Maai

Strap in, because Bogue Profumo’s *MAAI* isn’t just a fragrance—it’s a goddamn olfactory apocalypse, a chypre so ferociously majestic it could make a panther bow down and pledge allegiance. This is the scent of legends, the kind of perfume that doesn’t just walk into a room—it *claims* the room, the building, and the whole damn block. I swear it’s one of the best things I’ve ever smelled in my life, a fragrance so profound it speaks to souls like my friend’s mother, an 80-something Manhattan society doyenne from the Upper East Side, dripping with culture and wisdom from a life of voracious reading and refined taste. Let me rip into why this is an effulgent, earth-shaking masterpiece. From the first spritz, *MAAI* doesn’t tiptoe—it roars. Those original 2014-2019 batches? They were a mossy, ambery, animalic juggernaut, like a velvet-clad barbarian storming a baroque palace. I went through 5 bottles. The tuberose, rose, jasmine, and ylang ylang come out swinging, a floral quartet so lush and indolic it’s practically NSFW. This isn’t some polite bouquet; it’s a jungle of white flowers dripping with honeyed nectar, their petals bruised with a dark, narcotic edge that grabs me by the scented soul and doesn’t let go. The tuberose alone is a buxom diva with a femme fatale switchblade, creamy yet feral, while the rose and jasmine weave in a sultry, almost gothic romance. Ylang ylang adds a tropical, banana-like decadence that makes me feel like I’m sipping rum in a moonlit opium den. I’m drunk and high on this. But the real magic—the part that makes *MAAI* a chypre for the ages—is that mossy, animalic growl. Those early batches were drenched in oakmoss, not the polite, neutered stuff of modern perfumery but a deep, inky, forest-floor stanky mossiness that’s like inhaling the earth after a storm. Luca Turin, the perfume world’s sharpest tongue, called *MAAI* a “full-on animalic chypre” with a “glorious, radiant darkness,” and he’s not wrong. The civet, castoreum, and hyraceum in those original batches were like a pack of wild beasts prowling through the scent, their musky, leathery, slightly skanky edge giving *MAAI* a primal, almost dangerous allure. It’s the olfactory equivalent of a black leather jacket worn by a poet who’s just walked out of a brawl. Now those of you who are worried about reformations, take heart. I have two bottles from 2020 to 2022. They are quite similar to the originals —just dialed down. Then there’s the dried fruits and sandalwood, which add a layer of chewy, resinous warmth—like biting into a fig soaked in spiced rum, with creamy sandalwood smoothing the edges but never taming the beast. Kafkaesque, that oracle of fragrance obsession, raved about *MAAI*’s “baroque richness” and its ability to evoke “a lost era of perfumery,” and damn if that doesn’t hit the nail on the head. This is a scent that feels like it was ripped from the 1970s, when chypres were bold, unapologetic, and dripping with character. The newer batches, while slightly less growly, still carry that same DNA—they’re like the original’s sophisticated younger sibling, still wild but with a touch more polish, letting the florals and amber shine a bit brighter without losing the soul. And they still last for an eternity. *MAAI* is exotic, earthy, woody, and dark, but it’s also transcendent, like a love letter to the golden age of perfumery written in blood and gold. It’s not for everyone—thank God. This is a scent for the initiated, for those like my friend’s mother, who’ve lived, loved, and read deeply enough to appreciate its complexity. It’s for the cultured, the bold, the ones who don’t just wear a fragrance but wield it like a weapon of charisma. Antonio Gardoni didn’t just create *MAAI*—he unleashed it, a chypre so effulgent it could light up the night sky or burn it down, depending on its mood. When I spritz this on, I’m not just wearing a scent—I’m channeling a force of nature. Bow down, mortals, *MAAI* is king.

Hm, how to begin? I’ll start from the end - this piece is, in my opinion, an absolut masterpiece. It belongs among the most unusual in my collection and not only there: generally speaking, it’s one of the most unusual things I’ve ever had under my nose, and I believe also one of the most unusual I will ever have under my nose. For fragrance enthusiasts it’s an absolute must and for laypeople best avoided by a wide margin. I believe that more than 95% of people are unable to appreciate what this is and to understand why anyone would create such a fragrance and even less why anyone would wear it. Wear it, build your outfit and attitude around it, and I guarantee that to strangers who encounter it, you’ll be a complete enigma. The unspoken question will be: “Who the hell is that? What kind of person wears this?” Is it nice? No, it is not nice in the traditional sense. This is not made to please. But it is absolutely beautiful in unconventional way. It is extraordinary... and breathtaking, aggressive, provocative, sensual, expressive, dominant. This is not a fragrance you wear simply because you like it. You wear it like a second outfit - to make a point or to achieve something. And the message it sends is delivered with absolute authority and self-assurance. This fragrance is uncompromising and stern. Yesterday I wore it for about half a day (outdoors, around 2 °C above freezing). A friend I was out in nature with told me he could smell me from far away. I asked him how the scent felt to him. The only thing he said was, “uhm... hmm... I’m not very good whit this, I don’t like it.” I told him - exactly. This is worn with the awareness that 95% of people won’t like it. It’s meant to disturb, to unsettle. But not in a repulsive way - once again, the scent is beautiful in its own way. And in what it is, it represents for me the absolute pinnacle of the pyramid. In the same vein, I would also like to draw attention to Salome by Papillon Artisan Perfumes, though its expression is far gentler in this sence. I’m deeply grateful to have encountered this work, to hold it in my collection, and above all, to wear it. Longevity: eternal Sillage: enormous Gender: awakened I don’t know whether my opinion will help you decide if you’re considering a blind buy, but know this: this is something extraordinary and you may need to learn how to wear it and how to love it. But once that happens, nothing in life will stand in your way.

