Initial

It's a funny thing with Boucheron fragrances. No matter the composition, you can almost always tell it's a Boucheron. Just like you can almost always tell a fragrance is a Chanel or a Guerlain, this house is no different. Regardless of the note profile and structure almost all older perfumes from this house have the Boucheron DNA all over them. (I've yet to smell the more modern ones so I won't consider them in this comparison.) It's really surprising with this one, since the note profile is so unlike other Boucherons - almost stripped down compared to the others which are chock full of ingredients. Yet, you can still tell. I won't dissect the notes since so many have already done it; but despite the unusual composition of spicy honey drenched florals, it's still recognizable as a Boucheron. And like almost all the Boucheron's I've smelled to date, it is beautiful. Though the snow white bottle reminds me of winter, and it does smell wonderful then, it's really fantastic in the warmer weather. Still, this is too lovely a fragrance not to wear year round. Just wanted to add that I have the edt and it is plenty strong. Boucheron fragrances are so strong that I prefer the edt strength for most of their perfumes. The silage and longevity of their edts is every bit as good as the edps without overwhelming; as the edps can sometimes do especially if you get careless with the trigger. I am wearing it today and am loving it. It is a nice, sunny cool day and this scent is really shinning - peppery, creamy, honeyed florals. I know some have complained about the strength, or the spiciness, but I am not having that problem. This is a beautiful soft floral with a little kick from the pepper. Silage is nice and it is long lasting on me. I put this on this morning, and it is the late afternoon and still going strong. I love it.

Initial is an odd little perfume. I only have a mini - and it is so adorable, like a little pearl pendant - that I got off ebay, so there's a chance I may not be smelling it in it's freshest form. I am fairly certain though, that it is not a fake, per some other fragrantica members' input. Top notes are very watery and vaguely honey-ish. On first application, I was thinking it must be fake or old. Then it goes through a little patchouli phase, which smells a tad musty, so again, I'm thinking it's got to be old. But after being patient for a bit, (bout 30 minutes or so), it blooms into a very smooth and sweet honey-almond dry down, At this stage, it is absolutley gorgeous, even though it still seems light - and this review is for the EDP. The one thing that surprised me about this little gem is the above-average sillage. Like her bolder sister, Trouble, this fragrance has some serious projection. It's mild for the wearer but can still gain compliments from a few feet away. Totally inoffensive, too. I can't see anyone gagging or getting a migraine over this. So I agree with the "lion dressed as a turtle" statement. It starts off so slow you think you must have a bad bottle, or you've lost your sense of smell. Oh, the horror! But then it does kick in and redeem itself with surprisingly good sillage and acceptable longevity - about 4-5 hours with good sillage and the faintest honey-almond dry down is still with you even 10-12 hours later. All in all, I like it but I think I would LOVE it if it were a little stronger. Edited 1-23-11: I do love this and it is becoming my go-to fragrance. A very soft, feminine and easy to wear fragrance.

I have this fragrance in parfum concentration and use it sparingly due to it's rarity & discontinuation, never tried the other offerings (eau's) so I will carry on with this pearly spray flacon until it is no more, I'm a diehard patchouli lover so this floral heavy, honey laden, musky patch bomb potpourri is for me heaven in a bottle. I also detect powder + the odor of spent incense ash in the sumptuous drydown along with spices and rich flowers comprising rose, jasmine, black currant and tuberose to name but a few of the main contenders although the tuberose is not listed in the above pyramid? For me this is so unlike Boucheron's other offerings, and I am glad of it, a powerhouse tour de force from this esteemed Parisian Jeweller & created by Jacques Cavallier, again this is one more that I guard zealously, and categorize as vintage even though it's just over 20 years old. Hopefully this will keep for many more years as the raw materials used are of the highest quality

I scored a nearly full 3.4oz tester bottle from an online estate auction for just $5 plus shipping, and it turned out to be one of the most exciting and satisfying blind buys I’ve ever made. I hadn’t even heard of the scent before, but the bottle was captivating, and since no one else seemed interested, I placed my bid. Later, I discovered on Fragrantica that it’s practically a legendary fragrance. Now, wearing it to work on a cold winter day, it feels like it was meant to be in my collection. It’s perfect for chilly weather—peppery, warm, a bit powdery, and sensual. My husband loves it, saying I smell “expensive.” While I’m not usually drawn to honey notes, I adore patchouli, and the combination of patchouli, florals, and honey completely won me over. It feels timeless, never like an “old lady” perfume, and it adapts beautifully to my chemistry. This fragrance makes me feel luxurious, and I’ll treasure every last drop.

At first you get the scent of orange wrapped with spices and warm amber Cozy fragrant Imaginings of a Old Victorian Fireplace on christmas eve a rocking chair rocks back and forth comly listioning to the sound fire Crakling Misoltoe on top of the archway faint sounds of tinkling music boxes playing. or in the scene from The Age of Innocence when Madame Olenska and Newland Archer suble erotic chemisty or russia Before the revolution when Tsars ruled with Ambered walls decked with fine paintings of great masters Leo Tolstory with his Anna Karenina Onegin wondered though St Peter's Squaire Like a Person without a soul after his Doomed love for Tatyana. the sweet Soft sounds of the balakas playing. this was a world before Lenin Stalin and Communist Regime Distroyed it Forever. these are the thing i imagine when i wear this. a bittersweet Sojourn in a bottle.