Slumberhouse Discussion

[brothernature]

Well shoot now I’m more interested in Jeke. But how different and is the strong fenugreek Immortelle style maple note toned down? Hmmm.

Smoke-yyy Jeke is sortaaaaa back. Just sort of.

 

[Purpea]

Instagram post. I guess. Not the one linked though

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I totally missed the IG story that Martin mentioned, and now it seems to be gone. Did anyone happen to save it?

If so, please feel free to DM me if you don't want to crowd the thread.

Edit: The 2023 Jeke and Ore have darker colors again, so I would assume at least some differences to last year's versions.

 

[Martin__]

I was lucky to buy Jeke from Fumerie few days ago, and another one from private seller. Curious how this competes versus Jeke 2022. Actually I’m even more curious after @brothernature said smoky Jeke is kinda’ back - before he wrote it I heard that from few people I know.

Smokiness has always been a signature for Jeke, so that’s good Josh is back on his good ol’ route

 

[Dr B1414]

My Black Grev bottle arrived, and I'm kinda neutral about it. I basically get 3 major chords, 1. hot spices sipped in black tea 2. Moss, lots of moss 3. sandalwood, all these sprinkled with some fir on the top. It kinda hints at the old DNA of the house, yet it doesn't feel as rough around the edges. I'd say old DNA, polished. I do love the smell, but it's kinda boring, not doing much, kinda linear as well. It fails to tell a story, and I'm quite impartial about it overall. Man, I'd say I prefer Mond overall just for how much that one changes on my skin. Had this been rough and butch, it would have been so much better, because at least then it would have had a clear direction. Let's say flask Kiste for example, it's also quite simple and linear, but it's butch and unpolished, so it has a certain charm about it. Not bad, but not great either. Maybe I've come to expect too much from artisanal perfumery lately, with a few noses releasing bangers in this department lately. My favorites remain old Kiste, old Jeke, Sova, old Ore, Sibet, hell even Mond.

 

[simonharris]

@Dr B1414 Agreed, Black Grev is mediocre to me and will never surpass Norne or Vikt. I don't like it much.

 

[Dr B1414]

Agreed, Black Grev is mediocre

Best way to put it.

 

[simonharris]

I would have had a chance to get both Jeke and Ore today, but something kept lingering in my mind about the new Jeke, which is no longer as good as the old one. So I passed both of them.

 

[Dr B1414]

I want Josh to do a proper agrestic perfume. Hay, Narcissus, Immortelle, Chamomile, leather, cumin, moss, and freaking musks. I want him to do something like this with his own twists and turns in the old Slumberhouse DNA. To dial down the sweetness and take a similar Sibet route. That'd be cool.

 

[Dr B1414]

I would have had a chance to get both Jeke and Ore today, but something kept lingering in my mind about the new Jeke, which is no longer as good as the old one. So I passed both of them.

Same here.

 

[Paddington]

while I’m not the best with words black grev is what they say… shit

 

[Martin__]

I only own a sample but to me Black Grev was kind of a mix of Norne and Grev (moss!), spices (cloves, licorice, possibly star anise too) and dark themes Slumberade known from, let’s say, Sova. Nice, but for the price and availability… sample worthy, for sure, not worth chasing a bottle though.

Of course, this is my opinion and purely my feelings.

 

[brothernature]

@Dr B1414 Agreed, Black Grev is mediocre to me and will never surpass Norne or Vikt. I don't like it much.

I don't think it was meant to surpass one or the other. In reality, I found virtually no real connection to Norne (maybe a bit mossy? but that's it) but some similarities with Vikt; of course, Grev was really the main player with the added nuisances that Dr. B1414 describes. It does feel fairly linear in a way, but if we judge it alongside releases like Fjerne and Mond, and even re-releases with tweaks like Sadanne, Ore, and Jeke... he seems to be going for that with most. Maybe just refining them in a way.

Sorry if my typing and logic is shit today; been reading and writing all morning.

