Vikt

Finally sampling the discontinued Vikt by Slumberhouse, one of a number of storied perfumes from the line that came and went before I was fragrance-obsessed. I’m a big Slumberhouse fan and Vikt seems to have a strong reputation, so my expectations were high before I applied it via a spray-and-dab style, not The notes are oud, styrax, and ravensara (in the laurel family from Madagascar), unsurprisingly a rich and pungent blend—floral and herbaceous with bits of oud and other resins that create a semi-sweet, woody, plant-like blend, which almost has a boozy absinthe-like quality to it, as I get hints of wormwood. I liken it to a “Norne with licorice/anisette,” though that’s a bit of a crude comparison. Still, it has some of the woody and resinous qualities of the more recent Norne will surely deviating its in own way to a floral, sweeter side. Overall, it’s a creation that fits in with the darker / more cold-weather-friendly entries in the Slumberhouse catalogue, certainly distinct enough in its own right while feeling a hint related to Norne. I regard the darker Slumberhouse fragrances (Norne, Jeke, Ore, Sova, Rume, and probably Zahd) as the zenith of performance, superlative in terms of both projection and longevity. Vikt isn’t quite up their level, superb in terms of longevity but not quite as boastful, projection-wise, as the others. Still, it would surely be a worthwhile buy at their former pricing ($160 for 30ml) or even their updated pricing (due to be $220 or so for 30ml, I believe, per a recent livestream by Slumberhouse owner/perfumer Josh Lobb). The main question is whether one would track it down for lots more, and I’m not sure I’m as in love with Vikt was a I was with Zahd, another discontinued scent that was released in an even more limited run of 125 bottles, juust in 2013, unlike Vikt, which had a run of several years between the older marble style bottle and the more recent flask-style bottle. I think Vikt is quite neat, though, something most Slumberhouse fans would appreciate, and it’s more of a “love” than a “like” for me, but not worth going crazy for on the tertiary market (i.e. eBay, p2p FB sales). But if you can come by a bottle at a reasonable price, it’s a treasure, and I’d certainly be interested in acquiring a bottle. 8 out of 10

Vikt is difficult for me to describe using notes alone. While the top is distinctly marked with an intense and robust licorice note, and the base primarily seems to consist of oud and incense, I feel more compelled to describe this one through colors and impressions. For me, Vikt provokes an image of a dark, murky mangrove forest of swirling brown and blacks, accented in part by a haunting green glow which both plays the edges and rests mysteriously in its depths. There's something spooky about Vikt. The interplay between the brown, almost-decaying forest, the black night, and the bizarre, supernatural green sets an unusual tone I have not encountered in any other fragrance. If you're familiar with Amouage's Memoir Man, and believe that to be a dark and mysterious composition, you've seen nothing yet. Memoir Man is light and fluffy in comparison. However, that's not to say that Vikt is cold, detached, or depressing in any way--it's simply peculiar, a little spooky, and altogether unique. And if I were to get down to the bottom of it, I'd say that ultimately, behind it all, lies a benevolent spirit. I love this one, and it continues to grow on me the more I wear it. If you enjoy fragrances which are different and sometimes might seem challenging at first, then Vikt is definitely worth sampling. How does it smell? I'll keep this brief: There is a strong licorice note up top which alternates between black and a brighter green, and is somewhat medicinal. The incense in this is superb--one of my favorites. It rests in the base and while it's not particularly smoky it's very, very deep and dark and has an almost magnetic way of drawing you in. Finally, the oud, which kind of sits between the licorice and incense, has a slight animalic/barnyard smell which amplifies or recedes with different wears. However it's not overpowering at all, and serves more as a nice accent to the composition. Thumbs way up for Vikt, a distinct and altogether pleasing offering from Slumberhouse.

