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3x3 Blind Sniff Round 2...."The Spice of Life" - Page 2

post #61 of 143
4/11/09 at 3:59am
Thread Starter 
:bounce: I am impressed!
Yes to everything, except for high alcohol content and synths...

The orange and clove you all smell are facets found in real diluted cinnamon oil.

Any guesses? :wave:
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post #62 of 143
4/11/09 at 4:29am
Must be then all natural Whole Foods store product. Or, its European equivalent. Might also be a body spray version or something with the world "L'Eau" in the title.
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post #63 of 143
4/11/09 at 5:58am
Okay, here's my guess...

This selection is from the fragrance collection called "The Spice of Life" (yep!)
It's called BUNS OF PEEL, and the description is:

Perfectly formed, round, squishy cinnabuns sweetened with juicy orange slices & peel. Don't forget the dollop of whipped cream!

Well.....?!?!?!

EDIT: The brand is "Starring...! fragrances"
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post #64 of 143
4/11/09 at 7:17am
Other brands with natural cinnamon and orange are L'Occitane and Bigelow. The L'Occitane is home spray, whereas the Bigelow is a perfume oil. Neither lists vanilla, though.
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post #65 of 143
4/11/09 at 7:21am
Notes: cinnamon natural - possibly including clove and orange, vanilla, something smoky, rubbery or tarry maybe? gourmand but not really edible.

Throwing out some questions.

What about the vanilla any clues there?

No other detectable notes at all? Or is the cinnamon is just so strong that anything underneath is overpowered?

thanks!
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post #66 of 143
4/11/09 at 7:50am
This is def. not an oil. It is very watery, and leaves no mark when sprayed on paper. The scent evaporates quickly. For example, I can still smell My Afrika from 48 hours ago (on paper), but this mystery "B" is already gone from a spray about 4 hours old.
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post #67 of 143
4/11/09 at 7:57am
Thread Starter 
LOL, ubu, not Buns of Peel

It isn't a room spray either.

Who said there's orange in there?!?
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post #68 of 143
4/11/09 at 8:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady_in_Black View Post


Who said there's orange in there?!?

Well, it is a 'phantom' note to my nose....my guess was a longshot, but what the heck!

Really, it's all cinnamon with some vanilla - and it's sweet. Pretty simple. I think I'd like to buy a vowel...any clues?
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post #69 of 143
4/11/09 at 8:18am
Thread Starter 
Ubu, the comment wasn't directed at you, sorry if you had that impression

As I already posted above, both orange and clove are indeed phantom notes when smelling natural cinnamon oil. Cinnamon is a gorgeous, multifaceted spice... love it.

I chose Sample B because it is simple to place budget-wise, has only three notes, and is therefore quite hard to nail.
You already identified category, concentration, notes ... just guessing on like mad is the only option, I think

A small hint....besides perfume ingredients, there are other nice thingies in Sample B
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post #70 of 143
4/11/09 at 8:31am
Is it a body/linen spray?
Is it advertised as "aroma-therapy"
Does it have re-vitalizing or energizing properties?
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post #71 of 143
4/11/09 at 9:19am
Lick it, ladies? Sweet? Bitter? Tart? Chocolatey?
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post #72 of 143
4/11/09 at 9:46am
Maybe it is an accord made from edible cooking flavorings...
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post #73 of 143
4/11/09 at 9:59am
Looking a little online... could it have insect repellant and/or sun protection properties?
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post #74 of 143
4/11/09 at 10:02am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twolf View Post

Lick it...

Okay, I cannot believe I actually did this! After reading Twolfs' post I thought, "hmmm, it might be one of those dessert type body sprays", well guess what ~

It's not!!!!!
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post #75 of 143
4/11/09 at 10:03am
Or, dental rinse? Or, skin toner (moisturising or calming)?
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post #76 of 143
4/11/09 at 10:06am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post

Looking a little online... could it have insect repellant and/or sun protection properties?

It doesn't taste like insect repellant...

I don't know about any sun protection here, but if you spritzed this on and went out into the sun, you'd probably get swarmed by killer bees or just smell like cinnamon sticks simmering on the stovetop.

The taste is definitely not a clue.

EDIT: I am not putting anymore of this stuff in my mouth - thank you very much.
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post #77 of 143
4/11/09 at 10:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ubuandibeme View Post

It doesn't taste like insect repellant...

I don't know about any sun protection here, but if you spritzed this on and went out into the sun, you'd probably get swarmed by killer bees or just smell like cinnamon sticks simmering on the stovetop.