Maai was launched in June 2014 and features a vintage aspect of the strong and masculine colognes of yesteryear. If the bearded man of this decade learned to like sweet and oriental scents for nightclubs, the man of the 70’s and 80’s, proud of his mustache, really liked a good fougère or a more animalic and mossy chypre. And Maai brings back that kind of fragrance to the present day. However, it is important to say that Maai was not made only for men, but for women as well. It is a unisex fragrance that, in my opinion, takes a long time to present its floral and feminine facets. Maai has notes of tuberose, rose, jasmine, ylang-ylang, dried fruits, aldehydes, sandalwood, oakmoss, and hyraceum, which is the note responsible for the animalic accord. Hyraceum is the petrified excrement of Procavia Capensis (also known as Rock Hyrax), composed of feces and urine, whose result has elements that combine the scent of civet, castoreum, musk, and even tobacco. When reading the composition, it is not difficult to imagine a potent floral with a dense base. But make no mistake, because the output is resinous and strong. Right off the bat, it reminded me of colognes like Gentleman, Giorgio for Men and Bijan Men. And that impression has been maintained throughout its evolution. The beauty of Maai lies in the indolic nuances of jasmine and in the green nuances of tuberose, which blend with a pungent smell of myrrh and rest on a beautiful mossy base. Its projection is high, its evolution is slow and its lasting is extreme. It takes time to notice the small changes, which show floral facets almost covered by honey and at the same time full of chypre aspect. Undoubtedly, it is an intriguing and complex perfume, even more, if we think that its creator has a formation in architecture and little history in the universe of the perfumery. Maai is proof that a good classic will always have room at any time. Worth knowing!

"A lush floral garden - one with beds of roses and jasmine, laced with creamy sparkling aldehydes - heavily guarded and surrounded by unchained wild black panthers; WARNING: Not for faint-hearted guests." "Oh my--" was the first thing I uttered when I smelled it for the first time. Just from the whiff of it, it smells a lot like MDCI Chypre Palatin because of the overload of oakmoss. I was wondering if they smell similar overall because both are of chypre group, but after putting it to the test, the difference became obvious. Maai is a concoction of the Old World, a pure vintage scent that makes one say "they don't make scents like this anymore these days". It's a contradictory "portion", as how Mr. Gardoni calls it: clean yet dirty, bright yet dark. There's a perfect balance of animalics and florals that don't creepy into each other; rather, they sit side-by-side and gradually showcase themselves after some time. On my skin, as exactly as the opening of my review, the heart is a purely clean heart made up of a trio of florals: rose, jasmine and tuberose, coupled with aldehydes. Around them though, is a blend of the major animalics: civet, musk, castoreum and hyraceum... basically, a black panther. It smells a lot like Chanel No.5 layered with Chypre Palatin and a dash of an animalic fragrance (Kouros, maybe?). Longevity is really good; on a cool day, it may last up to 12 hours. The sillage, surprisingly, is not as enormous as I thought it would be but it's definitely noticeable from a distance. Maai is definitely NOT for everyday use, and perhaps even for everyone. One has to really love animalic-florals (especially animalics), and very confident or comfortable in his/her own skin to pull it off. Occasion-wise, it's best for special night events or if one just feels feral for the night. A masterpiece of a perfume.

