Bois Impérial

I’m reviewing Essential Parfums discovery set in the order of how samples were placed. And if you don’t know, Bois Imperial - the name that rings the bell even for those who haven’t heard anything about the brand itself - is sixth. This means, before I made it to this fragrance, I had to test Nice Bergamot, Rose Magnetic, Mon Vetiver, Orange x Santal, and Divine Vanille. I almost had my opinion about the collection - negative opinion. But had a small hope to be surprised by the flagship. And I was... This is a 180-degree shift from the shy, quiet, and invisible compositions of the collection. Any Essential Parfums I tested before felt like a scam, where the house is purposely greedy for oil to cut their costs. This feeling alone almost killed any respect for the in-fact fine compositions - they are not bad, but disappeared so quickly from the skin that it’s impossible to wear them. I thought it was just to make more profit, but now I believe they had another thing in mind - to transfer a good chunk of savings toward Bois Imperial On the start, it’s a noticeable licorice root that was soaked, almost pickled in mint and pepper liqueur, and sealed in a cedar jar for several years. Then the result was polished with basil and vetiver and a bit of ambroxan, which all together took the main stage and used the opening as a support. That all blends so well that you really have to focus on the smell to get distinct notes. And finally, surprisingly great performance that I thought I wouldn’t find in Essential Parfums. Hints of ambroxan are still on the skin after 24 hours, and you can't even imagine how tightly the molecules bind to the clothes The first thing that came to my mind smelling this, thanks to the name, is a royal scene. The wearer is a prince, who’s been dressed in imperial robes, that were woven from purple silk with silver threads by the world’s most artisan weavers. The coat is filled with the smell of incense, greens, and alkali - right after it was cleaned by maids. In those days, the color purple was so rare that seeing it on a person felt like a miracle. It’s precisely this sense of purple that the perfume evokes Though a feeling of a classic cologne and a clean man is something from our time, and what’s also there. It finally smells not just like laundry, but cleanness. The smell is full of manors, confidence, and strength. The scent of a man who has nothing to prove to anyone This is not an art by any means. At the same time, I’m grateful for such a masculine twist on my most hated type of compositions. I genuinely dislike utility fragrances, especially the one full of aldehydes that tries to smell like laundry. They don’t have any artistic soul or mystery behind them. This one smells in a similar, but much more elegant way. Bois Imperial seems to be saying to me, “Enough. Silence,” and such confidence fully justifies the existence of the entire brand

'Ganymede' is apparently the only description people have to say about this one, as if everyone and their mother owns a bottle of it to compare with. I haven't tried Ganymede this far, so here is a more levelheaded review. The main raw material here is one of Givaudan's 'augmented' naturals, Akigalawood, derived from patchouli, yet not really smelling like patchouli, because characteristic terpenes and other compounds have been removed , so you are left with a very clean, fresh spicy and in a way 'see-through' woodiness. It's hard to place, somewhere between a very clean woody vetiver and a fresh and resinous cedar, but without any pencil shaving vibes at all. The opening is a mixture of a mildly limey/lemony fresh spicy, peppery, gingery mix with a discrete sweetness, adding up to a half ginger ale half sprite accord. There are also fresh herbal nuances, with more basil cutting through on paper rather than skin, I mostly get a gingery vibe on skin. The dominant dry woodiness mixes with these tart-sweet and fresh spicy facets together resembling a sweet lemony but also dry gingery gin cocktail, but without any overt boozy characteristics. I also get a touch of a dry floral nuance, another layer of freshness and depth. Masculine-leaning, radiant and fresh, inoffensive, sits right between a fresh herbal aromatic and fragrant woody territory with an interesting sweetness to it. Very modern, clean, radiant and fresh, yet extremely stable and tenacious. Recommended to those that don't generally gravitate towards overtly woody scents (like myself), this represents a modern approach to woody freshness that didn't really exist up to a few years ago.

