my sinuses in a way that I’ve never experience. Not sneeze- or headache-inducing or anything, just a slightly uncomfortable sensation that went away once that note faded. Weird. Luckily it didn’t last very long. The fossilized amber comes out as it dries and helps smooth the whole thing out. Once it’s dry, it’s mostly that velvety amber with shea and lemongrass. The lemongrass starts fading out at about 30 minutes, and it leaves a clean velvety-resinous, but kind of fatty scent (the shea seems to stick to my skin). I’m not sure how I feel about it. I’m glad I didn’t buy a full bottle, but it is an interesting summer scent! Arcana Strawberries Crave Waterfalls(Rain, woodland strawberries, fresh water, petitgrain, osmanthus, clover, and smooth amber.) This was a disappointment, actually. No strawberries at all. In the bottle, I got this kind of spicy green scent that my brain wanted to read as tomato or tomato leaf (I can’t actually smell tomato leaf in perfumes, which made this funnier) and soil (which also isn’t in there). As it dries on the skin, I got a laundry-detergenty rain note (I got the same thing out of Arcana The Moon, so I think it’s just the rain note that Arcana uses). Dry, it was green and wet and actually pretty pleasant (I do love clover notes), but no strawberry. I will note, however, that I should give this a second chance later, since I tried this out about 2-3 weeks or so after it arrived, and Arcana sometimes benefits from a nice long rest. I’ve just sniffed my bottle again and there’s less of the phantom tomato and a little hint of ripe strawberry in there, so there is potential there. (Also, Phantom Tomato is the name of my new band.) Sugar and Spite The Bee Queen(rich honey, horchata, sticky beeswax, and woodsmoke) This one has gotten a lot of rave reviews here. Here’s another one. It’s rich, spicy (cinnamon, mostly) honey, with a little smoke. I amp smoke, and this is the perfect amount of smoke. It’s there, but I don’t smell like a bonfire or anything (…I don’t think I do, anyway…) It is sweet, but the spice and smoke kind of temper it. I find it to be a great “power boost” scent when I need a little extra help to get difficult stuff done. I’ll have to full-size this once I finish this dram… NAVA Vishuddah (Throat Chakra)(Verbena, Yuzu, Eucalyptus, Lime, \eNVie saphir, Bastet Amber)* Back to the NAVAs. I get a little eucalyptus and citrus, mostly in the bottle and wet on the skin. The scent is predominantly a clean, somewhat sweet and creamy amber. Moonalisa Lavender and Chocolate(Delicious real cocoa absolute and real Lavandula Angustifolia (true English lavender) essential oil make this bar refreshing and decadent at the same time) Exactly what it says on the tin. The chocolate note is closer to dark chocolate than milk chocolate, though there’s some sweetness, with little to none of that weird plastic or waxy quality that chocolate perfumes sometimes have. The lavender, to me, leans more herbal/culinary than floral. On the skin, it seems to alternate between a chocolate-dominant scent and a lavender-dominant one. It’s good. NAVA Dragon’s Eye(Magnolia Blossom, Orchid, Rice Milk, Lotus essence) I don’t love florals, but I like the scent of magnolias. This is a creamy floral (maybe a bit powdery around the edges) that I wouldn’t necessarily identify as magnolia unless someone told me that that’s what it was, but I could smell magnolia in it once they told me. That kind of thing. Close enough, I guess? This stuff is strong. I put a drop in the crook of each elbow and was overwhelmed by floral. On top of that, it stuck with me all day and survived a shower. It is pretty, but it’s pretty easy to overdo it. NAVA Blue Bunny(Essence of Raspberry, Peaches, Strawberry, Cotton Candy slushie, African Vanilla, French Vanilla, a drop of Vanilla-fleck Ice Cream). Wet, it smells like a slushie. This smells like fruit (mostly peach and raspberry) on top of cotton candy-vanilla ice cream. It smells rich and kind of sticky sweet. (There is definitely more than “a drop” of ice cream in here.) Poesie Rentimei(Tender bamboo shoots, velvety lily petals, exposed skin). I absolutely bought this because of the bamboo note. I wish there were more bamboo perfumes (I am a sucker for green scents). Anyway. Wet, it’s green, softly floral, and kind of understated. The green notes fade as it dries, revealing a skin musk note. At this point it’s more floral than skin musk, but after a few hours’ wear it becomes a skin musk with hints of lily. The skin musk is probably my least favorite part of this scent (okay, there are only three notes and one of them is bamboo, so…) To me it smells almost…salty. Overall, it’s a pretty scent, but it’s not me. NAVA Ba(White Chocolate accord, Marshmallow accord, Vanilla Bean, Indian Sandalwood, Black Musk, Bastet’s Musk Absolute, Smoked Wood and Smoked Cacao bean essence) In the bottle, it smells like this smoky, comforting almost-gourmand. Wet on the skin…smoky, mostly. Not surprising. I amp smoke. As it dries, it goes through this phase where it smells like Band-aids. Smoked ones. I’ve had this happen with one other scent, but other than smoke there’s no notes in common. Eventually it settles into a smoked wood scent. I’m going to assume this needs aging and just put it away for a while. Wouldn’t be the first time for a smoke-heavy scent (Marshmallows Smoke!, I am looking at you!) All caught up! Whew!
