Fredrik Dalman | The Scented Hound

WHAT I SMELL: Dõjima has a soft and subtle opening which quickly gives rise to a warm and milky rice and a nutty amber. The perfume is quiet and contained and it seems to possess a zen like reverence. While the miky rice note remains as it develops, the amber takes on more a floral hue. And the florals seem to float above the milkiness as if they are dancing lightly atop a ripple on a quiet pond. The remaining nutty amber seems to flicker in and out which makes the perfume lightly gourmand with hints of green tea. Dõjima is slow to transform, but being true to the serenity of the fragrance, its gentle unfolding is like a quiet journey for the soul.

From the Mona di Orio website:

The name derives from the Dōjima Rice Exchange founded by Samurai in 1697 in Osaka, Japan. Let us travel back to this moment in time, have the beauty and serenity of a single rice grain work as your seductive armor.

Dõjima turns to powder as it combines with the warmth of the skin and a cloud of rice powder surrounded by jasmin and orris radiates through the day. The soft texture of rice is lifted by a warm powdered amber speckled with dry spices and woods on a creamy musk base.

Rice Accord, nutmeg absolue, ambrette, jasmin, orris, clary sage absolute, labdanum CO2, sandalwood and precious musks.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: Lotus flowers scattered amongst the rice fields.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE DÕJIMA: quiet, serene, balanced

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DÕJIMA: CaFleureBon, Colognoisseur

BOTTOM LINE: I am a big fan of perfumer Fredrik Dalman, his Mona di Orio debut Bohea Boheme was one of my picks for new releases of last year. Like Bohea Boheme, Dõjima quietly unfolds the mysteries of the east. There is nothing brash, nor hard about this gem, but like a jewel, its beauty sparkles with a reverent dignity.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Floral Woody Musk
Nose: Fredrik Dalman
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $200 for 75 ml eau de parfum

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