Objelaben – 2022-06-30:

4 out of 5

Thuja . . . . I needed that.
We have what we call “incense cedar” here in Oregon that is actually called Giant Arborvitae elsewhere. It is one of the first cedar scents I think of. I used to burn the fronds wrap and dry them to make cedar smudge sticks. Thuja is the closest thing to my cedars.
The first breath is thuja, than the oud and incense comes into play along with some By The Fireside style smoke and some cinnamon. Upon second wearing the cinnamon really stands out, and it is amazing. The combination does have a fun flirting with brimstone feel. Earthy green playing in the background while sweet smoke tempts you to think there’s something wonderful in the no-so-safe place. The tasty cinnamon really adds to the allure. This could easily become a favorite.
As it dries down the frankincence and beeswax comes out making it more sweet and comforting.
The sillage is perfect. I applied it pretty heavily for a dauber sample and it would waft stronger when my wrist was raised near head level but wasn’t strong enough to be obnoxious to folks nearby. A perfect level to wear for personal enjoyment.

artraft – 2022-06-30:

5 out of 5

Not much more to add to what everyone else has noted:
Dark frankincense, smokey, resinous, spicy and slightly animalic. Catholic church incense. I don’t get too much animalic in case that worries you. This smells like a nice, spicy incense stick with enough sweetness to it to make it smooth. I had a Frankincense oil once that smelled a lot like this. I have the whole Dev series and they all smell slightly similar. I’m loving this and its lasting all day.
Not for the faint of heart but for those of us who love dark- this is one to try.

hii652Negeltzex – 2022-06-30:

4 out of 5

Catholic church incense, oud, cinnamon, wood and amber. A touch of sweetness; a bit of an animalic feel. I think my amber interpretation is an excellent blend of many of the notes listed here. I do smell the bubble gum at the opening. There’s a campfire vibe as well.
Projection and sillage are very good. This stuff is potent. I get around eight hours longevity before it becomes soft. Smells high quality and pretty natural. May not appeal to everyone; not the best for work or a date but I think it is sexy. Mature and more suited for the cooler months. Mmm… this stuff is nice!

kLe1n:D – 2022-06-30:

4 out of 5

A gorgeous musky animalic, this beautifully composed perfume is much sweeter and tamer than its reputation. The key notes here are civet, hyrax and musk wonderfully blended in with ambergris, cinnamon, lemongrass, thuja, tolu balsam, labdanum, black vanilla, Oud and olibanum to create a potent, mysterious and mostly sweet smelling potion. Very strong on the projection and sillage quotient and available only directly from the perfumer this is a must own for lovers of unusual and mysterious perfumes.

JAYSON – 2022-06-30:

5 out of 5

The first thought for me here is pink bubble gum. The kind you get with the goofy stickers inside. Looking at the notes I can now make them out, but that was my first impression and it still smells like that to me.

vnm1969 – 2022-06-30:

5 out of 5

Before application:
Ensure you will be alone, or have a partner who is seriously into animalistic perfumes.
Make sure you have no family or polite company expected.
Draw the curtains, lock the doors.
Loosen your clothing.
Deep breath.
Apply
Have fun!

Айфи2 – 2022-06-30:

3 out of 5

If you like Musky, animalistic ouds, Dev #1 Foreplay should definitely be in your test list. They really dont make frags like this anymore, hence niche perfumery and thank god for that. I get the oud, the skanky civet and hyrax but it does not stink or at least not as much as you would expect, it adds an oily depth to the olibanum, balsam and labdanum notes over the course of the development. I get the honey and cinnamon as well, adding a spicy touch.
Very well blended, heavy projection initially and then settles down. Longevity is good but lesser than Blackbird and Amber which were the other 2 I was testing, for eg I put on 2 sprays before going to bed and while I can smell the other 2 wafting off me when I wake up 7 hours later, Foreplay I kinda need to sniff my T shirt. It’s still there but faintly. Maybe it’s on purpose, Foreplay should not go on forever after all!
I love this one and it’s piqued my interest to try the rest of the Olympic Orchids Dev Line. 8/10

sanja ivan – 2022-06-30:

4 out of 5

I love wearing this to bed. It’s a comforting scent. It’s deja vu of a camp fire. Something burning. A very woody smoke. It’s like being in the forrest, almost like you’re camping again. (As I type this from my iPad in bed, in my condo, of a major North American city, with every modern day convenience around me.)
Let’s be real,
this is as close to camping as I’m going to get right now. The last time I went camping was in 2010, but Im quite sure this is how that camp fire smelled.
As you fall asleep, you have to keep reminding yourself that you are not on fire… or maybe you are. Gurl, You are on FIRE! Snap! ( Sorry I got a bit flamey there.) Just remember pyromaniac, you lit this one yourself, you’re not being burned at the stake, And you’re not in hell, not yet anyway.

Vladislavik87 – 2022-06-30:

4 out of 5

on me dev one opens up with fresh resins and crisp lemongrass. the animalics quickly make their entrance but although the note list would have you thinking otherwise, they aren’t loud or overpowering at all but rather well-tempered. the vanilla and beeswax ground the other notes with a thickness that when it hits sometimes reminds me of really wellcrafted bath products.
i don’t get anything hellish or scary at all and the fact that frankincense, one of the original gifts to the baby jesus, is now used to bring associations to the dark lord is just textbook irony. sometimes i get a sparkly, cola-like note i also get from cdg’s avignon. it must be the vanilla/frankincense combo, because neither give off anything in that realm on their own. this actually feels like avignon’s more carnal sibling, which i love seeing as avignon was a favourite of mine that somehow always felt too ethereal.
one still has a lightness about it that makes it a nice wear even in summer. the flirtatiousness is of a very reserved kind and even if it does last for a long time it stays pretty close to skin after the first hour. in orchids fashion it has an unusually natural spirit that is entirely modern yet of another age – even ancient in the best possible way.