"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe." - Carl Sagan "Whipped cream isn't whipped cream at all unless it's been whipped with whips. Just as a poached egg isn't a poached egg unless it's been stolen from the woods in the dead of night!" - Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
DISCOVERY
It has been said that there is a Plane for every possible reality, and the Demi Plane of Confection certainly fits the bill. It is unlike any other Plane of existence, and is overwhelmingly hostile to non-natives, being filled with creatures and locations that are unlike anything ever experienced on the Prime Material Plane. The Plane itself is made, quite simply, of confection, mostly sugar and chocolate. There does not appear to be any sun or moon, but the Plane is lit overhead in a black "sky" by a constant barrage of tiny flashes that provide a steady, if flickering illumination. This phenomenon is said to be the Dominus Mensa (literally, "Lord Dessert") chewing Pop Rocks but this can neither be confirmed or denied. The landscape, if it can be called that, is a phantasmagoria of extreme heights and depressions, caverns, towering mesas, floating islands, and running liquid in nearly every form - from chocolate, to marshmallow, to hot caramel and if you haven't seen the Hot Strawberry Falls in West Eclair, you haven't lived. There are plenty of objects that could pass as native foliage, but this is a distraction, as the entities are entirely unlike any parallels from the Prime Material Plane. There is great beauty in the transition from Meringue to Hazelnut Crumb when you leave the Float Sea. It is hard to describe, but the way that the food self-organizes in some seemingly-impenetrable methodology is both breath-taking and overwhelming terrifying to the human psyche. If food can think, then what chance do we have if they ever breach our Plane in numbers? The Night of the Living Dessert is something that both draws and repels me in equal measures. The Plane is broken up into around ten distinct "terrains", but there are uncounted areas of "Mess" where everything congeals and intertwines and these places of concentrated energy tend to give rise to the native denizens who stalk the Plane for prey. These areas, called Delights, are not the only known areas, but simply the findings of nearly 4 centuries of inter-planar travel and study. Because of the Cultural Exchange treaty that has been in force since the Molasses Incursions, I am forbidden to describe any of the details of the Delights, but I am able to name them. Use your own imagination as to the wonders found within, because they are vast and awe-inspiring. THE DELIGHTS
The Darkness of the Biscuit
Heartless Chocolate of Pem
The Left-Handed Pie
The Cake of the Curtain
Ice Cream Upon Devastation
Devotion of Pastries
The Pudding Rule
Alternate Donut
The Dreamer of Candy
Cobbler Rift
SURVIVAL
For denizens of the Prime Material Plane, this is an overwhelmingly hostile place. There is no edible food or potable water and most of the local "wildlife" blends in seamlessly with their environments, ostensibly making almost all the creatures natural chameleons. Ambush is the favored attack method, and these can be quite difficult to plan against. One truism that all travelers have agreed upon is that all liquid on the Plane is hostile, and nearly 100% the time is either an Elemental or is hiding one. These great amorphous predators are the bane of all travelers - mindless, hungry, and relentless, they have no need to sleep and only their overwhelming desire for salt and sugar from living prey drives them. The atmosphere is safe to breathe, but the liquid and solids found everywhere, which look like delicious food, are comprised of Elemental Sugar. Anything comprised of it is highly toxic, resulting in near-instantaneous death by diabetic shock to anyone foolish enough to eat it. (DC 30, failure to save means target drops to 0 HP and immediately fails 1 Death Saving Throw. If the save succeeds, the target is Hasted for 2d4 rounds, at the end of which they immediately gain 1 level of Fatigue - no save). The physics seems to be consistent with the Prime Material Plane in most instances, but there was a single report of a Pineapple Upside-Down Chasm but unverified claims abound when it comes to the DPoC, and skepticism would be wise. MAGIC Arcane magic becomes completely transformed on the Plane. All of the damage types are warped into twisted versions of themselves. These are the effects we have discovered:
Damage Type
Transformative Effect
Fire
Cinnamon
Cold
Peppermint
Poison
Orange
Acid
Lemon
Psychic
Blueberry
Necrotic
Chocolate
Radiant
Strawberry
Lightning
Licorice
Thunder
Walnut
Force
Hazelnut
In addition, the spells target changes the descriptor on the spell itself:
Single Target - Crunch
Self - Splash
1 or more Enemies - Extreme
1 or more Allies - Delight
Area Effect - Splat
So a Fireball spell would become a Cinnamon Splat, and Melf's Acid Arrow becomes Melf's Lemon Extreme. It will all make sense when you see the Gargantuan Froo Trollups come shambling towards you, blocking out the Ever-Spark sky! Divine connections are not sundered when making the transfer to the Plane, and their magical types are not transformed like Arcane energies. The Gods cannot be turned away, here. Many creatures will not look like creatures, but food. Everything is a potential threat. However. There is a way to travel safely through the Plane and that is by ingesting a small parasite that lives naturally near Candy Holes (see TRAVEL section). These Gummi Worms will live in the target's gut, consuming small amounts of nutrients from the host, and in return, the Worm is able to generate a masking field that hides the target from any natural predators for up to 24 hours. The drawback with this method is that when the Worm dies it causes the target to take 3 levels of Fatigue. There is a way to mitigate this to 2 levels by casting Cure Disease on the target in the hour-long window in which the Worm decays and rots away. There is weather here, of a sort. There are no doubt many more phenomenon, but these are the known ones:
Pixie Dust Storms: These can choke, abrade, and eventually chew through leather items if left exposed for too long. They are generally short-lived however.
Cocoa Storms: A pelting downpour of molten chocolate, these phenomenon alters the landscape in which it falls, sculpting the sugarscape with scalding reconstruction. Anyone caught in the rain takes 1d4 damage each round they are exposed.
Sugarfloss Fog: This pink, thick phenomenon smells like pure sugar and is as wispy as fog, and can, in an instant, turn as brittle and sharp as glass to slice and rend hapless victims. It moves very slowly, but can overwhelm entire settlements in a day, and alert communites attempt to drive it off or turn its course with elemental fire.
The Donut Rain: The pitter-patter of many varieties of mini-donuts is a calming sound, and the sweets are soft enough that they do not hurt if you are hit. Though they look very tempting to eat, they are just as deadly as anything else in this realm, so be warned.
Apple Piecolypse: This rare phenomenon has only been sighted once, but the when the crust started filling the skies and the boiling chunks of apple started hailing down, the denizens of the Planes bolted for cover. All liquid touched by the falling spiced rain is instantly turned into Filling, and begins birthing Appletrolls and Cinnamonsters. The skies are filled with Angry Pie who swoop and devour all who are foolish enough to try and run from their Crusty Flocks.