Wearing old Vikt and new Vikt at the same time this evening so that I can compare them. As I have mentioned in my previous review I had issues with the old Vikt but it seems those issues disappeared with age. I now really appreciate my old sample and that made me order a bottle of the new extrait. On application the versions are very similar. The licorice note is strong in both. The first hour or so is dominated by licorice but the scent is smoother in the new extrait and spicier and smokier in the old Vikt. At this stage I prefer the smooth elegance of the new extrait. After that hour the scents take very different turns on my skin. The old Vikt stays spicy, slightly smoky and sweet with wood notes emerging from underneath that licorice. From this point on the scent stays fairly linear with no major changes through the drydown. The new extrait version however does something unexpected. It disappeares. Completely and utterly gone! (Except perhaps for the slightest trace of benzoin...) And it never comes back... So now I have an expensive bottle of extrait strenght (!!!) perfume that lasts all of one glorious hour. I guess I'll just wear it to bed for the time being and hope that it changes with age like the old Vikt did for me. Edit: As of 2018 it has indeed come into itself. Aged a few years it is delightful, if just a bit more effervescent that one would expect, not quite having the same longevity as other Slumberhouses on me. But it doesn't do a disappearing act anymore, so I'm good, glad I hung onto it.

Preface: I love pushing the envelope, thus I am a big Slumberhouse fan. But even I didn't anticipate the positive reactions I would get on my first public wears of this dark fragrance. Three consecutive nights of four sprays (2 wrists, nape, front collar of black shirt...white would stain) in a few Vegas casinos, and lots of questions came my way about what I was wearing and where it could be bought. First, the front-end obvious licorice and bay leaf accords got some attention from other players who were getting wafts while I was tossing dice in the air. Then later, oud/balsam/incense drew people in who were standing closer to me (and who were winning much more money) as the aura became gentler, yet still distinct, mystical and apparently quite alluring. I think it might have been the camphor-incense reacting with my body chemistry that made the extrait so different, so ethereal, yet still approachable, especially to women. Whatever it was, it worked very well, and Vikt has earned a spot in my 30-bottle rotation. But test it before buying a FB. Definitely not an easy wear for most, and not for the mall store fragrance crowd, sunning at the pool, food shopping or taking the kids to daycare. Vikt is for nightclubs with pulsating hypnotic music, candle-lit bedrooms, walks in caves and dense forests, and for other dark, sensual, moody situations you find yourself in. And, of course, casinos.

The agarwood is dominant in Vikt, but it is quite a mild agarwood, not as pungent as some. At first this scent is quite deep and warm with hints of spices and licorice root. Then some note in here goes slightly sour... I'm suspecting the bay leaf. Rume also went sour in a similar, but more scrub-worthy, way and the only note I can see that they share is the bay leaf. Vikt fades quite fast on me, after about an hour there is only a subtle benzoin left. Edit, one year later: After avoiding this sample for most of a year because of the sour note (yet keeping it because it smelled soo good in the vial) I finally tried this again just now! And wow! Something has changed here with age! There is no sour note anymore!! That note that on my skin turned quite urine-like is behaving now, and that makes all the difference! This scent is still warm and comforting, with deep woods, spices, licorice and a background caramel sweetness that I can't really place! <3 Too bad that Vikt is once again a discontinued scent (at least the re-release seems to be mostly sold out, in Slumberhouse terms that is as good as discontinued and not worth holding out hope)... Edit #2: I did it! I bought a bottle from a reseller that still had them in stock! :D If it turns sour on me I know that I just have to let the bottle age a year and then it'll smell wonderful! ;)

Vikt might be my favorite Slumberhouse thus far. Slumberhouse is one of these indie perfume houses that specializes in Fuck Yeah perfumery — strong, sticky, dark, punchy scents, definitely “too much” for some people’s tastes but great fun if you can’t get enough of warming spices, medicinal herbal potions, foresty conifers, or other rugged-hipster fare. If you like the concentrated-syrup effect of Serge Lutens perfumes you’ll like Slumberhouse; I actually might prefer Slumberhouse most of the time. They seem to be aiming at feel-good intensity rather than high art, and that’s not a bad thing. Vikt isn’t oud-y at all; it’s a strong bittersweet herbal cocktail with an occasional morello cherry note. I find it addictive. If you’re into amari (or other dark bitter-herbal liqueurs) you will get a kick out of Vikt. Totally unisex; like all Slumberhouse scents, it smells like the plant-infused potion it is, with no conventionally “feminine” or “masculine” flourishes.

I bought the oil version of this (new and limited) and am enjoying this very much. Smells rich and somewhat sweet with almost a licorice smell mixed with agarwood and some scents I really can't identify. Smells very "round" and well blended and a bit strange, maybe a smoky note and has a syrupy feeling. Not your run of the mill scent! The profile above says there is bay leaf in here and I do smell something that hints at a green note so maybe that is bay leaf. This scent seems to grow as it heats up on my body. I will have to wear this some more and update this review, I have only worn this twice. I am loving it but I don't know why. Unique. And such a small house that I just know there is almost no chance of smelling this on anyone else. I like that!