WOW is this stuff beastly animalic and full of vintage beauty! I immediately pictured the days when women still wore real mink furs with pride and big real musk extracts were a (legal) thing. I get a blast of fatty soap bubble aldeyhdes at the opening and oh-so civet muskiness. It smells of a bygone era of perfumery, rich and warm and unabashedly MUSKY. Seems to be a blend of civet, honey based, and jasmine's indolic musks all rolled into one. The overall effect is warm, rich, super skanky, and vintage. Later my suspicion of honey based musks was confirmed when a slight ambery honeycomb note rose, mingling gloriously with the civet facet. It very vaguely reminded me of Krizia's Teatro edp with that note specifically, hours into the drydown. Also it easily lasted 6 hours on me so I don't understand the longevity ratings here, and that was just from a dab sample! I'll enjoy wearing it for the day but I don't think I could wear it regularly as it reminds me of the smell of playing around my great grandma's vanity and jewelry when I was young. (Literally. She wore scents of this tone and her room was saturated by them.) This is both nostalgic and like stepping into someone else's shoes when I wear it. I keep imagining the wafts of her cigarettes weaving through the notes, too... but I think that part's just in my head by association ;) I like it in the same way I like the big mink coats I pictured it paired with; gorgeous, luxurious, but so eccentric that I'd blush just to walk out of the house in it! As a side note, I had the Long Lost Perfumes' version of Revlon's Intimate and this reminds me of it.

Great news! My 2 bottles (from the 5 I had) from the 2014-2016-2018 (original era) are Inimitably gorgeous, which the Shallow Hollows cannot handle, as the original MAAI is an animalic, retro, hardcore, rich, mentholated, woody-balsamic, syrupy-floral, mossy-funky proper Chypre. My 2 bottles from the 2020-2022 era are great but dialed back—and that is saying something because two sprays on the neck still last all day on skin and indefinitely on fabric. Very close to the original but not as “mean” or thick and growly. Yesterday, I received 2 bottles of the 2025 batch, which is both advertised and confirmed by LuckyScent to be as close to the original 2014-era batches as possible; confirmed by my contact at LuckyScent; confirmed on Gardoni’s/Bogue’s IG page; and now confirmed by me. These are VERY close to the original: MUCH more civet; MUCH mossier; and MUCH richer. (The strength of all batches is 21%, and between that and the ingredient quality, this is an extrait. I should add that the 2025 MAAI has the name of the fragrance printed on the back of the bottle’s box and indeed also is labeled as an extrait.) Just as I was getting used to the “weaker” batches—which were still 15 kiloton bombs—I now have 50 megaton Tsar Bomba bottles back in hand. I cannot understand why anyone wouldn’t love this scent. Then again, I cannot understand why anyone would want to smell like sweet cherries and fake candy, so to each his own. The smell of old beer, civet paste, and back pain medicine sounds like the smell of heaven to me. Classic!

Maai very clearly comes off as the juxtaposition of two dominant layers that fill the whole spectrum, as the title suggests. The top is this sharp aldehydic, black pepper and eucalyptus chord, that makes for a very cold iridescent cloud, and violently fills a room for the first 30 minutes. The second layer comes off as this pungent hyraceum and oakmoss combo, and is rendered quite arid through the smoky element. These are the main notes of the drydown, that comes off as a dry mossy leather. The floral bouquet, resins, sandalwood and civet are lurking; they are the roomtone for the elements Gardoni decided to let scream. The complete cleanliness and dirtiness merging is a beautiful cacophony. Gardoni ends up partly subduing the chypre by exploring its jagged edges. The animalics and aldehydes are pushed to their legible limit here, very very close to being unbearable yet stop exactly where they need to. It isn't softened through the use of fruity elements like many of its kind, which bypasses the stereotypical associations in the process. None of the other unashamed modern chypres I've tried seem to work as well on me. The very postmodern contrast of MAAI is very charming and endlessly exciting. I've gone through a sample and a dent in a full bottle and I'm not tired of this. I find new facets on every wear, I keep editing this review like a madman but that's just how much this made an impact on me. The best scent in my collection.

MAAI is the scent of a bygone moment in time, from the golden era of classical French perfumery with its powerful vintage charm. It takes the idea of a traditional Chypre composition, but far dirtier, erotic and outrageously animal. I love it. An intensely sharp and bitter opening of bergamot, with zest and rind at the forefront, paired with a bright aldehydic medley of white florals greet you initially. It’s not long before the filthy side of this scent emerges however, an intoxicatingly brutal cocktail of castoreum, civet, hyraceum and musk burns at your nostrils - giving the scent this overall sharp, unclean and noticeably urinous facet which persists endlessly. A base of smooth oakmoss, woods and warm resins attempt to compete with these stronger materials, but cannot. There’s a lot going on here, it’s incredibly hard to unpack it all. To me, it feels like it’s taken inspiration from the iconic Bal à Versailles with its intensely animalic and resinous rendition of a floral chypre, but remains its own creation entirely. It can smell mind-bogglingly busy and overcrowded at times, and so extreme caution with the sprayer must be advised, but in the right amounts this perfume can be absolutely sublime and tranquil for the right kind of person. I could never wear this out and about, social events and work are a definite no-go; but at home, in the peaceful serenity of solitude, it thrives on my skin.