An Architectural Take on Quiet Luxury When I first tried Bois Impérial, I feared it might just be another face in the recent trend of synthetic woody fragrances. However, the moment it touched my skin, my slight prejudice toward this Quentin Bisch creation turned into silent respect. The fresh, slightly metallic punch of basil and Timur pepper in the opening never exhausts the nose; instead, it delivers that true "quiet luxury" feel we often look for. It is constructed just like a well-drafted modern architectural project: clear lines, with no unnecessary or distracting details. The Akigalawood acts as a steel column, perfectly supporting the earthy (but never dirty) textures of vetiver and patchouli in the heart. The scent profile is highly linear. This might bore those seeking a constantly evolving, complex structure, but it’s a huge plus for those who appreciate the stable confidence of knowing exactly how they smell all day long. And don't be fooled by the minimalist bottle—the performance is beast-mode. As someone accustomed almost exclusively to the power of Extrait de Parfum concentrations in my own collection, the all-day longevity and heavy sillage of this EDP truly surprised me. In Short: A fantastic bridge for those wanting to step into the niche world. It hits that perfect balance: clean enough for mass appeal, yet unique enough to stand out. If you love fresh woods and need a versatile, modern signature that works year-round for both the office and elegant dinners, it’s highly blind-buy safe. https://www.instagram.com/etatelierparfum

I liked Ganymede when I tried it in store but then got a free sample and just found it gave me a headache when I wore it. I had no idea Bois Imperial existed until I seen it randomly in store. The tester bottle was empty and it was sold out due to demand. I bought the discovery set just to try and it was love at first sniff. It's just got that fresh, clean, woody smell that I adore. I now own the 100ml and the 10ml for my bag, and I will definitely be buying the refill. A guy in work did tell me it reminds him of a receptionist or a dentist. I really don't understand that interpretation at all, but to each their own! All I know is I love it, I can't stop smelling it, and it makes me happy - especially the reasonable price point! For me it lasts a good 8 hours on skin. Sillage is very strong for the first hour or so, but then calms down a lot. 10/10. No complaints. Highly recommend - but not a safe blind buy based on the strong opinions it induces. Oh and btw I'm a woman and it really annoys me when so many men say it's a masculine perfume. It isn't. It just depends on what you like. I feel like some men just can't accept that a woman could be wearing the same fragrance as them as it would hurt their masculinity or something

So this is my first ever fragrance review. I have been collecting fragrances for a few years and this is the one that’s made me decide to share my experience.I bought this cologne thanks to reviews online and on here... This fragrance takes a little time to settle, straight off the bat first time smelling it from spray it is very strong almost alcohol like and can make you go nose blind. However once this is settled, it is a masterpiece. The woody, peppery freshness is beautiful. Projection and longevity are both fantastic and this is a fragrance that can be worn any day any time any occasion (apart from gym/ sports activities). Gentlemen...ladies love this. My girls favourite cologne of mines has always been Prada L’homme and everyone knows scent wise that is hard to beat. She told me this was her new favourite, she can’t stop smelling me when I have this on. Summary- For me this is a real man’s scent, you’re going to feel like the absolute man in any occasion wearing this, for the price and quality of the fragrance this is simply a 10/10. It is 100% signature scent worthy. Trust the process with this one, get it on skin and let it settle, you won’t be disappointed.

Update: Bois Imperial is a compliment magnet! Wore it to the office on a day when we have a lot more people in, the compliments didnt stop flowing. It is nearly room filling! Spritzed it on around 7am and by 6pm my wife asked if I resprayed as she could still catch its sillage. Awesome perfume! Original Review below: Bois Imperial was a plesant suprise. Clean, classy fresh smelling perfume with very good longevity 12 hours on my skin with very good sillage. It has a nice mineral, slight metallic and light green feel to it. To me, it has a similar scent profile with Hermes H24 EDP with a little less sweetness with better performance. Very versatile, can be worn to the office, meetings, a job interview...just name it. It suprisingly is a compliment getter! Had my son mention catching its crisp sillage while walking behind me at the mall. I also had a colleague say that my perfume lingered in his car till the next morning (after giving me a ride the previous day). It is a good value for money. With a lot of people focusing on sweet, agressively strong perfumes and dupes, this will have you smelling sophisticated and extremely memorable. I rate this an 8.5/10.

Wow! The hype is real! I just applied it in the bedroom, and my wife, who was in the hallway, asked, "What did you just spray!?... It is really nice!" I told her the name, and she said, "Wow, Imperial." I had been waiting for it to arrive, having never smelled it before. Reviews that I had read, and comparisons were never fully descriptive outside of mentioning the notes. My first impression upon smelling it was that it seemed like a less citrusy blend of LV Imagination and Blue Talisman mixed together. I'm also getting some of what I believe to be the vetiver reminiscent of the vetiver in the John Varvatos XX Artisan (silver bottle) fragrance. Clean smelling, long lasting, projecting, and noticeable, is how I would describe it. It gives the same type of clean scent vibe that Prada L'homme does but not as sweet. But I also don't get any of the sourness that I've heard others mention. If you regulate the number of sprays per occasion, you can probably get away with this one as a signature scent year-around. I'm really enjoying this Bois Imperial so far.

