WHAT I SMELL: Enchanted Forest opens with a beautiful juicy blast of ripe blackcurrant. It’s lusciously mouth-watering and evokes the sensation of just picked fruit of a fresh and green fir. It’s so fresh and dense that you want to take a drink of the wine that it represents. After a bit the blackcurrent diminishes and what develops is more fir. It smells like a fresh Christmas tree after it had just been cut and the moist melting snow combined with the smell of the resins fill the air. After a lengthy transformation and many wanderings throughout the forest, you’re left with a slightly sweet and slightly spicy warm and comforting musk. Very beautiful indeed.
Top Notes: pink pepper, aldehydes, sweet orange (traces), flower cassis, blackcurrant leaf, hawthorn, effects of rum and wine, rosemary, davana.
Heart Notes: blackcurrant buds absolute (by LMR from Grasse), CO2 blackcurrant (by Floral Concept from Grasse), Russian coriander seed, honeysuckle, rose, carnation, vetiver.
Base Notes: opoponax resinoid, Siam benzoin, amber, oakmoss, fir balsam absolute, Patchouli Purecoeur®, castoreum absolute, cedar notes, vanilla, musk.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Enchanted Forest is named exactly for what it smells like; an enchanted forest. I can’t do any better than that for a visual. OK, maybe add Hansel and Gretel to the mix (minus an old witch)!
THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE ENCHANTED FOREST: lush, ripe, evergreen
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT ENCHANTED FOREST: Kafkaesque, Scents Memory
BOTTOM LINE: I really like this fragrance, especially the top notes which are just incredibly lush and full-bodied. The middle phase is OK, but the drydown makes this a comfort scent. I give an A for the marketing and packaging of this product and I’m sure there are plenty who will be clamouring for this when it goes on sale in the US. I probably would be in line for this as well, but I just wish they would offer this in 50ml size in addition to the 100ml version.
- Bone Rating: 4.5 out of 5 possible bones
- Scent: Woody Aromatic
- Nose: Bertrand Duchaufour
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: 140 Euros for 100ml EdP. Only available at Jovoy Paris at present.
Promotional sample provided by The Vagabond Prince.
The Scented Hound 
December 29, 2012 at 3:36 pm
Thank you for the reference and link, Mr. Hound! I laughed at your Hansel & Gretel “minus an old witch” line. It sounds like everyone thus far is totally enamoured by this fragrance and it leaves me feeling a little like a weirdo. I see how masterfully it has been done and how evocative it is. I fear I’m simply not enough of a fruit and fir girl to actually wear this scent — no matter how juicy the cassis. (Boy, it really *is* juicy, isn’t it?!) My personal tastes veer too far in a different direction. So, to quote something I read just yesterday, it just “doesn’t tickle my pickle.”
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December 29, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Sal – I’m so sorry that your pickle wasn’t tickled. I was surprised myself as how much I liked it. Not sure if it is FB worthy yet though. The bottle is oh so pretty though.
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December 29, 2012 at 5:08 pm
It is a lovely bottle. Very elegant in an old-fashioned, classique way. It reminds me a lot of Yves Rocher’s Ispahan bottle actually. They did a good job with all of that. But, you know, I share your wonder at why they didn’t release a 1.7 oz bottle along with the 3.3/3.4. Perhaps because the more affordable price wouldn’t make it seem as luxe? OT, did you find that “tickle my pickle” phrase as hilarious as I did? *grin* I laughed out loud for a solid minute or two when I read it. It shall be my new descriptor when describing scents I’m not in love with and have no wish to buy. 😀 *smooches*
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December 29, 2012 at 3:41 pm
This has got my interest. The fruity part is a little concerning but the rest of it sounds wonderful. Maybe it’s because it’s winter and we are in the holiday season but the smell of a forest seems perfect. And an enchanted forest, well, even better.
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December 29, 2012 at 4:55 pm
The fruity part is not too sweet Poodle. Instead it’s dripping wet with a beautiful Cassis… you must try. It is definitely a cold weather fragrance.
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December 29, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Great review. I’ve read about this fragrance at Fragrantica but I didn’t win a prize of a sample and noone has sent me one (they provided sample for bloggers but barely noone knows about existence of Chemist in the Bottle…)
Your description sounds interesting.
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December 29, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Lucas, you had to sign up as a blogger, they didn’t come and find me. You just had to fill out a form and provide your website. Maybe they’re still taking names?
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December 30, 2012 at 6:25 am
I think they’re not. But thanks for letting me know how things worked there.
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December 29, 2012 at 4:29 pm
:O
Check you out Mr.Uber Niche!!?!!
Why didn’t I see this at Jovoy? 😦 Sounds lovely. Kudos on the write up Steve, sounds lovely!
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December 29, 2012 at 4:57 pm
Freddie – this fragrance is the first from the editors of Fragrantica. They had it posted all over their website. I’ll let you believe that I’m “in the know”…but not so much 🙂
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December 29, 2012 at 6:50 pm
Ow Houndy don’t play it down! You’re a fountain of upcoming knowledge, that’s why I keep my eye closely on your page 😛 nah this sounds good though, good on you for hunting it out – hadn’t heard about it.
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December 29, 2012 at 8:26 pm
I am GAGGING to get my nose around a whiff of this. Jovoy in FEB!
Portia xx
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December 29, 2012 at 8:28 pm
What a great review and I am so glad you liked it too! But now the let down…so expensive…an arm and a leg along with all those euros! Yes they should make a 50m.
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December 29, 2012 at 8:28 pm
oh and thank you for mentioning my review !!!! Thanks!
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December 30, 2012 at 1:16 pm
Very lovely pacage. And very realistic scent though. I hope the opening doesn’t remind too much of Pino Silvestre. I like fir or more fir resin but not so much in a perfume and very dense concentration. It leans too much to masculine side then.
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December 31, 2012 at 11:46 am
It’s not too heavy on the resin…but I do believe that it leans a bit masculine. As such, I”m not sure how it would work for a woman. Happy New Year my dear!
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January 4, 2013 at 1:55 pm
Happy New Year to you too!
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December 30, 2012 at 5:08 pm
Beautiful bottle, lovely perfume — sounds like a disaster, for my wallet, that is. I will have to seek this out once it’s available in the U.S.
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December 31, 2012 at 11:47 am
I know. Here I’m thinking that I need to lay off on spending so much on perfume this year and already I feel the wallet starting to open. GRRRRR!
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December 31, 2012 at 11:38 am
Wow! What a beautiful bottle. Okay, I’m sold–even before smelling it, though it sounds lovely. 😀
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December 31, 2012 at 11:48 am
The bottle is spectacular…well at least from the pictures. I know that sometimes the actual bottle sometimes disappoints. Happy New Year Kay!
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