Vikt evokes the natural smells of the forest. It smells like chocolatey soil, wood, and some herb from the mint family, which apparently turns out to be bay leaf. On skin, the liquid is extremely dark and may stain. The texture is surprisingly resinous, a tad sticky, thick and oily, which is hopefully a sign of quality extracts. Highly recommended if you are into natural woody perfumes that take you straight to the vibrant green hiking trails of the Pacific Northwest.

Delicious, smooth, slightly green and anise like. Soft, gentle sweetness. somewhat resinous. Hints of licorice. Slightly incensy. Easy to wear. Half way between Norne and Rume, leaning toward Norne. Sweeter than Norne. Very distinctive. No slumber smoke in this one. Love it, would wear it out anytime. 4.6 / 5 [Addendum] For hot humid Australian conditions this is the best Slumberhouse. Vict and Sova layer together insanely well.

Won't even try to break this scent down as that has never been my strong suit. I will add that I'm surprised Vikt doesn't get more love from the Slumberhouse line. It's easily one of my favorite scents, let alone from Slumberhouse. I have yet to try the new version but with how long the bottles last, who knows if I ever will. thank you Slumberhouse!

I'd love to try this one as well...

An older cousin of Norne from the same line, this is another dense, resinous, balsamic and dark beauty from the eclectic Slumberhouse line. In this case, the perfume has three main ingredients: laurel, oud and styrax. Much like a dark sorcerer's potion, this is clearly not for the fainthearted or those who prefer subtler sweeter smelling fragrances. It requires a certain amount of affinity for darker elements in life to appreciate this witchy beauty. Completely improper like most fragrances in this line, this is not what you wear to work but is perfect for solitude and contemplation. Sadly placed on moratorium for now (probably because of its similarity to Norne).

A tasty, green, dark balsamic resinous molasses. Between licorice, mentholated stirax, bay leaf and sweet oud with a slightly salty base. Direct and lasting. How to savor a sweet candy with balsamic herbs and licorice ... "Ricola". Good!

This smells disgusting to me. Just used a sample from luckyscent and could not stand the opening. Waited until heart but it is not getting any better. It smells like a disgusting concoction of fennel and incense. Wife is also complaining about the terrible smell. Took shower three times already and it is not going away. I normally buy frags blind. I am glad that I tried a sample of this. Actually I should never have tried it. I do not do reviews - I do not have time or qualification. But I am just writing this so that people can stay away from this stuff.

Wow - this is some damn distinctive stuff! The notes listed above are just a starting point about what's going on in here. This is not my sort of scent, and I won't even try to dissect it - because it really is rather unique. A+ to Slumberhouse for pushing the envelope with this juice. The Fragrantica listing of Main Accords includes "camphor" which rings relevant to me. Never been a camphor type fan. Ya gotta smell this stuff if you think it sounds interesting, as words won't do it justice IMO. But Jeke is much more my style...

This is NAUSIATINGLY HORRIBLE!!!!...One spray from a sample...literally made me cringe...it wins the award as the very first fragrance that I'd ever had to scrub off of my skin....with alcohol....and a rough napkin.........and I could STILL SMELL IT!...I can't imagine anyone who would voluntarily want to smell like this. This was an EPIC FAIL in my book..

I have just been scrubbing this off my wrist after nearly throwing up. A overwhelming creamy licorice concoction of I don't know what. It's horrrriddd, ahhhh I wish I could unsmell it.

