THAT'S SO TEST SCENT: Mad About Madrid ~ Under the Spanish Moon

Product: candle
Area used in:  bedroom
Time Period: May - June

Description: A lively blend of dark cedarwood and soft musk gives way to the perfect hint of Spanish pepper. Olé!

Mad about Madrid was the failed and forgotten test scents in the Destination line back in the early part of spring. It was one of many test tests scents that I purchased thru Customer Relations in my big and juicy spring test scent haul. I was particularly intrigued with this one as it sounded very much like it would be a "mandle"...which it is. So months passed and it finally came time to burn it (with Island Margarita and Tiki Beach, which smells like a piña colada, I had a lil Latin theme goin for May/Cinco de Mayo). I found myself kinda unimpressed and disappointed; I'm at the point now that I'm really bored with it and can't wait for it to burn completely down.

Performance-wise, it's aiight. The flames were high and there was a deep and even wax pool. With the flames dancing behind the label, it's a very pretty candle to burn at night. The throw was a bit on the weak side although with that said, the scent lingered for a really like time, which would be fine if it was a scent that I really enjoyed but that's not the case. As much as I like a strong kick ass knock you out throw, I'm glad this one is kinda weak.

Now let's talk about the scent. Now originally in my Youtube haul review, I wrote this off as bein a mix between Villa Bergamot and Black Pepper Bergamot. I dunno if this candle was just playin tricks on me or if BBW was, as usual, omitting a note, I totally smelled the same cologne-y bergamot note that BBW uses in many of their mandles. But after I lit, it smelled different...it smelled my like VB and BPB with a hint of Flannel; it had the same strangely sweet resinous sap note that Flannel (coincidentally Flannel also contained cologne-y bergamot as well as musk). Furthermore, once you blow it out, it leaves an after-smell that's very similar to Flannel. Anyhoo, MaM is very woody (think inside of a cedar chest) and resinous smelling with a hint of something musky with just a small hint of warm and spicy pepper that hits you nose last. With all that said, si  señors y señoritas, this does smell like a cologne; in fact, it smells like the type of cologne that my bf wears - he likes woody and spicy fragrances.

As far as I know, the testing Destination candles did not come with matching wf bulbs so I had to mix and match. Since I was positive that it smelled like Villa Bergamot, I paired MaM with a VB wf bulb.

So yeah, MaM is kinda blah. It definitely smelled better if not a little sexier on cold throw..once lit, no so much. I don't blame BBW for not releasing this wide. I could definitely see where they going with this scent - something sexy and spicy and old world smelling to capture the vibrancy of Madrid, but it just didn't work. Honestly, for those of you who were at some point intrigued, don't be! I don't regret buying it by any means but I definitely not in love with it and am ready to move on. Adiós y vaya con Dios!