303 piment, baie rose, benjoin

Imagine 303 and Diptyque’s Kimonanthe (DK) begin with the same perfumer’s accord. In the opening 303 is a little drier, DK has a dollop of L’Artisan’s Mon Numero 20 (described brilliantly be another reviewer as Dr Pepper spilled on a leather car seat). But they both have sweet, resinous Benzoin, Allspice-like spice accord, a touch of patch for richness, that delicious soap/flower musk of Lutens Vitriol d’Oeillet. VO has the same ylang ylang, red pepper, and red chili pepper accord as 303. DK is calling it camphor, incense, clove. In any event the effect is allspice but sweeter. Now, midway through dry down DK loses the Mon Numero 10 Dr Pepper/sugar a bit and 303 picks it up. By late drydown 303 has picked up a bit more leather and a hint of powder. DK stays drier with a more camphorous patch. Do you need both? Honestly (especially given they’re both now expensive and DK is a unicorn), not really. But you could be super happy wearing one of them - super beautiful, subtle silage, complex and unique scent, lovely traditions and shifting. A comforting, clean cloud of sweet benzoin, clean musk (not Egyptian-soapy, but while clean, not biting white), dry wood, spice. Really, really love, both of them. And L’Artisan’s Mon Numero 10 - cousin to these sister smellalikes - is also gorgeous and worth having along with one of these, though 10 can get cloying in summer.

This scent feels instantly familiar—its DNA is clearly rooted in classics of the past. It brings to mind Mancera Red Tobacco, Nightology Wild Temptation, or even Atkinsons Oud Save the King. There’s that Coca Cola vibe paired with a rich mix of spices, sweetness, and warm amber. But what sets this one apart is an added nuance—an accord that makes it more refined and enjoyable than its peers. I’d say it’s the patchouli, lending an earthy, slightly powdery dryness that balances everything out. The result is a polished, high-quality composition that feels worthy of a spot in any collection. It wears as a unisex fragrance, though leaning subtly masculine. Best suited for nighttime and cold weather, it projects about an arm’s length with a respectable 6–7 hours of longevity. A safe bet—reliable, elegant, and satisfying.

This is such an amazing scent, Amouage kind I would say. The benzoin is so enjoyable, sweetish. Male scent. This one is much better on skin than on shirt; scents vary by this and this one seems to need more warmth to "work" effectively. It is similar to L'Homme Idéal L'Intense by Guerlain as noted in the similarity list but since 303 is somehow sweeter, it is more similar to the 2014 L'Homme Idéal. The latter is also an amazing scent (L'Intense has the sweetness toned down) but 303 is even better, just like I've found about 601: it is similar to TdH but better than that. So the Bon Parfumeur versions seem like those of Guerlain "made right", or more precisely, they've opened the full potency of these scents with their versions.

What I have learnt about Bon Parfumeur scents perhaps more so than other houses is that you have to be patient and allow them to macerate. When I first smelt 303, it was incredibly screechy/overpowering and to be quite honest, headache inducing but after 6 months or more, what I have now is a masterpiece and not dissimilar to Ambre Narguile. It's warm, sweet and spicy with that cinnamon/apple pie vibe, good projection and naturally longer lasting being EDP concentration. A cooler weather scent perfect for Autumn and Winter months. I will now return to the other small bottles I purchased and review 301, 302, 401 and 402.

Bon Parfumeur’s 303 opens beautifully spicy and warm, cascading into a floral patchouli with an interesting balsamic note. The dry down is a mix of spices, woody vetiver, and musks with a slight sweetness. Great performance easily over 10 hours and sillage is strong-moderate. Do not overspray (2-3 sprays)! Versatile fragrance for Fall/Winter could be worn during the day or night. Feels sensual while not being too loud which I feel lends well to a date. Leans masculine but anybody could pull this off. Great value for a niche that has depth, versatility and performance. 4.5/5 HIGHLY RECOMMEND