Poltergeist

The reason reviews below seem to be all over the place, or incredibly inconsistent, is that there have been 4 or 5 different formulations of Poltergeist released since introduction. There may have been a couple versions within the initial years of production, then after discontinuation each time it was brought back (limited runs or the current version) reviews are quite different as to what users are smelling. The perfume's color changed several times, as have the stated natural ingredients used. The note pyramids provided by the original creator (perfumer?) himself, Heretic, and websites like Fragrantica are so different that they can't be relied upon. Even if accurate, exactly WHICH version do they belong to? Some (I believe) were released as a joke or to mislead as to the actual composition. I mean, there never was pineapple in any version of Poltergeist, and that's just one example. Reading the reviews shows that people often smell what they are told to smell while looking at a note pyramid. Yes, Fragrantica did publish a pyramid with pineapple included❗ I'm not even sure of the exact date my bottle was purchased directly from Heretic, but it was early on. It's a 100mL size and they haven't been offered since late 2018 +/-1 year. My liquid is so dark it appears black. The documentation in my box states: TOP: Wormwood, Pine, Geranium MIDDLE: Neroli BASE: Myrrh, Birch Tar, Oakmoss Perhaps I'm reading my included pyramid too😂, but I get a potent blast of wormwood, a lesser amount of dried pine needles, and a small amount of a fresher green note (herbal, almost minty) well in the back during the opening. Performance is strong at that point. As it starts to settle down the fresh green aspect wanes too. When it almost disappears it's replaced by a very gentle feeling of something floral in the bitter mix. I catch it, then I can't (repeat), but whatever it is there's an ever so slight sweet note accompanying when I find it. That's good because next comes the heavy smoke. At first, I can only identify birch tar, and it is the note that takes over the composition before it too settles and things clear again (more below). It was present even at the open, but it grew as the rest faded. Even at it's strongest I've never felt anything other than plant life was charred or smoking to provide the scent around me. I can't say others didn't smell BBQ or grilled meat. I'm not them, but I can say that was never my experience. Okay, so the birch tar recedes to allow this to finish as more than one note that might become cloying. Oakmoss now plays a strong second, and there is something resinous in there too. After a few hours all 3 are about equal to me. I feel there's more to it than that but I can't discern what that is. My Poltergeist is noticeable to those within arms length for about 6-7 hours, but I notice it on myself a few hours longer. On clothing it requires laundering off. YMMV. Do I smell the pyramid in my perfume box as I've accused others of doing? Yeah, maybe, but I love greens and resins, and I'm old enough to remember real oakmoss in great perfumes. Knowing that this is one of the all natural ingredient offerings from Heretic assures me it's the "real deal". It's a shame that future formulations weren't able to continue this oakmoss note, whether due to cost or (more likely) adopting IFRA conformity as the brand grew. Perhaps all the reformations since we're attempts to work around ingredient regulations, but I also think they may have been trying to make Poltergeist less "niche" and more mainstream to increase sales. I hope I didn't confuse in my attempt to clear up some things about this perfume. Please read everyone's review, just remember that (like it or not) we're not all reviewing versions that were meant to smell the same. This isn't Creed Aventus.

Poltergeist opens with a strong hit of juniper and cedar, sharp and unmistakable, while frankincense sits just beneath them and slowly grows more dominant. The overall impression is immediately evocative, like stepping into an old, empty cathedral after a winter midnight mass. There’s a reverent stillness to it. I also get damp cellar vibes which grounds the more ethereal imagery with something earthy and slightly unsettling. It’s dark, atmospheric, and very intentional. This isn’t a casual reach, I won’t be wearing it to a summer brunch, but it fits perfectly for goth/industrial club nights. It's very niche and will probably be a hit for some and a flop for others; I don't think you'll find many people on the fence with this one. As it dries down, a gentle smokiness emerges. I’ve seen people compare it to bonfires or BBQ, which I understand on paper, but to my nose it’s far more refined than that. Instead of campfire or charcoal grill, it reads like premium applewood or mesquite: earthy, spicy, and with a slight sweetness that mingles well with the frankincense. Longevity isn't great. After about three to four hours, it’s faded enough to need another spritz. That said, for a fragrance this moody and situational, I don’t mind reapplying.

