Hemlock

My new favourite, although I really try not to stick to one scent on a daily basis. I blind bought this from the U.S.A., which was risky considering the VAT charges Customs slapped on (20%, IN GBP, which hiked the total cost to nearly 200.00 USD for a wee 50 ml bottle! ACK!)...HOWEVER. It is STUNNING on my skin. And I mean...WOO-HOO. Okay, so heart goes pitter-pat as I read on the box that this is a "Limited Edition" line. I paid through the trousers for it, but it’s worth a backup buy because I get that fragrance anxiety when I smell something that is pretty damn close to IT for me, and know that it won't be around possibly as soon as a year from now. It helps that Six Scents includes a discount code with the first purchase, for 20% off of the next purchase from the same collection, and free shipping over 120.00, I think. I can't state anything that the other three reviewers didn't state PERFECTLY; I'm a true devotee of "weird", abstract, surreal scents, and I covet plastic, vinyl. packing tape, lightbulb, tar, (yes, it was all YOU CdG, way back in 2000 with Odeurs 53 and...72, was it? Totally mesmerised, never looked back at a vanilla-amber-white musk-floral-fruit-aquatic concoction again) and all of those modern goodies, BUT, I lament their lack of, well, smell, after 30 minutes. Hemlock isn't a heavy-hitter by any means, and it all but disappears after about two hours, but what a couple of hours they are! A very yellow vanilla custard, snappy-green leaves, AMAZING hot plastic (vinyl?), and pale pink flowers...I'm just going with what comes to mind immediately when I experience it. It's simultaneously pretty, gritty and cosy. The box is a work of art, literally, as there is a large, removable, metallic card that presents a print of what appears to be Japanese calligraphy in psychedelic colours, poss the name of the frag? by Mestrovic. It adds a little edge to the frag-shelf propped up behind the bright, bold, contemporary, blue bottle containing a stunning fuschia-coloured juice. Six Scents kindly included four samples of the deadly florals line, and this is my favourite one by far, followed by Wolfsbane (a bit like CdG 2 with cinnamon and more florals) Bloodflower (actually has a blood note in it, not for me) and Soma Poppy. The latter is a FiFi award-winner, but far too cloyingly sweet for me, with a knock-out tuberose, which I can’t stand, but fantastically blended nonetheless, and I now own Mandrake as well, but Hemlock remains my true love; the angelica/vanilla/vinyl is addictive. This is worth at least sampling, and I think it should be enjoyed for not only its uniqueness, but for its Art; from box to bottle to scent. I may not be 100% onboard with the ad campaign for this collection, as I’m drawn to at least a bit of romance, brevity and beauty attached to the things that I love—even the most contemporary, modernist creations can have a beating heart at their core, and all gore and nightmarish, sweaty, over-dose hallucinations, sinister-looks and cold, hardcore, painful sex in a dank dungeons, without a whisper of heart or passion, isn’t my idea of “Gothic” or beauty. I’m no prude, but I’m decidedly more Byron than Lovecraft, and so I’ve ignored the blood-smeared videos for the most part. For those who can appreciate a (oddly approachable & cosy) psychotic vanilla floral—there is nothing in my collection like it—a hint of Guerlain’s Angelica, but only for a split second in the opening, then no similarities at all. I admittedly love telling people I’m wearing “Hemlock”, the many times this has evoked joy from those in my scent-orbit...it has a great gravitational pull, if only for the intrigue. Fantastic.

