WHAT I SMELL: Not surprisingly, Bucoliques de Provence opens with a soft cashmere iris which is soon met with a deep brown sugared and herbal lavender. It’s slightly medicinal, but very comforting; and in all it’s just so pretty and calming. Soon, a mix of herbs and spices pepper the lavender, making the perfume feel a bit chewy vs. the standard powdered dry lavender that we associate with the note. As the perfume continues to develop, it begins to flatten and it takes on a more woody consistency. At the same time, the spices really come forward…actually, in a quite caustic manner. What used to be calming, now has an unfortunate bite. After quite some time, the lavender turns to a laundry detergent familiarity and the perfume feels like it should be used as more of a bed or room spray. Supposedly there is some leather in here, but I’m not picking any of it up. Instead I am getting a dried flower kitchen witch vibe…and that’s not a good thing. After quite some time, the iris comes back in with a light powder and the kitchen witch begins to dissipate. The perfume becomes soft and kind of pretty…but unfortunately I’m left with a headache caused by the kitchen witch development
Kitchen Witch
From the L’Artisan Parfumeur website:
Bucoliques de Provence is a limited edition fragrance. It marks the beginning of a new collection inspired by different regions of France. This perfume pays homage to the history of Grasse. Perfumery in this region with its distinctive lavender fields, dates back to the 17th century and is linked to the historic production of leather. The perfumer has combined lavender and leather with iris and spices creating a soft, faceted scent. Bucoliques de Provence is modern in its pure and naturalistic approach.
Inspired by the savoir-faire of artisans in Grasse, an accord of leathery lavender, modernised by iris and spices.
WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A gray goose…kind of pretty, but not as pretty as a white swan, a little annoying and not as fun as a duck.
THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BUCOLIQUES DE PROVENCE: wannabe, wafting, cleanser
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BUCOLIQUES DE PROVENCE: The Scented Salamander, Chemist in the Bottle
BOTTOM LINE: The perfume’s opening is divine until you get to the kitchen witch in the middle which makes you want to run. In the end, the perfume does calm down and becomes a quiet powdered iris, but that’s not enough of a save to make me want to come back.
- Bone Rating: 2.5 out of possible 5 bones
- Scent: Leather?
- Nose: Fabrice Pellegrin
- Classification: Unisex
- Expense: $105 for 50 ml eau de parfum
The Scented Hound 
November 14, 2016 at 9:26 am
Seems like we had similar experience with Bucoliques, finding parts we really liked and parts that felt repulsing. Just in your case it was the “kitchen witch ” and for me it was a disturbing leather
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November 14, 2016 at 5:36 pm
LOL…yes, the middle stop on the journey seemed to be out of wack, like the bus was hijacked for a short time.
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November 15, 2016 at 12:49 am
Good comparison
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November 14, 2016 at 3:58 pm
I doubt I’d like this fragrance, but I absolutely love your review of it.
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November 14, 2016 at 5:35 pm
It was the gray goose wasn’t it?!
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November 14, 2016 at 5:59 pm
Yes. I was once chased by some very angry geese while riding my bike once as a kid. The gray one doesn’t seem nearly as hostile.
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November 14, 2016 at 6:56 pm
I have never heard of a kitchen witch until now. That said, gorgeous bottle but apparently forgettable juice. I will give it a passing sniff the next time I pass by a counter. You may have been generous with your 2.5 bones! Also, what kind of fun have you had with a duck?
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November 14, 2016 at 7:31 pm
The opening was breathtaking and the end was pretty…but the middle just didn’t work at all…so I think that 2.5 was fair. Aren’t all ducks fun??! Think AFLAC.
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November 14, 2016 at 11:38 pm
Kitchen witches…..mmm. There were a fair few of those out at the election booths last week I would wager……
Is this another Bertrand number? I wish they would get someone else in to the house, to be honest – I can’t stand his work!
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November 15, 2016 at 5:46 am
Actually, it’s Fabrice Pelligrin….and Mr. Duchafour is prolific in his compositions for sure….not all a winners, but I do love his Neela Vermiere creations.
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November 15, 2016 at 8:44 am
I like a few myself, actually, but on the whole they are just never smooth enough for me.
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November 15, 2016 at 7:34 am
If I hadn’t had some unpleasant encounters with geese, I would say yours looks rather dapper and friendly. I know better, though. What perfume, I wonder, would be represented by a duck? On the other hand, I can’t recall any encounters with a kitchen witch. Must Google.
Oh … the perfume … yeah, I’ll pass.
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November 16, 2016 at 7:27 am
My dearest Holly…I don’t see you with this at all…and I don’t see you loving a kitchen witch…but you are rather ducky 🙂
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November 17, 2016 at 8:41 am
You just made my day! 😀
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November 15, 2016 at 4:33 pm
Oh dear, I had hoped that one would be nice, but not to be, it seems. It sounds like it opened nicely but then drove right off the cliff into the goose pond…. I’ll stick with my current lavender loves, Lutens Encens et Lavande and Guerlain’s Mon Exclusif and Lavandula by Penhaligon’s.
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November 16, 2016 at 7:28 am
I’ll stick with my Vero Profumo Kiki 🙂
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November 26, 2016 at 2:06 pm
The review made me smile. Now I really want to try this perfume: not because I think I’ll like it more than you did, but I’m curious to smell what you’ve described on my own.
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