I do hope it grows a bit on ya'll.

 

[Mak-7]

Wow wow wow ..... Where this snobery came out of? Its a limited release - praise it!!! 😆😆😆
Truthfully - it is a switch, previously i mostly heard good things, maybe 1 or 2 people didnt like or didnt mind it, but one for performance and one for the smell.
Now we tottaly have people 💩 on it.

 

[Paddington]

Wow wow wow ..... Where this snobery came out of? Its a limited release - praise it!!! 😆😆😆
Truthfully - it is a switch, previously i mostly heard good things, maybe 1 or 2 people didnt like or didnt mind it, but one for performance and one for the smell.
Now we tottaly have people 💩 on it.

I see it as people are finally willing to say they don't like something rather then sing false praises

 

[Dr B1414]

Wow wow wow ..... Where this snobery came out of? Its a limited release - praise it!!! 😆😆😆
Truthfully - it is a switch, previously i mostly heard good things, maybe 1 or 2 people didnt like or didnt mind it, but one for performance and one for the smell.
Now we tottaly have people 💩 on it.

I don't want to bash it. It's not shit, but far from great. It's ok.

 

[God]

Just had a thought. Was Black Grev the renaming or eventual evolution of Throes? Somewhere in the slumberhouse history album I remember reading something about a “murky black swamp graveyard at 3am” post that was posted around Halloween. That must have been 3-5 years ago now and I wonder if the project eventually turned into BG. Or not?

FWIW I would rather wear Black Grev than original aquamarine Grev. Neither are a favorite but I like BG more and would pick up a bottle for summer if it was available.

 

[Proust_Madeleine]

Still loooooove Black Grev. Don’t give a damn! Exactly to my taste!

 

[Martin__]

Just had a thought. Was Black Grev the renaming or eventual evolution of Throes? Somewhere in the slumberhouse history album I remember reading something about a “murky black swamp graveyard at 3am” post that was posted around Halloween. That must have been 3-5 years ago now and I wonder if the project eventually turned into BG. Or not?

FWIW I would rather wear Black Grev than original aquamarine Grev. Neither are a favorite but I like BG more and would pick up a bottle for summer if it was available.

Nah. I’d say these are two different scents.

I have to say, that Black Grev is great, totally slumberade and totally belongs to Slumberhouse. However, it’s not my taste. I truly appreciate it, few aspects in it are to die for, but I couldn’t wear it. There are few aspects that makes me want to wash it off me. Namely spices - weird mix of cloves and licorice (maybe a wee of anise too) and that all together mixed with tons of moss (I remember @Beranium Chotato said Black Grev is mossy - and this is soooo true), a hint of mint and some sandalwood. The composition is lovely and beautiful, just not wearable for me.

 

[hippononamus]

Nah. I’d say these are two different scents.

I have to say, that Black Grev is great, totally slumberade and totally belongs to Slumberhouse. However, it’s not my taste. I truly appreciate it, few aspects in it are to die for, but I couldn’t wear it. There are few aspects that makes me want to wash it off me. Namely spices - weird mix of cloves and licorice (maybe a wee of anise too) and that all together mixed with tons of moss (I remember @Beranium Chotato said Black Grev is mossy - and this is soooo true), a hint of mint and some sandalwood. The composition is lovely and beautiful, just not wearable for me.

Josh said Throes is what he wanted Brosse to be, so probably going to be more in that vein, very resinous.

While I wish Black Grev had a bit more projection to it, it's only second to Norne from the house for my tastes. I think it's fantastic.

 

[Martin__]

Ehm… I don’t recommend anyone layering Slumberhouse with other, rather as heavy compositions as SH are…

This morning, at 6 AM I sprayed vintage 2006 Chanel Egoiste on my skin. Forgot about it and 40 mins ago sprayed 2 spritz’s of Jeke 2022. And what do I smell like?

Cherry tobacco curry maple syrup with vanilla and cinnamon twists and sandalwood base.

