Sound of a Ricochet

Dominant Notes: Labdanum Ciste, Vanilla, Amyris Secondary Notes: Gurjum, Cedar, Sandalwood, Patchouli Subtle Notes: Tonka, Anise Intoxicating, almost indecent. A smoky opening of Tobacco and Hay, warm resins of all kinds (Gurjum, Frankincense, Styrax, Benzoin...) blend with cocoa-flavored vanilla. Its drydown is much woodier and sharper, with Cedar and Sandalwood completing the choreography. The sweet Vanilla is faceted and smoky, like a soft, padded leather couch into which you sink. A hyper-sensual fragrance, with incense and oily Tonka. A lovely duality of textures. Hay doesn't exist in the pyramid but it evokes memories of a barn transformed into a Venetian boudoir (or even a stable). The scent of waxed timber framing, dark cherry beams. I also smell Rum or even Davana. You'll love it if you liked "Vanille Fatale" and "Tobacco Vanille" by Tom Ford, but also « Grand Soir » by MFK. It's the anti-minimalism, and as powerful as it is intimidating, it made me blush... My TOP 5 Floraïku: 1: This July Evening 2: Sand And Skin 3: Rise And Fall 4: Sound Of A Ricochet 5: Opening Night

Sound of a Ricochet by Floraiku is complex, powerful, spicy, and is everything I was afraid to wear. This is not a perfume you blind buy, but if you have mastered your nose and grown out of the more mainstream fragrances, this is one you might be ready to graduate into. Fragrance, much like fine wine, requires time and maturity to fully appreciate. Not everyone is prepared for that extraordinary bottle—the one that challenges the senses and rewards patience with depth and sophistication. Sound of a Ricochet is precisely that kind of scent. Far more complex than the notes suggest, it unfolds in smoky, spicy layers that command attention and linger with presence. If I blind tested this, I could easily mistake this for a Parfums de Marly creation—bold, luxurious, and decidedly not subtle. It intoxicates, envelops, and asserts itself without apology. On a man, this would be magnetic—undeniably alluring. Yet it is equally fitting for a powerful woman, someone confident enough to claim a more masculine scent as her signature. This one was not designed for a shrinking violet.

One common phrase you'll hear all the time in fragrance reviews is that people prefer to be "discovered, not announced". i.e. they prefer a subtler scent, rather than one which projects heavily and obnoxiously across the room. For me, this fragrance is the perfect embodiment of that statement. It's sweet, woody and subtle, without being cloying at all. It's casual enough to wear every day, but classy enough to be able to dress up. It projects about a foot for the first 6 hours, then becomes a skin scent. For me, less is more when applying this fragrance. While I usually go for 6 sprays (one each side of the neck, one on each collarbone, one on the back of my neck and one on my wrist), with this scent I usually only go for 3-4. Not only does it play better with the subtle nature of the fragrance, it also helps on extending the life of the bottle, as it is by no means a cheap perfume. Pros: -Great vanilla/Tonka bean scent -Fantastic when smelled up close -Great bottle design -My favorite from Floraiku Cons: -Average longevity -Very Expensive

Loved my sample, but I wasn't willing to pay full retail, so I waited and watched until I found a reasonable deal. I've never sampled Grand Soir, so I have no basis of that to compare it to. Like another reviewer mentioned, it does smell very "Guerlain-ish", and I'm really digging the sandalwood + vanilla + tonka combo. It's sweet, but not cloying so; warm and inviting, but not smothering or overbearing. With the euro and dollar being nearly equivalent lately, I was able to snag a full presentation bottle + travel spray for less than half of suggested retail, which makes me quite happy, and allows me to enjoy the fragrance even more. While I could wear this in colder spring and summer, it is heavy enough that it would be best suited for 50°F or less. Full bottle worthy, and my favorite of the Floraiku range so far (even more than One Umbrella!)

This is beautiful. Initially, it's that velvety curtain that a good tonka and sandalwood can create, that creamy, slightly powdery, sweet but never too much, just almost cloying, slightly chocolatey scent with vanilla carrying it over the finish line. What it lacks is nuance, depth, development, but it has beauty. Also a strong performer which is very, very rare with Floraiku, you can expect two sprays to last the day. Similar to Grand Soir in the opening, but that one takes a different turn. Tonka Imperiale comes to mind, but the memory is distant.

