Samarkand

Damn. I crave this. Based on the notes, this is not something I would've expected to like, but was slipped in with my other samples. I like it the most. The opening is so strange, it's almost briny like olives. I'm not quite sure what's doing that, maybe I just haven't had good oud before, but it's really savory. On skin contact it thankfully doesn't get any saltier, rather the tea and rose come out to play. The rose smells very natural, as are all the roses I've tried from this house, and not sweet at all. It is more prominent at the beginning, with the bergamot and maybe a little neroli intermingling, before the deeper components begin to take over. I don't think I've had Lapsang Souchong since I was about ten years old, and it did scare me a bit then but has always left me intrigued. Here I think it is adding a suggestion of smoked meat. Nothing gross, but perhaps there's a lot of cooking going on somewhere on the premises. The added green tea helps make the presence of tea known; I think otherwise I wouldn't quite know what was going on (even if it is something indeed very interesting). There's some incense somewhere, mostly contributing the funky atmosphere. It has taken a few wearings to understand Samarkand. Most of Dawn's offerings are like that. At first it admittedly weirded me out, but it's like a party you want to hang out just a little longer at and eventually start to feel the vibe. It's kind of wild and genuinely, extremely unisex. And so high quality.

123 This one is a chameleon. The sprayer smells like dark plum butter( the kind made of Italian plums/prunes in Poland, Austria, Germany)-I have some at home to compare. At spraying, it goes from mulled wine and plum butter to a deep dark fruity rose among rich decaying wood. The deep rose becomes more prominent over time(and is complemented/contrasted by the other notes, like a battle) and then settles to become a sweet musky animal scent. It’s a sweet kind of muskiness you’d smell from flowers, fruits, not synthetic musk. The smokiness is not obvious at all- it’s not a smoked/bbq type of smell (which I’m glad about). The evolution is jarring and you really have to give this one time to unravel. At times it seems like too much, too wild, only to change your mind when it calms. I admire its evolution. My only complaint is, as with many of Dawn’s scents, it does not seem to project like I expected for this type of scent family(fruit, floral, deep dark musky woods). This scent would be for a cooler time of year, but it does not project enough to be able to enjoy its aroma during a colder time, except intimately. Even the scents I absolutely love from her, I wish they were longer lasting and projected better. Certainly, some are better than others. Do give this one a try, even for the experience, you may enjoy the ride. It’s definitely a unique experience... 8/10

This fragrance is a lot. It's such a mash up of so many elements that I think its direction got lost. I love what it is supposed to be which is rose, oud and tea. On me it took on a honey scent...and that is not one of the ingredients so I have to imagine it is the blend of tea and fruits that takes it in that direction??! Anyhow, not one that I would purchase but I think the perfumer is very inventive and want to try other DSH's. :)

Waaaay too barnyard for me. The only DSH fragrance I've ever disliked.