Big Sur Eucalyptus

forget "the most festive cologne of all time" (which to me just smells like a splash of citrus atop some pretty generic woody accords), because if you're looking for a ds & durga christmas scent, this is it! I scored a bottle of this in the dead of summer, and while the world around me was a muggy cauldron filled with cicadas and wasps, my initial impression was wow, this smells like bug spray and mentho-lyptus. i was debating about reselling it but kept it in my collection and idk if it matured, or if i matured, but DAMN this stuff is an a+ perfect fragrance on my skin during these cold and dry long nights. it marries with my skin chemistry way better than it did in the summer. cool and spicy and cozy, i want to wear it all winter long. eta: i had a person tell me they couldn't be around me while i was wearing this fragrance, as it was affecting their allergies. this is a strong, borderline harsh eucalyptus that isn't for everyone (i'm still a fan, tho).

I grew up vacationing at a quiet beach community on Monterey Bay called Pajaro Dunes. There, vacation houses front the beach and behind them are agricultural fields. Separating the two is river leading to the sea and a grove of eucalyptus trees planted long ago as a windbreak to screen the fields from the salt and sand. A few Monterey cypress trees sit above the grassy dunes. Big Sur is not far away, but to me this doesn’t smell like Big Sur (which I associate with damp redwood forests overlooking the sea.) However, this smells exactly like Pajaro Dunes which is just a few miles north of Big Sur. Reading through the reviews, it seems this appeals mostly to those of us who grew up in the Monterey Bay and San Francisco Bay areas. Like me, others with those scent memories seem to find it astonishingly accurate and nostalgic. But without that association, I can understand that this might not be as appealing or special.

Writing prematurely, perhaps, since I've just smelled this for the first time today. But I'm compelled to write, as it's been a very long time indeed since I've had such a strong, heartfelt reaction to a fragrance. INSTANTLY Big Sur Eucalyptus hit some very powerful psychic resonance in me. It's nostalgic (thanks to that Pacific eucalyptus combination), but bracing and fresh enough to create a sense of optimism and motion. Complex but light. Lively yet well-mannered. I could very, very easily imagine taking this on as a signature fragrance, or opting for BSE should I ever be faced with a 'you can keep only one' situation. Bittersweet. As I enter the fourth hour after spritzing, the projection has mellowed considerably but the pleasure remains, my spirit is touched, and my heart is BROKEN by that pricing. I'll start saving, and maybe selling.

I love it. This is the smell that I expected from Aesop, sadly, that was not the case. The opening is a mild “real” eucalyptus, the big round leaves, not the small hard leaves on the stem. A little citrus, a little green. A mild fragrance but smells so clean and niche. The long wear is a mild spicy scent that sometimes throws a little camphor/eucalyptus reminder out. Herbaceous. Green. Spicy. If those are your thing, you’ll appreciate this one. I ordered a sample and immediately ordered a full bottle upon smelling It. This is my favorite from the house.

A beautiful unabashed aromatic fragrance. Begins with a bracing eucalyptus, seems that everyone has their own associations to it. The eucalyptus begins to settle and gives off an aura of warmth similar to iso e super— there but not. On skin it becomes very woody, aromatic, and spiced. On clothes it retains the aquatic notes and the gentle florality. Projects nicely without smelling synthetic. I’m reminded of the smell of many of Aesop’s lotions and creams with this fragrance. Naturalistic, beautiful, minimalistic in the best way.

opening is bold steamy spicy green medicinal spa hospital ft boat ramp marine algae. salty. drying down, the salty overwhelms and it flavors it masculine. i love the auto fragrance, i put it in my clothing/sock/lingere drawers and cupboards. but i dont love this, i think its the salt that bothers me. i really want to own this scent but i keep hesitating to actually purchase it... mainly because the price tag is -ahem- extortionate.

This is amazing quality to me!.... Very evocative and reminiscent to anyone lucky enough to spend some time along the PCH and Big Sur. Not sure why it’s so divisive. Yes the eucylaptus is raw and extremely strong at first but it settles down into a nice herbaceous woody fragrance. It’s extremely easy to wear and comes off as fresh clean and refined imo. Mature leaning masculine. Projection and longevity is mild to moderate

Able to procure a sample, which has led to some disappointment as of course it is discontinued and has not shown up on eBay the several months I’ve been watching. A very realistic eucalyptus that lasts several hours. Strong projection. Spicy woody dry down. I don’t get any ocean vibe, more the foggy seaside forest. I really enjoyed my 3 days wearing it. Let me know if you have a bottle to sell. 10/24: Back in stock!

I grew up in the SF Bay Area, and have been searching for years for a perfume that smells like hiking through the Marin County chaparral. This hits that for me exactly! Eucalyptus, dry grass, a little dust, a hint of salt water. I disagree with the reviews that say it's not super wearable, I've been wearing it almost daily and feel like once it settles on my skin it is just a really pleasant spicy green.

I associate Big Sur with damp redwoods, but it does remind me of summer spent in Carmel/Monterey and even as far north as Fort Bragg, cypress trees, eucalyptus, and warm sand dunes. If you grew up in Northern California this scent will hit you right in the nostalgia.