The most complimented scent I've ever owned. Originally, I didn't like it. I felt like the opening was too basil focused and smelt like a tea-garden. The shop owner then said, "Let's go outside. I'll spray it on you there and let's see what you think." My god it was a completely different experience. We're so used to smelling scents indoors, but the true profile really comes out when we're outside. It was incredible! I bought it there and then. Since then, I've had so many people (all of them women, no men yet) ask what I'm wearing because they love it. It's a strong performer. I was at a dinner party and someone from a good 5 metres away asked, "What smells so amazing?" She spent ages trying to figure it out. Then a gust of wind brought my perfume over to her and she said, "You! What are you wearing?" For the rest of the night, it kept performing and getting compliments. I've gone through a whole bottle since March (it's currently July). This is my signature scent and goes well for any occasion.

This one took a minute to grow on me. I do not feel that it is as mass-appealing as some reviews say it is, so do NOT blind buy. The spice can be a bit heavy, and you can easily overspray this, but the more I wore it, the more I realized the spice is beautifully blended with the basil, and the woodsy notes keep it all grounded, supplying this crispy, refreshing tickle that makes you want to smell it over and over. What surprised me is how versatile this scent is. While I would only wear it on days that I will be mostly outside, I found that layering it with simpler freshies has great potential. I love two sprays of Colonia Il Profumo + one spray of this for an elevated day outside for a baby shower, outdoor lunch, etc. Or on a beautiful weekend, I'll do two sprays of this and two sprays of D&G Light Blue. It lasts a long time, and although the dry down is quite linear, it keeps that McDonald's Sprite spicy crispness for eight hours. This is definitely not for anyone who doesn't like Akigalawood!

First try surprised me with a powerful peppery/musk combo that was stronger and more tenacious than I suppose I was prepared for. I'm a novice and was expecting 'woody' here to be pine & fir etc. adjacent, so I was kind of let down. I'm favoring it more with each wear, though! Now, instead of "pepper" the basil is discernible to me and very fresh & authentic; there's a beautiful cedar-y base, with a rich resinous note (that I reckon is the labdanum) where I first simply smelled a leathery "musk". It is long-lasting to me, and very masculine imo. Although originally I couldn't imagine wearing any other season besides winter, I've since changed my mind! Wore it outside while mowing today in the Arkansas heat :) it really is "fresh". It has been fun to see my impression of it evolve with wear; i feel like I have much to learn and look forward to regarding fragrance in general.

First i wanna start by that i rarely give out my opinions on fragrances hence why this is my first review on a fragrance. People rarely comment on my other fragrances, but this one has gave me the most compliments. Its fresh, unique scent is really mass appealing so it makes sense on why people compliment it. This fragrance would go great with having clothes that can match the scent, i.e linen clothing. Because the scent makes the statement that you have your life together. The negative things about this fragrance that is worth mentioning is that it can be too easy to go nose blind. In the first two days, i was astonished by how well it was projecting but after some weeks the smell goes easily blind in my nose. When it comes to the gym, it’s not that great since it’s a bit too loud. But i also think that maximum 2 spray with this fragrance is acceptable.

I love this perfume. It’s such a beautiful, really unique scent. Woody, green, and kinda clean. It's just soooo easy to wear, and that's one of the many reasons I love it. I’ve usually been drawn to florals, especially rose-heavy fragrances, so trying this felt a bit like stepping into something new. And honestly, it opened things up for me. It’s fresh, but also woody in a way that feels clean rather than heavy. There’s this basil note that comes through... it hits in a way that’s surprisingly invigorating. Ambroxan can sometimes throw me off, but here it just lifts everything else and lets the other notes shine. For me, it’s a true unisex perfume. I love it on women, on men, and really anyone in between. I’d wear this all year round without thinking twice. The longevity is excellent, and for what it is, the value feels kind of remarkable.