Wanna see another eclipse? You have 2 choices: Don't pay your light bill this month or just buy Poltergeist instead. The most interesting thing about this fragrance is that it has an Aventus like profile boasting pineapple, birch and oakmoss. Aventus this is not therefore, I don't want anyone inboxing me saying, "I ran out to buy this fragrance because you said it was like Aventus." This opening is precisely the smell of lemon flavored cigarette with oakmoss. A weird combination but one to behold as it transitions to the "smoked meat" that others have mentioned. Personally, I think the smoky sensation is akin to soot from burning wood. This is an intimate fragrance and a joy to wear as you receive compliments from the most unlikely people...and then you will understand the allure of Poltergeist: Distinguished. Like Basquiat paintings, this is weird but necessary.

This is the fuel nightmares are made of Bypassed my nose, straight to the limbic system Raised neck hairs, brain screaming, sweats, and a cartoon shade of green Luckily I hadn't eaten yet, or I would have chucked up my breakfast The nose caught up and it was the most horrendous stench I've ever encountered Tyrannosaurus Rex and Inexcusable Evil have nothing on this I scrubbed it off so fast Had to Nil Odor the entire house And wash the bedding IF you're going to attempt to wear this 1. One spray, two at the absolute most 2. Let it sit for at least an hour before going out It's a creative masterpiece of horror, well done. Love it, even if it's just for Halloween.

Cold winds over a rocky, Pacific beach. Secrets murmured under the glow of a campfire. Burnt paper, as if to execute a secret spell via ink and spiritual direction. Poltergeist is a statement fragrance. Smoky, eerie, unwarm, all by design. It's beautiful and haunting in the bottle, and I can imagine that it suits someone's skin chemistry gorgeously. Unfortunately, Poltergeist does not mix well with my natural scent. In good faith, I gave it to someone who did suit it well. I regret it every day, and I wish I had the bottle just to smell because this fragrance is a work of art.

Do you want to make your enemies cry without lifting a finger? Are you goodwill bins thriftier and you want your competition to stay away from you? Do you want to go to backyard after steaming hot rain with 50 mosquitos swarming you but not one dares to bite? Than this perfume is for you. My husband hates it when I wear it but I love this smoke menace. It's much better than Gucci "midnight stroll" That one gives me headache. While this one is strangely comforting.

Thank god it's Poltergeist season again. Woody, burnt, and slightly sweet. Smells like you've been sitting near fires for hours, which I love. I think this one has particularly good lasting power, and it's one of the strongest in my collection in that regard. I don't get the food-y aroma that some people are getting, and I'm grateful for it. I realize it's not for everyone, but personally this is one of my top 5 fragrances.

This is my signature scent, I have chugged through two bottles of Poltergeist and have the candle burning constantly. My husband says I smell like a bog witch it is perfection, it is dark and herbal and smells like a burning church you can see the smoke curling in the air when you close your eyes. Its extremely evocative and makes me feel slightly evil, when they stop selling this I will cease to exist.

I think this is a gorgeous creation! The opening is a bit harsh but I love it, it gives off a unsmoked marijuana as if you just opened up your supply and Stuck your nose in and took a big whiff lol. I get all the smoky nuances that acomanpy this vibe but most importantly I get the fruity smoky sweetness in the base. Psa...this is more than just smoked meat, fellas hahahahaha.

