05/23/2013
Flavorite
240 Reviews
Flavorite
3
Smoky Wine Oak Barrel in a Dank Cellar
Before review this fragrance, I have to admit that I have loved this bottle and concept unconditional from the first time I laid eyes on it. I am a winemaker and aficionada so this design hits all my creativity & pleasure points. Its very hard to be objective when an object is so cool looking and sounding that you don't really care if it is filled with cherry cough syrup or a fine fragrance...they had me at the gorgeous artisan wood case. Now as for the scent. This is smoky and resinous like the inside of toasted oak barrel on top with a smooth base of introspective natural vanilla bourbon (unsweetened like the unprocessed whole pod). In the background I detect hints of red fermented fruit, but again surprisingly, delightfully not sweet almost like dried Goji berries. This doesn't exactly remind me of a wine or liquer, but more of the processing equipment, barrels, the heat, leaves and dust off the incoming grapes and room with a hint of yeast and musty earth in which an artisan winemaker has made a small vintage with care from cooperage to bottling. There is a bit of an ashes of incense note mixed with dry cinnamon bark and nutmeg in the base for me, but it is very subtle and not very foody/gourmand at all- more of a campfire impression. The sillage is moderate under 1 meter (3.28 ft.), but persistent on my skin for over 12 hours. This is a masterpiece, in my opinion and is quite wearable for a spice woody dark scent in the Fall and Winter as a daily scent on a man or a striking evening scent on a woman.
