Katemorganb

Bo introduces itself with a spicy brightness, which quickly mellows to soothing incense. The incense is airy and ethereal to my nose, wafting around a few feet away rather than being sniffed straight from the cone or smelling like burning wood. There is wood in Bo, but it's closer to the dry sharpness of a cedar chest than a bonfire, with little hints of the lemony brightness of pine. When the incense burns off, though, you're left with a delicious, toasted vanilla; delicious, but not too food-like, there's still a woodiness grounding it. Bo cocoons you in a serene way. It's a warm hug from your most spiritual friend, or a meditation retreat in the woods with a glass of hot vanilla milk. It's lovely.

As a connoisseur of citrus-vanilla-spice scents, Lira is a standout. The citrus fades fast on me, so the overall experience is a warm, delicious caramelized vanilla with hints of cinnamon, licorice, and lavender. The florals are whisper-soft; this is a crusty edge cut off a freshly baked orange cake to stuff impatiently into your mouth before you frost it. Gorgeous pure indulgence, a little treat for your nose.

Fragrances marketed to men tend to fall into familiar trappings: sporty aquatic freshies, heady and sweet spice, sharp and metallic aromatics. And you can never expect an indie house to do what's familiar, which is why this more "masculine" vibe is fascinating to me. It's atmospheric, conjuring up images of Victorian studies, of sepia toned globes and cabinets full of unfamiliar specimens and souvenirs from long trips overseas.

The Gentleman Adventurer's Club is very old-fashioned, without smelling like a musty attic. It's bright but not aquatic, not at all sweet, and earthy without feeling "dirty." I mostly pick up on leather, something resinous (likely the cistus), a dry, soft wood, and maybe a tiny bit of the brightness of ginger and fir. Like all of my Alkemia scents, this is blended beautifully and wears much more easily than the notes may suggest. If you thought Margiela's Jazz Club was too sweet, this might be up your alley.

Sometimes in life you just want something sugary, and Cream Soda Slushy provides that kind of satisfying sweetness. The main note is syrupy butterscotch candies, with little hints of strawberry and that cream soda note, which is not as fizzy as I would like but there is still a sort of cool, crushed-ice quality to it that I appreciate. Another thing I appreciate about this is that there's a note lingering in the background and when you've been wearing this for a few hours that's almost smoky, or burnt; I'm not sure if it's a toasted-sugar caramel or the CocoaPink fragrance base or what, but it grounds the sweeter notes in a way that makes the perfume feel overall more well-rounded. If you're seeking butterscotch, look here.

The most wearable orange blossom I've tried thus far. On me, orange blossom and neroli can go really south, either too cloyingly floral or almost savory (Kilian's Love Don't Be Shy was somehow both, making it a scrubber on me). Gentlewoman is not that: it's classy and charming, and maybe the first time that I've really "gotten" or understood why people like orange blossom. This scent is pleasingly fresh and sophisticated, with a warm, soapy quality that makes it just that much more lovely. It's also clean without being astringent, and I suspect almond and fuzzy ambroxan are doing a lot of the heavy lifting on that front. Overall: gorgeous.