Bibliothèque

Vibes ✨ Old home office, leather bound tomes, honeyed tea, dried plums as a snack, heavy classical music MBTI ✨ female ENTJ, INTJ This is a scent I find to be very "opulent" in the true sense of the word. It's comforting in the cold days when I need to run the books, the prominent leathery-suede accord married to the very sweet, almost dried plum scent. It's kinda too much on warm days, and frankly it's somewhat too opulent to be worn in warm weather, where it never ripens enough to showcase it's powdery facets. This isn't a safe sterile-corporate office scent when other people are involved, but I do enjoy it to get myself in a productive headspace at home, having both enough honey-like sweetness to comfort me, and enough bitter accords to remind me that I actually need to get sh*t done. It's a unique scent, and I do not regret spending money on the sample, but I doubt I'll ever need much more than couple 2mls at hand, as it's a very lasting and concetrated liquid. It's a good scent for working from home in an office, for sipping fruity cranberry/raspberry tea on the side and listening to classical music while in a comfortable workspace with a wooden desk. I find it to be in the same category of scents as FdB Sirene, Amber Oud Tobacco by Al Haramain and Oud Save the King by Atkinson. These scents are somewhat opulent, fruity and honeyed, with prominent animalic suede/oud/orris accords, powdery drydown and are not suitable for my everyday except around Xmas/January/February time, but at the same time are quite warm, sweet and comforting. If I had any complaints on this scent, it'd be around the fact that they should have leaned more into the powdery drydown and calmed down on the leather bit, as it can come accross as almost gummy at times. It's a bit too prominent. Alternatively, adding a stronger honey accord would have made this more pleasant to adjust for the overbearing leather. I enjoy this, but frankly it's more something I wear for myself rather than for other people. I like this layered with spicy/sweet scents for a twist.

This instantly took me back. It’s winter. My grandpa and I just got back from a freezing walk in the deep snow. Nothing special, just a few laps around our Khrushchevka. The cold is good for the child. We get back inside an overly warm apartment. You can’t control central heating yourself. My cheeks and nose are red from the cold. Grandpa tells me to go sit down in the living room. I climb onto the old red armchair. It smells a little dusty and it’s too soft, it swallows me. It’s going to be hard to get up from here. I look at the carpet hanging on the wall. Why would you put a carpet there, I wonder. Grandpa says it’s cause you never know who’s listening. The other wall is covered in tall bookshelves, mostly old tomes of something I don’t understand. A single light bulb in the old chandelier flickers. Grandpa makes me black tea. He spoons some raspberry jam in it. It’s good for my immune system, best to warm up quick from the cold. Oh and he almost forgot, the plums in chocolate that he bought in the shop. He gets them out of his leather jacket pocket. The wrapper is a little dusty. I unwrap the sweet, it smells like leather and plums. I sip my sweet black raspberry tea and eat my sweets. Grandpa cracks open the window, only a little. He sits next to it on a wooden stool and lights up his pipe. The old clock ticks loudly on the wall. The 8 o’clock news is on TV. The signal is not very good, there is a lot of static. I am warm and sleepy. It starts to snow again.

For me the perfume has a very interesting smell! Unexpected. I did not expect such a library at all! It is not your ordinary library. I have been in such a library this year in the Czech Republic: ancient library in the monastery. Books everywhere up to the ceiling, but on a side they sell candles, various potions, some herbs, and even jam, which they make in this monastery! And the first thing that comes in this fragrance it is just jam: a ripe peach and a big yellow plum. You know this plums, they are nor sour at all! They are as sweet as a peach, but they still smells like a plum, when it has already been harvested, and it lies somewhere in a cozy interior filled with old furniture and tapestries, the sun shines on it, and it ripens even more. Then the fruits disappear, and powder and book dust come. Still the same library, you just moved into another room: it smells more of old leather covers, carved furniture that has absorbed ancient dust, dry herbs hanging on the walls... And then it gets dark, the hot sun leaves the fragrance, and it becomes cool. Leather covers come first, giving off the sun heat. Old shabby pages, dried ink, serenity and silence. Antique interior. It is my favorite! I immediately wanted to dig into old books, write philosophy research on ancient parchment, think about the eternal.