Hemlock is a study in the contrast between soft/cuddly and sharp/spiky. It has the same personality as a cute little teddy bear covered with cactus spikes. This fragrance has a ton of vastly different notes, but all of them does not have a place in the spotlight. It's a very well blended fragrance, smooth and with a lot of depth and originality. It's like all the notes give this fragrance a muddy quality, or maybe even clay like. It doesn't smell like mud or clay, but Hemlock has a muddy and clay like texture, if that makes any sense There are three notes that play a majore role all the way from the opening til the very end. And that is vanilla, benzoin and tonka beans. They create this super soft, smooth, cuddly, cozy smell that would have been a tad average and boring if it wasn't for the spices in here, and the weird star: Vinyl. The spices - I detect pepper, clove and cinnamon - gives the soft balsamic vanilla cloud a dark edge. They feel warm, sharp and stingy, and actually quite agressive, but they get softer and dissappears within 15-20 minutes or so - and that is when the vinyl shows up and steals the show. It really smells like vinyl. It's such a photorealistic smell. I've never thought about it before, but vinyl has a slight leathery vibe combined with something shiny and cold, like chrome maybe. To me this association creates a feeling of bikers. Or rock, like the music. It's not the rough and not very well groomed type of biker we talk about here though. Because of the cozy smoothness, and sweetness, from tonka, vanilla and benzoin, this biker feels very suave. The vinyl actually gives Hemlock an edgy, but still elegant, aura. Towards the base and in the base, all the edginess and sharp spikes are gone, and we are left with this sweet, smooth, soft balsamic vanilla. It feels like an enveloping cloud of goodness and grace. It's like the scent has a stupefying or numbing effect. All the sharp edges, the sting, the pain and agressiveness from the opening (and in the world) is gone and you can fall back on something akin to your own personal cloud number nine. I'm still impressed with this perfume house after testing this (the fourth one I've tested from them so far). A gorgeous creation! Longevity is, as usual with these scents, great. I can smell it on me, faintly after 10 hours. Sillage is pretty strong right away, but dries down to a solid medium.

The prior reviewer summed it up pretty well. This was one of the more subtle ones from the line. A sweetish, vanillic floral(nondescript white flowers but mostly jasmine or ylang if I spray heavily) that skews into the strange and unnatural with the addition of a vinyl note, paired with crushed greens and salt which give it a cool, slightly metallic and mineralic quality. The whole becomes an experience of "pull-push"- drawn in by the comforting sweet notes while pushed away slightly by the weird and almost sinister aloofness of the rest of it. Which fits nicely with the poison theme. I like industrial and unnatural smells in perfume, as long as as they don't render the scent unwearable. Others in this wearable category for me are Charenton Macerations Asphalt Rainbow, and even closer to Hemlock, BVLGARI Black. As Hemlock wears on it becomes a skin scent of the "lived-in skin" variety, and you're ultimately left with a faint musky, fluffy vanilla. The longevity is ~8 hours on me and projects for only an hour or 2 before staying close to the skin. I think this is really well done and I did get a FB so I can spray it lavishly to get the full effect and all the nuances which are greatest in the early development. And I'm finding it all rather addictive.

Hemlock is a fairly light eau de toilette that, despite its sweet and amber character, has a fresh background that makes it ideal for me to use during the day even with high temperatures. Despite all the notes described, what I mainly notice are white flowers, fresh but quite sharp and with an animalistic point, on a slightly amber base. The rum and the plastic point of the vinyl are present, especially in the output, and all this is also accompanied by a small touch of spice. I think it is a highly recommended perfume for those who are looking for something for the day now for the summer but want to escape the typical citrus and marine perfumes; or for those looking for something sweet but not harassing or cloying. I would also encourage those who like white flowers and are looking for something different, because if something characterizes hemlock, it is precisely that, which is different. The performance is very moderate, but it is not surprising being a UAE de toilette. As for the price, it is not bad considering that it is a niche brand with a very limited production. If this fragrance offers something, it is just that: exclusivity. Scent: 8.5 Longevity: 7 Sillage: 6 Versatility: 10 Originality: 10 Overall: 8.5

