woody spicy | The Scented Hound

June 27, 2016
by The Scented Hound 13 Comments

New Release: Mona di Orio Bohea Bohème

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

January 25, 2016
by The Scented Hound 7 Comments

New Releases: Constance & Quentin by Deco London Perfumes

CONSTANCE

WHAT I SMELL: Constance opens with the most inviting deep mandarin floral combination; it’s gorgeous, big, beautiful and rather buttery…and it’s thick and juicy and completely rapturous…oh, I could keep on going! In a short time, the thick sheen of juice soon begins to thin and soften and the rather fruity opening moves to a light spice with jasmine at the heart. Constance remains incredibly pretty, but the big, and bold moves towards the more mysterious and exotic. Vanilla sets the tone moving forward, but with a light hand. The perfume is so incredibly warm and inviting and it feels as if it pulses off the skin as if it were an extension of one’s being. Additionally, a bit of labdanum adds just the right amount of amber like dimension keeping the vanilla in check. In the end, Constance is this intoxicating warm and exotic floral that’s spiced, lightly powdered and incensed. Constance is a head turner and absolutely beautiful.

From the Deco London website:

…perfect for those who love fruity and spicy scents, jasmine, luxury woods and vanilla…

The year is 1927…Constance is vivacious, passionate and chic; effortlessly elegant in tailored blouses and trousers during the day, but at night she is the centre of attention in an Egyptian-inspired beaded dress, red lipstick and daring high heels …

Top – Bergamot, Mandarin Blossom, Mimosa

Middle – Raspberry Blossom, Rose, Pink Pepper, Jasmine, Patchouli

Base – Sandalwood, Labdanum, Vanilla, Beeswax, Musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A woman of mystery…Mata Hari.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE CONSTANCE: intoxicating, rapturous, temptress (OK, so that’s a noun)

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Woody
Nose: Robertet
Classification: Feminine, but I could see a man wearing this as well.
Expense: $120 for 50ml eau de parfum. Exclusively sold in the US by Indigo Perfumery.

QUENTIN

WHAT I SMELL: Quentin opens with a rather funky herbal tarragon and a cinnamon that mixed together is bold and smells a little off. This initial funk makes me wonder what kind of ride I’m in for. Soon enough, the herbal discordant opening starts to even out the rough edges and the mixture moves from the funkified to a more flattened woodiness and light leather. At this stage, the perfume is really dry and the leather is front and center and a woody vetiver takes its place next to it. In addition, a patchouli adds just a light sweetness to the perfume, but it chooses to stay in the background. For some time, there’s a noticeable petroleum smell, as if the leather was cured in oil and grease. But as the perfume develops, that starts to dissipate and a floral warmth takes its place. On paper, this smelled a great deal to me like Miss Dior. On my skin however, I am thinking not so much…that is until around 30 minutes into the wear. And that’s a good thing. Miss Dior rocks my world and it is about as masculine of a woman’s perfume as there is. As the perfume continues to develop, it becomes less Miss Dior and ends up in this petroleum fueled leather spiced musk. Quentin is a traditional scent fortified with just the right amount of daring.

From the Deco London website:

…perfect for those who love assertive elegant woody scents, leather notes and musk…

The year is 1925… Quentin is charming, stylish and impeccably attired and is always impeccably attired in flamboyant style. You will often find him relaxing by day at the cricket drinking a fine Sauvignon blanc and at parties by night sipping champagne…

Top notes: Bergamot, Cinnamon Bark, Tarragon

Heart notes: Carnation, Geranium, Patchouli

Base notes: Moss, Leather, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Musk

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: The original Red Baron, Manfred von Richthofen.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE QUENTIN: bold, self-assured, headstrong

Bone Rating: 3.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Spicy
- Nose: Robertet
Classification: Masculine
- Expense: $120 for 50ml eau de parfum. Exclusively sold in the US by Indigo Perfumery.

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT DECO LONDON PERFUMES: BGirl Rhapsody

BOTTOM LINE: The Deco London line beautifully captures the essence of traditional perfumery, but with a modern sensibility. As you can see, Constance is my favorite in the line, but the feminine floral essence of Millicent comes in a close second. For the men, Quentin has that modern edge that makes it unique, but Ernest is an incredible old school classic perfume. What a great start for a new perfume house. Welcome Deco London, you’ve made quite the splash!

Samples courtesy of Indigo Perfumery.

October 7, 2015
by The Scented Hound 6 Comments

New Release: Aqua Vitae Forte by Maison Francis Kurkdjian

WHAT I SMELL: Aqua Vitae Forte opens softly with a beautiful sugar kissed bergamot and citrus. It’s light and ethereal, romantic and pretty as well as comfortably warm and lightly powdered. Blended seamlessly, the notes are very hard to distinguish except for a floral finish on a bed of beautiful sandalwood which also provides for a slightly soured bitterness, which does not detract from the perfume’s beauty. After quite some time, Aqua Vitae Forte begins to grow ever so quietly and a slight celery like accord and hints of spice come forward giving the perfume this floral and vegetal presence. The perfume is slow to develop and it transforms like a dreamlike cloud passing oh so slowly to reveal the sun once the wisps of the clouds have passed.

From the Maison Francis Kurkdjian website:

Dive into the memory of a summer day when the sun’s rays brush against a tanned skin. Imagine the caress of a floral and woody breeze… Aqua Vitae forte forges this invisible bond between the freshness of the nights to come and the heat of the days gone by.

Olfactory Description:

Bergamot and lemon from Calabria – Cardamom from Guatemala – Cinnamon from Ceylon East Indian sandalwood – Mandarin from Sicily – Orange blossom from Tunisia – Pink Szechuan pepper – Vetiver from Haiti – Ylang ylang from Madagascar.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: There’s a delicateness to the perfume, that’s met with a strong foundation like a set of beautiful fine china.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE AQUA VITAE FORTE: subdued, enigmatic, restrained

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT AQUA VITAE FORTE: Colognoisseur, Fragrance Emergency

BOTTOM LINE: Aqua Vitae Forte is like the second cousin of Puredistance WHITE, which I love. Except this perfume is a bit lighter and ethereal, but equally as romantic and beautiful.

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Woody Spicy
Noses: Francis Kurkdjian
Classification: Feminine
Expense: $275 for 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum

Sample courtesy of Arielle Shoshona