Weekly Waftings: Sampler Set Review – Imaginary Authors Short Story Collection

Oh guys, I have SUCH a fun niche perfume house to share with you today! It’s my great pleasure to introduce Portland, Oregon’s Imaginary Authors, a fiercely creative and unique perfume house with fragrances like no other. I was first introduced to them via good old fashioned Facebook ads. The FB algorithms know by now I’m a major perfume nerd so they kept popping up on my feed and my curiosity was definitely piqued. And then when I saw they had a scent called ‘A Whiff of Waffle Cone,’ it was all over, lol, I just knew I had to check them out!

Imaginary Authors was founded in 2012 by perfumer Josh Meyer, who began his career in perfumery a few years earlier. Mr. Meyer has developed some of the most creative, interesting, and just plain cool fragrances I’ve ever experienced. I love the idea behind this hip perfumery, each fragrance is inspired by an ‘imaginary’ story that paints a brilliant picture to accompany the scent (I’ve included the stories from the house’s website for each fragrance below). From heart-pounding mysteries to heart-breaking romances, there’s a story and a fragrance here for everyone.

It’s an absolute blast to try out a bunch of IA’s fragrances via their ‘Short Story Collection’ where you can personally choose eight of their sixteen available fragrances to sample. Today, I’m going share the eight fragrances I chose in my own personal Short Story Collection plus a couple of bonus scents: A Whiff of Waffle Cone, which I went ahead and blind-bought in a travel spray, already knowing that I would love it. I also received a generous free sample of the scent ‘Every Storm a Serenade’ with my order, so I’ll share my impressions of that one with you as well. Their ‘Complete Works’ collection, which includes all of their fragrances is also available!

One of my favorite aspects of this house is their use of super creative fantasy notes. Ever wondered what ‘tennis ball,’ ‘mountain fog,’ or ‘burnt match’ smell like? IA has you covered! So many weird and wonderful notes to explore. I wouldn’t necessarily wear every single one of these fragrances but they sure are a joy to sample and explore. Every fragrance is unisex but some lean a bit masculine or feminine so I’ll share my impressions in that regard. Overall, I have found most all of the scents have moderate projection and are quite long-lasting. The artistic packaging is impeccable and resembles little books that close with a sturdy magnetic cover. All fragrances are available in the following sizes: 2ml sample, 14ml travel spray, and 50ml bottle. Some fragrances are also available as candles and soap. Oh and the prices are very reasonable, too.

Ok enough intro, let’s get to the scented fun!

A City On Fire

• Notes: cade oil (juniper tar, woody, dry, smoky phenolic/resinous), spikenard (woody, spicy, earthy/musty), cardamom, Clearwood (soft, woody, transparent, non-earthy patchouli), dark berries, labdanum, burnt match
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “A brilliantly dark graphic novel, A City On Fire, is the story of two match-makers. Rupert literally fabricates matches in a factory on the waterfront while Frances writes a dating column for the city’s newspaper. Both are recluses who haunt the night’s shadows observing clandestine activities from afar but never partaking. That changes one fortuitous evening when they are both witness to the same high-profile murder and are forced to come together as an unlikely vigilante pair in order to save their own names.”

The opening is VERY smoky, very earthy, very burnt-y. There’s definitely a feel of BBQing food; an impression of mesquite. It’s not long before the woodsy juniper and leathery Clearwood join the party. On my skin, it’s better from a distance, more woodsy and like a room filled with the scents of a Christmas tree, some kind of a cranberry dish, and a Diptyque Feu de Bois Candle burning. This is certainly a unique scent but if I had to compare it to anything, it does remind me a touch of Mixed Emotions by Byredo without the black currant jamminess that ME has. I have heard some compare this to Maison Margiela’s By the Fireplace but I’m going to have to debunk that. BTF is my signature scent and the two are quite different. BTF is a vanilla-starring scent with a touch of smoke while this is a smoke-starring scent with zero vanilla.

