Traveling Vardo - 5 Scents
This is probably the last sample batch that I'll be ordering for a while. I have a lot hanging in my drawer, so - I might as well enjoy them. Some of these were a little disappointing, but I think they might grow on me over time. Others were definite winners.
Absinthe Sucre
Description: My interpretation of this beloved verdant elixir is The Green Fairy on a sugar binge. Spicy-sweet fennel, anise, and wormwood are wrapped up in a velvet cocoon of cream, caramelized sugar, and rich vanilla... underscored by a warm woody base swirling with whispers of sweet dried tobacco leaf. If you close your eyes and linger long enough, you may just catch the tiniest drop of white musk lurking in the background, warmed in the embrace of an elegant amber.
Impressions: If you've ever wanted to smell like licorice, this one is for you. "Anise" is right; that scent is detectable straight from the bottle, and continues after application. I do get spice and woods, and I think I might also scent the tobacco, though I'm mot sure. I expected this to be much sweeter than it is; the mention of cream/sugar/vanilla notes led me to think there would be more emphasis. But no, it's mostly anise/woods, rather masculine, but different from typical. The sugar/vanilla notes do come out after a while, but the anise remains dominant. Eventually it wears away to the cream/sugar/vanilla base. I didn't catch any musk or amber in this one, though.
Wayfarer
Description: Exotic woods from the far reaches of the earth come together with sensual amber, musk and just a hint of patchouli to round out this complex scent. Masculine enough for him, but the ladies have gone wild for this one as well - in particular those who like a warm, spicy kick to their personal fragrances.
Impressions: In the bottle, it smells like soap. First whiff once applied: still soap. But it quickly mellows out to a patchouli-musk-woods mix. I find it pretty unremarkable, and it doesn't have much throw. Further testing is needed, but at this time, it's kind of a disappointment.
Artorius
Description: Deep, dark, rich and utterly divine, this hypnotizing blend is a melding of the finest grade of fossilized amber with precious frankincense and sandalwood, earthy cedar, rock rose and a healthy dose of smoky oakmoss and vetiver. Just the tiniest titch of black pepper and patchouli round things out a bit.
Impressions: Oho! Rich, spicy, smoky, yes. I do detect the amber and sandalwood, ditto oakmoss and vetiver. Maybe a hint of patchouli too. Not a lot of cedar, which is for the better because I'm not a huge fan. But overall, lots of amber, lots of smoke. A very strong, woody-spicy-smokey scent with a lot of initial throw; it comes down after a bit, but still is easy to scent - it doesn't wear as closely as most of the others. Very, very nice. The pepper comes out more over time.
Godiva
Description: Delicate vanilla orchid with sweet star flower and just a hint of sultry Persian amber.
Impressions: In the bottle, it's very vanilla, with just a hint of florals and something unidentifiable underneath. Applied, the amber comes out, though it's very subtle. This fragrance does not smell like cake, and it doesn't smell overly floral either. Vanilla-scented, definitely, but not cloyingly sweet. I find it doesn't change drastically over time; toward the end of wear, the amber comes out a lot, but that's about it. The end result is simple and pleasant.
Bombay
Description: Bombay.... Deep, exotic, sensual. Warm and hypnotically spicy, this fragrance works with your unique chemistry to create a personal scent that's all your own. Red musk is the ultimate in decadent sex-appeal-in-a-bottle for men. You'll catch just the faintest hint of patchouli in the background, lending an earthy finish to this uber-masculine musk scent.
Impressions: This is one of the few of TV's scents that are specifically labelled as men's cologne. Most of the others can go either way. I would argue that this one can go either way as well, provided one doesn't mind wearing heavy spice scents. "Warm and spicy" is a very good description of this. At first whiff, it reminds me of an incense that I loved when I was younger, so it's kind of pleasantly nostalgic. There's a hint of sweetness that I can't quite place. Undertone is pleasant (and not overpowering) patchouli and an earthy something-or-other that I can't quite identify. It might be the longest-lasting of the Traveling Vardo scents that I've tried.
Final thoughts:
From this batch, "Artorius" was the favourite, followed closely by "Bombay". "Absinthe Sucre" is one of the most unique scents I've ever tried, but I'm not sure I would want to wear this one regularly, it's a little bit weird and people kept asking where that licorice smell was coming from. "Godiva" and "Wayfarer" didn't impress me much, but it might be that I just need to experiment with them more.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3461994.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.