POLITICS
There are two great political factions on the Plane - The Prima Mensa and the Secunda Mensa (literally, "first dessert" and "second dessert"). The Mensa are a sapient race that inhabits the planes. They are androgynous in appearance, and if they have any gender roles, none have been witnessed. They look mostly human, except for their long, vertically ovoid eyes and 7-layered tongue (each layer a color of the rainbow). The Mensa are a civilization dedicated to gluttony. Their bodies are grotesqueries of obesity and excess, and they cannot move quickly or put up much of a fight against a determined foe. To overcome this deficiency, they have awakened their psionic potential and can change their appearance into any humanoid they have studied for an hour. This allows them to travel incognito throughout the realms and to seek out new and rare creations of confections and desserts and to conduct the very lucrative trade in the market they have cornered - Caster Sugar - this is Raw Elemental Sugar that has been refined and diluted through some arcane process that is an obviously closely-guarded secret among the Mensa Houses. Caster Sugar is sold to Arcane Guildhouses, powerful mage cabals, renegade sorcerers and anyone else who needs the fuel to create candy aberrations of their own. Oh yes. They are among us already. If you smell burning caramel, it may not just be the new baker's apprentice. Be ever vigilant! The Prima Mensa is another word for Dominus Mensa, the Lord of the Desserts, and ruler of the entire plane. A great Gingerbread Golem some 40' tall, the Lord rules the Plane from his Sugarspun Palace at the top of Hard Rock Candy Mountain at the very center of the plane. He demands tribute from the Great Houses of the Secunda Mensa on a yearly basis, and this is always a gift of the finest of the finest of the year's trade/production. The Prima is attended by several elite groups of defenders - the Righteous Order of Ho-Hos (a fanatical group of zealots who can psychically control the Fudgin Elementals and usually keep a few around as pets/watch); The Snickers Brigade (the Prima's elite guard - 20' tall Peanut Nougat Golems), and The Circle of Reese's (a secretive group of sorcerers who are able to tap into the unstable demi-element of Peanut Butter and who seek to eradicate any who seek the forbidden teachings of the renegade philosopher, Milq Chyclyte).
The Great Houses of the Secunda
House Decadent - The most powerful of all the houses, Decadent has a vast and powerful trade network with dozens of wealthy interests in the Prime Material Plane, and has exclusive contracts with over a dozen entities in the Outer Planes (some rumors boast that they provide the desserts for the Gods when they meet for the Millennial Feasts). Being the most powerful means they've also been the most ruthless when it comes to keeping the other houses down. Wealth to the Mensa is only important for the food that can be created with it and the cost incurred creating the ideal environment in which to enjoy the perfect dessert, and as such the rambling sugarworks of Decadent can only be described as otherworldly. They are creations beyond compare, with delicate lacework in spun sugar laid in filigree in a web that covers sprawling miles of estate grounds. Their agents like to spend their time trading Elemental Honeycomb and Meringue for ingots of platinum, which they then sell to House Caramel for sugargems, to keep everyone happy and content in narcotic bliss.
House Truffle - This house has been dealing in rare and one-of-a-kind delicacies to the powerful and elite on the Prime Material Plane for so long, they cannot remember any other pursuit. They are Masters of Masters in the art of the petit four and truffle. It is said that a certain Lord of Waterdeep ate one of these divine creations and was so overcome with culinary pleasure that he had a stroke and died on the spot. Black-market auctions in Greyhawk will sometimes obtain a single truffle from the Great House and assassinations and bribery soon follow. Their agents are most discreet and have cultivated multiple established identities, a handful of cut-out identities, and know dozens of contacts in and around the areas where they regularly do business.
House Cacao - This ancient House has seen the rise and fall of nearly the entire history of the Plane, and though their power has waned in recent times, they still wield great influence over the other Houses and their complete monopoly on the Elemental Chocolate trade (and their research into weapons of war) assures their place in the future yet unwritten. Diabolical Hershey, one of the founding ancestors, began the first research into Sugarbomb technology, and his breakthrough was the KISS (Kinetic Isothermal Sugar Salvo) and it changed the face of war and the very terrain of the Plane itself. Cocoabombs soon followed, and when the House was as the height of its power, the Atomic Fireball ruled the battlefields of dozens of Outer Planes. After the Molasses Incursions nearly destroy half-a-dozen realities, and the Cultural Exchange treaty was put into place, the House lost vast amounts of wealth and power, but has managed to survive by funding the Crunch Brigades, a loose militia of interested Mensa who fight the native horrors.
House Sirop - Murder and tribal war birthed this House, an upstart clan who dared to grab the Liquid Sugar market and declare themselves masters over all the Great Houses. After decades of sugary destruction, House Sirop was granted concessions in the light of their astonishing victories and cunning deceptions. They claimed 50% of the LS market, and were restricted to trading only on the Demi Plane itself. The founders agreed with gritted teeth and soon their intrigues had all the Great Houses coming to them for safe sources of all the Liquid Sugars, as nearly every expedition sent by the others were destroyed by the native species - a fact helped along by House Sirop's agents who work hard to keep the natives stirred up and the valuable sources safe from competition. Their agents are friendly but ruthless in negotiation, and will not hesitate to decieve a foolish traveler.
House Custard - This Great House has always been the least warlike among all the others. Their secrets are more important and they have quietly kept to themselves, producing tarts and pastries for the other Houses and to any and all who wish to buy them among the shopfronts of the Neenish Guild. Their quality is legendary and they admit no outsiders into the Fortress at Brûlée, and as many can attest, their defenses are formidable - from the Semifreddo Canon to the elite Kogel Mogel who guard the sacred Tower of Zabaione. Their agents travel only on the Demi Plane itself, and have no extra-planar interests. Some say that the House's ability to remain neutral in the power struggles is because they have some divine connection to Dominus Mensa and the Lord protects them in some symbiotic relationship as yet undiscovered. Some just say its because the blackberry pie is so damn good that if a human from the Prime was to eat even a single bite, they would experience 7 years of unbridled joy before their instantaneous death.
