WALK 'N' SNIFF: Fall Test Scents/Fall Preview *UPDATED*
My curiosity totally got the best of me! I made the schlep out to GSP to see what there was to see and sniff what there was to sniff. I went being pessimistic and not expecting much but I was pleasantly surprised - the store had all of pumpkin scents and all of the fall gourmand scents (sans Chocolate Pistachio)
Pumpkin Woods - I was really hoping that this would be Porchside Pumpkin from last fall, but alas it is not. It is a reworked/tweaked version of Welcome ~ Spiced Autumn Wreath/Welcome ~ Cinnamon Pinecone. Some people are saying that it's a repackage of Mahogany Balsam from last winter..which I can get. However I totally get the spice notes that were in SAW. For those who never smelled it, it basically smells like those cinnamon scented pinecones or straw brooms you see in store from fall thru Christmas. Think Fresh Balsam without the eucalyptus mixed with cinnamon stick.
Pumpkin Fireside - this another scent I went back and forth with. So this basically a repackage with a twist of Toasted Vanilla Caramel from last fall. I also get some Fireside action in this. You have all the smoldering fiery ember-y woods notes from Fireside sans the leather note mixed with the burnt sugar/caramel notes from TVC. And there's just the slightest hint of nutmeg and cinnamon lurking in the background. I don't know what I think of this; it's almost like an spicier autumnal version of Marshmallow Fireside..which I don't like. And I have the same issue with PF that I do with MF - I really enjoy the "Fireside" aspect, not so much the sweet vanilla/marshmallow aspect.
Berry Pumpkin Strudel - this one is soooo strange, it doesn't smell at all like what you'd expect. When I sniffed it in the store, it smelled so familiar but I couldn't figure what it was. It wasn't until I left that the store that it hit me...brace yourself cuz it's random as hell - SPICED PUMPKIN CIDER! I have a SPC at home and I did a side by side comparison; BPS has the same cider note as SPC, the same cinnamon/nutmeg/clove ratio as SPC and it has the same pumpkin note that comes across as oddly bakery as SPC. The only only difference is that there is a very very slight blueberry note but I had to huff the everlovin hell out of it to get it. Other than that, I got straight SPC. There's absolutely no bakery/"puff pastry" aspect to it at all. This is nice but so misnamed - it really should've been called "Spiced Berry Cider". Better yet, BBW should've just brought back Blueberry Pumpkin Patch
*DISCLAIMER* I've heard several different opinions on this candle; so some that they smell lots of berry-ness, others say that they same Apple Pumpkin Pancakes, while most say that they smell cider. That said, it is possible that, once again, there are different batches of this candle. The only think we all agree on is that there is no bakery/strudel/puff pastry aspect at all
Banana Pumpkin Muffin - this is without a doubt Banana Nutmeg Bread Pudding but with a twist. The banana note seems to be more prominent and there's an added CSD-like cinnamon sugar that gives it an added sweetness and autumnal vibe. I also did get a sweet chopped walnut note. This scent is tricky cuz while you can kinda get behind it being a "muffin" scent scent, there's still something about it that comes across more "pudding-ish". With the enhanced banana note and added cinnamon sugar, it reminds more of Bananas Foster which totally reminds me of home. While I normally dislike banana in home fragrance (I truly dislike both BNBP and Banana Kiwi Colada), I'm really digging this.
Pumpkin French Toast - so I went back and forth with this candle. I had it in my hand ready to be placed in my basket but in the end, I put it back... it just smelled too close to Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake which I did not enjoy. Think Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake...but without the cheesecake. Instead of that offputting spoiled curdled sour milk note, there's maple syrup..and that ladies and gents is Pumpkin French Toast. It reminds me of an old Slatkin era scent called Sticky Toffee Pudding. Based on the notes (maple, pecan, brown sugar and cream) it makes sense. I have a 1/3ozer of it which I forgot to bring to the store with me. Next time...
Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun, Coconut Pumpkin, Pumpkin Apple, Caramel Pumpkin Swirl and Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow all smell the same. Pecan Pumpkin Waffles does not; there's an added albeit unmentioned yet oddly pleasant cherry/almond/amaretto note now
Honeycrisp Apple - straight Farmstand Apple....NEXT
Black Cherry Merlot - so this not the same BCM from the Cork & Vine collection last fall. This actually smells like the handsoap; just sweet black cherry goodness
Sparkling Pear Riesling - I feel like this year's version has been tweaked; there a little more pear action and a little more effervescence. I pretty much ignored last year's version but this year's version has my attention
Spiced Pomegranate Cider - this in my most humble opinion is the star of this collection and I'm pretty certain this 100% new. That said there are aspects to this candle that smells ever so slightly familiar. The "apple cider" base kinda reminds me a little of Tis the Season just without that pine note. It also reminds me a little bit of Leaves in the sense there is a cider base with fall spices, berries, citrus and an earthy mustiness...all of which I get with SPC. If Tis the Season and Leaves had a baby, it would SPC. And to say that this is "pomegranate" based scent, pomegranate is what I smell last. And it's not the zesty and tart pomegranate that we're used ie Pomegranate Lemonade. The pomegranate note is really sweet, borderline candy-ish but it mixes well with the other notes; think mulled cider with artificially flavored pomegranate syrup. Overall it's a pleasant and unique scent but to me, it's not very fall-ish; I think this would make a great winter/holiday season scent.
CSD, Caramel Pumpkin Swirl, Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake and Buttercream Frosting all smell the same.
Warm Apple Pie - My WB didn't have this one so I went to one of my BBW stores in Manhattan to get one...I don't know what I think of this besides it's not worth the hype. So this isn't Apple Crumble nor is it Apple Pumpkin Pancakes or Holiday Apple Crisp. I'm pretty sure this is the same Warm Apple Pie from waaaayyy backinthe day. Anyway, the scent itself is pretty spot on - it smells like a dutch apple pie. You primarily get a butter flaky doughy bakery note a la Brown Sugar & Allpsice. Then you get an ooey-gooey spiced baked apple filling but it's so faint that you have to snort the candle like coke to get it. But there's something off about this candle that's keeping me from not being in love with it. Maybe if the apple filling notes were stronger I might be more on board. I think I would've preferred an Apple Crumble repackage than this.
Oh and my WB also had the Funnel Cake (Pumpkin Pie without the pumpkin) and Poolside Daydream (watery aquatic slightly powdery blend with coconut water) wf bulbs
Pumpkin Woods - I was really hoping that this would be Porchside Pumpkin from last fall, but alas it is not. It is a reworked/tweaked version of Welcome ~ Spiced Autumn Wreath/Welcome ~ Cinnamon Pinecone. Some people are saying that it's a repackage of Mahogany Balsam from last winter..which I can get. However I totally get the spice notes that were in SAW. For those who never smelled it, it basically smells like those cinnamon scented pinecones or straw brooms you see in store from fall thru Christmas. Think Fresh Balsam without the eucalyptus mixed with cinnamon stick.
Pumpkin Fireside - this another scent I went back and forth with. So this basically a repackage with a twist of Toasted Vanilla Caramel from last fall. I also get some Fireside action in this. You have all the smoldering fiery ember-y woods notes from Fireside sans the leather note mixed with the burnt sugar/caramel notes from TVC. And there's just the slightest hint of nutmeg and cinnamon lurking in the background. I don't know what I think of this; it's almost like an spicier autumnal version of Marshmallow Fireside..which I don't like. And I have the same issue with PF that I do with MF - I really enjoy the "Fireside" aspect, not so much the sweet vanilla/marshmallow aspect.