The taste is definitely not a clue.

EDIT: I am not putting anymore of this stuff in my mouth - thank you very much.

LOL! Twolf's skin toner idea is interesting... gee, I also see that cinnamon is considered an aphrodisiac!
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post #78 of 143
4/11/09 at 10:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post

... gee, I also see that cinnamon is considered an aphrodisiac!


Uh, no , not this one!
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post #79 of 143
4/11/09 at 10:35am
Ubu, you are a riot!

How about The Body Shop Cinnamon Spice -- I know it comes as oil, but it can be diluted in water or other solvents.
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post #80 of 143
4/11/09 at 10:38am
:wave(( Lian ))) ((( Veuve ))) Come out and play...I'm knocking on your doors...
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post #81 of 143
4/11/09 at 11:51am
Thread Starter 
LOL!! It never crossed my mind to taste Sample B...and I won't do it now!!

Really, ubu, I gather you kind of hate it ...time to have a good long bubble bath
Luckily, I don't find it so disgusting :brolly:

Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post

LOL! Twolf's skin toner idea is interesting...

It's not only interesting....it's correct Aaaah, the hidden properties of Sample B.
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post #82 of 143
4/11/09 at 11:54am
Thread Starter 
I forgot....Asha, it's not something I concocted from edible spices (akthough that could have been an idea!) and TWolf, it is not TBS Cinnamon Spice
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post #83 of 143
4/11/09 at 12:13pm
SKIN TONER!?!? Yikes!

Is there witchhazel in there?

EDIT: Oh dear LiB, I really don't hate this one...it's just not my favorite...and I don't like the taste.
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post #84 of 143
4/11/09 at 12:18pm
Is this a product by Nature's Sunshine?
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post #85 of 143
4/11/09 at 1:03pm
Thread Starter 
Nope, ubu...although there's plenty of sunshine where it's produced!

Where are Lian and veuve? Disgusted by Sample B??

No more hints for today...see you all in my morning
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post #86 of 143
4/11/09 at 3:24pm
So it's a skintoner that smells like cinnamon. I must say I'm confused and slightly put off by the idea, it just doesn't mix with the idea of a refreshing skin toner. This is more like spraying liquid cinnamon sugar on you.

But there is plenty of sun shine where it is made, so let's try and nail that down.

I'm going out on a limb and say Spain or if that is wrong is it around the mediterreanean (or howver you spell that area in english).


To ubu: you are way too hardcore for tasting that stuff. Talk about taking one for the team
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post #87 of 143
4/11/09 at 4:53pm
Gosh this one sounds hard ladies. It also sounds kinda disgusting. Cinnamon gone bad!!!
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post #88 of 143
4/11/09 at 4:58pm
It's a fooler...my brain thinks "mmmm, cinnamon...taste?...OK" but it just doesn't have the taste that the smell had me ready for! I may have to go buy some cinnamon candies to set my brain, nose and tastebuds right again!

Anyways, I looked up cinnamon production and 90% of cinnamon is grown and harvested in Sri Lanka (where the climate is hot & humid = sunny) followed by China, India & Vietnam. Is this frag made in Asia? Also, is it advertised mainly as a fragrance or a skin toner?
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post #89 of 143
4/11/09 at 6:58pm
Is it:
Korres Natural Products Body Water in Vanilla Cinnamon $18

Korres is from Greece, very sunny there
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post #90 of 143
4/11/09 at 7:03pm
Lian, that's an AWESOME answer ~ fingers crossed, I hope you're right!
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post #91 of 143
4/11/09 at 7:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ubuandibeme View Post

Lian, that's an AWESOME answer ~ fingers crossed, I hope you're right!

Yeah I hope it's right otherwise it's going to be really tough ( but I think you already found the brand with the hazel in it). Have to wait and see..maybe veuve can toss in a guess as well before Lady comes in and maybe provide us with more hints if we have it wrong.


Did Lady read it yet?


Now then?


.....


I didn't check if Korres is available in Italy :s
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post #92 of 143
4/11/09 at 7:38pm
Yes, I think you might be right Lian. I remember Lady in Black mentioned this in a SotD thread awhile ago.
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post #93 of 143
4/11/09 at 11:04pm
Thread Starter 
And we have.....
Winner # 2!!

Kudos to Lian for identifying it!!!