This one feels an intimate friendly kind of confidence. It’s not something I wear to stand out from across the room — it’s something people notice when they get closer. There’s a soft sweetness to it that feels warm and inviting, almost like being in a comfortable space with dim lighting, music in the background, and good company. It has this smooth, slightly fruity warmth that makes it easy to wear when I’m just hanging out with friends, whether at home or at the cinema. It doesn’t try too hard, so it's not for fancy dinners or parties. What I like most is how it brings people in. It sits close to the skin and creates a calming aura that feels personal. It’s the kind of scent that makes someone lean in a bit more without really knowing why. There’s a sweetness there, but it’s controlled — not loud, not overwhelming, just enough to feel warm and familiar. It fits perfectly in relaxed, informal moments where you want to feel put together without being obvious about it. Oh and I dislike leathery fragrances, but in this case, it only shines through on the dry-down and it's so soft that it's barely noticeable. Love it.

I absolutely love Bibliothèque - but I can see why it could be polarizing. The opening is very bold, even jarring. On the first spray, it's quite sharp, almost like petrol or some sort of solvent. It can be pretty abrasive, especially if you're not expecting it. Once it has a chance to settle (3-5mins) is when you really start to get the character. At the beginning, you are hit with the peach, leather, plum, cinnamon, and fig. There is also a distinct paper-y note that feels like the pages of an old book - dry, dusty, nostalgic. As it evolves, usually an hour or so, the bright fruitiness dies down and you get something more warm, rich, and comforting. A deep vanilla and slightly gourmand. This is when it's my favorite to wear. If I know I'm going out, I'll spray it on 30mins to and hour beforehand. To me, Bibliothèque is very unique and complex. It feels like being tucked away in a grand old library on a rainy autumn day - surrounded by worn leather armchairs, wooden shelves, and the scent of paper. It's cozy, spiced, and mysterious. It might not be for everyone, but it is one of my favorites.

A gothic still life. A Caravaggio chiaroscuro of overripe plums, brandy snifters, inkwells and fountain pens. Bibliotheque is the fine art PhD twin sister next to the avant garde concept artist one that is Pulp. She's fruity in an almost fermented way, like a splash of elderberry schnapps, but brightened with a bite of violet pastilles. I’m also getting an “antique shop” accord; a patina of dust sugaring tufted armchairs of dark chocolaty leather. And I love it. Her longevity is solid and sillage appropriately treacly. If Bibliotheque smells like a library, it’s a dark fantasy library – a Guillermo del Toro’s imagining of Beauty and the Beast. Her companion candle is just as good, too. Mental Snapshot: a Dark Academia boarding school drama. Ivy League Hermione Granger. Carmilla and Laura meet-cute at Le Rosey. A Donna Tartt classics major love interest. Tweed trench, black lace petticoats, knee-high riding boots. A silver hip flask of plum wine, swigged amidst stacks of leather-bound mysteries. The plot somehow involves a talking magpie and a magic Birkin. tl;dr: Dark Academia darling 🎻🏺

One of the few Byredos I actually find outstanding. As someone who worked in a library for a while, it does not smell like a library—at least not a public library, or a library that exists in reality. It does, however, have this element of storytelling that makes you feel at home in a fantasy library. It reminds me of my favorite fantasy books, where the characters get lost in a massive library full of ancient texts, uncovering clues and such. The plum is so dark and rich while still being syrupy sweet, and there’s this powdery dustiness that comes from the violet blended with suede that envelopes you in the whole library/old book feeling. It’s incredible. It completely transports me somewhere else. As far as longevity and projection go, this is on the better side of Byredo’s usual. It lasts about five hours on skin, longer on clothes, with moderate projection for the first two hours, then turns into a small bubble shortly after that. Just such a brilliant perfume. I need to upgrade to a larger size.