I absolutely LOVE this scent. I have always savored the way my clothes smell after I sit around a bonfire so I was really excited to find this. It smells very strong when first sprayed but it dries down to a mildly smoky frankincense smell on me, which I really enjoy. 10/10

HUGE fan of this although i understand why people hate it, definitely best layered + let to sit for a little while. straight up just smells like you've been sitting next to a grill which is what i was looking for but i do get the vegan hotdog comparisons

Absolutely delicious. Maybe I want to smell like a vegan hotdog, so what? In all seriousness though, this fragrance makes me feel like I’m sitting around a fire in the woods on an autumn night. So beautifully smoky and woody.

I enjoy this, it's an earthy and smoky wood fragrance. It reminds me of an old church with the smell of incense in the air. Or a warm ember from a campfire. Definitely test it first, it's not blind buy worthy at all.

The bad reviews are so funny. A house with a broken wood stove? Being burnt alive? Harsh rubber? Mold mushrooms and old firewood? Hell yeah. Bring it ON. It’s great.

this is the exact smell that an old catholic church has when they begin to light the incense. soo beautiful and haunted.

unironically my favorite scent from the brand, the most interesting offering as well imo.. yummy smoked pine woods..

I really love this perfume, it smells exactly like the description says. Very nice for fall. Very smoky.

We're shifting away from the defined, physical realms we've explored—from tropical beaches to desert cacti—and plunging headlong into the supernatural and the purely conceptual with Heretic Parfums’ Poltergeist. The name suggests a fragrance that aims to capture the jarring, invisible force of a chaotic spirit, not just a quiet ghost. We're anticipating a composition that feels cold, electrified, and perhaps unnervingly ozonic, mixed with the scent of an old, disturbed environment—dust, tension, and a sudden, chilling presence. This is perhaps Heretic's most challenging concept I've explored thus far. The central mystery we need to solve is this: Can a collection of natural extracts truly bottle the scent of an unseen, volatile phenomenon, or will this ambitious, abstract effort just end up feeling discordant on the skin? Let's open the door to the unknown and see what kind of energy this fragrance holds. Opening: The opening is a sharp introduction of aromatic, smoky, and woody notes. The primary notes I perceive are wormwood, birch tar, frankincense, and juniper, with the wormwood and birch tar being the most prominent. The wormwood hits my nose first with a sharp blast of green, bitter, and slightly medicinal accords, carrying a subtle licorice-like quality (typical of the key ingredient in absinthe). This gives way to the equally potent birch tar, which unleashes a hefty dose of tarry smoke with an almost "burning" quality. This is a heavy-handed type of smoke that is certainly imposing, but I can appreciate its intensity. Following this duality are the frankincense and juniper. The frankincense adds a balsamic and churchy incense quality, building upon the smokiness started by the birch tar. Lastly, the juniper rounds out the opening with a woody and piney accord, typical of the note. This opening instantly reminds me of Kilian's Dark Lord due to its intensely woody and dark character. Dry Down: The dry down remains woody, smoky, and aromatic. The primary notes shift slightly to birch tar, juniper, frankincense, and patchouli, with the birch tar and juniper now the standouts. The birch tar has taken the spotlight, intensifying its tarry and fiery smoky accord. Now that it’s not sharing the stage with the vivid wormwood, its central accords are emphasized even more. Coming in behind the birch tar is the juniper, which has risen from its supportive role into a central one with a more noticeable dose of its aromatic and piney woodiness. This is followed by the frankincense and patchouli. The frankincense still provides the same balsamic and incense-y quality, while the patchouli has emerged to give a deep, dusty earthiness in the base of the fragrance. I also catch fleeting hints of sweet, ambery tones from the benzoin. To my nose, the comparisons to Dark Lord are even more stark in this dry-down phase. Performance: The initial projection is strong and reaches out at least six feet. Sillage is very strong and leaves a dense and heavy scent trail. After about 3–4 hours, the projection was still hovering around 4–6 feet, while the scent trail had noticeably died down but was still perceptible. After about 7–8 hours, the fragrance had already become a skin scent, suggesting around 5–6 hours of respectable projection. This puts it on par with most other fragrances I've tried from Heretic Parfums. When to Wear: Poltergeist is a definitive fall/winter fragrance that is most suitable for evening wear. This is a dark, heavy fragrance that is best reserved for special and/or formal occasions. This is not something I would wear casually, and I definitely wouldn't wear it to the office. Blind Buy: Poltergeist is decidedly not a safe blind buy. This fragrance will only appeal to people who enjoy intensely smoky, woody, and dark fragrances. If that challenging, niche profile sounds interesting to you, it's definitely worth a sample. Final Verdict: When I first smelled Poltergeist off the atomizer, I'll admit I was a little put off by the intensity of the smoke and bitterness. However, after wearing it, I can say that it is a very interesting, well-blended, and decidedly masculine fragrance. The scent profile is complex and high-quality, similar to what I would expect from niche houses like Amouage or Kilian. The intense smoky-woodiness is captivating, earning its dark namesake. The issue, however, is that this quality and profile bear a striking similarity to Dark Lord by Kilian, which I already own. While Poltergeist is excellent, Dark Lord ultimately outperforms it in longevity and projection. Given that the two fragrances are so conceptually and aromatically close, there isn't a justifiable reason for me to purchase Poltergeist as a redundant addition. While I appreciate its complexity and artistry, I will be passing on a full bottle solely because I already own a fragrance that does the job better. If I didn't, I would consider purchasing Poltergeist. Scent: 8/10 Longevity: 6/10 Sillage: 7/10 Versatility: Low Mass Appeal: Low Gender: Masculine Value: Fair