This fragrance definitely has a strong autumnal/wintry vibe. Masculine-leaning but as with any and all fragrances, can be worn by anyone who enjoys it. I can easily imagine someone wearing this outdoors at a cozy winter bonfire or possibly to a night out at an interesting speakeasy. Moderate projection and amazing longevity, I had sprayed it on at 4:00pm and could STILL faintly smell at 1:30pm the next day! For me personally, I think I’d prefer this type of fragrance as a candle scent, not so much to wear but it sure was a kick to try out!

Find it here:

A City on Fire 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

A City on Fire 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

A Whiff of Waffle Cone

• Notes: vanilla, heavy cream, salted caramel, amyris (woody, cedar-like, reminiscent of benzoin with vanilla), orgeat (almond), Saigon cinnamon, ‘Ice Cream Shoppe’
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “More of a Howdtheydoit? than a Whodunnit? this magical tale will sweep you back to simpler times and envelop you in a warm blanket of nostalgia. At the center of the novel is an ice cream shoppe with mysterious powers. Upon entering, customers are hit with “A Whiff of Waffle Cone” and immediately transported to different periods of their life. Ping-ponging through four generations of rich family history and tender community connections a narrative emerges that threads a message of hope and togetherness unlike any other. And rather than dipping into an expected sugary sweetness, the melange of voices ring honest and true making this a highly respected coming-of-age story you’ll want to revisit again and again.”

OBSESSED!!!! My very favorite kind of fragrance is an interesting, smoky-but-still-gourmandish vanilla and this is one of the best I’ve ever experienced. From arm’s length, it’s a thick, delicious vanilla. Up close, it’s got a smoky/burnt crème brûlée nuance. Omigosh, it’s SO freakin’ delicious! Any vanilla gourmand lover should try this. So unique, sweet, smoky, and overall wonderful.

Projection is great, especially for a sweet vanilla, which can be fleeting. I could smell a lovely & delicious vanilla cloud around myself all night. Like City on Fire, the longevity is insane with this fragrance, I got 12+ hours! I’m super impressed with the performance of this delicious fragrance!

Find it here:

A Whiff of Waffle Cone 2ml sample, 14ml travel-spray, 50ml, candle (at Imaginary Authors)

Cape Heartache

• Notes: Douglas fir, pine resin, Western hemlock, vanilla leaf, strawberry, old growth, mountain fog
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “Cape Heartache is the lone American contribution to Philip Sava’s wildly popular series of exploration novels. It is based loosely on an expedition he made to the Pacific Northwest as a teenager in 1881 and is generally regarded as the most candid of his works. Revolving around a homestead he built in a coastal grove of old growth trees, the novel documents his romance with a young woman who was a descendent of the Nehalem Indian Tribe. Its themes of leaving the familiar and finding comfort and solace in a new place still resonate today.”

Opening is a fresh burst of piney woods coupled with sweet strawberry and those remain the two stand-out notes to my nose. There’s definitely some resin and vanilla, as well. Another review I read said it’s like walking through a pine forest while eating strawberries and I agree completely. Though it’s not something I would have ever thought to reach for, I quite like it. This combo of woodsy pine and sweet strawberry won’t be for everyone and definitely should be sampled first but anyone who likes interesting woodsy scents should give this a sniff. The strawberry will be the wild card here, you’ll either love it (I did) or be one of those who say “Ewww! This is artificial/like a scratch & sniff sticker/Strawberry Shortcake doll/strawberry lip gloss/<insert other synthetic strawberry scent meant to be derogatory here>” If you’re one of those people who always think berry things smell or taste artificial or like ‘cough syrup,’ etc. (you know who you are!) then this probably will not be your kind of scent.

Perfect wintertime, cooler weather scent. It definitely makes you feel like you’re in a magical Pacific NW forest! I think it’s maybe just a tad masculine for my wearing preferences with all that evergreen. But anyone who loves a good pine fragrance could certainly pull this off. The addition of the strawberry note is really creative and plants this scent firmly in the unisex category. The projection is lighter-moderate and the longevity is good. I don’t know that I’d ever wear it but I’m definitely contemplating getting the candle.

