WHAT I SMELL:  Bohea Bohème initially sings with a beautiful leathered bergamot covered in a swath of cardamom, with hints of sweetness and brown sugared florals.  Incredibly exotic and lightly warmed, the perfume pulls you in and holds you captive as soon as it touches your skin.  After a few minutes, the perfume adopts of light creaminess and the sugared flakes turn more to a muted lotion.    There’s a haze that emanates from the cream, like smoked incense.   There’s also a tea note that emerges, but instead of dominating the perfume with a watery thin high pitch, the tea is rooted and thickened as if it’s made up of a reduction of warmed tea leaves in a bottom of a cup.  As the perfume continues to deepen, it seems to develop as if its a sheet that is unfurled and a dreamy sandalwood takes hold as the perfume seems to darken in color and depth. Bohea Bohème ends its journey quietly with a radiant breath that’s softly spiced and completely exotic.

From the Mona di Orio website:

Bohea Bohème captures the smoldering delicacy of the distinctive tea cultivated in the Wuyi Mountains of China. The precious Bohea Tea, fumed with pinewood, is prized for its complex aroma and rich character.

Notes:  Italian Bergamot, Cardamom Absolute, Florentine Iris, Blue Chamomile, Poplar Bud Absolute, Fir Balsam Fraction, Boxtree absolute, Geranium Absolute, Black tea oil, Smoked Juniper, Oakwood absolute, Sandalwood India, Beeswax Absolute, Bay leaf Absolute.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A snake in the most beautiful sense of being…the perfume doesn’t develop as much as it slowly glides through the most subtle of movements revealing small nuances as it wraps itself around the wood and green.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE BOHEA BOHÈME:  gorgeous, mysterious, exotic

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT BOHEA BOHÈME:  CaFleureBon, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE: When I found out that the new Mona di Orio perfume was tea based I have to say that I was not excited as tea based perfumes are one of my least favorite genres.  However, Bohea Bohème broke the mold for me…it’s absolutely breathtaking in its originality and the tea note is just one amongst all the notes that blends seamlessly to create this skin hugging mystery.  Perfumer Fredrik Dalman has created something very special here.

• Bone Rating:  4.5 out of possible 5 bones
• Scent:  Woody Spicy
• Nose: Fredrik Dalman
• Classification: Unisex
• Expense: $245 for 75 ml eau de parfum