I just Had to come write a review for this. I do like this scent, but not till it dries down a bit. Idk what it is, could honestly be a few different notes at play to be honest. But the opening of Poltergiest is really peppery and for a few minutes smells just like my late grandpa's homemade venison jerky 😅. I kinda love it, but it's also not quite the vibe for most places or occasions. Luckily that strong peppery opening doesn't last too long though. It stays pretty bitter green and woody and I would agree has a spooky quality to it, but otherwise I'd describe it more as a witchy woods kindof fragrance. Heretic does seem to have this thing with bitter strong openings though. I noticed it with Dirty Rose too. It opens bitter and sour, peppery and almost citrus and I'm not a fan, but then it dries down to a beautiful rosey scent and I'm not even usually into rose.

Poltergeist begins with intense smoke and liquourish herbs, gradually growing with increasing precious woods and incense. The nose feel is menthol and somewhat cold despite the smoke. The greens and woods here are aromatic, dense and almost savoury. The intensity of the scent decreases and smooths out after half an hour. The menthol feel settles as warm amber grows with incense woods. There is frankincense & myrrh, creosotic birch and smokey cade structuring the scent from the base. Overall, Poltergeist is predominantly a scent of smoke, incense and woods. Much more approachable after the scent settles on the skin. This scent has limited wearability, but could be a signature for someone. Well worth sampling.

If you have ever been camping, this cologne is when you wake up in the morning and stir the fire pit for the first time. All that ash and memories from the drunken stuper the night before is how it opens. After that initial burnt wood smell it does settle down nicely into a woodsy and green fragrance. It is not something that I would wear to the office or work and I would not wear it in summer. Don't wear this if you are doing anything with fire, because you will blend right in. If you want to stand out in a bar like you just came from a fire, this would be a great fragrance. 7/10

Hoo-boy. This one kicks off strong. WIYL heavy birch tar fragrances like Zoologist Tyrannosaurus or Hiram Green Hyde, but aren't crazy about the powdery / floral notes those two have. Smoky, savory, with a bit of forest floor. Smoke recedes from the forefront after a bit. Not getting any of the supposed pineapple, but there's something sweet-ish going on. Interesting. Not for all occasions, but definitely a unique option for some. Maybe good for going to a smoke-filled bar (if you live in a state that still allows smoking in bars) or on a camping trip?