Find it here:

Cape Heartache 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Cape Heartache 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

Every Storm a Serenade

• Notes: Danish spruce, eucalyptus, vetiver, Calone (fresh, sea breeze scent with a watermelon nuance), ambergris, Baltic sea mist
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “When Stina, a burgeoning writer, decamps to her mother’s summer house for the winter to write a book, her trip overlaps for one day (and one steamy night) with a brawny fisherman named Ulv. While she struggles to gain traction with her novel, her fixation on the mysterious seafarer results in countless unsent letters, the contents of which chronicle the spiraling psyche of lust and longing. Set on the desolate west coast of Denmark during the tourist off-season, Every Storm a Serenade is a meditative masterwork that will lull you with its well-designed sentences and intimate tone.”

This gentleman is very woody, very masculine, very mossy, and very aftershavey. The aquatic and eucalyptus notes give this scent an overall feel of freshness. Definitely all of the notes mentioned are noticeable here and I think this would be a great scent on a man. I never would have tried this if IA hadn’t sent me a free sample as it looked like it was going to be way too masculine for my personal wearing tastes judging by the notes and sure enough, it is. But that being said, it is a well-crafted fragrance and if ‘very fresh/minty/aquatic/woodsy’ sounds like your ideal scent profile, you are probably going to love this.

I’d sum this fragrance up as ‘outdoorsy dude.’ Though the description references a rustic Danish fisherman, to me as a native Seattleite it’s reminiscent of the quintessential Pacific Northwestern weekend warrior who equally loves his mountain-skiing and water-skiing. Great performance, typical of this house, with both projection and longevity being well above average.

Find it here:

Every Storm a Serenade 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Every Storm a Serenade 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

Falling Into the Sea

• Notes: lemon, bergamot, grapefruit, lychee, tropical flowers, warm sand
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “At the age of nineteen Nica Galas published her first book, the autobiographical tome Falling into the Sea which chronicled her short and torrid love affair among the hot beaches and lemon trees in the Gulf of Naples. The breathtaking story opens with Nica and her girlfriends picking bunches of jasmine flower for boys while they cliff-jumped into the sea. An innocent first kiss erupts into an ardent summer entanglement which is cut short one moonlit night when her lover leaps into the dark abyss never to surface, leaving Nica naked on the cliffs screaming his name.”

Yummy sour citrus with a nice watery note in the background. I picture a citrus tart crossed with a bouquet of tropical beach flowers. The sweet and sour lychee and grapefruit notes are the stand-outs to me. The sourness mellows out as the fragrance dries down and it settles as a lovely tropical flower/lychee/grapefruit fragrance.

This is an all-around pleasant and easy to wear fragrance. Great choice for daytime and office, as well as the perfect vacation/beach scent. A no-brainer grab for anyone who loves tropical florals and beachy scents. Leans quite feminine. Out of all of these fragrances, this one is definitely on the lighter side and more of an intimate scent.

Find it here:

Falling Into the Sea 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Falling Into the Sea 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

Memoirs of a Trespasser

• Notes: Madagascar vanilla, guaiacwood, myrhh, benzoin resin, ambrette seeds, oak barrels
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “The early exploration writing of Philip Sava bent the limits of post-modern fiction, revealing fantastical worlds that fooled many into believing they were, in fact, real. Sava’s kaleidoscopic collections, of which Memoirs of a Trespasser is the undeniable centerpiece, drew upon true experiences from his exotic travels but were infused with a hallucinatory inventiveness that set his work apart from others in the genre. Though Sava had associates all over the world, he spent most of his time living in solitude on a ranch in southern Madagascar. When interrogated by the press on his cloistered lifestyle he notoriously answered, “Who needs love when there is still cognac in the glass?”

This vanilla-lovin’ gal is pretty happy that there’s yet another rich vanilla scent to adore from this house! Memoirs of a Trespasser opens with a rich/woody/powdery/vanillic/earthy impression. It has slight nuances of A Whiff of a Waffle Cone but is definitely its own thing. It’s not gourmand like Whiff of Waffle Cone, it’s more earthy, smoky, woodsy, resinous, and aromatic. And also powdery. And also balsamic. And also slightly boozy, lol There’s a ton of things going on here but I love it all.