MgNasty Donal – 2022-06-30:

5 out of 5

Tony is spot on with his review.
It opens with a strong almost sweet hot cinnamon candy. That dies off rather quickly leaving a more smokey frankincense and labdanum. The sweetness is very light but still present. I can detect almost every note if I try hard enough. Though it is kind of hard to get past the strong frankincense and labdanum to find the other notes. It just fills your nose. I love the idea of it all. A good civet, animalic scent always makes me feel sexy and strong. BUT I agree this is more of a scent to wear when you are alone and want to wear a warming scent. Meaning its good and performs well but I doubt I will wear it in public again.
When I take a deep smell I get oud just before I feel as if I have to stop before I sneeze or something.
Another great scent from Ellen but I dont see myself purchasing it. I will use up my sample at some point

князь13 – 2022-06-30:

3 out of 5

Deep and dark and not for the faint of heart. This is a relentless scent. No frills or thrills. Straight up dark,smoky and animalic. More resinous and smoky than sweet. This one is simply for the user’s pleasure on a cold rainy autumn night and not for one who seeks compliments. Overall I appreciate the scent and it was a joy to sample it but it would never be added to my collection. Performance is excellent BTW as all Dev scents are.

Kristi46 – 2022-06-30:

4 out of 5

Reminds me of the incense they used to burn in church when the bishop would visit, or an exotic Arabian bazaar. Very, very nice! Very long lasting. Good for both genders.

mchit – 2022-06-30:

3 out of 5

There are a handful of take no prisoner olibanums on the market and this is probably the more wearable amongst them all. When I say MORE WEARABLE, I’m referring to Dev #1 as being somewhat unflinching in its delivery but enjoyable. Foreplay opens as a powdery yet chalky olibanum followed by burnt balsams which slightly offsets a subdued cinnamon spice. Not as sweet as the perfume pyramid would promote but this can be a little challenging even for a vet. In the middle, the dominant olibanum is fading into the background a bit and sooty labdanum appears. Rodents roasted on lemongrass blades would be a nice play on words but honestly, I’m not even sure if I detect those notes bcuz everything is so damn dark! Dev #1 is as close to Satan you will get without going to Hell.

1801426 – 2022-06-30:

4 out of 5

Dev. 1 is quite dark and mysterious. It is filled with so many different types of resins and spices, all potent and each takes a turn at the top. I have never smelled anything like it except a faint echo of memory from when I painted with oils. Read Gwizz’s review for the breakdown of notes. Not for every day, but spectacularly good. Sillage and longevity both great on my skin.

cainikov_evgenii – 2022-06-30:

3 out of 5

Wow. Honestly, words almost fail me as to how incredible this scent is. It’s now possibly the best frankincense note I’ve come across (and there have been many!). Smoky and yet also resinous olibanum, a dash of agar wood and a swirling labdanum all combine throughout with other elements such as cinnamon, lemongrass and honey intermittently raising their heads while incredible animalics and ambergris cut their way through to ground this thing with a beastly dose of skank. It’s tempting to call this a liturgical incense in the vain of CdG Avignon or Progumum Olibanum, but there is so much hellishness going on here via the animalics and other balsams and resins, that it’s more likely to suit a devilish alter than anywhere holy! To top it all off, this thing projects like a cloven heeled beast and lasts for all eternity. Dabble in this satanic foreplay only if you dare. I’ve officially offered up my soul, will you?
PS: I have samples of the other four of this series also and when this one finally dies down (could be days!), I’ll be eagerly moving on to Dev 2!

woulff – 2022-06-30:

5 out of 5

DEV #1: Foreplay is positively bewitching. With beautiful plumes of labdanum to open, the invitation to enter is easy.
Beeswax and oud introduce some full bodied accords of deliciously salty skin. Then lemongrass, cypress-like thuja and the subtly sharp resin of olibanum makes you inhale deeply and throw your senses wide open.
And then, the carnal qualities of civet–like a prick to the finger, and hyrax–a muffled bite of musk, delicately secrete their salacious essence, which turns you into a beast before you know it’s even happening.
Tolu envelops the fragrance in a malted amber glow like a reassuring lover. DEV #1 almost makes me want to say who needs sex when you have such entrancing Foreplay?
But knowing that this is just the first act makes for a promise of even better things to come, and I’m truly looking forward to the rest of the Devil Scents series. Ellen Covey is truly masterful in her olfactory psychology and story-telling.

happinessik777 – 2022-06-30:

3 out of 5

Finally in the database! YAY! I LOVE LOVE LOVE this fragrance! Just like something named after the devil, naturally, its very spicy. The main notes I pick up is cinnamon and smokeyness. I believe on the olympic orchids website it said something about the part of the book this is based on, is the part where the devil and a woman are getting “friendly.” Thus, there is some sweetness in it too, maybe even a tad fruity. I only had samples of this and “reprise” which is also nice, but I hear this is the sweetest of the devil collection. As for the longevity, its the longest lasting fragrance I’ve ever used on my skin (and my skin eats fragrance). It is so potent that I accidentaly spilled less then half of my tiny tester vial in my office at work, and it reeked of sweet devilish goodness in there for a few weeks.