Friend gave me this sample because she wasn't a fan. Good thing I am <3 Such a strong, particular green. I love this for the artistry but as a wearable it's not quite a love. You do not want to overdo it with this one or you will smell like you are decaying (probably desirable to some). This smell puts me in the mood for goth music and swaying like no other. Sprayed this in my friend's hair for a Pixel Grip show (I was wearing Carnicure by Marlou) and our combined scent was perfect for the evening. "Jealousy is lethal, hope it kills your soul..."

It’s smoky and that’s essentially the whole thing until the pineapple peaks through. I honestly find the Hawaiian BBQ vibe hilarious and it makes me love this more. As a natural perfume it’s not gonna be super long lasting but I enjoy it while it lasts. I like to layer this with Heretic’s ambrette seed single note which adds a soft musk/fuzzy component. This is based on my experience with the rollerball version, which doesn’t have crazy projection.

i blind bought this in a discovery set, despite the video that reccommended this perfume saying not to. i honestly don't know how i feel, but i kind of like it?? it's veeery smokey especially on my skin, kinda made me cough when i first sprayed it. i dont think i'd wear this on its own, but it might be good for layering if i'm super careful with it. i do see where people are coming from with the vegetarian hotdog comparison, though lol.

I love this fragrance but I don't want to smell of it. I'm tempted by the candle. The birch tar is realistic and not sharp or headachy for me but it's certainly the dominant scent. In the very opening I get a medicinal note and occasionally I get a whiff of cigarette smoke (not a nice pipe tobacco smoke) I love a smoky scent but this is a bit much for me and I could imagine it being very divisive wearing it out in public

I thankfully do not find this reminiscent of BBQ at all, it is certainly smoky with a touch of sweetness, but does not smell like BBQ for me. The birch tar and wormwood are front and center, I also pretty clearly get the patchouli and vetiver. However I cannot place the sweetness I’m getting but it’s pleasant. This is a very smoky and apparently quite controversial fragrance, so best to sample first!

Poltergeist should come with instructions : 1) Don't spray too much. 2) Wait a few minutes and resist the urge to scrub. 3) Don't put your nose right into it. 4) Think about something else for a while. If you follow the instructions, then enjoy the weirdness, it's prettier than you think, oak moss and myrrh with a touch of flowers. If you didn't, then wet boots and smoked meat for you.

Weirdly obsessed with this scent. On first spray I get blinded with beef jerky and gasoline (and I do not enjoy gasoline scents). After a few hours of wear, it develops into a beautiful woodsy smell. Reminds me of a California summer hiking in the Sierra Nevada's. Hot afternoon sun on dry pine needles. Makes me feel nostalgic.

Blind bought based off of heretics Smudge which I absolutely love! Poltergeist is similar yet very different. Think deep green smokey redwood forest on a rainy day with some sweet ancient undertones.

This scent is so sexy smoky and woodsy definitely is more masculine leaning but I still fuck with it I would only wear this at night though since it is very smoky and very strong

I really, really did not like this the first time I tried it. Have revisited a few more times and each time it somehow smells better. Now I kind of crave it.

I don't want to smell like Marlboro Reds and Hawaiian BBQ. Update: Nevermind! It smells uniquely compelling and masculine on my boyfriend. I like it now.

its the exact smell of my unwashed hoodies on a monday morning after a weekend sitting by a campfire

It smells like the local weed man's house is on fire. 4/5 stars.