There are perfumes you wear, and perfumes that wear you back. MAAI belongs to the latter category—a creature with breath, warmth, and intellect. It’s been called a dinosaur, but that’s wrong: it’s not extinct, it’s eternal. MAAI is the proof that classic perfumery can resurrect itself in the modern world not as a relic, but as a force of nature. The Smell of the Sublime I previously noted Kant and the Beatiful re: MAAI. But this is not Beautiful; it is Sublime. The opening isn’t musty—it’s incandescent. MAAI begins with a mentholated shimmer, an electric green current that fizzes through aldehydes and camphorous white florals. Quickly, the waxy heart unfurls: tuberose, ylang-ylang, and jasmine, painted not in candy tones but chiaroscuro—petal and shadow, body and ghost. Beneath it, the animalic hum begins: civet, castoreum, hyraceum, a thrum of body heat under silk. The drydown lingers for hours—mossy, resinous, salted, leathered—like the faint musk left in the pews of an old cathedral. MAAI isn’t vintage cosplay. It’s not nostalgic or “dusty.” It’s trans-temporal, an architecture built from old bones and new light. I cannot understand those who don’t smell the Power and the Glory. Perhaps they should stick to woody-Amber synthetic nose-burners. Modernity is ugly, in Architecture, Literature, Painting, Music, and Perfume. Dead, Soul-Crushing, and Weak. MAAI is the corrective to that Sickness.

Ohhh, Maai! ;) I was craving something particularly skanky/carnal smelling to wear (just for myself) tonight, and dug this out of the sample box, since last time I didn't get to wear it for long before going to bed and it's been months. The opening reminds me of freshly steam cleaned, very old carpets. Like the shampoo they use to clean it plus that dusty, lived in smell coming out of it. Not a fan of this part, but it gives a hint of the delicious warm animalics to come. 15 mins or so later, it's exactly what I wanted: a dirty, sensual blend of resinous warmth, a touch of cinnamon/cumin heat, and civet/labdanum warm muskiness for good measure (which is where most of the 'vintage' vibe comes from). Oh and an unmistakable incense note as well, very deep and sexy and rebellious in an I-don't-care-that-my-cigarette-is-bothering-you kinda way, like a flapper girl with the cigarette extender transported to our era, haha. Unapologetically done in vintage style, and I'm lovin' every bit of it. Would I have the courage to wear this in public? Probably not. But I'm really enjoying the purr of this baby for myself! P.S. Yes it smells like Amouage Jubilation in tone, but the fattiness of the aldehydes in that one turn my stomach; this one doesn't have that sharp/rich combo, the aldehydes are very different. P.P.S. I love huggie's review so much <3 [11/17]

Something has changed. Is it me? Is it this? Is it the universe? I honestly don’t know. All I know is that I hated this perfume when I tried it a couple of years ago but on revisiting it today, oh my word, it’s absolutely brilliant. I sprayed it expecting the worst, thinking, “Here we go again.” But no. This isn’t the rotting corpse I remember. It’s bright, resinous, and totally alive - a technicolor rush of fleshy tuberose set against the sharp and sour indolic jasmine. It should feel chaotic, but somehow it just clicks. Then a creaminess rolls in and softens everything, wrapping the florals in a warm, enveloping hug. I must be anosmic to musk because even the skankiest ones just feel pretty to me, and it’s the same story here. I keep searching for the animalics everyone swears are so intense, but on my skin it’s warm, comforting, even tender. It’s big and loud, yet quiet and restrained all at once. I won’t pretend for a second that I’ve figured this perfume out. It feels like something that would take many wears and many moments of quiet contemplation to truly understand. But what I can say is that it’s intriguing, it’s compelling, and it’s art. And unlike so many other beautifully artistic things, it’s also a genuine joy to wear, not some challenge you feel you need to conquer.

I love maai. I am not usually a fan of such aninal perfumes but in this case, despite the civet load it has, it is so well mixed that it does not become unpleasant at any time. However it has a performance as good or even better than other animalic fragrances that I have tried, such as diaghilev by roja or Mandorari in prin, perfumes that I remember a lot. The aldehydes make the perfume shine and give it an airy touch that also gives me the feeling that it helps it project a little more and does not get the civet and the resins so attached to the skin as sometimes happens with this type of perfumes. I do not know if I would buy it because I do not know if I see myself wearing this type of scent often, but I do not rule it out, which is already a lot for a perfume like that. My favorite of the brand is still douleur because, although It is the rarest and most difficult of all, it is the one that least reminds me of anything I have tried before. Bogue is a highly recommended brand. Those who like floral and resinous perfumes with prominent notes of civet and aldehydes have a great option in maai! Scent: 8 Longevity: 9 Projection: 8 Value for money: 6 Versatility: 6 Originality: 8 Overall: 8.5