House Meringue - This Great House is on the brink of dissolution. What was once the prime trader in the rarest of vanilla beans and Elemental Liqueur has unraveled into a collection of rogues, scoundrels and murderers who steal, swindle and scam any and all who dare to do business with them. Their only line of survival is knowing the only known source of Elemental Rum, and they trade very small batches of it for every commodity they can get their hands on that will make a profit - this is almost always to some sucker on the Prime Material Plane, but many Outer Planar deals are done on a daily basis. The agents of this House no longer work together - each is on the run, hiding and smuggling what they can in an attempt to be able to reclaim some semblance of social standing, but with every Great House refusing to do business with them in public (some backroom deals are still of course happening) this has been a long struggle.
House Caramel deals in the sugargem market. Gemstones from the Prime Material Plane are transformed by their quantum transition and become pure Elemental Sugar, always flavored with a different Sensation, depending on the type of gemstone. These are highly sought by the other Houses, for use as a powerful narcotic. More importantly, sugargems are the key ingredient in the Plane Shift spell in their arcane learnings. Agents within House Caramel always specialize in procuring a single type of sugargem. Expertise and focus are required to ply the very hazardous diplomatic/merchant games they play.
The Sensations (by sugargem type) Transformation from gem to Sensation is immediate once the Planar shift has occured.
Emerald: Mintsugar
Ruby: Strawberrysugar
Diamond: Peppermintsugar
Topaz: Orangesugar
Opal: Vanillasugar
Sapphire: Blueberrysugar
Garnet: Cinnamonsugar
Pearl: White Chocolatesugar
Agate: Chocolatesugar
THE LOCALS
Now let us concentrate on the aberrations found on the Plane - a group of terrifying creatures who roam the Plane in search of prey. Be on the lookout for any of the following species:
The Elementals
This is a diverse and highly deadly race of creatures that roam the Plane at will, and devour all who cross their path, including others of their own kind. In this way they grow in size and strength, sometimes becoming Colossal Elementals, able to overwhelm entire cities of the Mensa and for this reason, they are mercilessly hunted whenever they are spotted near settlements. There are 4 "species" - called Concoctions, and they represent the gamut of variations seen by travelers.
The Eggin - These are the Custard elementals, and they are slow but strong and very deadly. The Anglaise Elemental overwhelms its prey with hot blobs of boiling egg, sugar and milk, and after 4 rounds, this causes a Slow effect on the prey. The Sabayon Elemental relies on its alcoholic content to slow its prey with Intoxication (both with DCs of 25+). They are vulnerable to fire attacks and if burned, will give off a toxic smoke (inhaled poison, DC 20, does 2d6 choking damage each round the save is failed) in a 100' radius, so pyromages, be warned.
The Fudgin - These are the Chocolate Elementals, fast and deadly creatures, their attacks manifest as hurled blobs of molten chocolate or lashing pseudopods and cause blistering burns to their victims. The Fudge Elementals are slower, but stronger and their attacks cause a Slow effect on their prey, to enable the Elemental to catch up and overwhelm it. Regardless of type, the most dangerous aspect of any of the Concoctions is the mere fact that their bodies are made up of Elemental Sugar, and any time the Elemental strikes a target with a critical hit, some of this deadly poison gets in the eyes or mouth of the prey and this forces a Constitution save (vs a 25+ DC) or the prey drops to 0 HP and immediately fails 1 Death Saving Throw. Such is the peril of the entire plane.
The Sucrin - The Sugar Elementals are the quickest of the lot and are usually quite small to begin with. The Caramel Elemental likes to hide in ambush, and attack its prey with salty-sweet pseudopods that can pull the moisture from its victims, weakening them - DC 25+, causes 1 level of Fatigue. The Glaze Elemental often spreads itself so thinly on the terrain that it cannot be seen without careful Investigation (DC 28). Its attacks cause the victim to becomes Slowed and eventually Paralyzed from the slowly cooling nature of the Glaze. The Slow effect occurs 4 rounds after the victim is first hit (DC 25+) and the Paralyzation after 6 rounds (DC 25+).
The Fructin - The Fruit Elementals are the most deadly of them all. The Citrus Elemental is tough and hardy, often filled with the shredded pulp of its origin species (Orange being the most deadly of the Citrin Concoctions) and its attacks do an additional array of Acid damage to its prey. The Coulis Elemental is also thick and resistant to most attacks, save fire, as all the Elementals are vulnerable to that primal force, but it makes up for this with a Petrifying component to its boiling blobs of hurled compote (DC 25+).
The Puddings
These wily creations often pose as part of the terrain, with the deep gorges of Fruit Cake Canyons being home to most of the Plane's deadly Plum Puddings - who roll on hapless prey from great heights, igniting themselves in an alcoholic haze that stuns the lucky victims who avoid the initial ambush with Poison (inhaled poison, DC 23, does 2d4 damage each round the fumes are breathed in, or until the radius of 60' from the Pudding is escaped). The medium-sized Plum Puddings are quick, with a tight turning radius, and will pursue prey for as long as the terrain allows. Sometimes a group of 6 or more will join a hunt, so beware these abominations! The deadly Rice Pudding pummels its targets with boiling blobs full of cooked Elemental Rice (experts believe these manifest in some sort of symbiotic exchange with the Demi Plane of Grass and Grains) and leaves its prey Stunned on a critical hit. They are slow but often Large-sized and due to their make-up, they don't blend in well with most terrains, so keeping a keen eye should keep you clear of these lumbering killers. Of all the Puddings recorded by travelers, the most feared is the deadly Bread Pudding. Strong, generally Huge-sized, and able to withstand elemental Fire and Water with ease, the Bread Pudding throws chunks of itself to destroy groups of armed attackers, settlement defenses like walls and towers, and any flying creatures who dare to get too near it. They are slow and powerful with over 300 HP, and they are always cause for alarm.
The Swarms (these are only some examples)
Free-willed packs of creatures roam the Plane at will, overwhelming whatever prey doesn't drive them off. They feed on the salt and sugar in their victim's bodies and are able to instantaneously reproduce more of themselves after feeding. There is no theoretical limit to their potential size, but most swarms are killed off or split up before they can grow too large to handle. Most of the swarms are able to fly at great speeds (50'+ per round), but some roll, and some ooze. The most commonly spotted swarms have been:
M&Ms - These tiny creatures pack a punch when their numbers increase. The Peanut versions are considerably stronger.
