Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab: Samhain 2010

purchased and reviewed by ThoraSTooth

Scent of the Day:  Samhain (Hallowe'enies 2010) -- Truly the scent of autumn itself -- damp woods, fir needle, and black patchouli with the gentlest touches of warm pumpkin, clove, nutmeg, allspice, sweet red apple and mullein.

I stayed away from the annual Hallowe'enies offering of Samhain for years because of the pumpkin.  Once I finally took a chance and tried it, this signature BPAL scent became one of my darlings.

At first sniff it's evergreens, a dry grass, patchouli, and a bit of apple.  Wet on my skin the evergreen spikes but then subsides to blend with the patchouli.  It does smell a bit damp, but not mouldy nor ever quite aquatic or earthy.  There's a powdery note that might be all I ever get of pumpkin. 

It matures into warm, slightly sugary, spicy dark green magnificence.  The patchouli and the fir work really well together on my skin.  I think the sugary impression comes from the evergreen, because I've noticed it in Hemlock and some of the other intensely evergreen scents.  The curl of hot mulled cider running through it never turns the scent toward foody.

Something about this scent always makes me feel warm, nostalgic, and happy.

NB: Sadly, the 2010 version of Samhain is gone, but you can order the 2015 version here.