It's hard not to be influenced by Kafkaesque's depiction of Maai as pure Valkyrie. A pungent tuberose diva but severe, not soft, far more Bandit than Fracas. Many complex layers of richness & power. One of the few arenas where I'm not turned off by aldehydes. Makes a potent statement: old-school chypre vibes, bass rumble of an animalic growl. Neither fluffy nor sweet. It's thrilling. I have a dark green cartoonishly heavy tweed 50s suit, bracelet-sleeved & pencil-skirted (Courtney Love tried to jack it in the 90s, it looked very Prada at the time), that I wear to meetings when I want to be intimidating. It's my Editrix look. Maai is the signature fragrance of the character I'm trying to summon with this outfit. Think Diana Vreeland, Helen Gurley Brown, Maggie Prescott in Funny Face, Emily Eustace in Breakfast at Tiffany's. She's a raspy-voiced broad, cheekbones sharp & wit sharper, outmaneuvers everyone with ease & glee. Snagged a decant of the original elixir as soon as I heard it was reformulated. Gardoni is a genius & I'm sure the new version is still wonderful but wanted all the teeth. 5ml should last a while, this is practically an extrait.

Reviewing a bottle from ? 2022 Lot MA 022 02A. Maai was launched in 2014. A rare full bodied, primal powerhouse of a chypre as envisioned by an artist. Maai opens with a symphony of bright piercing green aldehydes followed by indolic florals - predominantly tuberose. All this is contrasted against a dense resinous animalic base. There is a hint of leather. I will try not to be too graphic but really this smells like beautifully distorted Chanel 5 type aliphatic aldehydes sprayed onto someone's unwashed privates.This may be the most challenging fragrance in my collection but I have grown to really appreciate it. Quality- excellent 5/5 (ingredients and blending) Bogue Profumo like many small artisinal brands produces in occasional batches so bear in mind that there will be some year to year variation so it might be like opening a box of chocolates although they are all delicious.) Unisex Performance- excellent 5/5 Maai is a dense animalic chypre so raw it feels post modern rather than vintage. Not as objectively beautiful as MEM but perhaps more intriguing. Approach with caution as you would any other beautiful wild animal. 10/10

This is the most unapologetic fragrance I've smelled in my life. When spraying this for the first time at the office, just 1 spray, everyone was sniffing and wondering what the hell was going on. Maai is a "crazy", ultra original fragrance, but in my opinion, only ultra-niche fragrance aficionados & Dandys can understand and appreciate this monster. I love it, if find it opulent, rich with a noticeable quality, overly animalic (a little bit skanky the first time) from the opening til the dry down, you get the aldehydes in the opening, and a gentle rose in the middle, I don't get much of the white florals, as they are shadowed by more aggressive notes. Compared to other Chypre compositions, this one isn't balanced, nor it is green, Mossy or bitter (like Chypre Palatin or Mitsouko...) It has a vintage medicinal vibe to it, but it is way too animalic to be considered a classical Chypre in my opinion, I would categorize it as a Musky scent. Sexy ? If your companion isn't an intellectual fragrance lover, I don't think that Maai will do the work, as it can really choc and shock people around you. The performance is excellent.

I've taken a while to test this extraordinary scent. I think I was nervous of the civet. My first thought was vintage. Intense and rich. Too much animal can easily be too much for me. This is such a well blended scent though. Wonderful impressive sillage care of the aldehydes. I was a bit concerned it might be overwhelming but if you just enjoy one spray then you are fine. Fragrance can easily trigger migraines for me but this one has passed with flying colours. I can't say I detect much musk but then this is a well blended scent. There is a warmth from the resin that is very well blended with the tuberose and rose. This very floral stage will ease off after a while. Gradually the fruits appear and I'm sure the civet gets more evident. It is quite tangy now. The aldehyde note has eased off considerably. It finally fades (after some hours!) as a fruity/tangy musk scent backed by a little civet. Waste fruit fermenting on my compost bin in high summer. I've got admit I'm not quite so keen on this final stage. Marvellous longevity and above average sillage in this 7 degree room.

A sublimely daring and unique fragrance, reminiscent of a past era. Bogue is well-known for taking risks in their compositions, and this is no exception. Maai takes some of the heaviest vintage notes—civet, musk, aldehydes, rose—and combines them to create a glamorous, old-world potion whose brutality is rounded off, but not lightened, by the addition of the heady white florals of jasmine and tuberose. This perfume is unabashed yet refined, sultry yet independent. Certainly not for the fickle. Maai should be taken as the exemplar of well-balanced animalics: the civet is borderline skanky but not stinky, and the aldehydes are fizzy but not powdery. (If you're interested in experiencing animalic notes pushed to their olfactory extreme, try Hyrax, a brilliant but controversial fragrance by Zoologist.) Cassiano's review below explains this much more eloquently than I can. In any case, this is a sexy old-school fragrance perfect for anybody wanting to rediscover some luxury from times past. Definitely try before you buy.