Interesting, and nuclear bomb projection…

 

[rynegne]

I'm wearing the 2023 version of Slumberhouse Ore today. It's quite different than I remember it back when it was in the cube bottle with white paint...but it's been a long while.

Overall, I get the same woody-balsamic-cocoa aesthetic from my past memories of Ore but it's not quite as dry/dusty as I remember it and I'm getting a lot more sweet booze-soaked oak...like an American Oak-aged cask that once housed bourbon and that bourbon has since evaporated leaving the sweet slightly vanillic-woody profile of dried out bourbon on oak behind, add in resins and wafts of dry cocoa, guaiac, and vanilla. The slightly gourmandish profile weaves in and out of semisweet, woody and resinous territories. The 2023 version leans a bit more sweet and resinous with a strong oak characteristic which has been amped up in the latest version according to LuckyScent. I wouldn't seek this out if you already own Ore, unless you're looking for a backup or think you'd really enjoy a slightly sweetened, oaked up version of previous Ore releases. Just sharing my initial thoughts on this.

 

[hippononamus]

I wore the 2023 version of Jeke yesterday. I've only tried the 2022 version previously and while I was originally put off by the cloying sweetness, its residual trail started to charm me. 2023 reels it in quite a lot, along with a more pronounced rustic tobacco note that makes it more rounded, but there's the same aromachem in it that newer Baque has that I quite dislike. It's all I smelled waking up this morning.

Going to have to give it another wear in a few days. I think most will be utterly pleased with it, but I'm kinda put off by that aromechem sadly.

 

[AZsmells]

Wearing Jeke 2023 today and this is much better than the 2022 version. The maple syrup and curry is toned down a lot. This juice is darker than the 2022 but not as dark as the version from around 2020.

 

[wavememory]

ive got ore 2023 on today. i only sampled 2022 but this seems much more like the ore of... yore to me.

 

[rynegne]

I've tried Jeke 2022 and Ore 2023 within the past 6 months after purchasing them somewhat blindly. I've owned both fragrances over the past 10 years, however, they were older bottles with the white sharpie paint and with the printed textile stickers. The main difference in the current lineup is the level of sweetness, which is a bit much for me as I find the newer versions very cloying. Although the older fragrances in the Slumberhouse had tenacity, they were high concentrations Eau de Parfums, I believe. I don't know if it's just me, but I've found most everything I've picked up from Slumberhouse within the past 2-3 years to be overtly sweet. Maybe I'm simply missing the Rumes/Vikts of the past where it was all dark and brooding resinous profiles with less sweet complimentary ingredients but I feel like the direction of fragrances coming out have almost all fit this sweet profile that just kills it for me. Mond, Jeke 2022, Ore 2023, Kiste 2022 and to some extent Fjerne all have domineering sweet note profiles that can drive me crazy given the linearity. Like I said, maybe I'm lusting for some of the older/darker fragrances from the line but I've really been disappointed with how I've perceived some of the more recent releases...even though I can tell the materials used are amazing. Just something I've noticed myself. I'm glad Josh is still active after all of these years of craze but I think I'm going to pass on future "reworkings" unless they're of some of the more dark/resinous fragrances I loved collecting in the past.

 

[Martin__]

I’m spending time with Black Grev. I think it really is a great release and aspiring, growing to be one of the greatest Slumberhouse that were released. Not on Sova, Norne or Baque level yet, but pretty high up there. I appreciate Josh has decided to release it, despite the limited quantity.

It reminds me of Norne, where cloves and fir were partially replaced by tea and black licorice/star anise. I remember Josh said Norne lives in his soul and I believe part of that was put into Black Grev.

Black Grev is heavy (as most Slumberhouse are), dense and thick.

I quite like it, and I thought I would surely dislike (or even hate it) right away.