I just love it and it’s SO transportive. Other worldly level - one sniff take you instantly from the city in makeup and shorts, to the Pacific Northwest forest on a cool foggy day in a fair isle sweater living that van life

This is a super underrated fragrance. Smells like a mix between Vetiver Extraordinaire and Royal Mayfair from Creed. High quality , wearable frag

Eucalyptus barbershop is how I would describe this. Not quite what I was expecting, but close. The camphor element is definitely there, almost like a eucalyptus vaporub. There's a dark/mysterious vibe to it... imagine you're on a morning hike, under a thick canopy of Eucalyptus trees, with that cool, thick marine layer and coastal fog surrounding you. Overall, I think it's a very pleasant scent. Great mood booster and well suited for casual daytime use or dinners out in spring and summer. Having been to Big Sur CA, I do smell elements of it in here for sure. Those elements are wrapped up in a slightly soapy, 'clean' smelling perfume base. I don't think it's quite as photorealistic as say, Aqua Motu by CSP, but it's realistic enough, while providing a nice barbershop/soapy background to keep you smelling fresh. I like it a lot. However, due to the high price and limited availability, I wouldn't say it's a great daily driver. Great for the occasional weekend where you feel like being transported to the Central California coast for a few hours.

Agree with floralcowboy below - this is foggy, cliffside Monterey Bay with the cypress and the eucalyptus. Definitely a masculine leaning fragrance, although I'm also not sure how wearable it is. The green, camphorous notes come through throughout, but as the fragrance sits the vetiver starts to pull through pretty strongly. I think the vetiver grounds this fragrance and makes it more wearable, particularly as it dries down. This is refreshing and unique (I've never smelled anything like it), and I think it would be a neat signature scent. I can't see myself (as a woman) wearing it, but it would probably work really well on my husband. I love the idea and execution behind this fragrance. A great homage to the northern California coast as an almost photorealistic (and nostalgic) eucalyptus.

I grew up around a lot of Eucalyptus trees so this scent is very nostalgic to me, my main reason for purchasing a sample. Incredible how a person from New York so accurately captures the West Coast spirit in a bottle so often in this house. On card this fragrance smells pretty unisex, but on skin (on me at least) it smells more masculine which was disappointing. I think my boyfriend will like it though so not a loss by any means. NOTE: while marketed together, the fragrance DOES smell different than the Big Sur After Rain candle and lotion. The candle has a more earthy scent, leaning much heavier into the rain factor, while the fragrance focuses much more on the plant and fresh spices (dry down smells pretty generic men's woody spice fragrance like mentioned below).

I only own a handful of perfumes. I literally only learned this year that they didn't always smell like alcohol when you first spray them, and that the scents could evolve past their initial smell. So take my opinion with a grain of salt, but I really enjoy this. I see why people think it smells turpentine-y, and I also can see why it might not be someone's cup of tea. I'm a couple hours in, though, and I really enjoy it - I think the scent that's left on my skin now is very reminiscent of being out on the California coast, and I think that the eucalyptus shines through in a really pleasant way (edit: but note it is STRONG). Monterey is one of my favorite places in the world, and I get a lot of that vibe from this.

Got a decant of this which I am enjoying, but I would definitely get a decant first. This isn't a safe blind buy at all. The opening gives you a big hit of the eucalyptus and humid green notes- a great complex summer fragrance for those of us who aren't big tropical fruity fans. It smells like walking through the eucalyptus forest after a steady rain. BEAUTIFUL. My issue is after four hours it dries down to a kind of generic smelling gentle men's shaving cream fragrance. I love it enough to respray it, but I don't think I'm springing for the full bottle at that price point.

acrid, sweet and salty; while the drydown is a concoction of creamy-salty-medicinal unisex pleasantness, the real star of the show here is the scent's opening and first ≈15 minutes - its marinated cucumbers, pungent eucalyptus and sea water, all bordering on smelling like vomit, but its enticing, it pulls you in, its sexy. the scent calms down after a while and definitely turns a bit meek and more generic, but its an easy wear, clean, woody, but it retains its medicinal edge throughout. post scriptum: on dry-down, sometimes smells a tiny bit like secretions magnifiques :)

I wanted to love this, it has most of my favorite notes, but on my skin the mix of notes comes across as freshly grated carrot. Once the scent starts to dry down (15-20min) you can differentiate the eucalyptus rosemary, and magnolia. However, by that point the scent has died down significantly and is just a personal scent. By the 2-3 hr mark it smells truly delightful, as if you recently went for a walk in Monterey. The scent is great for triggering memories, but with poor sillage and projection is not something I'd reach for often.

I like it, but not as much as I was hoping to. The eucalyptus is very strong which I like, but it leans a little more spa/ shampoo eucalyptus oil and not so much a fresh plant. I do get the sea salt notes right away which I like, and it is herbal and woody, but overall it doesn’t feel as natural or fresh as I wanted it to be, it reminds me too much of like bath products or almost medicinal? I got a decant and I’m glad I tried it out before committing to a bottle. It’s nice and I’ll use it up but probably won’t buy a full bottle