And bravo also to jillsy who remembered me talking about it

And a special mention to whisperingleaves who PM'ed me the right answer yesterday (gosh-how did she do it? )

Vanilla Cinnamon Body Water by the Greek all-natural company Korres is meant to be liberally sprayed on - half perfume and half toner

The notes are cinnamon, vanilla, and woody notes (I found sandalwood on one site) but it also contains sodium, magnesium, zinc, manganese, provitamin B and NMF .....and vitamins are also the spice of life, according to some.....

Mike, I don't find it half as bad as the descriptions here sound.....but ok, you have to like sweet cinnamon notes

BTW.....HAPPY EASTER to those celebrating it!
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post #94 of 143
4/11/09 at 11:24pm
Great job, Lian!

Nice clues, LIB! (where there is plenty of sunshine, other than perfumey qualities ).

Happy Easter to all!
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post #95 of 143
4/12/09 at 4:01am

Thanks for the laughs, girls! Ubu - you are HARDCORE! Work and icky sickness and preparing an Easter afternoon tea kept me from participating, sorry! I'll be right in there with sample no. 3 when I get back home tonight.
Happy Easter to all celebrating!
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post #96 of 143
4/12/09 at 4:22am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady_in_Black View Post

And a special mention to whisperingleaves who PM'ed me the right answer yesterday (gosh-how did she do it? )

strictly luck and google :

I thought i detected a hint that the orange and clove were really part of natural cinnamon. so I googled cinnamon and vanilla and looked for 'natural' stuff with only those notes. the Korres water came up at Sephora. I figured it might fit and I hadn't seem much else with only those notes.
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post #97 of 143
4/12/09 at 6:00am
:bounce:WooHoo Lian! (high-five)


And Jillsy & whisperingleaves ~ FABULOUS!


Phenomenal job ladies! I never would have found that one in a million years. For anyone who was reading, it is not a bad frag....It's just not my cup of tea, and the whole tasting thing made it worse . What fun though!

I'll wait to post impressions of #3 - which is obviously the niche choice - until after my partners Veuve & Lian. (I've been a bit of a bold loudmouth and need to regain my manners! )
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post #98 of 143
4/12/09 at 7:00am
Heck, yeah. Great job, Lian. That was a tough one.
Those mass-marketed ones usually are.
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post #99 of 143
4/12/09 at 10:03am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ubuandibeme View Post

...I'll wait to post impressions of #3 - which is obviously the niche choice - until after my partners Veuve & Lian. (I've been a bit of a bold loudmouth and need to regain my manners! )

Wow - great sleuthing, team! Ubu, from my spectator's point of view, I hope you don't change your style at all. Your adventurous spirit just adds to the spicy happenings here.
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post #100 of 143
4/12/09 at 11:09am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Haunani View Post

Wow - great sleuthing, team! Ubu, from my spectator's point of view, I hope you don't change your style at all. Your adventurous spirit just adds to the spicy happenings here.

Thanks Haunani! I'm excited about this third one, it's VERY nice! My very able partners will take the lead here, since it's a holiday, I'll check back later...
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post #101 of 143
4/12/09 at 11:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ubuandibeme View Post

... I'm excited about this third one, it's VERY nice! ....

For a second, I read "VERY niche"

Ubu, I agree with Haunani! You made it all tastier...
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post #102 of 143
4/12/09 at 12:38pm
Well done, ladies! And kudos to ubu for going the extra mile.

I'm glad to hear it's a body spray, not a face spray. I think cinnamon oil can be an irritant!
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post #103 of 143
4/12/09 at 1:35pm
Ubu a loudmouth? Pish. No such thing. Don't change a thing, dearie.
LiB, I didn't think it was *bad* per se, just something I get bored with pretty quickly. I quite liked the opening, but it was downhill from there for me. Maybe mike will like it better!

Anyway, on to C? Just a few incoherent impressions from me now.
It's the most interesting or at least unusual of the three, I think. I can't shake the nagging feeling I have smelled it before, though - but I can't remember when/were/how/what.
I'm not yet picking up any definite notes or spices, but my initial impression is that it could well be marketed toward men if it has a gendered marketing at all. Smells almost rooty/vegetal rather than dusty/spicy - olive green is the colour it would be for me. The actual juice is a coppery orange, though.
I'm with ubu: I'm liking this one! I'll give it a full wearing tomorrow so I can see how it behaves throughout the day and hopefully be a little more specific in what I'm smelling.
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post #104 of 143
4/12/09 at 2:19pm
Rooty, vegetal. Yum.
As in orris? As in "fresh carrot?"
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post #105 of 143
4/12/09 at 4:35pm
Hi Ladies!!!!..and gentlemen