First time I'm posting on here, but I was feeling brave and blind bought Maai. It arrived yesterday. The only way I can describe Maai is as 'Sex Panther'. I truly mean that in a good way as I am enjoying it a lot, but cor blimey this stuff is beastly! It brings to my mind the still from 'Male and Female' of Gloria Swanson lying down whilst a lion lies next to her with its paws on her back. Just add some creepy, dark, dank, wet forest to that image. And maybe Kate Bush singing 'It's coming for me through the trees!' I do find it hard work to begin with as along with the skank there's some weird menthol note I'm not sure about, but that is short lived for me and once the perfume settles it's incredibly beautiful. I feel very glamourous and grown up wearing it. Maai is strong and one spray goes a long, long way - I could still smell it clearly on my arm 16 hours later. Not one I'd wear for the office unless I really hated my colleagues.

Wow. Maai could have been designed especially for me. It with a blast of animalic leather chypre turbulence. Oakmoss, civet, castoreum, leather. Barbaric splendor. There’s also a cooling, medicinal green note I like — wormwood? camphor? Bogue’s Antonio Gardoni seems to have a thing for herbal/medicinal scents. There’s a singing, earnest jasmine voice, and, I think, a glowing reddish rose with a hint of fruitiness. There’s some resinous warmth in the base; the whole thing settles within half an hour into a gold-and-black cloud of leather/animalics and labdanum, with that bright green camphor glow on top. When the florals intersect with the camphor, there’s this amazing sweet-green effect that lasts all day. Maai is a contemporary scent but it’s a throwback to 70’s/80’s Big Chypre territory. Perfect for a “wicked” woman who knows how to enjoy herself and take care of business. Only cost prevents me from getting a whole bottle.

BOGUE Maai - is the modern chypre, with a strong civet note, aldehydes that last for hours, and a beautiful mature tuberose in the opening. The jasmine hides from me, but my nostrils get overwhelmed with a dusty rose accompanied with musk and resins. There is something very green about this scent and I can't figure out what it might be. I don't see anything in the notes but it smells like green leaves crushed with both hands, or branches freshly separated from the tree. It's not my favorite one but I do appreciate the uniqueness of this amazing composition. It is a different kind of fragrance, not for everyone and not to be bought blindly. Some reviewers generalized this unique scent as "old". I disagree. It has a grand personality and it definitely makes an entrance. Longevity is great, about 6-8 on my skin (which is a lot!) and sillage is moderate.

Maai to me is excellent and a big LOVE. When I first removed the cap, I thought I was smelling something like Bal a Versailles. When I took the first sniff after I sprayed it on my wrist, I was thinking of Onda Parfum. As the fragrance settled and started to get warmer on my skin, it developed to a fragrance of its own. I smelled a very complex fragrance with lots of floral and animalic notes. Maai is intense and strong but not loud. It is mysterious, natural and beautiful in a way that makes me think of a field of flowers in the dark with lots of wild animals hiding somewhere and staring at me nearby but not closed enough that I can identify what they are. I took a big chance buying Maai without smelling it before. Luckily I love it a lot but would not recommend the others to do the same.

@Marshall91, the strict formula has not changed. I emailed Gardoni, who was kind enough to reply, as well as my contact at LucyScent. In the strictest sense, in terms of the formulaic principles of ingredients, proportions, and blending, neither the artist himself nor his US vendor claim to have changed anything. What both artist and vendor do admit, however, is that the properties of naturals have changed. This in itself is (just) enough for some to constitute a “reformulation.” It is not enough for the artist or his vendor to claim the same. The naturals vary. I have two bottles from 2015-2016, and two from 2021-22. The older ones are a bit more Animalic and dense, but they’re extremely close to the 2021-22 bottles—still gloriously massive retro chypres.

Dear JL and jae, We may individually disagree on what we think is beautiful, but we can universally agree that there is a feeling of the beautiful, that we know it when we smell it. Individual tastes change over time and cultural context, but our species universally asserts, in every time and culture, that there exists and indeed is a need for, beauty. Beauty is a nonbiological supplement to our nature, to our deep love of all kinds, across ages, of adornments. I for one appreciate that you two are arguing. I don’t like when it gets personal, but each of you makes excellent points taken right out of centuries (millennia, actually) of aesthetic theory. Both of you are well-versed in fine points. Both of you are in a Great Debate! Cheers, be nice now... 😀😀