 

[WetInk]

I just picked up samples of Ore & Jeke '23 and decided to compare with the past releases. I first tried Slumberhouse back in 2019 when I was able to get a variety of samples from LuckyScent and it's pretty silly but I've held on to the last few drops of each. (One of these days I'll use the final drop in my Norne vial and that will be a bittersweet day). Anyway I smelled on paper and those old drops still packed a punch! I also compared with sample vials of the 2022 releases. I don't really write about or review fragrances outside of my personal notes but I thought this might be interesting to share.

Jeke
To my nose I was most surprised by 2019 Jeke which came across with huge graham cracker that I didn't find in either of the newer releases. I didn't find it very smokey, though I'm not sure just how long ago there was the "old smokey Jeke" I've heard about. There's a nice touch of warm honey and a leathery, spicy pipe tobacco current flowing underneath it all. 2022 is obviously quite different, still very spicy and up front with the maple/curry thing mentioned previously. It's nice and I'm happy I have a small decant but it's definitely different than the other years. 2023 is very smooth and soft, I don't really get smoke but there's a gentle toasted scent, a drier tobacco than the damp pipe tobacco of 2019, and hay. It's much less aggressively spiced and there's none of the '22 maple/curry scent. It's more rounded than either of the other two and probably my favorite of the three (with 2019 in a very close second).

Ore
There was much less variance in these but still noticeable differences, namely that 2023 hit me with rum rather than previous years scent of whiskey. There's less of the vanilla that often accompanies American oak and more of faint dark spice, though not quite on the level of spiced rum. The cocoa is less bitter but I wouldn't say it's gone super sweet, it just feels smoother and less powdery - like a brick of baking chocolate rather than a scoop of cocoa powder. 2022 comes across more faint than 2019, which is interesting, and it probably has the most caramel of the three. It's really nicely balanced where the '23 feels more aggressive. I find it hard to pick a favorite between the three but it might also just be my nose getting tired!

 

[thrilledchilled]

I just picked up samples of Ore & Jeke '23 and decided to compare with the past releases. I first tried Slumberhouse back in 2019 when I was able to get a variety of samples from LuckyScent and it's pretty silly but I've held on to the last few drops of each. (One of these days I'll use the final drop in my Norne vial and that will be a bittersweet day). Anyway I smelled on paper and those old drops still packed a punch! I also compared with sample vials of the 2022 releases. I don't really write about or review fragrances outside of my personal notes but I thought this might be interesting to share.

Jeke
To my nose I was most surprised by 2019 Jeke which came across with huge graham cracker that I didn't find in either of the newer releases. I didn't find it very smokey, though I'm not sure just how long ago there was the "old smokey Jeke" I've heard about. There's a nice touch of warm honey and a leathery, spicy pipe tobacco current flowing underneath it all. 2022 is obviously quite different, still very spicy and up front with the maple/curry thing mentioned previously. It's nice and I'm happy I have a small decant but it's definitely different than the other years. 2023 is very smooth and soft, I don't really get smoke but there's a gentle toasted scent, a drier tobacco than the damp pipe tobacco of 2019, and hay. It's much less aggressively spiced and there's none of the '22 maple/curry scent. It's more rounded than either of the other two and probably my favorite of the three (with 2019 in a very close second).

Ore
There was much less variance in these but still noticeable differences, namely that 2023 hit me with rum rather than previous years scent of whiskey. There's less of the vanilla that often accompanies American oak and more of faint dark spice, though not quite on the level of spiced rum. The cocoa is less bitter but I wouldn't say it's gone super sweet, it just feels smoother and less powdery - like a brick of baking chocolate rather than a scoop of cocoa powder. 2022 comes across more faint than 2019, which is interesting, and it probably has the most caramel of the three. It's really nicely balanced where the '23 feels more aggressive. I find it hard to pick a favorite between the three but it might also just be my nose getting tired!

awesome observations, thank you

 

[Martin__]

I have just discovered a fragrance in my collection that gives me exactly everything what I expect from Grev. DS&Durga Burning Barbershop.