Vikt has been drastically reformulated, so I'm reformulating my response to it also. I'd never really liked Vikt much in the past, largely because of the vegetal / mineral facets mixing with the resins to give it a bit of syrupy vibe. I must say though, that applying the old version in order to compare it with the new, it's somewhat apparent that my tastes have evolved a bit as I didn't find the original to be quite as rough this time as I remember it being a couple of years ago. Given this, the difference between the two is still apparent, but not quite as black and white as I'd thought; revisiting the original added perspective. In contrast to the original, the new version has more clarity about the notes and the composition seems to have a little more breathing room. Also, the new version appears to have an additional layer over the oud base of the original (that I'm assuming to be mysore) which serves to elevate the more prominent notes of the scent. Fans of the original will recognize many of the same components (which seem to still be oud, styrax, ravensara and that licorice type accord that I'm assuming is fennel). In other words, the original is very much present, but there's a new brightness that takes the somewhat muddy swirl of the older version and polishes it up. Because of this, the newer version feels slightly more medicinal: a balmy, resinous, camphorous thing, but there's a surprisingly invigorating component to it as well. I'm guessing that the vegetal notes have been dialed down to make room for the licorice-type note that's arguably the main focus, and the most reductive way I can describe this is that it smells very much like natural, raw licorice sticks. It wears incredibly well as it settles into a more incense type scent quite fast, and for much of the ride, it's linear and very consistent. As with several of his other extrait transformations, this is now a little more civilized as far as tenacity goes, although it jumps off the skin more than, say, Norne extrait. If you already own the last iteration of Vikt, I do think you could probably hold off on this one for now, but keep in mind that the new version is indeed a step up in terms of overall blend and clarity of ingredients. The difference isn't quite as profound as the jaw-dropping Ore EdP to Ore extrait transformation, but then again, that was an especially impressive overhaul. Style-wise, this is probably most closely aligned to Norne, Mare, and maybe Grev as far as general aesthetic groupings go, but the quality and tastefulness of the blend is on par with the last Ore as well as the forthcoming Zahd. As with all Slumberhouse scents, they're highly avant-garde and experimental—they'll challenge you in the best possible ways if you let them, but if you're only into safe, unadventurous perfume, I'd tread with caution. Also, for what it's worth, the notes listed above are ass-backwards. This is a licorice / fennel incense perfume with some medicinal facets. It's essentially ravensara, sweet fennel, and anise up top with rare attars that hover over a massive amount of (real) sandalwood and black agar.

Taking this for a spin today and I'm struggling with it a bit. It's complex, extremely well done (as is the whole line), but it's a little challenging. For some reason, I'm getting a great deal of animalic musk in this which might be coming from one of the notes that I'm not familiar with. It's so strong a note that it's making me think of Muscs Koublai Khan, which I found equally challenging. I'm not getting anything smoky, but I'm definitely getting the woodsy effect that the line often references. It's not pine-woodsy, however--it's more like I've crawled inside an old hollowed out log and am surrounded by more fungal scents than anything. It's bizarre, yet fascinating. [EDIT]: Having worn it all day, I can say that this one stays fairly stable and linear. I don't think it's for me, though. So far, Norne is the favorite.

There is something deeply aniseedic, licoricey and herbal in this. I don't get ANY oud (and I mean NONE), and the laurel/bay is in the herbal-spice part, the styrax is sorta kinda there, but not entirely. This reminds me of a Chinese medicine dispensary, not exactly, but close enough. That melange of odd herbs, roots and dried things, all blending together. It is held together by dark green / black elements, and the scent, oddly enough, functions well as a unified, solid perfume. I'm not even sure when the last time this was released, 10 years or more I dare say, I was lucky enough to get 2 or 3 mls from STC, and even THAT was priced at an eye-bleed level. Not in my SH pantheon scents, but it is the perfect odd accompaniment to the SH lore and mythology that helps explain why SH has the following that it do (does).

A sweetened aniseed/liquorice and herbaceous something. It's immense. I can smell the star anise in this first and foremost. Then, we have a gentle, basey resin in the back, providing support and backing vocals more than anything else. There are green elements to this, but also a distinct herb quality, thyme, maybe? It's hard to put my finger on it. It might very well be something else. Hard to say. There is a slight trace of oud in this, and that is only perceptible because I see it as a component and I'm sniffing for it. It could be the chalky-musty part right up the back of this scent, but the truth of the matter is that this is aniseed something balsamic-resinous. A delightful scent, no doubt, and one that I would definitely hunt down were it to reappear. Lovely!

Slumberhouse Vict-At first sniff, I have to admit, all I picked up was an overwhelming licorice, and by overwhelming, I might mention Vicks Formula 44 or Jagermeister as a point of reference, but I sprayed anyway, willing to give anything a chance. Oh my! Even before it dried down, it settled onto my skin in a warm, intimate, spicy embrace. It was like sinking into a huge brown velvet pillow, you know the kind, with gold embroidery and tassels. It only has three notes and one of them is OUD. I can't wear oud. Oud is not good on me. Oud smells like a bandaid on me! Have I ever mentioned that I loved being proven wrong? This one is being fought over by MDH and I as we speak. This is so rich and exquisite....