Redhots and Lemonheads - These often hunt in mixed packs, the Redhot's stinging attacks do an additional 1d4 fire damage, while the Lemonheads add 1d4 acid damage.
Skittles - These chewy monstrosities are notoriously difficult to kill, and their attacks always add a random elemental effect of 1d6 on their attacks, which changes each round of combat.
Donuts - These rolling packs cause choking damage from the Powered Elemental Sugar that covers their bodies. The extra damage is usually 2d6 and on a critical hit, their roll-by-attacks knock their targets Prone.
Sugar & Cinnamon Sandling - more of an ooze than a swarm, this creature is able to compact itself into very small places and explode outwards, causing Blindness on its prey and its attacks are stinging and abrading slashes. It can both fly and ooze upon the terrain if desired. This swarm can grow in size very quickly and hide itself nearly anywhere.
Sweet Tarts - These rolling predators can be as large as a house and coordinate their attacks like wolfpacks do. They don't have any special attacks, but they are solidly built, with an AC of 25. If they take half of their total HP in damage, they shatter and form cruel Shards that can add 1d6 slashing damage to its normal attack.
Peeps - The Peeps will multiply exponentially as long as there are natural sugars to use for food, which is drawn directly out of any organic life that has sugar in any raw form. The Peeps can quickly overrun large areas and their constant peeping acts as a Confusion spell (DC 20) to anyone within hearing distance. The Peeps multiply at a rate of 100 for every medium-sized victim they consume.
Chocolate Frogs - Identified and cataloged by Newt Scamander, the chocolate frog appears to be an unassuming denizen of this plane with a similar habit and nature as Material frogs. However, during rare unpredictable mating seasons, swarms of chocolate frogs have left travelers and even small villages within the realm completely chocolate coated. Their attacks leave the victims coated in elemental chocolate, and this hardens into a stiff shell coating that can suffocate a grown man if not eaten away immediately. When tens of thousands of them escape their hexagon cocoons all at once, it leaves a chocolate swath that can (and has) destroyed entire settlements overnight.
The Golems (these are only some examples)
Mindless creatures formed by the collective need of the Mensa, they primarily function as Guardians of settlements or important places, but on occasion the Plane itself with spontaneously create these for some unknown and arcane reason. All of them are vulnerable to elemental fire, which has limited their widespread usage.
Gingerbread Golem
Crackerjack Golem
Rock Candy Golem
Marshmallow Golem
The Candies (these are only some examples)
Candy Corn Piercers
School of Swedish Fish - These predators frenzy when near prey and act just like piranha, except they can fly.
Marshmallow Ghosts
Gummy Purple Worm
Gummy Roper
Gummy Owlbears - They are regularly encountered in Candy Cane forests and around milk chocolate ponds. Gummy Owlbears are usually pale yellow, red, green or orange and all are largely translucent. They tend to attack by bouncing rapidly at their opponents and will split into two smaller versions if attacked with slashing weapons.
The Ice-Cream Dragons
These small creatures are the size of the Pseudodragons found on the Prime Material Plane, and they are strange and deadly indeed. Each has the ability to grow in size (from Tiny to Enormous) with successful attacks and can quickly outsize their prey, and some grow so large they go on rampages, destroying entire settlements in their glee for malicious destruction. There are scores of recorded "species", called Flavors, and each one has a breath weapon in line with its Flavor. As the size of the Ice Cream Dragon grows, so does the size and power of its breath weapon. While I cannot provide you with every known kind, I can provide a list of the most common ones seen by travelers. Also, the Neopolitan Hydra is not a myth. Beware if you see one, and never, ever trust the Strawberry heads!
Flavor
Flavor
Flavor
Banana
Black Cherry
Chocolate
Maple Walnut
Mint Chocolate Chip
Rocky Road
Almond Coconut
Butterscotch
Pecan Praline
Strawberry
Vanilla
Rainbow Sherbet
Cinnamon Apple
Maple Pecan
Coffee Ripple
Rum Raisin
Black Raspberry
Lemon
Pistachio
Peanut Butter
Mango
Chocolate Fudge
Bubble Gum
Peach
Orange Sherbet
Cookie Dough
Chocolate Marshmallow
Cookies and Cream
Pineapple Coconut
Tutti Frutti
The Oddities (these are only some examples)
Licorice Vines - These grow everywhere and will reach and stretch out to grab hapless prey.
Gelatinous Fruit Cubes - Tiny square oozes who each reek of some rotten fruit, these predators love to hunt in settled areas and then hide to ambush the unwary.
Taffy Mimics - These cunning concoctions swallow up unaware victims who come too close to its hiding spot. They are capable of suffocating prey if required.
Lollipop Ooze - These sticky oozes lie in ambush from heights and drop onto their unwary prey, dissolving and consuming anything that comes into contact with its digestive enzymes. They reek of strong fruit flavor, sickly and overpowering, causing nausea and Weakness to their victims (DC 20).
Sprinkles Molds are particularly deadly. It smells delicious to living creatures and if eaten, will slay and resurrect the victim as a Thrall, which will protect the Mold at all costs, and whose toxic bites will create more Thralls to serve the Mold. The Thralls cannot move more than a few metres away from their Mold hosts, however, and will collapse into rapidly decaying small candies if they try to do so. This has often been called the Skittles Effect. These are in no way related to the Swarm of the same name.
MYSTERIES
Encounter Chart
A group of Secunda Mensa are arguing over the battlefield of a dozen of their people and a handful of Gingerbread Golems. In the distance a large Gingerbread House is lumbering away, a crushed swath through the gummi grass also shows evidence of some Swarm nests.
A group of zealots broke the seal of Nonpareil and have released the Wrath of the Marshmallow Monstrosity - a unique golem over 50' tall and able to call swarms of Mini-Marshmallows to serve as scouts and skirmishers. The first wave of these have reached a nearby settlement and the alarm has just gone up. The Monstrosity will arrive in one hour.