I can't believe it, I am gone for a day and you are working on sample C????
Incredible!
I'll have to try some of that Korres, sounds delicious.
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post #106 of 143
4/12/09 at 4:43pm
Sample C smells like Serge Lutens Arabie to me, and thus I really dislike it. I think the offending note is cloves, that is what arabie smells like to me and I pick it up here but whether it really is cloves I'm not sure. But take the main smell of arabie and sample C smells like that to me. Yech

I'm going to do some research on arabie and try to smell anything else in C but for now it reminds me a lot of arabie and other Lutens like it.
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post #107 of 143
4/12/09 at 4:56pm
Sample "C" for me starts with an unmistakeable beginning of CARDAMOM and PEPPER. It is extremely dry in character, and I agree with Veuve that it seems to lean toward the masculine...although, it is wearable by either. Along with those two dominant spices, I get a slightly medicinal quality, which leads me to think about either BENZOIN, OUD, or both! Other possibilities I suspect may be living within this complex niche formula are CEDAR, INCENSE, VETIVER.

This smells like a well stocked spice cabinet. I get no sweetness whatsoever. The juice is golden, and when sprayed on paper, leaves a bit of a stain.

I'm inclined to attribute this well crafted creation to the likes of Bertrand Duchaufour, Marc Buxton or even Linda Pilkington. (please excuse my spelling)
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post #108 of 143
4/12/09 at 6:17pm
I don't think there is any oud in this, and if there is then it must be very different than montale's oud or tom fords. It reminds me strongly of kretek which main substance is clove, I think cardamom is sweeter and I get more clove than anything else ( but I really hate clove) maybe some cumin too.

If marketed to any sexe agree that it would be most likely masculine.
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post #109 of 143
4/12/09 at 6:46pm
The spices are extremely pungent in presentation, but I don't get clove. I'm firm on the cardamom & especially the pepper.

My mom used to take pods of cardamom and crack them open (with a hammer - they are hard!) and crush the cardamom seeds to use in baking, and I really get that smell in the opening. The pepper (like peppercorn) is most evident to my nose, and stays with this frag from first spritz to several hours into the drydown...it is dry & somewhat spicy.

EDITED: Just want to add that I don't detect any smokiness, or fruit or flowers either.
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post #110 of 143
4/12/09 at 6:57pm
Whatever the note is called, I smell it in arabie and in sample C and it is the note I hate with a passion. I don't think its cardamon because I like the smell of real cardamon alot. It's delicious too( I use it when cooking) so I don't think that is the offending note I smell in sample C and in Arabie that I dislike so much. I'm very curious to see what it is if it's not clove.

Also if people are curious why I hate clove so much. Imagine a kitchen full of spices and bits and pieces with a real milkshake machine and having free reign together with a younger sister. Yes we made a clove milkshake with other mysterious ingredients but mostly clove ( half a jar of dried cloves) and for days we couldn't smell anything but cloves. That's when clove smell ( or maybe anything that reminds me of it) started to be my olfactory arch nemesis.
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post #111 of 143
4/12/09 at 7:21pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lian View Post

... Yes we made a clove milkshake with other mysterious ingredients but mostly clove ( half a jar of dried cloves) ...


Laughing and repulsed - simultaneously! :bounce:
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post #112 of 143
4/12/09 at 7:45pm
Hmm. I just smelled a cardamom and pepper fragrance today--by Profumo. It was very dry and woody, and smelled like a cigar humidor after the fragrance settled (cedar and tobacco).
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post #113 of 143
4/12/09 at 10:00pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lady_in_Black View Post

Vanilla Cinnamon Body Water by the Greek all-natural company Korres is meant to be liberally sprayed on - half perfume and half toner ....Mike, I don't find it half as bad as the descriptions here sound.....but ok, you have to like sweet cinnamon notes

OMG - I've always wanted to try this product, and for some reason my local Sephora never has it. I've come close to buying it blind a few times, but never have. I am such a cinnamon lover, I'm still gonna try it...but your ladies reactions to it have me even more apprehensive than I was before.

Good job Lian! Onto C...
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post #114 of 143
4/12/09 at 10:03pm
Do you smell honey and/or immortelle flower in C ?
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post #115 of 143
4/12/09 at 10:07pm
Remember, that the color of the liquid will be darker, deeper in the bottle as compared to that of a vial, so I am thinking that it is brownish-red, very dark?