Hemlock is uniquely restrained. Upon first wear it comes across as a sweet, (indistinctly) floral-vanillic fragrance but the more I wear it the more I pick up on a whole plethora of subtleties. Theres a spicy facet, giving the sweetness a nice little bite without straying into autumnal spice-cake territory. The addition of rum gives the opening a unique depth. I pick up a touch of incense that coupled with the smoothness of the composition gives the whole thing a sort of milky-smoky-sweetness that somehow straddles the tightrope of edible and atmospheric. It's at once cordially familiar, and subtly alien. To be quite honest, much much better than I initially expected. I have thoroughly enjoyed testing this and look forward to trying both more perfumes from the Quartana line, as well as more fragrances by Christelle Laprade. 8/10

Cannot express how much I love this perfume. I don't usually think of myself as a leather perfume wearer, but something about the plasticky vinyl smell is so clean and edgy, especially mixed in with all the cozy herbal, spicy notes. That little whip of something contemporary and unexpected really elevates it for me; It's like a mad scientist's laboratory hidden in the basement of a witch's cottage, and I'm so into it. It also has excellent longevity without being overpowering. I feel like by the time I'm going to bed I can still smell the vanilla base notes on my wrists! This was my first major perfume purchase and even a year later, I couldn't be happier with it.

Hemlock is... Ummm... Different? Man what a unique fragrance. Nothing else like it out there I've tried. Couldn't tell if I liked this one or not at first but wow has this grown on me. Mr. Quartana PLEASE DON'T EVER STOP MAKING FRAGRANCES!! Not my favorite but one I have to have in my collection for it's uniqueness. Man there's a lot going on here it's nearly impossible to pick a certain note. You've got to try this one before you buy cause it's not going to be for everyone... I do get that vinyl note mixed with patchouli, green notes and vanilla... But the magic is in the dry down.

This is a beautiful green vanilla with a unique synthetic rubber/vinyl/ new car smell. It's gorgeous and clean, classic and smart. I'd say it's office friendly and very chic. A luxurious boss lady who knows what she wants. More mature but not old ladyish at all, I'm not normally a fan of vanillas but because of its green and vinyl faucets I really like this! Another great one from this line :)

What's here? A cup closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end. O churl, drunk all and left no friendly drop To help me after. I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them To make me die with a restorative. It's to die for! 😉

This smells like an updated version of the Amy Brown perfume "Snow Queen". It's not a bad thing, it reminds me of a grown up version of a childhood fragrance.

Hemlock is perhaps the sweetest entry of Parfums Quartana's Les Potions Fatales that I've retried so far. It's a mix of the eponymous floral note, the infamous poison taken by Socrates, and a host of other notes (really, the note list is unusually long), which consist of other florals, woods and woods-like influences, and some spices, still with the whole blend being rather sweet. The elephant in the room is the black vinyl accord, which is very effective, as the perfume smells of a vinyl record--in concert, of course, with the host of other notes, but still rather prominent in the mix. The particular mix of black vinyl, and say, clove and cinnamon, fosters an almost anise-like vibe, certainly sweet in its own way, but somewhat bitter, as well. There are also healthy doses of woods (leaves, sandalwood, amber wood) and sweet bits (vanilla, tonka, benzoin) that foster a sort of comforting blend. It's really a remarkable accomplishment to balance out all of these competing aspects---daring/comforting and natural/synthetic. I'd classify it more as cold-weather-appropriate but it's not so dense and overwhelming as to not be befitting, say, a summer evening; I'd simply avoid wearing it in extreme heat since the black vinyl accord might become a little bit overwhelming itself under those circumstances. Hemlock is a very good performer, as well, like Midnight Datura, and a little bit better than Digitalis or Lily of the Valley. Pricing for Hemlock is in the lower end of the range for this collection, $145 for 50ml, and like the rest of the collection, can be found at Perfumology, among a few other similar US boutiques. This is yet another fragrance in the collection executed with care, intrigue, and some sense of dare. 8 out of 10

