Nirvana Bourbon

This was an INSTANT love for me after receiving a sample in a swap. First things first, this is definitely unisex. It does lean more feminine, but I don't feel out of place wearing it at all, and the girlfriend likes it on me as well. I originally purchased it for her, but she preferred Nirvana White, so I gladly kept this one for myself. Nirvana Bourbon is the most unisex of the line, in my opinion. It definitely shares the same DNA with the other Elizabeth and James Nirvana scents, specifically, there's something in all of them that reminds me of magazine pages (in a good way). The notes are almost unexpected for the clean smell they create. Cedar, vanilla, tuberose, tobacco, and a little bit of incense and elemi resin. I also wouldn't be surprised if there were a touch of some sort of citrus in this that isn't listed. I get a very faint wisp of the same grapefruit blossom that's in Dior Homme Cologne at the top, but it might just be my imagination. It definitely has that same sort of brightness, in spite of the ingredients, which are usually deeper and more smoky. With that being said, I don't find this boozy in the alcoholic sense, but instead it will remind you a bit of a charred oak barrel, in the best way possible. Maybe it's because I'm a man and I'm not used to women's scents, but on me this lasts pretty well and performs pretty consistently! The projection is very low compared to most women's perfumes, but still moderate compared to men's scents, and it also projects very consistently. It has lasted on me at least 7-8 hours every time I've worn it. It does sit close to the skin and it's easily forgotten after about 4-5 hours, but then suddenly you'll catch a whiff and realize it's still there, lightly. Wearing Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille today, Nirvana Bourbon is somewhat similar to it, but definitely much more feminine. That's by no means a bad thing, even for me, because although I LIKE Tobacco Vanille, I find it utterly deep and somewhat unwearable. Tobacco Vanille is not very versatile, but Nirvana Bourbon takes what I like about the dry down of Tobacco Vanille and makes it more wearable and more cheery. Also, Elizabeth and James Nirvana Rose is similar to a lighter version of Tom Ford's Noir de Noir to my nose. I honestly believe that's where the inspiration for these two fragrances came from, and that's by no means a bad thing! If the price doesn't make you squint, this is definitely a scent worth checking out - for men and women alike - ESPECIALLY if you're looking for a more wearable or more feminine alternative to Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille!

Burning Match BOURBON VANILLA... This is fairly linear, but this is how I notice the notes: opens with a burst of bourbon vanilla with sweet, spicy & flinty nuances, that continues & deepens into a vanilla heart with creamy & green-vanilla tones from tuberose, all resting on an oak base. Overall I get a spicy oak-cedar Bourbon & near-Mexican vanilla with a tobacco-like burning match note, combined with a honey dew-drop green-vanilla. In the long drydown, on the skin I get a faint shampoo vibe, followed by a faint spicy-oud-ambroxan. Has reminders for me of Spiriteuse Double Vanille Guerlain, Vanille Noire Laurence Dumont & Zaharoff Signature Tabac. Performance requires a few months of dark storage, after which it's average or slightly above average. Contrast to Spiriteuse Double Vanille Guerlain: These are different, but there is an overall similar vibe with different kinds of vanilla. SDV is richer & more complex with superior performance, while NB has the more forward oak-wood & burning match quality. Contrast to Vanille Noire Laurence Dumont: These are different, but with a similar spicy vanilla vibe. The burning match quality is more forward in Nirvana Bourbon, but over time it resembles Nirvana Bourbon more & more. Both require a few months of dark storage after first sprays to develop performance. Contrast to Zaharoff Signature Tabac: These are different, however the burning match quality is present in both. ZST is richer and more complex, with a more forward honey. ZST also requires dark storage after first sprays, but in the end it outperforms. Overall: Beautiful spicy Bourbon vanilla scent and average performance with dark storage following first sprays. This is the perfect scent to wear for sublimating your inner firebug. It's a love for me. Enjoy!

To whomever is responsible for discontinuing this line: GET BACK IN HERE AND EXPLAIN YOURSELF! I very recently bought samples of the other Nirvana perfumes I haven't had the chance to smell before (so basically: Bourbon, Rose, French Grey, and Amethyst), and I plan to spend the next few days trying them out, but...jeez...I can already say: This line is (was) genius. Nirvana Bourbon sits wonderfully on my skin! At first spray, I get an almost-citrus smell. It's brilliant; don't get me wrong, just entirely unexpected. Then it blends to this *amazing* honeyed-vanilla oak that does have a kinda....sexy...classy...boozy note to it. The bourbon is a perfect touch. I honestly have yet to detect any tuberose. Which is fine, really - Tuberose tends to be hit-or-miss for me. I was worried about this one because of some reviews that mentioned smelling of "wood-paneling" or being very "smoky" or like "varnish". Thank God, it doesn't smell that way on my skin! It's a wrist-sniffer; I've brought it up to my nose at least 5 times in the last 5 minutes. Projection has been quite good. I get whiffs of it as I'm typing. I continue wrist-sniffing because - Gosh darn it - I want mooooooooooore! Longevity remains to be seen, but...if I'm honest with myself...I don't think I'll hold out much hope. Definitely want a full bottle, though. San Frantastic. *** Kitty rating: 8.5/10 (Pending longevity and confirmed projection). EDIT (06/09/2020): Amended: Kitty rating: 9/10 (It's just so good).

Beautiful fragrance. Can’t wait to test it in winter when I think this will truely shine. On me it opens with a very smoky note, but quickly settles into a comforting, smooth bourbon vanilla. A grown up vanilla. Its not a sickly sweet, cupcake or air freshener vanilla. It’s deep and woody. I can smell the tuberose but it’s not overpowering or bubble gum sweet either, it’s just a lovely creamy floral scent. The veil of smoke remains for the duration and it dries down a little powdery. It’s long lasting on me, and I find considering the notes that it wears closely to the skin, it’s not loud at all. The bottle is gorgeous. Dark amber coloured cut glass, in the shape of a flask or possibly a zippo lighter. Reminds me of a vintage glowmesh clutch purse. It’s a very classy looking bottle with a lovely hand feel about it. The fragrance matches the bottle. It’s classy. For some reason it reminds me a little of Gloria By Cacharel. Gloria has the pink pepper note where this one is smoky. However they smell similar from memory. Feeling depressed that they have discontinued this line. Bottles are almost impossible to get a hold of now, will search for a back up as all I managed to get was a 30ml.

This is such a chameleon! It starts EXTREMELY sweet, like an unctuous slice of cake, you know, the wet kind, not biscuits or dry snacks. But that phase lasts literally half a minute, and then it turns very fast into a woody smell, but very dry this time, almost like sawing a log, hence producing all the tiny particles and dust. I wish I could stop the time at this point, because it's very unique now, truly, deeply woody, and just very slightly sweetened by the vanilla. But about half an hour in, it transforms again into an almost purely vanillic scent, the realistic and bitter kind, which reminds me very much of Eau des missions. The difference is that the latter is oilier and sweeter, while this one is drier, more dusty and sits closer to the skin. I haven't smelled Spiritueuse so I cannot say if that one is more similar. All in all, it was a very pleasant experience, I think its evolution is beautiful and captivating. My only regret is, again, that the woodiness doesn't last a while longer... Edit: 12 hours later, I still smell a very faint drydown on my skin.