I remember the time this one came out -- I remember it well... The SA at Lane Crawford told me that there was only 4 left, and I chanced it, mostly because I was heading to Europe of the summer (mid-year) holidays, and ironically enough, planning to visit the flagship store in Stockholm. I loved it from the beginning -- it was plummy and purple flowery, and it spoke to me. Anyway, I got back from Europe and LC had ONE LEFT -- at that stage, it was a limited release, something about the 5 or 10 year anniversary of the candle's release. Fast forward 6 months, and it's a regular line-up staple -- sales were so good that it became a brand mainstay -- or so the SA thinks! Fruity plum, gorgeous white and purple florals and a small animalic kick that anchors this scent well. I don't love it as much as I did 8 years ago, but I'm glad I own it. Will I replace it if / when it runs out? Maybe not, but it's a safe fragrance, not super challenging and not at ALL a problem to catch wafts of all day long...

This is one of my favourites. I really, really get the ”old books” and ”library” from this scent. This was actually the first experience I had with a leather note in a perfume for myself. Fell absolutely in love with it on the first spray, but was intimidated by the price tag and the ”weirdness” of it. Before this one all my perfumes were always meant to be pleasant to others and even if I loved Bibliothèque I realized not everyone would. So I bought a discovery set from Byredo to try it out a bit more and see what people around me said. The love I have for this scent never went way, but no one in my family likes it. At all. My oldest son actually hates it and think it smells like "urine from an old, drunken man" (his words). That being said. I decided to get a full size after I was through the discovery bottles. So glad I did. This perfume I wear for my enjoyment only, and not every day. But I absolutely, freakin love it!

Obsessed. Brings about images of a romantic night out, a high end niche quiet restaurant a glass of wine sits on the table with a couple, leaned into each other, laughter and whispers. It’s fruity but not a juvenile fruity, and complex, with a dash of vanilla some musk, with a hint of patchouli. This is a very controversial scent from what I’ve read from other reviews here. Some people hate this and thinks it smells like alcohol and cigarettes, others do not, myself included. I happen to be someone who personally Loves this. I hate the price. I don’t like it, not one bit; After buying the nomad sample from Byredo, this was the one out of all that I was drawn to. I am a sucker for plum and vanilla though. Even though I love it, this is NOT a safe blind buy. It’s STRONG and lasts long, so if you’re not a fan after spraying, you’ll either need to wait a few hours or shower. People seem to either love it or hate it. I love it.

This one is my first real splurge on a full bottle from a non-indie company. I've had it for 2 years now, and still love it. A spray on the back on my neck, in my hair, makes me feel all put together and chic and woman-y even though I usually wear plaid and hiking pants and crocs. It'll last past a hike too, which I like a lot. It sits close enough, I think, that it's not obtrusive to others unless they come in close enough. But it stays on long enough for me to smell it on my clothes the next day. I never got much of the 'library' thing from it, but it is as inviting as one. I can see the leather backing and the plum, hint of florals. I'm not a very discerning nose so I can't describe it very specifically. Usually I like woodsy, musky, smoky, peppery, and roses or jasmine for florals only - and this one with the leather is just on the side of 'odd' to balance the sweet fruitiness.

When I first started getting into perfumes, I thought Bibliothèque smelt sweet and depthless when I tried it on a paper strip. I quickly dismissed it but I find myself coming back during my search for book-related candle smells. This time, I gave the perfume a go on my skin and ran off to pilates without thinking much about it. It was the smallest spritz on the inside of my left arm but I keep getting gentle wafts of it throughout the pilates lesson. It burned through the saccharineness of the top and middle notes and the remaining base came through as warm and incensey on my skin even though incense isn't in the perfume notes. The overall experience was like visiting a modern library and slowly getting sucked into an unexpected read.