I think the touch of oud gives it a sharp licorice quality, though it's not like Lolita Lempicka au Masculin (with the strong aroma chemicals). I'm not a huge fan of fennel/licorice - I really have to be in the mood for that kind of scent, but this one has some softness and is blended so as to not become irritating. I can see how some people might really like this one, and I might consider a bottle if it were inexpensive, but as things stand I don't see a need for more than a decant. Also, I've got Absinthe by Slatkin, which I prefer, so this one would not likely get much use. It seems to stay linear and lasts quite a while, but the strength is in the mid range.

Got my 30ml. Bottle just now and the opening reminded me of 1,001 Arabian nights. Strong & sour barnyard our scent on top. I have to wash my hand now coz I'm going back to work. I shall try this again later at home. So far am not pleased. Update : It is growing on me now. Just be patient with the first 30 minutes of sour shit kick then it will turn into not too sweet burnt sugar with camphor that is so good to my nose. The oud is moderate, longevity and sillage is above average. Spray less and dont go out of your home until 30 minutes after. This is a full winter scent. Can be use on fall nights. This is worth to try first on small samples.

What a suprise! Vikt has an incredibly bone-dry structure but it smells rich and satisfying. It opens with a bizarre laurel/agarwood (sort of) metallic accord that smells something like "liquorice wheels" and burnt sugar with a remarkable balsamic effect. Intense, dark and bold. Incense make its appearance and perfectly blends with agarwood assuring a warm and comfortable drydown that's not very far from Durbano's Black Tourmaline. Extremely modern and bizarre, yet quite intriguing. Rating: 8/10

I don't know what ravensara is, but Slumberhouse Vikt, which boasts ravensara as a note, has a slightly swampy scent to it. I have encountered this swampishiness before in my journeys through the world of obscure niche perfumery--I believe that the last time was chez Kerosene. Whatever accounts for this swampish scent evidently works on some people's skin. On mine, it is pretty much a disaster. It smells like a cross between mildew and mold. Think: damp cellar in a rural forest setting. Désolée.

This is hallucinating. You could almost do a blind review and your chances of being spot on would be high. For one second, this smells like wet myrrh; in another instance, it was slightly soapy. In a strange way, the aroma was reminiscent of the felt lining that you find in boardgames. Intense evergreen and spices rounds out the heart for a few hours then it mellows to something sweet mixed with woods. Im not really sure if there is an incorrect way to describe this perfume. It's that unusual.

البدايه تشبه كثيرا شقيقه جاكي فهي تضم بعضا من الرائحه الخموريه. العطر من النوعية داكنة اللون وبهذا أراه سيكون محببا لعاشقي بلاك افغانو من ناسوماتو راتينجات شرقيه عنبرية ممتزجة بالعود. العطر رسمي بشكل كبير يحتاج الى نمط خاص من الاشخاص واجواء خاصة ايضا للتعطر به لا يوجد الكثير للحديث عنه حول هذا العطر ولكنه شرقي رسمي قوي بدرجه كبيره وهذا هو ما يميزه

aniseed, liquorice and something warm like tobacco or hay. traces of sova, elements of liquo and almost entirely NOT at all perfumey. I both love it and DON'T understand it, truth be told. I can't stop sniffing my elbow nook, it's so SO unique. I SERIOUSLY cannot stop sniffing at it... Love it!

Well, it is like a witch in a deep forest in a old wooden house boils a witch drug from herbs. Or imagine that you drink a Jägermeister (sweet herb liquor) or licorice liquor from wooden dram... Later wood note comes more and more up and sweetness recedes. Camphor stays.

Very strong Projection monster...an explosion of cloves, nutmeg, other "hot" spices...like an herbal muscle rub. From a distance, this isn't bad...but I can't spray it on myslef b/c it is so strong.

the dry down is where it's at... sweet, balsamy and coniferous. it's a bit of a skin scent (well, not much projection), but it is really nice. lovely...

Smells more of noble fir oil that any licorice and Oud.

black reglise!!! good not for me do!