I was intrigued by the perfumer's description of this fragrance as being inspired by his time in the pacific northwest that to his experience was reminiscent of "air heavy with the smoke of blazing burn piles filled with scorched leaves and timber" along with "long walks through the woods." After having just recently watched TV classic Twin Peaks this year, I thought is this the show in perfume form? Thankfully I was able to buy a sample because the notes in this fragrance are definitely not within my comfort zone or preference. The reviews of this were also not particularly enticing either. But I had to try it for myself, and if you have watched the show Twin Peaks, I do think this is that show in perfume form. Specifically, (lowkey spoiler alert) the Black Lodge. For those who don't understand the reference, to me the smokiness of this reminds me of walking through a busy, urban street with the polluted air. I have done just that wearing Poltergeist and in this environment, I cannot even smell it at all. It smells a little cleaner than that because of the earthy notes on here. But the smoky notes is very, very idk... industrial? Like burning wood, really. Or being in a rubber factory. The opening is SUPER smokey. The smokiest perfume I have ever tried, which probably doesn't say much as I don't know of many anyway, but damn. It's very smokey and will stay that way for a few hours. To be more on the nose about the Twin Peaks reference (another spoiler alert), if Bob is supposed to be the epitome of all that the Black Lodge represents personified, the first few hours of Poltergeist is the kind of perfume I imagine he would wear. By the 5th or 6th hour, I do find that the green notes that were only secondary – I could only detect maybe 2% of it prior to that – begin to take centre stage, with the smokiness playing more of a background role. It's still there, but the green takes over. To me, the dry down is like a cool, minty plant kind of smell. Not in a eucalyptus way. A different way. Maybe more leathery idk. Still a bit smokey though. The sillage is quite strong and I have found it is better to apply this in areas further away from my nose like maybe the back of my ears or neck instead. I also found that it layers well with softer, more feminine perfumes because it brings out the earthy notes a little earlier without it. Not blind buy safe. If interested, just get a sample first. I also have a sample of Midnight Toker from the brand and they seem similar when I sprayed it on paper, with that one having a more obvious sweetness in comparison to Poltergeist. So I'm keen to try that one next just to see if that one does a bettee job of showing more nuance within the different notes in a smokey fragrance.

All I smell is smoke. I think it's a nice smoke, smells just like a campfire. If that's what you want to smell like and you want everyone within ten feet of you to know, this is the perfect scent. After hours of wear, the cloud of smoke calms down a bit and I can smell just the barest hint of cedar on my wrist. I think it's a tough every day fragrance, but if you are the type of person who is interested in smelling like a forest fire, I am sure you can find an occasion. I was feeling like I wanted to smell unapproachable in the office today and this definitely hits the mark; sorry to my coworkers, but also, I bite. 7/10.

I'm still debating how I ultimately feel about this perfume. Do not do what I did and blind buy this. The notes sound strong but good, but upon first spray I smelled like BBQ meat. I'm a vegan and so that was very gross to me, haha. However the dry down is nice so far. Smoky yet a little green. I think I will try layering this with sweeter perfumes, maybe something like Tom Ford Noir. It also calms down A LOT after a couple of hours. Which thank goodness, I'd hate it if it continued to smell like BBQ meat.

Smells like I'm smoking weed at a barbecue where a guy who smokes a lot of cigarettes is searing pulled pork. Not something I'd spray on myself but it is one of the most photorealistic things I've ever smelled. Also reminds me of the one time I rented a cabin in the woods with my family. Pure insanity. 2.5/5

I have only tried this once yet and as a former cigarette smoker it reminded me a little too much of having a cigarette butt in my pocket. I will definitely try it a few more times and see if I get different feelings about it.

Haha, I expected something truly terrible based on the reviews. And it's not so bad on my skin. I definitely get the BBQ scent :D But otherwise, it is weaker than Smudge, in my opinion. An interesting scent, but not for me.

Smoking weed around a campfire deep in the woods where smoky roses sprout from cannabis bushes. An interesting, layered scent but I don’t want to smell like it.

its just a lot first sprayed on. summer BBQ/fall campfire. but I don't hate it? after a while it does eventually calm down.. but only a little bit

this is so weird and interesting it’s gnarly but i can’t stop smelling it it’s muddy but complex like a forrest so many spices it’s so odd