Grand Soir without the obnoxious super-amber dominating the dry down. It's a very subtle and sophisticated composition, so I can understand why it's not for everyone. Personally, I love it, my only complaint lies in the price. At $350 for a 50 mL, I expect something truly extraordinary. This is lovely, and I really enjoy it, but I don't think it achieves the level of brilliance needed to justify that price tag. If it cost 30% less, I'd be all over it. Edit: Private Mood Vanille Et Cognac is a decent substitute at a much more reasonable price

Extraordinary. Take vanilla and resins from Grand Soir, add Coromandel's chocolate, dust it with Ex Idolo powdery cacao-like amber. Striking. Three of the fragrances loved by me so heavily. Replacing MFK and CHANEL with this for holidays. How are people not talking more about it? Sweetness is subdued and pushed down by ambers but it is there. Vanilla is a bit smoked/roasted. This will save you money of buying 4 expensive fragrances. Needless to say presentation is very nice too.

I can understand why people feel like it is similar to Grand Soir but they smell quite different to me. This is is less sweet, less gourmand, and there is a slight hint of smoky woodiness in it. I can also smell myrrh, which toned down the sweetness from vanilla, tonka bean and sandalwood. It is a well balanced scent between sweet vanilla and smoky wood. Same with other fragrances from the brand, it projects well for the first few minutes and then becomes a skin scent.

Oooof this hit the spot, om a big fan off the amber vanilla family like Ani and grand soir, and this sets is self apart in a good way, its a warm woody biscuit bed w a big serving off soft melting vanilla ice cream, i could go on but this is just simpel and good, not at al complex..and i dosent need to the beauty lies in the quality and blend.

vanilla ,incense,spices,amber very lovely blended Sweet and warm with Beast performance that long lasting to me Wearing this perfume Its feel just like a sweet warm hug of someone that I love.the bottle design to die for Wow!I am very impressed. I Could not be happier I add this one in my collection.

Smells like my luthier's workshop, as a result of which I believe there's amber in here. In other words, this is just mfk grand soir but more expensive ⥈_⥈

A Beautiful Sweet Gunsmoke Skin-scent - Realistic vanilla note - Incense/woody base - Long lasting - Lower projection - Great drydown - Masculine-leaning

Burning vanilla is a terrible and beautiful perfume. Painting of art The red dragon Above the burning sky The sound of Ricochet

The closest thing I’ve smelled to a Shoyeido Sandalwood incense stick. Damn good stuff

This is a good Amber, period. Very intense, dense and stellar longevity.

First time I tried it I was highly disappointed--- I was expecting a soft scent with gourmand accents but after trying it several months later with no expectation, I'm starting to really enjoy it. The opening is a super synthetic, unappealing sugary sweet vanilla but once these first notes are gone, it develops into a warm, smoother and sweet woody scent. Good thing it projects well and lasts for a long time because this is definitely NOT a perfume that smells nice when sniffed up close. If you do, it will remind you of a humid, old, almost rotting wood furniture. From afar, it still smells like old wood but it doesn't smell humid anymore, it just smells warmer, a tiny bit spicy & more enveloping. To me, it literally smells like... a library or a bookstore. But in a good way, really. The antique, slightly dusty wood furniture, the old books that long to be (re-)discovered, the quiet aura of the place filled with a handful of peaceful bookworms. I actually would not wear it for a fancy night out, but for a cosy reading time at home, in a cafe or while roaming through said libraries and bookstores. It's a very peaceful fragrance and it gives me strong academia / nerdy vibes haha. While MM's Whispers in the Library smells like the delicate sweetness of a book, Sound of a Ricochet smells like the entire place.

I already have quite a few amber oriented scents (Ambre 114, Tom Ford's Noir Pour Femme, Volutes) but this one is slightly different, and I assume it is the tonic bean which adds a kind of cherry/coffee note to the composition. Neither masculine nor feminine, it has a warming, cozy, sexy, wintertime aura to it, perfect for sipping hot cocoa near an open fireplace, or snuggling into bed under a down comforter on a stormy night. However, the price is simply too much and despite the beauty of the bottle design I would never ever buy it.

This fragrance haunts me. It’s a beautiful woody vanilla with heavy amounts of tonka bean especially in the dry down. It’s perhaps my favorite of that genre that I’ve smelled, or maybe that feeling is simply borne out of the fact that I can’t have it. My husband is mildly allergic to a certain fragrance chemical and it must be in this in a high concentration because he had a reaction after smelling my sample. That being said if you’re willing to pay the price it’s a beautiful scent.

