Sorceress

[Maya]

Possets' description: "The casting of spells and divination were very serious matters long ago, and so those who practiced the black arts were to be confined to some pretty daunting parts of perdition. So, in memory of those witches I made a potion heavy with sage and floated with sweetgrass but with a magical musk in the background which bears the whole thing up like a night flight. Strong, white-spicy, and having a nice little cache of white peppercorn to it."

[Petticoats]

I've only done one patch test of Sorceress so far, so I need to give it more of a test run, but my initial thoughts may be helpful. In the bottle and when wet on skin, I get... banana! This baffled me, but as soon as the dry-down starts that impression vanishes and the herbal notes come out. There's a slightly astringent quality to them, but also a little sweetness as well. Then the pepper really emerges. It's a dry kind of pepper, not sweet, and it somehow gives Sorceress an electric quality, as if the air were electrified. For some reason I'm thinking of the unguent that some witches supposedly applied that gave them the power of flight. I imagine that might have had a fragrance as strong and exciting and even dangerous as this!

[Petticoats]

Following up on my earlier notes: Testing Sorceress again, I'm liking it more and more. All my impressions from before are there--the herbal side, the subtle sweetness, the peppery electricity--and a kind of dry, scorchy heat that makes me think of sparks flying up from a bonfire (or scorch marks from electrical sparks). The sage may be playing a part in that, with a similar evocative and dry quality as in Arizona: Sage and Honeycomb.

It's so striking and unusual and energizing. Very dramatic, and would be fantastic to wear to autumn bonfires. I'm afraid this will have to join my collection as well!

[Boudicca]

I'm totally getting banana too. I *just* tried this, I'm going on a testing binge.
Will try to add more when it dries down.

[Boudicca]

The banana does go away fairly quickly and those lovely herbs come out. This is so different from other herbal scents I've tried, which is quite refreshing. The pepper is subtle and works well in this blend. I may have to have this as I have nothing quite like it.

[Boudicca]

I think Fabienne has a super secret banana musk. I remembered that Fearful Symmetry from the Spring collection was making people think of banana. The only listed note these two have in common is musk. <shrugs>

[gypsyjolie]

wet: banana, Like Issota and Sigismundo.

drying: white pepper and banana and musk. creamy and gritty. Odd.

full drydown: the banana goes away, luckily, leaving a creamy musk. The herbals come forward in a cleansing way, sage and sweetgrass giving a dry edge. This smell very woods witch-y or herbalists shop. It's pleasant. the pepper has receeded to play nicely with the herbs - adding a dry bite. The musk is creamy and only the tiniest bit sweet. This has a bit of a desert vibe, but without any heat - perhaps the desert at night. It's herbal but softened.

This is unisex (after the banana dies down), and is a clean, soft, natural scent. Unobtrusive but pleasant. Not a lot of throw.

[Chime]

sorceress - in the bottle: herbal sweet, candy like.

On skin - this still smells very sweet from a distance, but up close there is smokiness to it.

Once it dries its very dried sweet smoked grass. Not as sweet as on application.

Very different! but not unpleasant!