It’s almost like the slightly more masculine counterpart to Whiff of Waffle Cone but not so masculine that I wouldn’t want to wear it myself. Definitely in a similar woodsy/resinous/boozy/vanilla family as a couple of my other big favorites in that genre, Jazz Club & Whispers in the Library from Maison Margiela. Good, moderate projection and another super long-lasting fragrance. I’m a fan!

Find it here:

Memoirs of a Trespasser 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Memoirs of a Trespasser 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

Saint Julep

• Notes: sweet mint, tangerine, Southern magnolia, bourbon, grisalva (a synthetic ambergris alternative), sugarcube
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “On the outskirts of Clarksdale, Mississippi, at the end of a secluded dirt road sat a small ramshackle church. It was not a place of worship but rather where many went to seek refuge during impoverished times. Legend has it the structure was transported to the wild mint field by hand, hoisted on the shoulders of two dozen men. The outside remained simple and nondescript but the interior was aglow with pilfered neon signs, Christmas lights, and a jukebox donated by the sheriff’s son. It was a distinctly secular place where locals who knew where to find it could share moonshine, socialize, and dance their troubles away. They called their ramshackle juke joint Saint Julep and the oral histories compiled within paint a picture of that magical place where “the smiles are always free and salvation had the distinct smell of sweet mint.”

The opening impression is lovely fresh mint mingling with the ambergris. It’s clean, vibrant, and 100% unisex. As it dries down, it becomes sweeter and more like a mint candy. I lightly get the tangerine but it’s not overwhelmingly citrusy. Despite the listed bourbon note, I did not find it to be all that boozy. I was quite surprised to see several other reviewers compare it to Baccarat Rouge 540. Other than the ambergris note, they really have nothing in common. This is so very minty and BR540 is a rich, caramelized experience. I know we all experience fragrances in our own unique way and I fully honor (and even celebrate!) that but I have to admit, that particular comparison was a bit of a head-scratcher for me. I will say that Mystic Sunset by Eau D’Italie does somehow smell like a lovechild of this and BR540, though!

Though you could certainly wear this fresh minty goodness year-round, I think it would really shine in the summertime. Projection starts out strong, but quickly quiets down to be more intimate. That light skin scent lasts a long time, though. Very enjoyable fragrance!

Find it here:

Saint Julep 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Saint Julep 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

The Soft Lawn

• Notes: linden blossom, grapefruit, laurel & ivy leaves, vetiver, oakmoss, ‘fresh tennis balls’
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “Claude LeCoq published his first book, The Soft Lawn, in 1916 while still attending Princeton University. A controversial portrait of adolescent upper-class rebellion in New England, the coming-of-age story follows Hampton Perry, a charmingly snotty college tennis champ who, after years of having everything handed to him on a silver platter, finds himself handing it all back. A little known fact about the author: Claude LeCoq wore only seersucker suits, known in that era as the wardrobe of the poor, and it was his gallant presence at high society dinners and prestigious sporting events that brought the fabric into popularity among the affluent in the ’20s.

WEIRD, it really does have a funky note reminiscent of a tennis ball! I was morbidly curious about that note, lol, which is why I HAD to try this one. I also love linden so happy to say that note is featured nicely here. This fragrance is very green, fresh, herbal, and spicy. There’s a lot of vetiver here and I’m not wildly into that note as it leans a bit too masculine on my skin for my own liking. But though it’s not a ‘me’ scent, this is quite interesting and unusual and I’m glad I gave it a sniff.

Sporty, green, herbal. I see this as a very springtime-y scent and it would be equally apropos in the summer. Projection starts out light and gains steam to turn more moderate. Another one with insane longevity that lasted well into the next day. A great choice for an ivy leaguer… or ivy leaguer wanna-be!

Find it here:

The Soft Lawn 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

The Soft Lawn 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

Telegrama

• Notes: talc, lavender absolute, black pepper, teak, amyris, vanilla powder, fresh linens
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “Separated when they were nineteen but forever tethered to hope, two Argentinian lovers, manage to stay in touch even as the world pulls them further and further apart. Persuasive messages, some of which take months to reach their recipient, dramatically alter the course of each of their lives but the time that passes between communications has a way of unraveling even the best-laid plans. Aboard a transatlantic flight many years later, the two are serendipitously united but the repercussions of this much-anticipated convergence could have global consequences.”