It's another woody vanilla. Yes, it is a really good one, but the market just seems a bit saturated with them right now. Tobacco Vanille, MMs Whispers in the Library.. no, they are not the same.. this one is definitely a little more gourmand in the opening and its lovely, but they all just kinda have the same end state. Definitely worth a try, it is a gorgeous fragrance.. truly.. but if you are looking to stand out from the crowd, it won't be with this one.

In the air, it's kind of a dusty vanilla somewhat similar to Margiela's Whispers in the Library. Not overly sweet and a touch of woodiness. Up close though, I get a sour note that I find very unpleasant. Perhaps incense? Overall, I don't find this to be unique or beautiful enough to justify its price tag. I get fairly good longevity and projection from it.

Testing my sample; this smells like the drydown of Grand Soir infused with patchouli and sandalwood. It's resinous but not stiflingly so, I very much agree with the reviews citing 'buttery'. Cool/cold weather, so autumn and winter and maybe cooler-than-average spring days. Sits at arms' length for me.

If you’ve been to a Zen temple in Kyoto, this is exactly how it smells in the opening. A very intense smell of quality incense. Can be sandalwood or some other woods. I find similar scent in my incense collection from Japan and Tibet. Not sure whether it is suitable to wear. Yet to find out.

A good amber/vanilla scent Somewhat mainstream And yes it does resemble grand soir Smooth and buttery I enjoyed wearing it but it’s nothing worth the price tag Performance was very good I believe this brand is not exactly luxurious but it’s very easy on the eye with very creative designs

A warm, unisex vanilla amber that envelops you like a cashmere blanket. It's a very beige or cream colored fragrance. This is a powerhouse, the longevity and sillage are both immense. It's gorgeous for winter or fall.

This is simply your Jade Olivier Durbano with vanilla add on...spicy warm sweet tonka-vanilla!

Unlike what the notes may claim this is a full blown amber composition, not some minimalist vanilla sandalwood. Powdery, benzoin-y, musky, vanillin amber slightly feminine leaning due to the cosmetic vibe, a kin to Grand Soir, without that rubbing alcohol aromachemical poking through the base, a bit of a woody caramel vibe in the dry down. Meh. I'm sure the amber purist crowd will be impressed by this one, but unless you are planning on paying premium for a take almost identical to 1000 other ambers, skip this one. Thb if it were priced at 150-200$ mark per 100ml I would consider it a nice cold weather find, since it feels appropriate quality-wise for the mid level niche category, but at 300$+ for 60ml I am expecting a level of artistry and innovation that just isn't here. Comparing it to other fragrances at this price point you quickly realize you are being tricked by the edgy faux-oriental presentation.

This must’ve been reformulated. My sample had no resemblance to Grand Soir. It has more the musty barn odor that negative reviewers are talking about. I don’t hate the “rotting wood” profile but I don’t want to pay premium for it either. Judging from the glowing reviews, I think my sample went bad, take it with a bit of salt. Edit: two hours have passed and I’m getting the Grand Soir spiciness now. The dry down is very similar. But the first hour had a strong sour smell. Overall, it’s an ok scent, even with the spicy dry down, I didn’t fall in love with it.

I didn't like this one at first because it was like baby powder, but after a few minutes it settles into a really pleasant, woodsy vanilla. Perhaps a little too mature for me though, and I can't help but agree with those saying the vanilla feels synthetic. Edit: Sprayed it for the work day and it lasted well into the late afternoon, this is some quality stuff. The minimalism really works for it and I love the sandalwood, but I suspect the dustiness of tonka and vanilla (plus patchoiuli, a note listed on their site) is what's turning me off.

Nose Note #261 This one was such a relief in a weird way. Because it's both clearly reminds you of Grand Soir, but it has such a funny and clumsy twist of valerian / catnip note. It's terrible and amazing at the same time. Up close it's an awful medical smell of valerian, but the sillage is Grand Soir (maybe 85% similar). So it was a relief in a way that it's so easy to describe: you had such a "grand soir" that you had to take some valerian tranquillisers afterwards...

I can see this smelling amazing on some people but I did not enjoy it on me. It made me feel nauseated. The vanilla is very pronounced but it is sharp, too sharp for me, it's jarring. It's not rounded with sweetness or like vanilla in baking. It's very pure vanilla "plant life" smell, which the Tonka and sandalwood only seem to punctuate. I had to scrub it off. But I feel like I would really dig it on the right someone else. So, I'll have to admire it from afar.

