BPAL - Kabuki
Compelling, complex, and utterly enigmatic: a luxuriant, exotic blend of cherry, red musk, and star anise.GC Ars Amatoria scent, new-ish imp.Initial thoughts: Hmmm... I was all set up to love this, love it with a fiery passion, and yet... someone pointed out that the ARGHALLERGY note in Black Phoenix might have been cherry. Crap. On a crap stick. Now I'm almost not wanting to test it, which is a real shame.In the imp: Oh man. Licorise and, if I'm being kind, Carte D'or black cherry ice cream. If I'm being unkind, old-style cherry flavour medicene. Awesome!On the wrist, wet: I'm actually testing this on the fleshy part of my forearm, where I figure it can do less damage if I do have a reaction. It's much the same, if slightly less potent, on my skin - cherry and licorise. Yummeh. Now please don't kill me.Twenty minutes later: No itching, no redness - I'm tentative to call it golden, but I don't think I'm allergic to cherry. Hallelueah!Oh yeah, it smells of something!Mmmm... musky licorise. This is really rather good - something bold and sensual without being overpowering. It's the kind of scent you'd notice even if you didn't realise you had. I really like this.Verdict: Provided no nasty flareups in the next hour, keeper and an eventual bottle!Tl;Dr: Bright, medicinal cherry sombers down quickly into rich, sensual musk and star anise.ETA: After an hour and a half, or a little longer depending, the licorise settles down and you get sticky, musky cherry - vaguely similar to the cherry-esque version of dragon's blood I get on my skin. It's not AS awesome as the licorise, but it's still very pleasant.