My grandfather was a lawyer. And he had this office in their house that was filled with these old leather bound volumes of old cases and precedents. Over time, some of them started to get broken down with silverfish - they lived amidst a heavily wooded area and so the insects. The old wooden hardwood table with the sweet lacquer, the smell of green and fruit outside, the damp aged leather with the slight sweetness of old pages weathering down... this perfume takes me right back to then. My granddad passed away when I was a small kid. He loved me greatly and I've really missed him. So thank you Byredo - you just helped me remember him far more vividly than I have in years. 10/10

Man oh man oh MAN do I love Bibliothéque Imagine you're in college, studying at the library with your crush, and you brought artisanal fruit leather you made for the two of you to snack on. You're more concerned with impressing them than you are with getting an A on your midterms. This is a subtly sexy, flirty fragrance. A leather scent for the fruity fragrance fans. I am NOT usually one for this scent profile.... and I did not like this the first time I smelled it. But I fell in love with it wearing it out to a night at the museum. Fruity and juicy in the most sophisticated way. I could see this working year-round, but probably only at night in the warmer months. Love!

EDIT: this with Phlur’s Peach Skin>>>> Soft and Nostalgic. Leather and patchouli give a masculine edge to a twinkly feminine fragrance. You can tell the DNA is Byredo: all their older femme fragrances have this sort of an iridescent floral quality regardless of their notes. It’s very “hot girl picks out books for her research paper at the university library.” I think patchouli haters will not like this one, but as a certified patchouli girlie, this is right up my alley. Minimally complex, deeply pleasing to breathe in. And because I never see people talk about it on here — their bottle design is SO perfect. Give me this lid on all my bottles!

I received a sample of this fragrance when I bought a different one and I fell in love with it. There is just something about it I keep coming back to and find quite addictive. On paper this is a fragrance that I shouldn't like - it has leather a note that I usually find challenging, there are not many fragrances I like that contain this note but I think it is complimented by the plum, florals and musk to make this a super wearable winter/cool weather fragrance. I don't own anything else like this and its definitely a fragrance I'd repurchase if my full size ever runs out. This is one of my favourites from this fragrance house.

This is a sweet, jammy plum fragrance with big dallops of peach, vanilla and patchouli and I love it. I can't stop smelling myself. We're having a lovely, mild 80 degrees day in NC and this perfume melds nicely with the weather. Not sure if I'd wear this on a 90 degree or 100 degrees day, but with a light breeze and a bit of heat, this perfume is mouth watering. This perfume projects well and lasts a ot 10 hours. You must like sweet fragrances to wear this scent. If not, don't bother to try this. This reminds me of Ormonde Jayne's Byzance and Izia La Nuit. I'll definitely be reaching for it this fall and winter.

For months ive been sniffing this thing. Every time I go into a shop and they have byredo I sniff bibliothèque and contemplate whether or not to buy it. I caved and bought it, finally, however to my surprise it smells different. In stores bibliothèque smells very sweet, like a fresh juicy pear with an assortment of fruits (I know pear isn't in the notes I don't care). However, now the opening is way more smokier and leather-y. Still settles into a sweet fragrance but the leather is more pronounced... I think I'll let this fragrance marinate and hopefully it starts to smell a bit more like the in store testers.

I don’t get all the hate! I find this fragrance beautiful. It’s a unique smell unlike anything I’ve smelled before but I guess that’s the draw for me I’m not going to smell like everyone else out there. You can have the baccarat I’ll take this ! It’s sweet not too floral, I don’t get the leather the other people are talking about , I don’t get a dusty smell as some stated. I get fruity , Sweet plum a little peach . Call me crazy but the dry down smells like a very light fruit loops.

The leather is so overwhelmingly strong with a very powerful projection that I coughed the first time I sprayed this. There's a bit of boozy plum and florals underneath but everything is covered in old, dusty leather. Gives me a headache. It's very evocative of an old dusty Florentine library but holy hell do I not want to be caught dead smelling like this, I fear people might start looking around for dead rats and half burned incense sticks when I'm near, immediate scrub.