Hemlock is a great interpretation of a poisonous plant. This perfume opens in a way that the flowers and wood smell rich in a churchy kind of way--like this would fit the bill for a strong sweet perfume for a Sunday churchgoer. But there is a surprising complexity that takes picking apart to appreciate--the incense doesn't stand out as incense because the sweetness of vanilla and rum and white flowers is more prominent. Any boozy character is muted, the rum smell is a general warm wood scent that binds the spices and flowers into an almost syrupy composition. There is a vinyl note that is very unique, but I could stand for it to be stronger actually--I like the note, something strong and pleasant to cut the sweetness. I was raised by a very health-conscious mother, she brought home some interesting healthy foods and products when I was younger. Out of nowhere I am reminded of some small bottles my mom brought home one day, many years ago, from local Korean grocer--ginseng and royal jelly, you drink it through a little straw. I don't smell ginseng, but I am reminded of the taste of a natural bitter contrasting with something very sweet. Beautiful, better than I was expecting. Parfums Quartana Midnight Datura smells high quality, but smells a little too powerful for me, but I suppose poisons are usually meant to be powerful,hahaha! Nonetheless, side by side this one is much smoother, more balanced and elegant.

This opens with a bergamot and rum that runs the edge of screaming masculine, and then it gets really quiet. Vinyl is an apt description. Then it becomes really clean. I get some cyclamen and magnolia with green herbal and sweet spice and a kiss of jasmine, all salted and downplayed. It kind of reminds me of Downy fabric softener. After about an hour I can tell vanilla is creeping in but it's still fresh. The drydown is a vanilla skin scent, but it's different from the other vanillas I've smelled. It doesn't remind me of classic candle vanilla or vanilla extract, but it's still primarily vanilla. I think the flowers and resins are just present enough to sweeten it and add complexity. 6 hours in I can still smell it, although there have been times I thought it had disappeared.

From what I’ve so far seen of Quartana, amber seems to be their strongest suit. Hemlock is a rather nice gentle amber, nothing here shouts or fights for your attention, instead existing peacefully waiting to be discovered by those that want to. There’s a delicate dry herbal aspect to it, slightly green, offset by something slightly plasticky which works weirdly well with the sweet creaminess of the vanilla and sandalwood. The whole is very subtle: soft and powdery, gentle and smooth. I rather enjoy smelling this on my skin, there’s something quite relaxing about it. That alone however, cannot be enough sadly, especially given the price. It’s a lovely smell but doesn’t capture me enough to be a true love.

Slightly metallic, floral and fruity scent with deep but powdery spices. Supported by light balsamic sweetness. Interesting and unique blend. Despite the fact that pyramid looks a bit crazy, it’s a pleasant and quiet wearable scent! Follow me on IG: scent.guide

Opens up very amberwood, with a benzoin, styrax support (in that order of intensity), despite different notes seemingly being more forward than what I’m getting here. I own styrax absolute, and it’s more forward than whatever vinyl is being portrayed here. A bit after the amberwood becomes subtle instead, and the white floral assortments start appearing, but not really so jasmine forward at all. There is a smooth green-leafy aspect to this, in which at this point the benzoin-styrax facets become a bit more smoothed out, that the cyclamen here acts to accentuate this facet and the floral facets two-fold. Arguably, the styrax sort of becomes lost and the sweet sensation that is paired with the resin arises from the tonka bean here, but it still has a resinous character. A resinous, greenish, woody, sweet-gourmand-esque in the vanilla direction, that is supported by florals, which has a powdery facet that isn’t so forward, but by consequence. Suede can be detected here, but you’d have to look for it behind the already complex assortment of notes. An interestingly complex perfume, but my premise for sampling this was for the vinyl—which was woefully a lot less forward than what it seems to be.