It’s okay. It gets better the longer it sits, but I’d only wear it for more personal situations, like before a bath or on a date/gathering with people who give a similar vibe. If I saw a bottle for cheap, I’d get it but I don’t think I’d buy it full price. At first I smell burnt wood, more sawdust than a bonfire. Maybe the day or two after a bonfire. It rained though, so everything is muddy and there’s none of that alluring smoky scent. Just the remains of fire within the heart of burnt wood that has been soaked in the rain. Then something green happens within the first two minutes. It’s cool, green, and neon, like I imagine the poltergeist to be, but it’s this green, juniper mint that doesn’t play well with the fire. While the green is so subtle, it’s obnoxious and makes itself clear. Then five minutes later, it disappears back to wherever it felt like going. The rest is innocuous — there’s a very faint incense smell and I can detect the frankincense, cinnamon, and patchouli, but it reminds me of the back of a floral shop that does wreathes and bouquets on pine slabs assembled as a table. Maybe they sell Christmas trees, but it feels like January, post-season. Cedar that’s rotting from sitting out in the winter rains but also sun baked during the day when the sun is out. On the edge of the suburbs but not quite in full countryside. I like it more than I thought on initial spray and it’s definitely more complex than I expected from this brand. But the part when the actual poltergeist comes out to play is tough to bear. When someone says something smells earthy, THIS is what I expect it to smell like. It’s familiar.

Deep, deep within this scent and several hours into wearing it I can smell what others here are smelling that causes such positive reviews. I smell the patchouli, the sandlewood, and if I press my nose to my skin, the dusty allure of sage. No wormwood or juniper, which were major selling points for me so their absence was felt deeply. However, as much as I was excited for this one over all the other samples I purchased, I cannot even entertain the idea of wearing this again even as a test. Immediately after it hit my skin I wasn't met with the sexy, alluring scent of campfire or cigarette smoke, sickly and thin but omnipresent, but rather the thick block of smokeshack stink. I reeked of overdone brisket. Maybe it's skin chemistry. I wouldn't know, as my friends who I was having a sample party with hated it enough that they refused to try it themselves and even made sure to keep a distance from the arm I sprayed it on. Good news for those who love this scent, it lasts so so so very long. It trailed behind me the entire day. I'd pick something up or move my arm too close and get a whiff of chemical-laden smoked meat. Only now am I scrubbing it away, which I rarely do but I don't want this to infect my sheets as well.

The reviews describing Poltergeist as a heavy campfire in an old hoodie are, unfortunately, spot on. There is a fine line between a cinematic smoke note and the smell of a home heated by a poorly ventilated wood stove, and this falls firmly into the latter. The heavy wood smoke is overshadowed by a sharp, synthetic medicinal note reminiscent of a used band-aid or the way a polyester-blend hoodie traps stagnant odors. While I appreciate a scent that tells a story, the story here is "I haven't washed my clothes in weeks." The only saving grace is the characteristically poor Heretic longevity; it vanished before it could permanently haunt my wardrobe.

This is essentially the only Heretic fragrance that just does not work for me and man I wish it did.....I come back to my sample every few months to see how I feel about it, but nothing changes - the slightly sweet, smoky woods really do give BBQ - and that’s just not my style, no matter how much I typically devour smoky fragrances. I do really like the drydown though, provided in very small, tiny doses (otherwise it does unfortunately give me a headache). It gets a little less savory and turns a little more towards Smudge territory, which I adore. I wish I loved this, but I’m also so glad I don’t hate it!!! NOT blind buy safe lol

To me this smells like smoked meat, maybe teriyaki beef jerky. It smells like a delicious sexy bar or restaurant, and I wouldn’t mind if I smelled like smoked meats After dinner. But wearing this perfume makes me feel like I couldn’t find a napkin so I wiped my greasy beef jerky fingers on my pants. I do enjoy other smoky scents in general.

Smells like a fire pit in a damp musty house, and *especially* beef jerky. What a weird fragrance out of the Heretic Parfum line -- all the others are lightly scented and don't last very long, yet this one smells up the whole room! After an hour of drying down, the warm spice, woodsy scent barely comes through... but still beef jerky.