This perfume had been on my wish list for a long time, but I had no idea what it actually smelled like until one day when I was invited to a picnic. There was a girl there who smelled absolutely amazing. We were sitting across from each other, and every time the wind blew in my direction, it carried this elegant, captivating scent. I finally asked her what perfume she was wearing, and she told me it was Bois Impérial. As soon as I got home, I ordered it from Notino. The scent instantly matched my vibe and quickly became my signature fragrance. It's just that good. The only downside is that I seem to have gone nose blind to it very quickly, probably because I wear it almost every day. About five minutes after spraying it, I can barely smell it anymore. Ironically, that's probably a sign that it works well on me.

I put Bois Impérial on first thing this morning, 8 hours later it’s still going strong. An hour ago, I received a compliment from the only person in my sphere not wearing a mask. When I asked if he thought it was too masculine, his reply was “not at all”. Good thing, as I, a woman, decided I’m going to wear it anyway. Fresh, natural and supported by a beautiful, green vetiver from Haiti. It’s herbal, slightly woody and peppery, leans masculine (slightly) and I happen to love it. Nothing feels out of place in this well blended perfume. Bois Impérial by Essential Parfums is a great fragrance bang for your buck: $75 for 100 ml and it smells at least twice as expensive than retail price.

Beautiful woody composition, at first I wasn't drawn into Bois Imperial opening, but as day passed I've grown into the woodiness, it seems once opening notes fades the drydown shines and that amazed me, it gets rounder. Overall, Im stunned at simplicity of this composition and its effortless impact on me, well done. Opening is kinda fresh and spicy but gets woodier and more masculine as time passes. I've sensed the notes even after 10h, stunning longevity, the woodiness grips your skin and doesn't let go. I like that more than the other heavy notes that should be worn in colder autumn/winter season. Bois Imperial can be worn all year round, its that versatile.

This is an absolutely stunning fragrance with a real "wow" factor and something truly magical about it. It has this irresistible quality that keeps drawing me back to it time and time again. After being without it for a while, it's finally back in my collection, and this time I'm certain it's here to stay. 😊 Even though it's become quite popular and a lot of people wear it these days, I still don't think it's overplayed. It always—always turns heads. The scent trail is simply incredible, filling the air and even outdoor cafés with its beautiful presence. That's exactly why it keeps winning me over, again and again. 10/10 for both the scent and the performance!

I dont usually make a written review of a fragrance but Im gonna make one for this. Bois Imperial is probably the best fragrance ever made. Not because it’s the best, but because it can speak for itself. Don’t think too much about its score here, but I dare you to try a sample of it and I guarantee you it’s one of those love it or be noseblind to it. If I had to describe it, it smells like if a forest was suddenly get flooded by soap water, it dries down and it smells exactly like a very fresh, aromatic woody forest. It’s not a green fragrance, it doesnt smell like grass nor mossy. A very smooth, easy to wear, simple but elegant. Bois Imperial - 10/10

Bois impérial from Essential Parfums perfumed by Quentin Bisch is a fragrance with a rather simple note breakdown but in true Bisch form it is turned into something beautiful. I truly appreciate the simplicity of this fragrance along with the scent it produces. A fresh everyday scent that has a bit of green to it from the addition of thai basil that is rounded out by grapefruit facets attributed from the timur pepper. The Akigalawood makes this very diffusive which we know is something Bisch's fragrances are known for. This truly a timeless fragrance that is so easy to wear and a good value for the money. Quentin Bisch strikes again!

I love pretty much everything about this fragrance. The bottle design, packaging, the juice itself, it all feels well thought out. Performance is very good, although maybe not as endless as people might expect. The scent though... amazing. Soooo green, but somehow also aromatic and slightly warm at the same time. Woody, fresh, and somehow both simple and complex, if that makes sense. Nothing feels overcrowded, but it still has character. The woody notes are lovely and the patchouli and vetiver blend together perfectly. One of those fragrances that keeps making you go back for another smell.

This is the closest it can get to 10/10 fragrance, very close. First I love it, and I think it is an impossible idea to think of for a smell, and I don't know whether its creation was mere luck. Second, I have over 500 fragrances, and no single one of them got me compliments like this one. Dressed up or down, cold or hot, at work or socially otherwise, it never fails, almost every single time I wear it. I don't know why. On more than one occasion I had people follow me to ask what I was wearing...seriously. But again, it's how I feel when I wear it. Clean sophisticated, well putt together.