Dark

Evil. A dark, woody, swampy dungeon, smoke from oil lamps, the offal and evacuations of previous captives are just as much a part of the earthen floor as the dirt itself, sweaty leather restraints on the walls and the sweaty leather armor of the dungeon's brutish keeper. There is a clearly audible growl echoing from the bowels of the dungeon, and Neandertal Dark is making me growl too. The top notes of galbanum, pepper, fruity and sour ginger and grapefruit are the last opaque rays of light to stream through the dungeon's entrance before the heavy wood door slams shut right behind you. The odors of past and current wretchedness rushing up from the dungeon's depths to where you stand to also seek the daylight you only just witnessed for your last time. Salty and sweaty woody vetiver, tight and unforgiving bitter and anisic caraway, tarry incense smoke, rotting wood and the slight-sweetness of labdanum, and the stars of the perfume: deep, diabolic, black as squid ink, and animalic to the point of snarling, oud and leather. Despite the theatrics, there is a smoothness to everything that doesn't ever feel abrasive like sandpaper, or sticky like oil. This is pretty remarkable in itself because there does not seem to be a single drop of natural ingredients in this perfume whatsoever. The notes are seamless and unified. After about two hours it has significantly calmed down, and you're waiting in the dark quiet of the dungeon for your captor to arrive... but they never do. The massive and compelling opening does not resolve to an obvious conclusion, just a lingering tension that continues on, and on, and on. At long last the final skin scent is a warm, cured tobacco infused amber, the animalic snarl slowly dwindling into the background like haunted echoes to keep the tension - but it's certainly further away and getting further still, a succoring touch. Did I die? Did I perish in the dungeon, finally greeted by the relative warmth and comfort of death's sweet relief? Neandertal is part of a small but growing market affinity for perfumes whose advent coincides with the popular industrial interior design style: dark, raw, rough, hard, unfriendly, thick and heavy straight lines, steely and determined, accenting imperfections, and not just acknowledging the griminess of existence but reveling in it. Euan McCall would later go on to compose a handful of perfumes for BeauFort London, a reference point brand for this burgeoning genre. I imagine that few people will like Neandertal Dark, just as not many people will like the genre in general. The general casual wearer and mass-consumer of perfume is likely to recoil in horror at Dark, and many perfume enthusiasts and critics are likely to think of it as crass, pushy, willfully obstinate and difficult - wanting to be different just to be able to say it is different without actually putting much thought into it. Maybe they're right, but I certainly don't think so. Perhaps I have Stockholm syndrome.

These reviews are crazy lol. But I suppose with a fragrance like this strong reactions should be expected as Neandertal does not tow the line of pretty. I don't smell gag or essence of fear, omgosh people come on! I got this fragrance for the holidays and so far I really like it. It is certainly for the experimental and curious nose. Does it make you smell "Good or Pretty"? I don't think that is the point per se. I think the point of this fragrance is to create a mood. It certainly does not smell bad at all. It creates style and a particular ambiance of intensity, fashion, darkness, intellectuality, and mystery. It has a very strong new leather coat opening and then on me the carraway is second adding a rich core, the tomato sparkles on top and the incense gives it depth and a comforting roundness. I'm still getting to know it. and I'll report more later. Again, open up people. This is art, so let it sink in and think about it a little. Some things take time. And this is a fragrance deserving of patience and experience. So far I love it, it engages my mind and whole self.

Dark is wonderful! The opening is very green, herbal and fresh. It evolves with notes of red pepper and something slightly floral. The drydown is ambery with a slightly sweet incense tone. This perfume has an attitude in it's opening with a medium sillage, but calms down into a warm skinscent after about two hours. I agree with "manpen", this moves from almost in-your-face growling green into the cosiest scent imaginable. I love the way this scent changes and how long it lasts, usually over 12 hours, sometimes into the next day. Neandertals Light and Us also change considarebly but not as much as Dark - which is why this is my favourite.

tomato leaf is present through all stages of it, along with the spiciness of it. this one is savory to me, in a way. it's extremely vegetal too, but in a way that seems consumable, edible. it is indeed a very primal smell, like others have mentioned, but it doesn't evoke fear, or a flight or fight response. it's moreso a reminder, to me, that we're all animals; we all need to eat, to sleep. to hibernate a little when it gets cold. it's as simple as it is complex, in a way. maybe it does make me miss cave painting next to a fire with my family, who's to say kumlinge kyrka - jeremiah chiu, marta sofia honer

An incredible perfume in an incredible bottle. Very different, but not challenging, and not dark. I especially love it when I'm outdoors in cool weather, as it really complements natural settings. Spring is when this one really shines, but it works in other seasons. I've lived with it for a couple of years now, and my hat comes off to the creators of this bold and unique concept and a beautiful perfume.