A colored candy rainbow, the width of a large city street arcs up and away from the party. If it is followed, it leads to the Hard Rock Candy Mountain at the center of the Plane, where the Dominus Mensa and his followers dwell in Sugarspun Palace. The party will be harassed by nesting flocks of Tootsie Stirge and may even be challenged by Mike and his brother Ike - these legendary fighters will fight as a team and each carries a unique weapon - the Strawberry Blade does an extra 1d6 damage versus any Chocolate creatures, and the Lemon Whip tangles its targets and adds an additional 1d6 acid damage each round the target is restrained. Neither brother can be surprised or flanked, and they always act on the same initiative count. Once at the Palace, the Dominus will attempt to drive the party off with repeated delays and rudeness.
Queen of the Juju has closed the Jellybean Gate and declared all Mensa outlaws and unwelcome in her realm, except for the party, whom she has sent a polite summons. If responded to, she recounts the legend of Hubba Bubba, and the rise of the True Bubble is coming to pass unless the party can help. There is one small problem. The prophecies have also shown portends that the Dunking of Doublestuf, Lord of the Oreo People will commence very close to the same day. If either one is averted, then both will not come to pass, such is the harmonic that rules such strange events.
A sudden, savage planar transition by a group of expeditionary hunters, a full squad of 5, armed to the teeth and here on a mission to bring back the head of a Great House to their mysterious employer. They will attack the party on sight, wanting to clear any local hostiles before moving off. If they are losing, they will Plane Shift away and return (near the party again) with a full squad of 5 in 1 hour. If they lose 4 squads, no more will appear. If they are captured, they will talk but cannot name their employer. All are carrying 1 astral diamond each - worth entire kingdoms on the Prime Material Plane.
A group of Stick Candy Skeletons are destroying an intricate sugar and almond sculpture, one of uncounted thousands across the landscape, put up by who knows who, and the group is lead by an angry Root Beer, who has become convinced that only through the consumption of Elemental Licorice can his species reproduce. This is false, and will corrupt the skeletons into Licorice Wraiths, whose lightning strikes and natural invisibility make them deadly and unpredictable.
TRAVEL
When enough Elemental Sugar has amassed in one place on the Demi Plane of Confection, a gravity wave opens a wormhole to the Prime Material Plane, creating a Candy Hole. Candy Holes are usually 6-8m in diameter and encrusted with sugar, sometimes colored, but most often the refined white variety. Elemental Raw Sugar has never been known to create a Candy Hole, some scholars speculating that the high moisture content prevents a sufficient critical mass to form. Elemental Molasses is almost always found on the rim of a Candy Hole. It is highly toxic, resulting in near-instantaneous death by diabetic shock to anyone foolish enough to eat it. (DC 30, failure to save means target drops to 0 HP and immediately fails 2 Death Saving Throws. If the save succeeds, the target is Hasted for 4d4 rounds, at the end of which they immediately gain 2 levels of Fatigue - no save). Demi Planar creatures will be drawn through the Candy Hole, in search of more sugar and salt. These two elements are required by all the Demi creatures for reproduction. Without sugar or salt, they will die, and these things cannot be drawn from the terrain, they can only be drawn from living creatures (this includes other Demi-Elementals). Candy Holes allow the passage of creatures from one plane to another, and their very existence is registered by any DPoC creatures in the vicinity, which means most travelers to enter a Hole from their own plane are met with a host of DPoC creatures when they transition. Contrariwise, travelers leaving the Plane often draw hostile pursuers after them. The Holes are unstable and vary in the time they are active, from 10 minutes to over a day has been recorded. It is mostly down to luck, and no reasonable method has been devised to predict when and where they will occur or how long they will remain open.
JOURNAL
"I remember the day the Jolly Ranchers found us. That name was alieI--. I don't think I want to talk about this anymore" - Anonymous inmate, Rafanar Asylum "The sounds, oh gods the sounds! The endless rattling, the rattling! I couldn't take it anymore! The NERDS! THE NERDS!" - From the testimony of Elgin Dus at his murder trial. "Nah, None-a that shit scares me. Chocolate monsters ain't scary. A master mage with Burning Hands and a grudge against fudge? Nowthat'sscary!" - Ex-mercenary at the Hanged Man Tavern. "How am I supposed to ever trust a banana creme pie again?" - Scela Unwin, ex-paladin, disappointed chef "What bothers me isn't the way that they walk and talk like people, that's ok, I can talk myself into that, what bothers me is that they have the indecency to act like us. I mean, my gods, you're a fucking talking Profiterole, you know? Have some goddamn dignity!" - Retired Bard, ex-adventurer, resident drunken ass at The Lamb's Shank
TOOLKIT
Example table for making homebrew planar creatures
