BPAL: Kiitchen Sink Edition

[gwydion]

The Frimps:
FAE FOREST (BPTP, RPG, Atmospheric spray): (Company says: Mist-shrouded woods: Siberian fir needles, white pine bark, aspen leaf, wild lily, bergamot, wood violet, thimbleberry, sun-star, golden bell, snowdrop, heartsease, and bloodroot.)

Review: Deliciously autumnal. The evergreens give it a late fall Winter is coming outdoorsey feel, while the florals give a sweeter last gasp of summer sort of feel. It’s gorgeous and just right for the turning of the year. I am not familiar with all the notes, so I can not tell you which thing makes the bitter berry scent that is dancing with the dominant evergreens, but trust me, it’s perfect.

HELLCAT (Diabolus): (Company says: A soft, sensual, luxuriant blend with a wicked bite: hazelnut, buttercream, honey mead, rum and sweet almond.)

In bottle: Almond dominant, with strong mead and rum support. The butter cream is ubiquitous, tying it all together. The hazelnut is soft, but distinct. Wet: Much as in the imp, with dominant almond. The butter cream is stronger than in the bottle, if anything. Dry: Mostly honey mead and rum. Yummy.

Ordered:
APPLE ORCHARD 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Atmospheric spray): (Company says: Baskets of apples, sun warmed, sit beneath tree boughs dappled with autumn light.)

Review: Apple dominant with something that suggests sun and wood and a touch of turning to cider. Sweeter than expected. I like it. Really, it’s about the apples.

AUTUMN CIDER 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Confections, vol. 1): (Company says: Fermented apple juice, brown sugar, spice, lemon zest, butterscotch liquor, and orange slices.

Review: Apple cider dominant, but the mulling spices are strong and perfectly balanced. I love the citrus zing, the brown sugar sweetening, and the touch of butterscotch. Omnomnom. This would be the perfect hot cider if it were liquid and is delightful as a candy.

BLACK CLOVE 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Illuminations): (Company says: Smoky Maluku clove and a hint of aged patchouli. .)

Strong, beautiful clove, filled out with a touch of patchouli. Seriously, this is all about the clove, which is what I’d hoped. I’m not patchouli’s fan, but it blends well here. I love this candle.

BLUE PUMPKIN FLOSS 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Confections, vol. 1): (Company says: Puffy clouds of pumpkin candyfloss with a trickle of blackberry juice

Review: The pumpkin has some lovely mulling spice. It is more pumpkin pie than candy floss. The blackberry is softer, but delicious. These are nice, but I admit to loving the Autumn cider more.

DEAD LEAVES AND DESOLATION 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Illuminations): (Company says: A barren grove, silent. Dry, crumbling oak leaves dance through the skeletal, grasping arms of ancient trees. .)

Review: While the dead leaves accord does not work on my skin, it’s always been lovely and perfect in the bottle so a candle sounded like the perfect showcase for it. This is mostly about the leaves, but the wood, while understated works beautifully as support. Very autumnal. As it burns all the nuance of the leave accord comes out, and the wood notes get a touch more noticeable.

GHOULISH 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Confections, vol. 1): (Company says: Black cherry, and coconut amaretto, gently laced with saffron.

Review: Black cherry dominant, but the coconut Amaretto isn’t kidding. I think the almond is a close second to the cherry, with coconut third. The saffron is an interesting touch, understated, but a little bit wicked. Omnomnom.

OAK LEAVES AND KYPHI 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Atmospheric spray): (Company says: Oak leaves falling through a haze of kyphi, champaca, and blackened pomegranate rind.

Review: It’s strongly incense dominant, with sandalwood the strongest note in the incense. The richness of the pomegranate stands second, facing the incense. The champaca and oak are soft, but present, mostly dancing with the incense. The oak has staying power and will become a noticeable third as other things fade a bit.

RED VELVET TRUFFLE BATH OIL 2012 (BPTP, Halloweenie, Bath Oil): (Company says The scent of pulverized red velvet cake mixed with cream cheese frosting, stuffed with candy bark, rolled into balls, and coated with white chocolate.)

Review: Yep, that is red velvet cake with butter cream frosting. Cake and frosting dominant. White chocolate is a strong third, with the candy bark soft and mostly supporting the white chocolate. It’s exactly as you’d expect from the description and I have nothing clever to say.

RUM-SOAKED FRENCH TONKA 2012 (LE, Single note): (Company says: Our tonka accord is a sweet, warmly sensual fragrance redolent of a vaguely clove-touched deep, dark vanilla balsam that has been lightly sweetened with almond and rum.)

In bottle: Oh god, yes. Vanilla dominant with rum as excellent support. Clove gives it a spicy edge. The almond is understated and ties it all together. This is wonderful and everything I imagined. Wet: The vanilla balsam is softer and more ethereal than normal vanilla. It is a touch more balsamy than in the bottle. The rum is still lovely with the vanilla. The clove is softer but still present. The almond is very understated. Honestly, I liked it in the bottle better, but it’s still lovely. Dry: Mostly almond and vanilla with a touch of balsam.

STREET FESTIVAL 2012 (LE, Novel Ideas for Secret Amusements V): (Company says: Plum honey, passion fruit, pomegranate, benzoin, French lavender, blonde tobacco, black currant, vanilla bean, lemon balm, Tunisian opium, violet sugar, clove, and white grapefruit.)

In bottle: Vaguely combined grapefruit and pomegranate dominant with lavender and violet combining for a close second. The fruits generally side with pomegranate/grapefruit, with passion fruit next strongest. Vanilla and the other floral/edible notes support the violet/lavender with vanilla strongest. A weak third faction is formed by opium supported by tobacco. It is complicated, but works well together. I would classify it as strongly fruity. Wet: Still pomegranate dominant with it’s faction the strongest. The purple spicy non-fruit foody faction is softer, while the opium/tobacco faction is a bit stronger, 3which lets them balance. On the skin, they all play even better together, with the vanilla dancing in and out of all three factions. I was worried it would be to floral when I smelled it in the bottle, but on the skin it’s all a lovely setting for the pomegranate. Omnomnom. Dry: Mostly benzoin, currant, and vanilla with a touch of clove.

VESPERTILIO PROTERUS 2012 (LE, Bats Day): (Company says: Warm golden ginger, wild fig, and vanilla cream spiced with saffron, limu amani, nutmeg, coriander, and angelica.)

In bottle: Delightfully Ginger Dominant with strong coriander support. Nutmeg is a close third. Saffron is working well with the other spices. Fig is supporting ginger. The vanilla cream seams to be tying it together. I’m guessing limu amani is adding a touch of tartness. Wet: More figgy on the skin, and also more saffron. It’s still ginger and coriander dominant, but the coriander is more subtle. The vanilla cream comes out more as it warms until it’s second to the ginger. Dry: Ginger, saffron, vanilla and… I think angelica.



Winners: Confections vol. 1, Fae Forest, Clove Candle,
Runners Up: Hellcat, Apple Orchard, Rum-soaked Tonka