Spirit of the Tiger (2006)
by Heeley

This starts out harsh, herbal, and camphoraceous. Liniment? Bengay? No, Tiger Balm, dummy!

The opening is medicinal enough to make me ask “Why in heaven’s name would anybody want to smell like this?” Once the top notes clear off the scent’s appeal is much more obvious, but the structure is also far more conventional. Within ten minutes Spirit of the Tiger has deepened and sweetened into a warm, spiced incense blend that even borders on the gourmand.

The drydown reveals a pleasantly rich spicy/ambery oriental foundation that is very nicely balanced, though not terribly original or exciting. It’s as if Spirit of the Tiger is trying to make up for its shocking entrance with an apologetically polite development. The result is an olfactory non-sequitur that’s probably too challenging at the outset for traditionalists and too tame in the end for thrill seekers.

13rd December, 2009.

Tiger Balm it is, if only for the first five minutes of development. After that initial time has passed, the camphor-laden top notes warm and grow into a lovely, clove-y woodsy fragrance that stays very close to the skin. Still, this one doesn't develop much more beyond the "clove-y woodsiness" already mentioned.

A noble effort, but hardly worth a hundred bucks a bottle.

14th January, 2009.

Delicious tiger balsam hologram. Top notes especially are very accurate smelling, I can even imagine to get some whiffs of petroleum. (petroleum is used in tiger balsam, at least in the ones I have used)
Camphor, mint, cardamom, clove and that petroleum. The scent is dry and quite balsam-like in structure.

The drydown is slightly disapointing : It developes into this very peppery scent which hits me quite sharp and very thin. I wish this scent would carry itself a bit further, I wish it was more full bodied and longer lasting. Now it smells "too good" straight from the bottle compared to the smell after couple of hours have past.

Thumbs up, though. Large bottle is a plus here, because it may be that he/she wants to spritz this one few times during the day, just to enjoy those wonderful first moments.

9th November, 2008.

i was pulled in to Heeley with their release Cardinal, i never had to fortune to sample cardinal, only once someone is know wore it from a sample on his way to meet me, i just loved the sillage of it..amazing stuff... that's how i came across Spirit of the tiger... when i read the reviews on Lucky scent- that its inspired by Tiger Balm, i rejected it immediately thinkin who would wanna smell like that....well, i was sooo wrong. recently i got a sample of it...and... it's just amazing! the sillage and feel of this scent would be a strong reminder of how similar it is to tiger balm, yet, its sooo enjoyable! this is a scent and it comes across as a very powerful, soothing, invigorating scent. Tiger balm is a balm and thats the end to it. the fun part is the mid to base notes journey!! my fav part!! ummmm wow! just too good. if i were put a gun on my head to say how it smell, it'd say take the best of Kouros and tone down the intensity of the herbal approach of tiger balm a bit! thr! i said it!

its just an amazing one, a scent with character, a scent with magical healing powers, a scent with a spicy herbal soul from birth, a scent that could easily be a contender as being my holy grail.

1st August, 2008.

Several times, on a whim, I have applied Tiger Balm on the back of my hand just because I enjoy the scent. I like the accords in Spirit of the Tiger just as much, and it’s not as lethal to the nose as Tiger Balm is the first hour after it is applied. Still, it is amazing how similar they smell. Spirit of the Tiger is more refined than the original, and not as medicinal, which is entirely expected. SotT is camphorous and minty and, especially, clovey. It is thoroughly enjoyable. No need to describe this fragrance any further. If anyone wants to know what it smells like, just get a jar of Tiger Balm. Of course, this recommendation can be expanded to...no need to buy a $90 bottle of Spirit of the Tiger, for less than one-tenth the cost, just get the real thing — it lasts as long and has the additional healing benefits.

14th October, 2007.