Colin Maillard and Greyspoole wrote my review. I'm an older lady. I love vintage chypres and animalics, find a large percentage of current fragrance offerings to be depressingly mediocre if not plain old bad. I like Maai, it's an impressively vintage smelling modern niche. If I wasn't familiar with any of the many vintage perfumes this brings to mind I'd think this was super exciting but as it stands there's plenty of the originals available. Many are priced more reasonably (and all that I'm acquainted with have better longevity) so I just can't see looking for a full bottle of this. But I do think it's very nice for those who don't have a closet full of vintages.

i feel that this has one foot firmly in the past while confidently charting what future chypres might smell like. this is literally a ferocious chypre with deepest moss, shimmering citris and a feral leather accord that eventually morphs into a very animalic (pee) zone based on hyrax, which i find works beautifully here (and better than in masque montecristo for example). it lasts a solid 10 hours and goes through an astounding cycle of development, including an indolic floral rose/jasmine core that soon melts into ripe fruit. wow....a modern masterpiece! kudos to a genuine gentleman of class and creativity - antonio gardoni

Some kind of VooDoo. Absolutely exquisite! I heard from online friends about how glorious Maai is, and when I finally obtained a sample, I was rather overwhelmed by the initial accords of skank/white floral. I soon found myself under a spell of bewitching intensity, as the blend evolved to something incredibly sophisticated and elegant. This one reminds me of the grand classic fragrance I remember on Fine Folk in the late 60s to 70s. Maai is a singular, modern update on the art of classic perfumery. One of the best new releases in a very long time. HIGH on my want list for full bottle.

Luca Turin on MAAI ( Maai /Italian/ “nee-ver!”): "I cannot overstate the joy that smelling something like this provides. It’s like sitting in the front row at the Vienna Philharmonic after listening to two months’ worth of ringtones: the sound is so glorious you don’t care if they play Die Fledermaus. And Maai is far better than that even, a big-boned, animalic woody chypre seemingly laden with every magnificent material we knew and loved before the End of History set in: musks, oakmoss, eucalyptus, cedar, bergamot, patchouli, sandalwood, jasmine, ylang, rose, tuberose, etc."

Hi Marshall and TOA, I’m happy to privately share with both of you my own email exchange with Antonio from November 2020, who explicitly warned me that the late 2020/early 2121 formula has indeed been changed. The word he used was “adjusted.” This goes beyond the properties of the natural ingredients; in fact, Antonio told me that the formula had been adjusted in order to account for changes in the core ingredients. So, it seems like the issue is both in the ingredients AND the formulation. I’m glad to hear that the newer formulation is just as charming!

Maai opens with a green aldehyde, a smell that almost goes cross-eyed and woody after a moment, but it's rich, too, at a bit more of a distance, almost like cedar. It becomes a rosy jasmine and then, in motion, this is a motion perfume, it's very animalic. For a perfume with seven listed notes, Maai smells much bigger than it is, a huge, sexy, animal floral, honeyed, which to my nose is never more than a step away from civet, which I love. And, interestingly, about six hours into the dry down, Maai and Amouage Gold Pour Homme smell nearly identical.

After a lifetime of fragrances, and of mastering the art of parsing notes and accords, I’m done. My patience is up. Thus I’ll say: Anyone who disdains this, is at best olfactorily challenged and at worst, outright ignorant. As Kant knew: we may disagree on whether or not we think the same object of art is beautiful, but we can all agree that we understand what it feels like to be in the presence of the beautiful. Therefore, anyone who thinks this isn’t at least subjectively beautiful is, to me and Kant, an idiot. Go sniff something else.

MAAI is absolutely intoxicating. It is so classical and refined, yet carnal and dark. It is leathery and mossy, strongly spicy, with a sense of underlying white flowers pushing through. I think MAAI has the character of a Nymph from Greek mythology. It smells of dark woods, nature and seduction. I've never before written a perfume review. Hopefully, my words don't fail this gorgeous work of art too badly. Anyway, this is a show of appreciation for this fantastic perfume and it's incredibly talented and humble creator. Thank you!

The best blind buy I did this week! I kinda knew I would not go wrong with this chypre styled 70s esp and it didn’t disappoint me. First spray and brought me back to the late 70s & early 80s of Tamil weddings I attended as a child and smelling all the gorgeous Tamil women draped in their best silk saree with jasmine & roses in their hair bun and a good splash of whatever chypre perfume or edt or cologne they had on them. I love Maai for doing that special chypre esp - absolutely stunning and beautiful sillage.

