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narcasseEphemera
In the vial: those old fashioned perfumes.
Wet: similar
Drying: Slightly pungent floral. Reminds me of some body oil one of my aunt’s had in a little Oriental-style container. Dusty floral. It also stings a bit.
This was my wild-card to fill up my order: the Yeats poem caught my eye. There’s no way this is anything but a feminine fragrance but in the interest of full disclosure I decided to try it anyway. It made a nice surprise gift for a friend in the end.
Masquerade
In vial: that strong, almost ‘off’ scent of really rich cologne.
Wet the pungency mellows out. I was disappointed at first but then that heavy, incense richness comes out again.
Drying there’s spice and darkness. This isn’t Erik under the opera house: this is the heavy perfume of that sacred inner chamber where the sultan meets with djinn, seeking their wisdom. Why is it a masquerade then? Because the djinn take many forms for otherwise the sultan would be blinded by their magnificence.
Brimstone
Vial: That almost mouldy scent that seems to be myrrh. Menthol, Tiger Balm, that thing you rub on your skin from Burma that cures everything.
Wet: It’s still Burmese medicine.
Drying: Methol, medicinal, almost floral, pine cone-y. A little dusty and smoky too.
It’s very ‘don’t mind the smell dear, I offered to help clean up the meeting hall which is why I’m a bit late home tonight.’ I was expecting a bit more of a kick to it but it’s really very mild.
Malediction
Vial: That same spicy, almost off, almost chemical smell as Masquerade.
Wet: Still that almost chemical scent but more menthol. Warm, a little tangy. This is actually an oddly familiar smell. Slight sting on first contact with skin. Seems to be taking it’s time drying.
Dry: Slight sharp, sour, bitter even. Chemical with an undercurrent of stone to the overlay of metal. It’s ozone and carbonising: Hephaestus in his forge building mechanical monsters or maybe polishing the newly finished gears of a puzzle box that may or may not open a pathway between the mortal world and Hell.
And that really is my brush with BPAL, other than a vial of The Ifrit which I’m waiting on which a friend was kind enough to purchase for me, in exchange for some toffee apples and orange cupcakes no less. I can actually understand why BPAL collecting and sampling can become a full time hobby though it isn’t really something for me: it would after all get in the way of my tea sampling.
Also, inspired by this track: Lingering (two drabbles, pre & post the Methuselah revolution that failed).
In other news, I picked up some tea in the style of chocolate fondant orange peel from the same people who make a lovely honey, jasmine and lotus tea called Nuit Impériale or Imperial Night if you find the rare box with English text on it. I’d expected something that tasted vaguely like chocolate orange which can be accomplished in tea format as proven by things like Mighty Leaf’s Orange Dulce, unfortunately this tea tasted burnt the first time I tried it and having tried again it smells and tastes burnt right from the outset. I’ve no idea what I’ll do with this box of it but it’s free to a good home if anybody wants to try the 23 teabags that are left.
In the vial: those old fashioned perfumes.
Wet: similar
Drying: Slightly pungent floral. Reminds me of some body oil one of my aunt’s had in a little Oriental-style container. Dusty floral. It also stings a bit.
This was my wild-card to fill up my order: the Yeats poem caught my eye. There’s no way this is anything but a feminine fragrance but in the interest of full disclosure I decided to try it anyway. It made a nice surprise gift for a friend in the end.
Masquerade
In vial: that strong, almost ‘off’ scent of really rich cologne.
Wet the pungency mellows out. I was disappointed at first but then that heavy, incense richness comes out again.
Drying there’s spice and darkness. This isn’t Erik under the opera house: this is the heavy perfume of that sacred inner chamber where the sultan meets with djinn, seeking their wisdom. Why is it a masquerade then? Because the djinn take many forms for otherwise the sultan would be blinded by their magnificence.
Brimstone
Vial: That almost mouldy scent that seems to be myrrh. Menthol, Tiger Balm, that thing you rub on your skin from Burma that cures everything.
Wet: It’s still Burmese medicine.
Drying: Methol, medicinal, almost floral, pine cone-y. A little dusty and smoky too.
It’s very ‘don’t mind the smell dear, I offered to help clean up the meeting hall which is why I’m a bit late home tonight.’ I was expecting a bit more of a kick to it but it’s really very mild.
Malediction
Vial: That same spicy, almost off, almost chemical smell as Masquerade.
Wet: Still that almost chemical scent but more menthol. Warm, a little tangy. This is actually an oddly familiar smell. Slight sting on first contact with skin. Seems to be taking it’s time drying.
Dry: Slight sharp, sour, bitter even. Chemical with an undercurrent of stone to the overlay of metal. It’s ozone and carbonising: Hephaestus in his forge building mechanical monsters or maybe polishing the newly finished gears of a puzzle box that may or may not open a pathway between the mortal world and Hell.
And that really is my brush with BPAL, other than a vial of The Ifrit which I’m waiting on which a friend was kind enough to purchase for me, in exchange for some toffee apples and orange cupcakes no less. I can actually understand why BPAL collecting and sampling can become a full time hobby though it isn’t really something for me: it would after all get in the way of my tea sampling.
Also, inspired by this track: Lingering (two drabbles, pre & post the Methuselah revolution that failed).
In other news, I picked up some tea in the style of chocolate fondant orange peel from the same people who make a lovely honey, jasmine and lotus tea called Nuit Impériale or Imperial Night if you find the rare box with English text on it. I’d expected something that tasted vaguely like chocolate orange which can be accomplished in tea format as proven by things like Mighty Leaf’s Orange Dulce, unfortunately this tea tasted burnt the first time I tried it and having tried again it smells and tastes burnt right from the outset. I’ve no idea what I’ll do with this box of it but it’s free to a good home if anybody wants to try the 23 teabags that are left.
