NCD: Autumn Part 1 Reviews

Autumn returns again at Nui Cobalt - We're knee deep into the fall festivities (hello October!), so it's time for another round of reviews, lest I get too carried away with shovelling festive things into my mouth and forget to do anything that isn't gorging myself on autumn themed treats (that said, it's mostly those fun sized assorted sweeties.) 

NCD usually does two autumn releases (I and II), and it's honestly not hard to see why - I know autumn is a very loved season for indie perfumes (pumpkins and spooky things!), and I think this collection was very much a stand out. I myself, admittedly, am not a very autumn-y person at all when it comes to perfumes (I'm not a huge fan of the pumpkin/spice heavy combos), but I think this collection really channelled the 'evocative' feeling of autumn and all of its atmospheric glory. 

Kind thanks again to Forest and Josh at Nui Cobalt for sending through these for review! I'm always grateful and thankful for their generosity. You can find this collection for purchase here! 

Rose Gold Sky - A spell for freedom and merciful release. This sweet scent evokes the early sunsets and smoldering hues of Autumn. Fuzzy apricot, amber resin, styrax, pink sandalwood, clove bud, melissa, and blush rose. 

This is definitely as pretty as it sounds - it's a lovely delicate puff of rose, a spritz of apricot, over a rich bed of earthy sandalwood and a pinch of ground clove. The top notes of this scent are sweet and light, contrasted agains the rich spices and aromatic nature of the woods peeking through in the base. Despite the sweetness, I think there's a real sense of 'grounded' -ness in this scent with the earthiness from the resin and styrax. This reminds me a little bit of Parisian Pink, but this is definitely the fruity, orange sibling - for anyone who likes feminine fruity florals. 

Sphynx Cat - Lightly toasted almonds and oats, ecru suede, pale oudh, deep amber, and cocoa butter.

Despite the notes, I didn't expect this to be a scent with such an edible edge - it's almost chewy, with the smidge of oat and almond meal in here with the cocoa butter, giving it a smooth and sweet feeling. The amber also adds a caramel richness to it, and the oudh isn't very noticeable at all.  I definitely ended up liking this a bit more than I imagined as I'm not often partial to oudh. This is a scent that I'd definitely recommend as a gourmand for people who don't like gourmands! 

Balefire - An ode to my favorite Autumn pastime: poking the embers of a gentle backyard campfire. Top notes of ginger root, turmeric, cardamom, and white peppercorn give way to a heart of golden hay, copal, and oudh over a base of peru balsam, loamy soil, and woodsmoke.

This isn't a scent I'd normally gravitate towards to but I'm oddly enamoured by it - it's a gorgeous atmospheric and captures the feeling of a warm, smoky crackling campfire, with the comforting burn of hay, wood and dirt, and curling wisps of smoke. It's got the perfect smoky, earthy, woody profile with just a pinch of spice and zing at the very edges, and it feels so comfy. I ended up reaching for this more than a few times, and it's a perfect companion in the colder, wet rainy days we've been getting recently. 

Canoodling in a Leaf Pile - Warm chai, vermilion musk, copal resin, the subtle hint of a campfire still clinging to soft sweaters tumbled among leaves of aspen and oak. 

This scent is a burst of spices and a handful of dirt and weeds, gracefully thrown on top of a melange of heady musk and aged resin. It's such a heavy, dense scent, brightened with a touch of green moss, but this is definitely the scent for you if you love a lake of resin with a punch of warm musk.  I find this a little too swarthy for me - but if you like cozy scents, this is definitely one to try. 

Persimmon Preserves - Honey-sweet Fuyu persimmons slowly simmered with ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, green cardamom, cloves, one split vanilla bean, and a sprinkle of bergamot zest.

This is delicious - persimmons are a rare note, and I've always had a soft spot for them as I ate them a lot at home. This opens with a punch of persimmon sweetness, like candied persimmons and persimmon jam with a dab of warm apple cider. The scent has a little lightness complimented by the touches of vanilla, cinnamon and a zing of lemon, and the cardamom gives it a warm greenness towards the end. Although this is a little too heavy for warm weather, this is a gorgeous and super pretty scent for colder weather, and I love matching this scent when I'm decked out in mustard reds and autumn oranges. 

Queen Persephone Returns - Mulled wine, scarlet suede, patchouli, black sandalwood, pomegranate, two sinister musks, and a slender twist of blood orange.

I wasn't expecting this scent to have a sweet side to it, but it surprised me! I really love the punch of mulled wine, sweet pomegranate and blood orange in this scent - it makes for a surprisingly, or even deceptively, sweet touch, besides revealing its darker base notes of heady musk, sandalwood and the heavy splashes of patchouli. This scent is a piece in contrasts, with the peek of sweet zest, fruity wine, against the backdrop of dying autumn leaves. Very fitting for Persephone I'd say. 

Demeter in Mourning -Vetiver, patchouli, oudh wood, river stones, nagarmotha, black tea, and a trace of deer musk accord.

You know how the story goes - when Demeter refused to let anything grow or live that was under her domain? Yeah this is fitting - this is a DARK scent, it's a cocktail of soil, dirt, patchouli, and musk. It's impenetrably dense and unforgivingly heavy. This scent reminds me a lot of Witchy Shoppe (NCD) without as much smokiness from the incense, but this is definitely more of the earthy, garden loving sister to me. This isn't a scent I'd reach for at all, although, I can definitely see this as a Halloween party scent if you're getting dressed up all spooky for the occasion. 

Bountiful Harvest - Precious saffron strands, green cardamom, and clove are sweetened by maple sugar, dry chestnuts, and wood smoke.

Another gorgeous scent that I don't think I'd usually have reached for. but I was really taken with this. I love seeing rare and unique notes (just like the persimmon), and I rarely, if ever, seeing chestnuts being heralded. For me, I've always grown up with chestnuts as the pinnacle of autumn food, and it's far more prevalent in the food I've had at home - and I love the chestnut and maple syrup sweetness here, although I'd love if it was a smidge more prominent. There's a spritz of spice with the clove and cardamom, and the woodsmoke and hay adds a touch of autumn coziness. This is another one of those gourmands for non-gourmand lovers. I personally would love this to be a bit sweeter, or more of a chestnut solinote with a bit of smoke, so I think I'll be layering this in the near future. 

Vineyard in September - Olive leaf, oak barrels, green tea, sandalwood, dried apple, and lush vines laden with white grapes at the peak of ripeness.

On my skin, this reminds me a lot of a tropical scent - although the name reminds me of dry oak barrels and crunchy leaves, on me, this is a gorgeous heady, earthy green scent with crushed olive leaves and vines, floated on top of rich sandalwood. There's an element of humidity here, it's moist and lush, complimented with the crispness of the apple and herbal edge of the green tea. I find myself really taken in by the sweetness of the fruit accords in this though - and I would love to get a more green tea dominant scent from NCD in the future because the hints I get of the accord are fantastic and I need more immediately. 

Disclaimer: These scents were sent as press samples. I was not sponsored or paid for this review, and am not affiliated with this brand. All opinions are my own, and do not reflect any brand's opinions or interests.