NAVAlentines come down on March 30th and I've tested a lot of them so I've compiled all of my notes into one big ol' post. What a way to start a snow day! :D Amber Beetle:"Amber Resin, Rock Rose, sweet Sandalwood, sweet Patchouli, Vanilla-Myrrh and all blended into a vat of deep luxurious Crystalline and a drop of Egyptian Musk. This is the 2018 version with more amber and vanilla accords added to the blend!" In the vial: Strong amber vanilla. Almost cloying. Reminds me a lot of Sky Amber from the PC collection. On the skin: Yes, definitely similar to Sky Amber in terms of sweetness. The amber in Beetle I find a little drier, but close enough that I may not actually need both of these. I barely wear amber heavy blends anyway why do I do this to myself lol. Longevity: 10+ hours to a near absurd degree. One drop'll do ya, and it may still be too much. Verdict: 2/5 solid ambevanilla blend and recommend for lovers of those, but a bit much for me. I may destash considering I rarely reach for scents like this. Bastet's Ice Cream: Cherry Blossom Creme"Japanese Cherry Blossom, Mimosa Petals, Fuji Apple skin, Peony essence, Sandalwood Musk accord, Pear skin, Vanilla Crystalline Cream, Butter accord, Caramel Accord, French Vanilla Bean Absolute, Vanilla Milk accord, Vanilla Orchid, Crystalline Absolute and Vanilla Sugar." In the vial: sugary creamy cherry blossom petals. Beautiful. On the skin: the vanilla is stronger but make no mistake she's a creamy floral. A lot of the other notes listed I can't parse out aside from the cherry blossom and crystalline cream but I also don't mind either lol. Mentally I imagine a sugar coated cherry blossom atop cherry blossom ice cream. Longevity: At its most full-bodied it lasted around 4 hours. After that it became a skin-hugging scent for another 5-6. Verdict: 5/5 would prance around and wear all spring Bastet's Ice Cream: Bergamot Tea Creme"Italian Bergamot Peel essence and Absolute, Black Tea, Vanilla Crystalline Cream, Butter accord, Caramel Accord, French Vanilla Bean Absolute, Vanilla Milk accord, Vanilla Orchid, Crystalline Absolute and Vanilla Sugar." In the vial: Earl Grey Tea with the proper milk/sugar fixins On the skin: Earl Grey Tea, but louder Longevity: A solid 5 hours of Earl Grey Verdict: 3/5 Earl Greys lol Buttercream Butterfly:"Buttercream Frosting Accord but softened by the essence of Crystalline and Kobalt vanillas and a touch of soft Egyptian and skin Musk" In the vial: Middle of the road vanilla. Not overly gourmand, not overly floral. On the skin: sweet vanilla skin. Not subtle enough for a skin scent on its own, but a good option for a "My Skin but Buttercreamer" lol. A bit boring on its own, but a layering master with other Valentines, other Pastels, basically everything hahaha. Longevity: ~5 hours on its own. Longer layered. Verdict: 4/5 Gossamer little scent threads like a butterfly wing make my heart happy Coconut Cockatoo:"Coconut Husk, Coconut Milk, Coconut Sugar all bound together in the harmony of Crystalline vanilla" In the vial: Dry sandy coconut. On the skin: disclaimer If coconut notes and I were in a facebook relationship it would be "It's Complicated." Sometimes when I wear coconut I smell the beach and it is so on point it becomes all I want to smell like all day. Sometimes I smell suntan lotion, which I like less. And other times I smell plastic which I like the leastest of least. And it varies not only on the blend (as I'm sure all notes are different when blended...) but my diet, where shark week falls into play, the sun being 2 degrees off course, and mercury being in retrograde. That is to say... my experience with coconut is a random happenstance of will it be A Mistake or not. Fortunately, this one stays true to the dry sweet coconut blend. Longevity: on the shorter end... around 4 hours total before it vanishes. Verdict: 3.25/5 would lounge on a tropical beach with this bird Dragonfruit Dragonfly:"Dragon Blood Incense Resin but softened by the essence of Crystalline and Kobalt vanillas, Dragonfruit essence and Egyptian Musk" In the vial: incense and fruit punch On the skin: cherries and floral vanilla. Ah the good ol' bait and switch dragons blood likes to pull on me sometimes. This is loud and fruity, pretty wide throw too. It steps up to the line of cough syrup but backs off at the last minute. On drydown the more floral vanilla element that really rounds out this one nicely. But I am unsure how willing I would be to wait through the initial stages I like less. Longevity: I showered after 5 hours and it was still going strong Verdict: Immediate application is 1.5/5, but dry down brings it safely to a 3/5. A fruit bowl near an incense stick and sometimes the fruit screams at peak volume. It always scares you, but when they fall silent you're reminded of how nice they are sitting there. You just wish they were quiet all the time. Eternal Ankh Pink:"White Amber Absolute, Powdered and reconstructed oil of Egyptian Vanilla Husk, Vanilla fleck, African White Vanilla Absolute, Amber Resin, Bastet’s Amber, Pink Sugar and a touch of Crimson Musk" In the vial: Vanilla pod baking in the desert sun on a bed of cotton candy. On the skin: Eternal Ankh's younger, peppier sister but still at her core the same blend I know and love. A bit sweeter than the original... 'pink' is apt. I was lukewarm wearing it the first time but when it faded I missed it a lot? Longevity: The lightness/sweetness in this one impacted longevity a bit imo. EAP stays around 6 hours... original EA goes for 8+. Verdict: 4.5/5 This cotton candy vanilla pod is doing jumping jacks around my heart with almost unending pep and I'm smitten. Lavender Dolphin:"dreams of Lavender but softened by the essence of Crystalline and White Sandalwood and Snow Musk" In the vial: Lavender Santalum's softer, fluffier cousin. Mostly lavender and vanilla, but definitely not gourmand like a marshmallow or floral like a garden. On the skin: lavender and light musk. Maybe a tinge of vanilla. It's a soft blanket of the three notes, and wears very close to the skin. Longevity: I usually sleep in this and can't smell it in the morning so I'd say < 8 hours. Verdict: 3/5 would snuggle and kiss but also would date other lavenders before settling down. Love of Bastet: Blue Vanille"Crimson Egyptian Musk, Blue Cardamom of Nepal, Blue Sugar, Blue Crystalline, a drop of Blue Chamomile (kamilla) from Hungaria, Kobalt Vanilla and a touch of caramelized French Vanilla" In the vial: Mostly floral vanilla and chamomile with a bit of dry skin musk On the skin: chamomile and vanilla orchid pretty much exclusively. It's a bit high pitched for me upon initial application. On dry down it smoothes out with the vanilla and it's a lot more pleasant and balanced. It still maintains a pretty strong floral element to it despite its sweetness so if you were gravitating towards this due to the cardamom I'd say there are other options. Longevity: 4+ hours Verdict: 3.5/5 Vanilla orchid lays on a bed of chamomile and beckons you to join her for snuggles. Her