THIS IS THE BOMB.COM: Boathouse Row (2018 vers)

Products: candle
Area used in: bedroom (most likely)
Time Period: summertime

Description: Originally launced in 2013, enjoy a BBW favorite blend of green sage and fresh pomegranate with notes of bay leaves and moss

It was a hot and sultry summer day, the humidity hung in the air like wet blankets on the line to dry. I was making my way to local BWW store to take in the recently released Lakeside collection - Touchthefiretwice's review still buzzing in my ears like a hungry mosquito. I nonchalantly each candle; each jar of scented ennui left me feeling uninspired. But then it happened, my eyes met the one I had been looking for. As I reached out, my heart began to race with anticipation. I removed the lid and I was then ovecome with an aroma the likes of which I never knew. I had to steady myself, afraid that I swoon, my delicate nature overcome by lusty desires. I inhaled the virile fragrance again and again and I knew in an instant that it was the one and it had to be mine. I brought it home and let it burn with reckless abandon. Its redolence held me tight in a warm embrace that I never wanted to escape from. With each inhale, I felt more and more alive. Night after night, I succumbed to my baser nature and relinquished myself to endless redolent pleasure. Before I knew it, summer was over and autumn was quickly approaching. I returned to the store but to my dismay, there was no more. Though disappointed, I smiled to myself secure in the knowledge that it would someday return. Little did I know how wrong I was. Boathouse Row disappeared with a trace and I was only left with the memories and my tears.

Now that my Jackie Collins moment is over, let's talk about the new and improved Boathouse Row.

Obviously when I heard that my mandle bae was coming back and then seeing them with my own eyes, my excitement could not be contained. That said, being the cynic that I am, I did have some concerns - mainly, would it smell like the old version or would it be tweaked? Or worse, would be an entirely different scent altogether masquering as BR?! Lord knows, BBW has done it before (I'm looking at you SAS version of Snowed In aka White Winter Petals). Much to my relief, it was indeed the same.

You may be wondering - are there any differences?

Eh, not really..unless you have a super sensitive nose and/or superb scent memory. In my most humble of opinions, this version smelled a little less intense and robust that what I rememeber of the old one. It's also smelled slightly sweeter which could either be a) different brand or grade of fragrance oils than what was used backintheday or b) a deliberate attemt by BBW to make this mandle more palatable to (cough cough basic) anti-cologney masses. But yearh, as far as I can tell, there have been no drastic changes - nothing has been subtracted or added...which brings to my next point.

Let's address the white elephant in the room - that "pomegranate" note. Folks were kinda freaking out about it social media...which (*sigh) can we PLEASE stop treating the notes in the candle descriptions as gospel truth?! I've already ranted and raved about this - 9timesoutta10 the notes in the description are BS. When a note you haven't seen suddenly pops in an updated description, either was already in the blend but never mentioned  or it's entirely made up that the scent sound more palatable; BBW very rarely (if ever) justs adds a random new note in a pre-existing scent. Anyway, pomegranate was never mentioned in the notes in the 2013 version so I don't really know why it was added now besides getting mandle hating brigade on board. Personally, I don't get pomegranate at all; I do get some kinda citrus lurking deep in the background but I can't whether or not it is pomegranate. Honestly, just ignore that pomegranate note entirely!

So what does it smell like? It's a very deep, dark and earthy ....cologney scent. The combination of the sage and moss (both very earthy notes) is what gives the scent that mandle cologney vibe. There's a bit of bay leaf that gives a blend a little depth and a slight pepperiness (the bay leaf was much heavier in the 2013 version) And there's a wateriness though I don't really know what notes weer used to create it. And combined with the notes, you totally get a sense of the outdoors - think a sexy saltandpepper daddy fishing at the shore of his hideway lakeside cabin.

Also backintheday when Littleballadeer reviewed this, she said (I agreed) that BR made her think of London and imagining a British lad wearing a cologne similar to it. I imagine Benedict Cumberbatch or Tom Hiddleston smelling like BR. Similarly Touchthefiretwice said in his review (I also agree) that it smelled just like the cologne Burberry London  ; my partner has a bottle of this and it's his favorite cologne so I'm very familiar with.

Ok so I've rambled enough about this damn candle. On Candle Day I was good and only bought 3 with the intention of possibly buying more later or doing an exchange but alas BR is nowhere to be found. I havent burned it yet as I'm patiently waiting for summer. If you missed out on Candle Day, alas you may not find it anywhere..though your store may have a a few Candle Day remnants left lying about but otherwise (if you're desperate) you'll do an Ebay or Mercari purchase. At any rate, I'm glad I was able to get some and I'm grateful BBW for giving me and other candle enthusiasts a bit of nostalgia for the holidays.