Wilde
Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab

Nice: the lavender / bergamot opening is a bit of a cliché, but it is very nice, nevertheless; the lavender is a tiny bit too prominent according to my individual taste, but the opening is well done, very attractive, and has excellent longevity. The movement to the heart notes is accomplished gracefully, but the heart notes themselves seem quite uninspired – they might even be called boring. It is a kind of neutral accord of thyme, patchouli, jasmine, and moss from the base – the accord doesn't emphasize any of those particular notes and ends up with something like a “cardboard” or a “hairspray” accord, you know – the accord you get when the product is labeled “scentless.” And that neutral accord is the heart and the base. I don't really have a problem with the neutral accord, but neutrality certainly doesn't fit with my picture of Oscar Wilde. Be that as it may, Wilde is not a bad scent at all. It has an interesting opening, and the neutrality of the heart notes has its place in fragrancedom; it is a good neutrality – reminds me of Switzerland. BPAL Wilde could be taken as a designer scent. It is masculine. It is smooth, refined, very nicely balanced, and eminently wearable.