hugs are a bit tight, but that's ok. Love of Bastet: Cardamom & Coconut Milk:"Beautiful pure Sri Lanka Cardamom essential oil bathed in creamy California coconut milk, an ember of coconut husk smoke, Indonesian Vanilla bean with natural hints of caramel and chocolate notes. " In the vial: dry warm coconut, not sugary sweet but still slightly smooth and creamy On the skin: Much of the same. The cardamom isn't 'spicy' the way that you would expect out of a spice cabinet, but adds a bit of warmth to the coconut milk. On dry-down it feels a bit more skin-like in its warmth. Definitely not the sweetened coconut milk I expected, but a very cozy scent nonetheless. Longevity: 8+ hours Verdict: 4.5/5 reminds me of watching my sweet kitty stretch out in a sunbeam and I don't know why but I love it. Remind me why I didn't get a backup of this yet? Love of Bastet: Coco Vanille:"Romanian Cocoa, Georgian Cacao, a blend of 5 Vanilla Beans from Egypt, Apricot seed and French Cocoa Absolute." In the vial: Whoa this is almost Bastet's Ice Cream Hot Cocoa right out of the gate. Sweet creamy chocolate. Mmmm On the skin: Cocoa is a bit dustier than Bastet's Ice Cream Hot Cocoa but it still reminds me of melted chocolate ice cream. Super simple, but super delicious Longevity: 4+ hours Verdict: 3.5/5 chocolate milk that was a bit heavy-handed on the chocolate. Gives you a bit of a sugar headache but it's worth the ride. Love of Bastet: Pink Vanille:"Pink Orchard Peach, Apricot Petals and Pink Apricot Nectar of Benhama, Kashmir. A drop of Pink Crystalline, Pink Crystal Vanilla, Pink Egyptian Musk, a kiss of Pink Sugar and Pink Peppercorn." In the vial: peaches for daaaaays. On the skin: true to life peaches with a bit of warmth and pep from juicy red musk and the peppercorn (but the peaches are the star by FAR). I like to layer this with vanillas to punch up the sweet/fruity aspect. It's a bit too warm to be an Adele dupe (that feels cooler to me) but it certainly scratches the peach itch imo Longevity: 6+ hours Verdict: 5/5 juicy peaches. Would slather indefinitely. Peach Peacock:"Natural Peach skin essence but softened by the beauty of Crystalline, Egyptian Red Musk (Crimson), Sandalwood and a touch of Nag Champa Incense" In the vial: getting slapped in the face with peach incense On the skin: Similar in execution to Pink Vanille this is a very warm fruity incense blend. I don't get much sandalwood. It feels very much like peach/nag champa, though as a disclaimer I amp nag champa like it's my life mission. It still maintains the fruity sweetness despite that, which is a huge plus for me. Longevity: 8+ hours Verdict: 5/5 these peaches came out of an incense tent smelling sexy as hell and I am buying what they're selling PINK:"Coconut Milk, Pink Sugar accord, Cotton Candy, Plum skin, Pear, Crystal, a drop of Crimson Musk, French Vanilla Absolute, Pink Cinnamon, Bastet’s Ice Cream Absolute and Crystalline Absolute." In the vial: fruity cotton candy On the skin: pear is doing something weird here and I'm not entirely certain what. There's an oddly effervescent quality to it without there being anything like a champagne note in it. It's sweet but maybe a bit too young for me? Idk it's delicious on but it also reminds me of more teenage-oriented scents from BBW. Longevity: ~5 hours, perfectly middle of the road for NAVA Verdict: 2/5 a cute girl who's a bit too hyperactive to be endearing to me but from afar I can appreciate her energy and demeanor Pink Grapefruit Flamingo:"Essential Oil from the zest of Pink Grapefruit and Caribbean Grapefruit, a touch of white honey, a little pink sugar, a tiny drop of white patchouli all infused into Crystalline Vanilla." In the vial: Grapefruit for days with maybe a tinge of vanilla. On the skin: Much of the same. I amp honey and patchouli and they are very well behaved here. Fruity sweetness in perpetuity. Longevity: as most citrus blends, not long... probably only 3.5 hours total. But a very pleasant 3.5 hours Verdict: 3/5 simple citrus loveliness that remains constant but is too short lived without deeper base notes to round it out. I love it, but fear I will run out quickly. Valentine Vanila Bean Cake:"A unique imported Creamy Vanila Bean (and spelled this way) from Equador, Vanilla Cake accord, Skin Musk, Yoghurt Vanilla Cream, Ember Musk, Bourbon Vanilla, Bastet’s Ice Cream Absolute and Crystalline Absolute." In the vial: Sweet vanilla skin-musk. On the skin: A gourmand layering dream. Same feel as in the vial but blooms into a very unique vanilla skin musk. Dries down to be less sweet than it first was on application. I was worried about the yoghurt but there's no odd tang like I feared. There are a lot of vanillas NAVA offers variations on but this one is its own beast. It's the more gourmand workhorse and darling of my first order. Longevity: 8+ hours and still distinct after wearing overnight. Verdict: 5/5 backup worthy for me. If vanilla cake spontaneously began turning into a person this is what their skin would smell like (I mean that as a good thing, however strange it sounds) Vanilla Carrot Cake:"Carrot Skin, White Clove, Nutmeg, White Cinnamon, Vanilla infused Maple, Vanilla Cake accord, Bastet’s Ice Cream Absolute and Crystalline Absolute." In the vial: A carrot cake in the fall air. Super festive. Feels more suited to an autumn release but I'm not complaining. On the skin: Itchy burning nope nope nope. Turns out, (surprise!) I had a reaction to the white cinnamon note. I'm not sensitive to normal spice notes and have only had one other reaction, to NAVA's Jack's Halloween Oudh... with the same white cinnamon note. I has a sad. Washed off immediately with soap and water. Longevity: I'm not a masochist lol it was only on me for 15 min before I scrubbed so shrug Verdict: 1/5 would not put anywhere near skin but would admire from afar. Idk why but this picture comes to mind Ok, that was long and sprawling haha. What were your hits and misses with this release? I had far more hits than misses, but my top faves would be Cherry Blossom Creme, Peach Peacock, Buttercream Butterfly, EA Pink, and Valentine Vanila Bean Cake.
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