No 76 Spicy Amber Vanilla

I like this but can’t tolerate Black Opium, which it is allegedly duping. When I got it I went on sniff test alone and found it nose-addicting! A great amber vanilla, maybe even something a little salty/metallic in there that I like too. Maybe a more sheer take on “patchouli” that isn’t as oppressive to my nose. I find myself reaching for this in cooler weather. It’s cozy.yummy. ☕️

Starts off with a fruitiness that reads as a sort of a red berry scent to me. There is something I can't place but reads as bitter green, the patchouli perhaps? It dries down to a sweet vanilla iced coffee, like an Iced Capp if you're Canadian, the patchouli is a kind of slightly dank musk,, on it's own it would be unpleasant but mixed together with the other notes it adds complexity, depth and longevity.

This is the best of all I tried from this brand. It does smell like the original Black Opium. I use this oil and layer with my Black Opium spray to improve the OG performance.

I actually like this scent a lot. I would like more musk to it, but it's nice and woody, and a good take on vanilla, which I normally dislike. This is like expensive, dimly lit speakeasy vanilla. The only problem I have with this scent is its physical effect. As it matures, it becomes...dry and scratchy? It sort of dries my nose out. This makes it hard to wear, because it is long lasting, and breathing it in becomes painful. I also get a bit of a headache, which my sister also suffered from. Not sure if this is just a me thing. If it didn't have that issue I would wear it more, but I find I'm not reaching for it as much as I'd like to.