This is another old library scent... vanilla, leather (labdanum), and a feel of antique wood and resin... cozy but dark. The patchouli felt too dominant to me, and there's also something ozonic in there that I couldn't find in the note tree. I also got something boozy. Fermented, even, interesting! A rather dirty and deep scent. A candidate for the dark academia atmosphere. Tag(s): old library, leather, resinous, boozy, dark academia

The initial spray just wow, so strong. But the dry down is a beauty. I am not a fan for such bold fragrance but I can wear this on winter time. Sandalwood rain. The mellow drydown just wonderful on my skin. It's not cloying sweetburst tho.

A soft vanilla without any added notes. It’s powdery and lightly smokey. I like this fragrance and it’s quite enjoyable. However, it has a synthetic aspect to the vanilla in this fragrance. I wish it was more complex.

A vanilla that, to my nose and sensibilities, leans masculine. I’m reminded of Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille, but without the spices. It’s loud and almost overbearing when first applied, but fades quickly.

This is a little too sweet for me. It's a very strong, syrupy vanilla (perhaps intensified by amber) with some tonka to round it out. It's very strong and rich – overwhelming.

Surely this can't be a finished fragrance. Buttery amber that fades to all tonka. Uninteresting and uninspired.

A smokey, woody, dirty Cuir Beliga. Not bad but i much prefer CB.

Incense heavy and a strange powderyness on top

One of the most mediocre amber scents from notes I like, that I can remember ever sampling: I’m talking about universally loved vanilla, sandalwood, and tonka bean. There’s even a weird sour note in this mix, reminding me of polish for wood furniture that’s turned bad. Who’s buying this at full retail?

This one smells like someone poured vanilla extract over horse manure, and left it for weeks in a musty basement. Almost ordered 10 ml of it, as a complimentary gift to my purchase. Dodged a ricochet of a bullet there.

I wanted to love this, I really did! The name, oh I would love to own the bottle but I can't do the scent. To me, it smells identical to Nobile's Malia and that one did not agree with my skin/scent preferences. I pick up something super earthy, almost like vetiver, and it doesn't work well for me. I am very glad I sampled and didn't blind buy. It smells much more complex than the few notes that are in this. It is well blended and not obtrusive. It does feel more complete than Malia, if that makes sense.

Love the concept. It begins with you being served tea, along with a matcha green tea biscuit, which displays a Haiku poem. A further wooden tray is presented to you, which provides you with places to stand the fragrance cards you receive. Each perfume is on display before you, the notes disclosed, the Haikus read and then you get to sample each individual scent. Shadowing is explained, allowing you to add a light or dark shadow to these. More tea and biscuits are available if needed and a hot towel served. I sprayed a different perfume on each wrist and later decided to purchase Sound of a Ricochet. The box, inspired by a Japanese bento box, includes a refillable 50ml bottle of this perfume, along with a 10ml refill, which can be inserted into the beautifully decorated large bottle top and be used as a separate travel or purse spray. Two different bottle caps are included. The bento style box fits into a cardboard box and gold sleeve, which looks stunning. The perfume itself is gorgeous and part of their Forbidden Incense collection. The notes given are Vanilla Absolute, Tonka Bean Absolute and Sandalwood Oil. I suspect that the incense element comes from the tonka bean, which can be spicy amd cinnamon like. I put two sprays on my neck early yesterday evening and the next morning, more than 12 hours later, I could still smell it strongly on my skin. A lot of thought has gone into this brand and I think it will gain many fans, however I do have a couple of suggestions on improving it. Firstly, I wish the sprayers on the bottle and the refill were the same size, allowing each bottle cap to fit both bottle and travel spray. At present, only the large heavy cap fits the travel spray, which makes it weigh a ton. If the smaller much lighter cap could be fitted to it instead, it would truly be travel friendly. Also the box is unnecessarily large, being 10" tall and 6" wide. I can't imagine many being able to make space for a multiple number of these boxes in their collection. If the contents were positioned differently, these boxes could easily be reduced by a third in size. The size will probably put me off from buying more bottles, so if I decide that I want another Floraiku perfume, I will likely just buy a 50ml refill and buy an empty perfume bottle separately.

Started with an immediate "aha!" of interest with this one. The smell proved to be interesting, with acceptable power and a unique dose makes for a lasting impression. However, I think it is not for me. My girlfriend appreciates it, but to me the tonka is too present. It also smells a bit fake, unauthentic. There is a plastic, slightly bitter aftertaste to the bite when you smell it. Perhaps this is what tonkanila (tonka + vanilla, trademark me) is supposed to be. I am not sure if the brand is supposed to use natural flavors, but it reminds me of some pure synthetics brands I tried. You register a natural smell, but your brain deep down knows something's not quite right, like under a ruse of some kind. Range is somehow limited, I only smell two things in there, and the simplicity rings of "good enough" instead of "smart minimalism". Won't try it again and will put the sample in the vault of shame. Not because it's bad, simply because I don't like it.

