The first time I sampled this, I was all set to give it a solid "pan." Fortunately, I decided to try it again before reviewing and have found that it has vastly improved; not completely sure how or where I would wear this myself, but for those in search of an absinthe scent (of which there is only one other that I'm aware of -- and that's the Grandiflorum version)this could be the ticket. It sends off an aura of nearly narcotic sweetness before settling into backnotes of licorice and spices...and ultimately softens down into something that is uniquely, subtly sweet. The more I smell it, actually, the more I find myself liking it; in my first experience with a BDS (now KeikoMecheri) fragrance, Hanae, I also had an adverse initial reaction that ultimately ended up turning into great enjoyment, and perhaps that may also be true of this fragrance. I really do think KeikoMecheri does good things; they seem to use top-of-the-line ingredients in their formulations, and come up with some very original -- albeit not highly complex -- compositions. Best of all, they are delightfully "unhyped," which naturally tends to make me like them even more!

This fragrance starts out spicy, turns to a licorice sort of scent, and the base notes remind me a lot of Fire & Ice (remember that fragrance?). I am allegic to it, so if you are sensitive, try before you buy. continued >>