A rubbery, rummy vanilla meets a new shower curtain smell coming chemicals off-gassing from the PVC. I am also reminded of the smell of fake leather wallets that could be purchased in dollar stores back in the 1990s. This doesn't exactly burgeon the nostalgia I would want from a perfume. It feels like shrink wrap dessert comestibles stored adjacent to questionable consumer goods shipped from China where one wonders if there is a higher than permitted lead content in each item. There is nothing edgy or romantic about Hemlock. It all feels rather drab and discomfiting, like some aspects of my working class childhood, having to accept off-brand "bobos" Keds from Fayva. Over time, it smells more and more like a fart without the hydrogen sulphide stench—like the phantom ick left behind a few minutes after a fart. Embedded into a vinyl couch. This is horrid.

Hemlock is dedicated to the poisonous plant of the same name. As for the perfume, from the opening it envelopes with a boozy cloud of aged rum from the oak barrel. Basically, this fragrance for me is all about balsamic hot resins, especially about benzoin with vanilla. All this is interspersed with a bitter grassy fresh juice, which tends the composition more towards a male perfume, which I can’t remember the name of. It is either fresh or balsamically sweet - it shimmers smoothly on the skin during the day. A combination of spices, possibly cinnamon, cloves, opopanax resin, coumarin and ambrox, creates a fancy accord that I can compare with the smell of a new technique: new plastic, insulation, flux, other could compare it with a new car smell. Unfortunately, I don’t know how vinyl smells, but judging by the fact that it is also PVC, I don’t think that there is much difference between the smell of a new iPhone and a new vinyl record. In general, this is a very interesting concept and perfume. Summing up, I’ll say that for me this is a resinous (amber), balsamic, sweet, freshly grassy perfume with prominent notes of coumarin and benzoin.

Vinyl! .... hmm... it does smell kind of vinyl! but more of a rubber, mojito a bit, pepper, with slight vanilla and not to be voted as the top note! Mostly it's a vinyl rubber blend with more pepper and bits of sweet vanilla. Sometimes i smell tires on a summer road and i believe it's the combination of the vinyl and slight sweet yet harsh rubber. This fragrance could be also expressed by the ad photo & the idea behind the fragrance "Leder 6" by J.F. Schwarzlose Berlin (previously known as Fetisch) which is a guy wearing leather fetish gear & hugged by a woman, as the type of vinyl in here takes the rubber kind of pleasant side rather than the soapy awful side that "Room 237" fragrance by Bruno Fazzolari presents. It's ok after all. Edit (10 minutes in) the calmer it goes the more asphalt it turns to, it's like a hot summer tires on a sunny day of asphalt! i don't know! i don't want to smell like a summer street in a desert! do you want to!?

A very warm sweet vanilla is what stands out for me in this perfume. It is lovely, and dominates the other notes so that I had to strain to try to catch a taste of poisonous hemlock, along with a dash of green and soupcon of sandalwood. A tiny hint in the top notes, but overall this is a creamy delicious vanilla! I would consume the hemlock if this is how it's served! P.S. Had several enthusiastic compliments wearing this perfume. Strangers loved it so much, they were talking about what it smelled like to them, and one couple wrote down the info to get some. P.S.S. Even more compliments - everyone loves the smell and wants to know what I have on. My brother is even thinking of wearing it himself.

Can't figure out out, but there's something kind of nasty in hemlock. I recognize this note from other quartana frags as well as ELDO's eau de protection. It's a little infected smelling, a little rotten, like dead white blood cells. In some contexts, I've found it really fascinating, but in hemlock it's far too strong. If you need me, I'll be scrubbing it off of my wrist.

Very vintage in style. Resinous vintage floral, licorice myrrh, frankincense cola, and old style flowers. Okay but not my style. Very vintage. Nicely done. If I look at the notes, I can smell rum and vanilla, jasmine, and some green notes, but it's so not me, it's like wearing another woman's clothes. Worth a spin if you like vintage style frags.

Some days the vinyl is overpowering, those are very good days! And that creamy, post-coital spiced sweetness.. this is great stuff.

Not to disappoint anybody but this is very similar to Azzaro pour homme L'aue.