My favorite from Floraiku as it is the most memorable. I assume most of the other fragrances from this house is meant to be layered with Ricochet, which is a rich sandalwood with vanilla. I find a lot of Floraiku creations are beautiful but simple and not overally distinct. Ricochet is the standout as it's the one with the most character. This is sweet but not smokey, slightly carmal coated gourmondish, and slightly woody. This is a good quality scent. Not overly complex but it does melt into your skin and radiates for a good while after one application. However, the projection is quiet. Completely unisex and is very versatile. I can see this being layered with a lot of other scents. I have no qualms with a straight forward rich tonka fragrance, especially when the quality is this good. If this were more reasonably priced it might find a broader audience. End of the day a big thumbs up.

I decided to try Sound of a Ricochet after MFK Grand Soir did not work out for me. Grand Soir I found was too Labdanum heavy at the outset, a rather strange piercing quality that I couldn't get along with, and was not altogether expecting. Grand Soir unfortunately takes too long to settle into the smooth part of the fragrance where I actually enjoy it. Sound of a Ricochet on the other hand is quite different, it has strength, but softness at the same time. Everything settles in nicely from the very beginning. There is nothing groundbreaking going on here, just a very well blended smooth Vanilla, Amber, Tonka and Sandalwood, perfect for Autumn/ Winter use. Performance is very good and lasts all day. Floraiku offer a 10ml travel spray, which is the one I purchased, the Bento box which contains 50ml spray and a 10ml travel spray is unfortunately very over-priced.

I spend a lot of days to take this into test. The bento box comes with a sample so you can use it before the actual FB. I love the quality and the story behind the brand BUT Sound of a Ricochet smells like dirty sandalwood on me, I don’t detect any of the other notes, it begins like sandalwood and it stays like that for the rest of the day. No vanilla, no tonka bean, no nothing. My PH is weird and it can sometimes turn some fragances into white vinager odour (not lying here, sadly) so I am blaming my chemistry on this one. This is A BEAST. Sillage and projection are quite big. Being that said, I’m selling my FB (not a single use out of it) with the normal cap as I am keeping the travel case. I can include the bento box that it came in if you want to but it will cost a couple of bucks extra because its big and bulky.

-Coriander-like spice, soybeans and dry green notes. -A faint tonka sent is detectable in the background if you press your nose to the blotter strip. -This smells like you spilled a herbal drink and tried to clean it off with unscented wipes. -It comes across as a scent trying to be posh...but really only manages to reach Aesop's level. I can see this sorta scent being used in expensive skincare. But as a perfume? Nowhere near unique enough to be worth its price tag. -Something in a similar vein to check out if you like this scent profile: Shade by Lush. (-)

Wow, definitely big time grand soir vibes. Without the lavender note, and add a bit of spiciness to it. Like a woodsy spiciness. I actually prefer this, I love grand soir, the amber is immaculate there however the lavender note is not for me. This is amazing! I'd put it on my want list if I didn't have some similars, but definitely onto my best of ambers / vanillas shelves. ** 9 samples of this brand available for swap UK - and 200+ other samples! Looking for bundle swaps of 10-50, with ample amounts of niches. Check my customs shelf! **

This reminds me a bit of Byredo's Slow Dance but it's a bit more spicy because of the anise seed and has a slightly more 'dry grassy' feel to it. Slow Dance smells a bit more feminine/romantic imo and the vanilla has a bit more spotlight in it, but they're similar in the sense that the vanilla smells boozy. I think when vanilla is executed this way it's perfectly unisex but I don't personally gravitate much towards it. Objectively speaking I can appreciate this though, it has a bit of a sophisticated feel, but it's not really 'me'.

As soon as I sprayed this on my wrist, I couldn't shake the feeling that I've smelled something extremely similar before. Took a few minutes, but I realized this fragrance strongly resembles Grand Soir from Maison Francis Kurkdjian. The creamy, sweet, vanilla/amber dry down is kind of unmistakable. Sounds of a Ricochet is beautiful, but not special enough to forsake it for a fragrance I already love that's a little more affordable. Edit: after more testing, I find this fragrance to resemble Grand Soir, but without the amber.