Berry Pumpkin Strudel - this one is soooo strange, it doesn't smell at all like what you'd expect. When I sniffed it in the store, it smelled so familiar but I couldn't figure what it was. It wasn't until I left that the store that it hit me...brace yourself cuz it's random as hell - SPICED PUMPKIN CIDER! I have a SPC at home and I did a side by side comparison; BPS has the same cider note as SPC, the same cinnamon/nutmeg/clove ratio as SPC and it has the same pumpkin note that comes across as oddly bakery as SPC. The only only difference is that there is a very very slight blueberry note but I had to huff the everlovin hell out of it to get it. Other than that, I got straight SPC. There's absolutely no bakery/"puff pastry" aspect to it at all. This is nice but so misnamed - it really should've been called "Spiced Berry Cider". Better yet, BBW should've just brought back Blueberry Pumpkin Patch
*DISCLAIMER* I've heard several different opinions on this candle; so some that they smell lots of berry-ness, others say that they same Apple Pumpkin Pancakes, while most say that they smell cider. That said, it is possible that, once again, there are different batches of this candle. The only think we all agree on is that there is no bakery/strudel/puff pastry aspect at all
Banana Pumpkin Muffin - this is without a doubt Banana Nutmeg Bread Pudding but with a twist. The banana note seems to be more prominent and there's an added CSD-like cinnamon sugar that gives it an added sweetness and autumnal vibe. I also did get a sweet chopped walnut note. This scent is tricky cuz while you can kinda get behind it being a "muffin" scent scent, there's still something about it that comes across more "pudding-ish". With the enhanced banana note and added cinnamon sugar, it reminds more of Bananas Foster which totally reminds me of home. While I normally dislike banana in home fragrance (I truly dislike both BNBP and Banana Kiwi Colada), I'm really digging this.
Pumpkin French Toast - so I went back and forth with this candle. I had it in my hand ready to be placed in my basket but in the end, I put it back... it just smelled too close to Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake which I did not enjoy. Think Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake...but without the cheesecake. Instead of that offputting spoiled curdled sour milk note, there's maple syrup..and that ladies and gents is Pumpkin French Toast. It reminds me of an old Slatkin era scent called Sticky Toffee Pudding. Based on the notes (maple, pecan, brown sugar and cream) it makes sense. I have a 1/3ozer of it which I forgot to bring to the store with me. Next time...
Pumpkin Pie, Pumpkin Cinnamon Bun, Coconut Pumpkin, Pumpkin Apple, Caramel Pumpkin Swirl and Vanilla Pumpkin Marshmallow all smell the same. Pecan Pumpkin Waffles does not; there's an added albeit unmentioned yet oddly pleasant cherry/almond/amaretto note now
Honeycrisp Apple - straight Farmstand Apple....NEXT
Black Cherry Merlot - so this not the same BCM from the Cork & Vine collection last fall. This actually smells like the handsoap; just sweet black cherry goodness
Sparkling Pear Riesling - I feel like this year's version has been tweaked; there a little more pear action and a little more effervescence. I pretty much ignored last year's version but this year's version has my attention
Spiced Pomegranate Cider - this in my most humble opinion is the star of this collection and I'm pretty certain this 100% new. That said there are aspects to this candle that smells ever so slightly familiar. The "apple cider" base kinda reminds me a little of Tis the Season just without that pine note. It also reminds me a little bit of Leaves in the sense there is a cider base with fall spices, berries, citrus and an earthy mustiness...all of which I get with SPC. If Tis the Season and Leaves had a baby, it would SPC. And to say that this is "pomegranate" based scent, pomegranate is what I smell last. And it's not the zesty and tart pomegranate that we're used ie Pomegranate Lemonade. The pomegranate note is really sweet, borderline candy-ish but it mixes well with the other notes; think mulled cider with artificially flavored pomegranate syrup. Overall it's a pleasant and unique scent but to me, it's not very fall-ish; I think this would make a great winter/holiday season scent.
CSD, Caramel Pumpkin Swirl, Pumpkin Spiced Cheesecake and Buttercream Frosting all smell the same.
Warm Apple Pie - My WB didn't have this one so I went to one of my BBW stores in Manhattan to get one...I don't know what I think of this besides it's not worth the hype. So this isn't Apple Crumble nor is it Apple Pumpkin Pancakes or Holiday Apple Crisp. I'm pretty sure this is the same Warm Apple Pie from waaaayyy backinthe day. Anyway, the scent itself is pretty spot on - it smells like a dutch apple pie. You primarily get a butter flaky doughy bakery note a la Brown Sugar & Allpsice. Then you get an ooey-gooey spiced baked apple filling but it's so faint that you have to snort the candle like coke to get it. But there's something off about this candle that's keeping me from not being in love with it. Maybe if the apple filling notes were stronger I might be more on board. I think I would've preferred an Apple Crumble repackage than this.
Oh and my WB also had the Funnel Cake (Pumpkin Pie without the pumpkin) and Poolside Daydream (watery aquatic slightly powdery blend with coconut water) wf bulbs
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