1
This Dragon belongs in an antique store
This is a joint review of Heretic's "Blood Box" sample set, though numerical ratings above are specific to Dragon's Blood. The Blood Box set includes Dragon's Blood, Blood Berry, Blood Orange, and Blood Cedar. Purchased this given the awesome name and intriguing scent note of "dragon's blood." Who says you can't buy a book for its cover? The scent note itself (not the fragrance) - which is noticeable across all four fragrances -- adds a depth and darkness to them all. It's not bad, but the effect is mixed.
The fragrance Dragon's Blood smells like an antique store - very woody, kind of old and a tad musty. Maybe a grandma would like it, but that's it. Blood Orange does indeed smell like the fruit blood orange, but rather than being fresh or light, the dragon's blood note also gives it a grandma vibe - this is definitely something I would have found on my own, real grandmother's dresser top. Blood Berry is even worse, having a somewhat floral component and even stronger position on grandma's nightstand. Only Blood Cedar is any good. It is a very handsome scent, reminiscent of cedar furniture, a high-quality cedar chest, or a Christmas store.
Unfortunately for all four fragrances, projection and longevity are weak. Heretic's big thing is plant-based ingredients, so I guess one trade off is the weaker power. I'd skip all these aside from Blood Cedar, for which I wrote a longer review.
The fragrance Dragon's Blood smells like an antique store - very woody, kind of old and a tad musty. Maybe a grandma would like it, but that's it. Blood Orange does indeed smell like the fruit blood orange, but rather than being fresh or light, the dragon's blood note also gives it a grandma vibe - this is definitely something I would have found on my own, real grandmother's dresser top. Blood Berry is even worse, having a somewhat floral component and even stronger position on grandma's nightstand. Only Blood Cedar is any good. It is a very handsome scent, reminiscent of cedar furniture, a high-quality cedar chest, or a Christmas store.
Unfortunately for all four fragrances, projection and longevity are weak. Heretic's big thing is plant-based ingredients, so I guess one trade off is the weaker power. I'd skip all these aside from Blood Cedar, for which I wrote a longer review.
Updated on 09/14/2025