Oh Maai!! This is an absolute stunner, plays a very delicate balance between animalic and florals, without ever being too much of one or the other. This is for fans of classic French chypres with strong animalic undertones, in many ways this is a throwback to older times, but is eminently wearable. Hugely complex mix of florals, musk and animalic notes, with a jammy rose underneath, sweet resins and lightened by the fizzy aldehydes. Lasts all day Projection is strong, but not overpowering 10/10

Maai from Bogue - profumo This is probably the most beautiful callous with white floral specially tuberose and jesmin! A skank yet floral, a daring yet brave! This is not a no brainier perfume choice, only a true connoisseur can understand and appreciate this jumbo! This is more of an animalic aspect of classical chypre, where resins and indolic floral plays a huge role to construct the whole composition! Wonderful-powerful-captivated-fascinated

This is a scent that suits Jessica De Gouw from Hanzel und Gretyl. Tuberose, civet, herbs, amber, tar. If Divine is best suited for classy, sunny blondes - this one is perfect match for gorgeous, classy but dangerous brunettes. It can be called "old school" but to me its timeless perfume in line with paloma picasso, N5 and so on - but best of them all. My review is of early releases. Long lasting, great silage. Happy to have it in my possession.

My very first encounter with this house and boy am I surprised! Maai is an amazing animalic-floral, musky fragrance with a slightly smoky incense in the background that makes for an amazing experience! Blended to absolute perfection, the tuberose, civet and the musks work together in perfect harmony! A treat to our senses, an olfactive blessing from Antonio Gardoni. I can’t wait to try Mem and the other releases from the brand.

aldehydes so strong and piercing they border on an herbal remedy mixed with what feels like every musk all at once. the result is something that shouldn't work but is so confounding and oddly comforting. a mix of vintage and modern styles done extremely effectively. the drydown is full of softer resins and a more rounded feel - they bounce off of that sharp aldehydic core. chaotic wear experience but so incredibly engaging

@jæ I had a sample from begining of this year, so both version I know are reformulated. Glad that @TeachOlfactoryArt mentioned that older are close to the new ones :) It’s so good and you saved me from searching for the old bottle :D I love animalic fragrances but I’m not sure if this one needs additional dose of it. Even my wife accepts it (she is treating for example Dior’s Leather Oud like primary evil).

Simply Genius! Extremely confusing scent for me. In case I still do not understand how can be a fragnance so clean and animalic at the same time. I just love it. This is the first perfume what I had to purchase as soon as I experienced its uniqueness nad magic. Honestly no words how it made me traveling in times. Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful!!! <3 Thank you Antonio Gardoni.

@Marshall91 I’m so happy for you! Yesterday, 3 sprays at 7:00 am. Eleven & 1/2 hours later, I worked out with my trainer, and she said, “Oh my God, you smell good.” I don’t care about compliments but this is class in a bottle. Same response from my friend’s 85 year old Manhattanite mother. This gem smells like what fragrances once were and damn well ought to be again. Enjoy!

This (pre-reformulated) is possibly the most beautiful fragrance I’ve ever smelled. It’s a Godzilla chypre. I cannot understand why anyone who’s developed their nose wouldn’t at least appreciate it. I don’t find it overly Animalic. I have samples of the reformulated version I’ll try soon. IFRA and the EU are still trying to ruin classical perfumery...

Pros: ✅ A fantastic take on old-school floral-animalic formulas without sounding retro. This one is super contemporary, injecting a dose of strangeness into the market dominated by the American standards of "crowd pleasing". Cons: ❎ May sound too "pissy" at times; quite capricious: may underperform depending on the weather.

I love the notes featured in Maai. I was so enamored of the notes and the reviews that I bought this blind. This frag is BIG and if you don't have a "LOOK AT ME!" sort of personality, then it's not for you. This frag wears you, you don't wear it. My guess is that only 30% of the frag-loving community could pull this off.

Gardoni & Turin used Maai as Elizabeth Taylor’s mystery fragrance in a smell-o-vision film screening. They misted it into the theater. Maai has dozens, north of 60, notes. Nary a thing is this complex anymore. The listed notes don’t scratch the surface, Masterpiece.

MAAI and MEM are like rubbing your hands through a patch of Kew Red Lavender. Pick up a pot of the real stuff at the nursery in the spring and you’ll see how complex the lavender is on its own. Needless to say, the perfumes are sublime.

This for me is what a Chypre should be: vintage but modern at the same time. Just the right amount of animalic notes here. It's amazing for winter and gives such warmth. An absolute masterpiece in my books.

Beautiful blend almost to perfection , nothing is jumping out everything is in complete symphony with smooth transitions. Not that animalic as you may think , easy to wear for people who like chypres.

Have you heard something about reformulation of Maai? I found information recently, that current batch smells different (worse). Waiting for my bottel to arrive and started to worry what I will get...

This is a "Hey there, Sexy! Va-va-voom!!!" fragrance. I liked it very much; my husband took a sniff and decided immediately to purchase a bottle for me for a Valentine's Day present! Probably NSFW.

Why this fragrance isn’t on par with the all-time chypre oriental greats, is beyond me. Do not hate me for saying this... It’s almost but not quite in league with Mitsouko. Not quite.