BB and Grev to me are similar ONLY in terms of overall style of a fragrance. They are actually quite different scents. Burning Barbershop is fougere, Grev is fougere-ish (or fougere-like). Burning Barbershop is smoky, Grev is spicy. BB has got tons of lavender, Grev smells like it had a touch of lavender fougere in it. Grev is way sweeter and has some fruity elements on my skin (weird apple mousse).

In general different enough to own both, but that is what I'm feeling about this.

 

[thesacredsaguaro]

Jeke 2023 is fantastic. To my nose it’s the same fragrance as 2022 material wise but Josh seems to have shifted ratios. The result is a fantastically Smokey opening, stronger and rustic Tobacco, maple syrup dialed way down and the entire composition seems more refined. After awhile it smells similar to black/silver cap Jeke but the maple note is persistent throughout the wearing. Personally this is my favorite Jeke.

 

[Martin__]

Jeke 2023 is fantastic. To my nose it’s the same fragrance as 2022 material wise but Josh seems to have shifted ratios. The result is a fantastically Smokey opening, stronger and rustic Tobacco, maple syrup dialed way down and the entire composition seems more refined. After awhile it smells similar to black/silver cap Jeke but the maple note is persistent throughout the wearing. Personally this is my favorite Jeke.

Very interesting. What about the rum accents? Are they present as maple syrup or in a different way?

To me Jeke 2022 is amplified mainly with honey and rum. Either of the two gives that maple/maple syrup vibes that people keep talking about.

Haven't tried Jeke 2023 yet, but Jeke 2022 is absolutely phenomenal and my favourite Jeke hands down. All previous ones were good, but quite monothematic compared to 2022 version. Also, Jeke 2022 is the most complex Jeke ever created IMO.

I'd partially agree there is a kind of an aromachem Josh really likes and keeps using it ever since he created Mond. I can smell it in Mond, Jeke 2022 and Kiste 2022. Is it his new signature? I don't know yet. Maybe...

 

[Martin__]

Still quite a few things about this brand are really making me confused. I know few people that are close to Josh and they say they were with him more less from the beggining. And that the first scent released by him was Tunis Mills which eventually became Sova. And that it was around 2012-ish. And that there was a sample of a scent that eventually became Jeke. Well, being quite precise, it's not them who claim that. That was mentioned by Josh Lobb himself in one quite famous interview he participated in.

But chronology obviously doesn't match here. From what I've seen and also from other threads on Basenotes - the first Slumberhouse released on the market was Jeke in 2008, then Ore, Vikt, Grev in 2009 (no idea which one of the next three was first). Tunis Mills I am dating for either late 2011 or early 2012. So, obviously much later. On the other hand, along with Tunis Mills there was a sample of a scent that supposedly was a prototype that eventually became Jeke. That one particular sample had a name, and the name was - Tarnet.

Still a lot of Slumberhouse-mysteries to discover.

 

[thesacredsaguaro]

Very interesting. What about the rum accents? Are they present as maple syrup or in a different way?

To me Jeke 2022 is amplified mainly with honey and rum. Either of the two gives that maple/maple syrup vibes that people keep talking about.

Haven't tried Jeke 2023 yet, but Jeke 2022 is absolutely phenomenal and my favourite Jeke hands down. All previous ones were good, but quite monothematic compared to 2022 version. Also, Jeke 2022 is the most complex Jeke ever created IMO.

I'd partially agree there is a kind of an aromachem Josh really likes and keeps using it ever since he created Mond. I can smell it in Mond, Jeke 2022 and Kiste 2022. Is it his new signature? I don't know yet. Maybe...