No, not Arabie -- that prune vibe is unmistakeable, and the color is golden. However, can it be another Lutens, La Myrrhe? Speaking of which, I suppose it is a myrrh note that Lian is uncomfortable with. Ubu, after Chicago you are a myrrh specialist, please tell us all if there is some in C or what.

I also find Pilkington-Duchaufour reference important. Please compare with Timbuktu or EdP for Aedes de Venustas or Ta'if or Ormonde Men or something else. L'EdI Baume au Doge?

Any trace of amber in the base? Anne Pliska is a stainer, you know....

Last Edit, I promise: How about Lorenzo Villoresi? Piper Nigrum for one, there is also Incensy.
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post #116 of 143
4/13/09 at 1:39am
It's definitely not Piper Nigrum, although it's very much in the same vein.

I think the rooty/vegetal impression I get comes from vetiver - it's not a fresh, carotty vegetal thing, but it smells "green" as opposed to ochre or orange/red like many spices do. Yah, that's very helpful, I know. Sorry.
After the opening it gets much less "wet" and there's more "dust" to it. I have to agree with ubu that it has dominant cardamom in the opening, and not clove. 'Course, with a trauma like that, I think we can trust Lian if she says there's clove in there. :P It gets progressively drier and there's definitely a cedar/incense vibe to it.

Asha: funny you should mention Il Profvmo, because that's the company I have in mind for some obscure reason.
Mike: I don't think there's honey in there. There's some sweetness to it, but it's more the dusty sweetness of antique wood (or, imagine that, spices), not the gooey honeyed beeswax smell. I have no clue what immortelle smells like, but C doesn't seem floral at all.

I can compare to Baume du Doge when I get home, I've got a sample kicking around somewhere.
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post #117 of 143
4/13/09 at 2:08am
Thread Starter 
LOL, it's official...either I've made this round too easy, or I just got lucky and have the best sniffers on Basenotes ... the second choice is the one I prefer I said it already, but I have to repeat myself! Ladies.....

Cardamom, yes!
Cedarwood, yes!

Nothing from Profumo aka Dominique Dubrana or Il Profumo, which is an entirely different line. Not Piper Nigrum, which is nose-achingly peppery (well, of course...)
Not Arabie and not La Myrrhe....the colour of LM is a lovely bright orangey red...lovely. This one is darker. And both Serge Lutenses are way sweeter than Sample C.

Baume du Doge has a start and heart chock-full of oranges...do you smell them in Sample C?

Oh, Lian, the thought of a milkshake with THAT much clove in it.....I feel my stomach turning! No wonder you loathe the scent of cloves .... however.....no clove in Sample C

Cadramom has such a complex scent.....lemony, a little bit like lemongrass, dusty, ancient...and I agree that the drydown is incense-y, although incense is not listed
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post #118 of 143
4/13/09 at 2:11am
Thread Starter 
BTW....concentration? Longevity? Sillage? Bottle and packaging?
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post #119 of 143
4/13/09 at 3:24am
It lasted long on me with a small amount, decent sillage. Now I wonder what the note is I dislike so much in perfumes, or maybe it's a type of perfume I just dont like. Scandal has cloves in it but I don't smell anything spicy in there whatsoever. Don't dare to guess the concentration but EdP could be it. I'll try it again later today (on paper) see if I smell anything but ' clove' like note. I really wonder what it is if not clove that I dislike so much..maybe its just the spice cupboard type of perfume in general I'm not a fan of.

I also think this might be made in europe again. Does anyone smell any leather or animalic notes in there?
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post #120 of 143
4/13/09 at 4:43am
No oranges.
No floral.
No honey (unless it's too subtle for me to detect) - no sweetness at all.

Yes cardamom, yes cedarwood

No incense.

Gang, this is some pretty powerful juice! Do we have a confirmation on gender? Or pepper?
Particularly in the beginning I get a medicinal/camphorous impression...is this due to concentrated oils being used or is there benzoin or something else in there (maybe that's where the feel of clove came from)? If this is similar to any Lutens...my own feeling is that it would be closest to Serge Noir but with lots of spice added - because it's dry & tenacious. Like I said, it is completely void of sweetness to my nose.

EDITED: For Lian, I don't get any animalics or leather.
EDITED: For Twolf, Timbuktu is more mellow than this stuff, and from my own experience the most similar frags I've smelled to this one might be Comme de Garcons, but it's been confirmed there is no incense here. From Ormonde Jayne I've only sampled "woman", and that was very different from this...I wonder about "man"?
EDITED: Concentrated - edp, parfum or extrait. Big sillage and VERY long lasting! I'd also say it's a modern scent FOR SURE!
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