Centenario

Smooth and pleasant, warm and beach perfume with some sweetness. First reminds me about some skin care creams by means of Ylang-Ylang. Then turns into powdery and coconut notes which is really original for me - and it's the part I love more. Rather leans to femine side from some "unisex point" though I am really don't care about it. It reminds me about some beach evening party on tropical island somewhere in south-eastern Asia country or on some caribean island. I feel myself really nice carrying this scent.

I really really like this! I often get bored with iris, but I am loving the tiare, Ylang-Ylang, coconut and powder combo! Seems very original to me right now. I think I may need a full bottle of this one.

You're lying on a wooden lounger, putting sunscreen on your skin and drinking a piña colada. It's beautiful, powdery and quiet

Musky iris coconut coca cola. Pretty unique, and Unisex, doesn't lean fem to me. Pretty nice, subtle not loud. 8/10

I love the Bois 1920 house and i have a dozen of their fragrances. Centenario is not easy to get in the US as you have to get it from the company's website but it arrived very fast. On a side note, the service from Bois is very good. I didn't like it much at first spray and then i went back to it a few times and now like it quite a bit. This is a very classy scent, which starts powdery, "old" and bitter smelling and then morph into a slightly sweeter, smooth and powdery scent. It feels very unisex to me and also something to wear for dressier occasions.

Centenario by BOIS 1920 is all about fresh citrus and green notes at first, giving it a lively, fresh feel. As it settles, there’s a mix of jasmine, rose, and spices that make it warm. The base is more comforting, with amber, patchouli, and sandalwood. It’s nice for everyday wear—safe and easy—but nothing too exciting or new. It’s a classic scent but won’t make you stand out in a crowd.

#1050 in my "Tour de Fragrance" This is a nice, traditionally feminine fragrance. Flowery, very powdery, not in any way a unisex fragrance. It's long-lasting on the skin, moderate in sillage, The primary character of this is the ylang-ylang note, but also a nice touch of iris. It would be something the women I know in their twenties and the thirties would wear, more for older women I think.

The listed notes of Centenario made me believe this would be perfect for me. I watched a couple of online video reviews and their comments seemed to solidify those beliefs. Upon receiving the fragrance, I was initially incredibly disappointed as although wrapped in cellophane, the box fell apart when I unwrapped it. The glue holding the box together had seemingly dried out or wasn't sufficient enough to hold everything together. The same was true for the inner packaging that had failed to do its job and the bottle was completely loose inside to the point where the lid had fallen off the bottle. The quality in packaging simply wasn't comparable to my older Bois 1920 purchases. The fragrance itself starts with a muted, dry woodiness that seems out of place with the listed notes. There is almost a damp cardboard quality that when added to the coconut, makes me think of a stale macaroon. Thankfully the fragrance doesn't overly perform and remains closer to the skin than I expected. The iris is a non-factor, as are the yellow flowers, tiare flower and ylang-ylang. I thought that the listed jasmine would perk up the drydown at least, but alas the note was MIA. This should have been a joyous fragrance, yet the out of place dryness makes it feel incomplete, and it certainly is one of the lesser releases from the House despite apparently being a fragrance of celebration for their centenary.

The listed notes might suggest a tropical beachy vibe. If so, it's one of those still untamed and tucked away islands, not yet discovered by masses of tourists. Initially, it's more unisex, with greenish, leafy notes of ylang ylang and slightly woody too, a trace of coconut, but not the sweet gourmandish type. And a bit messy, because a touch of iris is also there (tiare shows up in full later). So, not a very clear profile as to what this might turn out to be, as if you were going through the tropical woods, trying to catch a glimpse of some horizon and get a better sense of location and direction. After 20 minutes or so, it reveals itself as a predominantly floral powdery/creamy fragrance, with iris, jasmine and sandalwood forming the backbone of the scent. Tiare functions as a bridge between the powdery iris and sweet jasmine. And adds an exotic touch, of course. But I think iris keeps this from becoming a summery type of scent, makes it more elegant and versatile, appropriate for other seasons as well. The sweetness here is delegated mostly to jasmine and tiare, and intensifies over time. But it never becomes a loudly sweet scent, because the absence of (the typical) vanilla keeps things in check. This is a rather intimate, close to the skin, scent with solid longevity that you wear for yourself, it's not a compliment or attention seeker.* I don't think a loud “beast mode“ projection would even fit this profile, nor is it a must-have for me, but it has become such a commonplace these days. Also, I find it performs quite differently on skin and on paper, because there the more typical scent of coconut, green ylang ylang and woodier nuances are more present and for longer time. I also understand the coca cola (trace of bergamot) and some similar references for this scent (especially in the first hour), but luckily not on skin, where it's much more floral, creamy and sweet; and feminine. Maybe it's not just a matter of body chemistry, but also (body) temperature. *Perhaps a rather strange choice for this kind of anniversary, marketing-wise, but so is the decision for a clearly more feminine leaning scent within niche perfumery, tailored much more to masculine tastes... or perhaps just largely misunderstood.

Without much bells and whistles, Centenario manages the unthinkable, combining the best of both worlds - lush, almost narcotic tropical vegetation and the restrained aristocratic, stone-like and almost gloomy nature of orris and distant woods. The resulting monolithic accord shows unexpected things in common between the two. I'd simply call it "Ylang-Ylang in Florence". Sure, the roles are not equal. Coconut and Ylang-Ylang are the attention-getters, but it's like they're put under candelabrum lights with certain reserve and decorum added. It's a tropical scent suitable for a tuxedo outfit.

Bubblegummy jasmine, creamy tiare and fruity-sweet ylang-ylang. There’s something minty in the opening and a backbone of sandalwood in the drydown. Gorgeous opening, then a creamy, sweet and slightly powdery drydown. Great fragrance for all seasons, unisex leaning femme. While I absolutely adore the opening, easpecially the minty fresh note and the bubblygummy jasmine, the drydown is too sweet and creamy, almost lactonic. If Centenarion had a woody-floral drydown, it would be a ten outta ten.

Coconut with iris. Smells like you store a suntan lotion in an old wood shelf, which is odd but not that bad. Creamy, coconutty and with a lipstick vibe. Funny but too weird for my taste. Smells interesting though, maybe better on a woman.

The powder here leans a little too old fashioned for me, bit offensive. If that was removed I would love it.

Powdery coconut and sandalwood. Very potent.