To be honest it smells like the exact same materials were used in both versions but there’s a difference in ratios. For example I always picked up on a strong smoke note with Jeke 22 and that identical smoke note is in 23 but it’s amplified. I’m assuming we must have different associations with maple because both 22’ and 23’ share am identical maple accord but with 23 it’s toned down and the exact same tobacco accord of 22’ is now amplified. I don’t really pick up on rum though and I struggled to smell it in 22 However 23’ feels pretty similar to 2019 but refined. All of this sounds confusing Im sure but it’s really a perfect balance between 19 and 22 which makes it superior to 22 because I just don’t want to smell like pancakes for 48 hours.

 

[Martin__]

Well, I prefer to smell like pancakes. Just more original and standing on its own compared to other Jeke versions. Thanks @thesacredsaguaro

 

[Scent Detective]

Well, I prefer to smell like pancakes. Just more original and standing on its own compared to other Jeke versions. Thanks @thesacredsaguaro

I prefer waffles myself.

 

[Martin__]

I just realized. Josh has never done an Immortelle-centered composition.
That's strange when I think about it. He praised and mentioned two of the most iconic Immortelle-themed perfumes as being a source of inspiration for him or among his all-time favorites, specifically, Sables by Goutal and El Attarine by Lutens. Moreover, Immortelle is definitely a "flower" that screams Fall, dead nature, warmth, sweetness, things that Josh likes and featured repeatedly in so many of his Fall-themed perfume compositions. And now that I think about it, he never did a perfume centered around it. How I wish that he'll consider the idea. Immortelle is one of my favorite "flowers". It always makes me think of Fall, death, warmth, gloom, and embers. It is really an interesting and complex ingredient that showcases so many contradictory facets.

Now, over a year after, we can say that Josh has done an immortelle-centered composition. To me Jeke 2022 is loaded with immortelle, which belongs to helichrysum family. I totally love it. However I realize, that Jeke 2022 is one of the most polarizing perfumes of his.

 

[thesacredsaguaro]

Now, over a year after, we can say that Josh has done an immortelle-centered composition. To me Jeke 2022 is loaded with immortelle, which belongs to helichrysum family. I totally love it. However I realize, that Jeke 2022 is one of the most polarizing perfumes of his.

I agree Martin. Jeke 2022 is essentially all immortelle to a fault (for me anyways). But now that I know helichrysum is the same thing as immortelle its so front and center.

 

[mjball]

Slumberhouse sound very intriguing in a mysterious way. I cannot find anyway to actually purchase samples or full bottles...Nothing comes from signing up on the website list, the orders email does not work, Instagram communications do not work. I know the man seems very busy and I'll keep looking as this sounds interesting but if anyone has a pointer to a better way to find that would be appreciated...

 

[Martin__]

Slumberhouse sound very intriguing in a mysterious way. I cannot find anyway to actually purchase samples or full bottles...Nothing comes from signing up on the website list, the orders email does not work, Instagram communications do not work. I know the man seems very busy and I'll keep looking as this sounds interesting but if anyone has a pointer to a better way to find that would be appreciated...

Hello @mjball welcome into the rabbit hole!

Slumberhouse is kinda’ a manufacture house where Josh Lobb, the nose and perfumer himself releases his scents few times a year, the number of releases vary. The easiest way to follow and be ready to track down the perfumes is to sign up to his newsletter (via slumberhouse.com) and sign up to Slumberhouse-related news regarding perfume releases with his retailers: luckyscent.com and fumerie.com well… there also is a facebook group and this basenotes thread.

 

[ultravisitor]

Slumberhouse sound very intriguing in a mysterious way. I cannot find anyway to actually purchase samples or full bottles...Nothing comes from signing up on the website list, the orders email does not work, Instagram communications do not work. I know the man seems very busy and I'll keep looking as this sounds interesting but if anyone has a pointer to a better way to find that would be appreciated...

That's the problem: they're impossible to find and get...until they're suddenly available. When they're available, you have to act quickly--often within hours or even minutes of them being available--and then they're gone again. And when they're gone, it might be months before you have another chance. You can find decants of some of them online.

I've tried a bunch of them and own a couple of bottles. They're really good, but they're not worth the hysteria and handwringing.