Absinthe Sucre
Description: My interpretation of this beloved verdant elixir is The Green Fairy on a sugar binge. Spicy-sweet fennel, anise, and wormwood are wrapped up in a velvet cocoon of cream, caramelized sugar, and rich vanilla... underscored by a warm woody base swirling with whispers of sweet dried tobacco leaf. If you close your eyes and linger long enough, you may just catch the tiniest drop of white musk lurking in the background, warmed in the embrace of an elegant amber.
Impressions: If you've ever wanted to smell like licorice, this one is for you. "Anise" is right; that scent is detectable straight from the bottle, and continues after application. I do get spice and woods, and I think I might also scent the tobacco, though I'm mot sure. I expected this to be much sweeter than it is; the mention of cream/sugar/vanilla notes led me to think there would be more emphasis. But no, it's mostly anise/woods, rather masculine, but different from typical. The sugar/vanilla notes do come out after a while, but the anise remains dominant. Eventually it wears away to the cream/sugar/vanilla base. I didn't catch any musk or amber in this one, though.
Wayfarer
Description: Exotic woods from the far reaches of the earth come together with sensual amber, musk and just a hint of patchouli to round out this complex scent. Masculine enough for him, but the ladies have gone wild for this one as well - in particular those who like a warm, spicy kick to their personal fragrances.
Impressions: In the bottle, it smells like soap. First whiff once applied: still soap. But it quickly mellows out to a patchouli-musk-woods mix. I find it pretty unremarkable, and it doesn't have much throw. Further testing is needed, but at this time, it's kind of a disappointment.
Artorius
Description: Deep, dark, rich and utterly divine, this hypnotizing blend is a melding of the finest grade of fossilized amber with precious frankincense and sandalwood, earthy cedar, rock rose and a healthy dose of smoky oakmoss and vetiver. Just the tiniest titch of black pepper and patchouli round things out a bit.
Impressions: Oho! Rich, spicy, smoky, yes. I do detect the amber and sandalwood, ditto oakmoss and vetiver. Maybe a hint of patchouli too. Not a lot of cedar, which is for the better because I'm not a huge fan. But overall, lots of amber, lots of smoke. A very strong, woody-spicy-smokey scent with a lot of initial throw; it comes down after a bit, but still is easy to scent - it doesn't wear as closely as most of the others. Very, very nice. The pepper comes out more over time.
Godiva
Description: Delicate vanilla orchid with sweet star flower and just a hint of sultry Persian amber.
Impressions: In the bottle, it's very vanilla, with just a hint of florals and something unidentifiable underneath. Applied, the amber comes out, though it's very subtle. This fragrance does not smell like cake, and it doesn't smell overly floral either. Vanilla-scented, definitely, but not cloyingly sweet. I find it doesn't change drastically over time; toward the end of wear, the amber comes out a lot, but that's about it. The end result is simple and pleasant.
Bombay
Description: Bombay.... Deep, exotic, sensual. Warm and hypnotically spicy, this fragrance works with your unique chemistry to create a personal scent that's all your own. Red musk is the ultimate in decadent sex-appeal-in-a-bottle for men. You'll catch just the faintest hint of patchouli in the background, lending an earthy finish to this uber-masculine musk scent.
Impressions: This is one of the few of TV's scents that are specifically labelled as men's cologne. Most of the others can go either way. I would argue that this one can go either way as well, provided one doesn't mind wearing heavy spice scents. "Warm and spicy" is a very good description of this. At first whiff, it reminds me of an incense that I loved when I was younger, so it's kind of pleasantly nostalgic. There's a hint of sweetness that I can't quite place. Undertone is pleasant (and not overpowering) patchouli and an earthy something-or-other that I can't quite identify. It might be the longest-lasting of the Traveling Vardo scents that I've tried.
Final thoughts:
From this batch, "Artorius" was the favourite, followed closely by "Bombay". "Absinthe Sucre" is one of the most unique scents I've ever tried, but I'm not sure I would want to wear this one regularly, it's a little bit weird and people kept asking where that licorice smell was coming from. "Godiva" and "Wayfarer" didn't impress me much, but it might be that I just need to experiment with them more.
This entry was originally posted at http://yuuago.dreamwidth.org/3461994.html. You can comment here or at the original entry.