I really, REALLY wanted to love this one. It has so many notes I like and the name is super cool and reminds me of a Bjork remix album. But right off the bat, I detected a strong (unlisted) musk note and it just killed it for me. The powdery lavender in this fragrance reminds me a lot of Coffee Break (another Maison Margiela fragrance). This fragrance also has similar vibes with Sci Fi by Ellis Brooklyn. It definitely leans a touch masculine, as some lavender fragrances can, but it’s absolutely wearable for anyone. On my skin, from arm’s length, it’s sweeter and more vanillic. Up close, it’s quite powdery and the lavender and musk stand out a lot. To my nose, there’s also slight impressions of licorice and caramel. If it weren’t for the musk, this would easily be a HUGE love for me. The longer it dries down, the more it becomes a musky caramel with a slight hint of the lavender. And from there, the lavender becomes more and more faint to where I can barely detect it at the hour mark.

I would call this fragrance 75% masculine-leaning due to the musk and lavender. By the hour and a half mark, sadly, all I can smell is the musk which will always be a deal-breaker for me. Bummer. Other than the musk, I really liked this. Musk ruins more interesting scents for me, dang it! 😕 Projection is light to moderate and it is long-lasting. I’m definitely going to have my husband try this one and hopefully it will work better with his chemistry.

Find it here:

Telegrama 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Yesterday Haze

• Notes: fig, iris, cream, tonka, tree bark, walnut bitters, orchard dust
• Imaginary Story Behind the Fragrance: “Yesterday Haze,” the subtly sinister follow-up to Lenora Blumberg’s acclaimed debut “Violet Disguise,” tells the story of a farmer’s wife who, after maintaining a decades-long affair with a crop duster pilot, decides to come clean to her husband (who also happens to be her lover’s employer). “The memory of him is a rifle in my mouth,” Blumberg wrote, “and the scent of fig its trigger.” Set in California’s tranquil and dusty San Joaquin Valley, the elaborate tale unfolds like a dream, delicately shifting perceptions like the colors of a dimming dusk.”

The initial opening has a very edible, gourmandish quality to it. There’s the fig and something with a caramel/butterscotch/caramel corn (!?) impression. As it dries down, the powdery iris enters the picture as well as a fresh, herby, aromatic vibe. A slight impression of tart fruit joins the party around the 5-minute mark and the caramel corn feel starts to dissipate a bit. The longer I wear it, the tart fruit impression also dissipates and it centers on the powdery, clean fig along with the tonka and walnut.

People are always quick to compare any fragrance with a fig note in it to the gold standard fig fragrance, Diptyque’s Philosykos, but these two are pretty different from one another. Both are great but I would say this fig is greener, more powdery, and doesn’t have a strong milky/coconutty accord. It heads more in the direction of the tonka note and it’s lightly nutty from the walnut. I like fig scents and I like nutty scents so this is very enjoyable for me.

Definitely feminine-leaning but any fig scent lover should appreciate it. This one is definitely more of an intimate skin scent and lighter all around than most of the house’s other fragrances. As a general rule of thumb, it’s always best to test fragrances on your skin versus a tester strip but with this scent in particular, I REALLY would not recommend sampling on a tester strip as you can hardly smell it at all. It needs to come alive on your skin.

Find it here:

Yesterday Haze 1ml, 2ml, 5ml, 9ml decants, 50ml full bottle (at Scent Split)

Yesterday Haze 14ml travel-spray, 50ml (at Imaginary Author’s Amazon store)

So those are my impressions so far of Imaginary Authors! I can’t wait to order another Short Story sampler with the rest of the scents available from this house. Their latest fragrance, ‘Fox in the Flowerbed,’ was just released and with notes of jasmine, wildflower honey, and ‘alpine air,’ it sounds pretty amazing. I had so much fun testing these artistic and creative fragrances, I may just have to do a second post with the rest of their scents! I would love to know if any of you have tried anything from this imaginative house and what you thought of it. Please let me know in the comments! 📚✏📖

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