First of Five Animalics Run the Gaunlett

Embers by Rouge bunny Rouge opened hopefully enough with a smokey, peppery, woody, resemblance to Parfum Sacre by Caron. At around the half hour mark some rather generic 'woodsy' notes started to climb (and climb they did) and hope that had sprung eternal in my breast faded and died.

These strangely generic, overly synthetic, slightly bitter woodsy notes with nary a passing resemblance to sandalwood (ok, not fair to compare the perfume with pure Mysore sandalwood oil but it is my reference point) come to the fore and stay there - for hours and hours. And peppery notes, lots of pepper. And balsam, lots of balsam.

My third day of testing and I have had this perfume on for 5 hours now and as the saying goes, 'We are not out of the woods yet.' The scent leaves a taste in the mouth.

I bought five samples, on the lookout as I am for that indefinable animal roar.

Oh yeah! Def Leppard; Animal! Well that's what I was looking for but what I got was rather more 'damp squib' than Def Leppard 'I burn for you.'

A wild ride, over stony ground
Such a lust for life, the circus comes to town
We are the hungry ones, on a lightning raid
Just like a river runs, like a fire needs flame
I burn for you
Deff Leppard, Animal from the album Hysteria