Baie 19

Having concluded my extensive exploration of Acqua di Parma, I now pivot my attention back to the distinct American house of Le Labo, ready to review one of their less-discussed offerings: Baie 19. I first stumbled upon this fragrance during a specific search for "best petrichor fragrances" some time ago. Given that petrichor isn't a vast olfactive category like, say, vanilla-centric scents, the options that truly fit the bill were somewhat limited. However, Baie 19 consistently surfaced across multiple sources during my research, prompting me to acquire a sample for a personal experience. Let's get into it and ascertain if it truly stands among the finest petrichor fragrances available. Opening: The opening is an enveloping embrace of ozonic freshness, rich earthiness, and deep woody tones. The primary notes that immediately register are patchouli, ozonic notes, juniper berries, and green leaves. Patchouli and ozonic notes are the commanding presences. The patchouli immediately greets my nose with an intense burst of earthy and woody facets. While I'm accustomed to patchouli often playing a supporting role, its prominent position here in the opening is strikingly bold, yet it’s delivered appealingly. Trailing closely behind are the ozonic notes; they unfurl as fresh and aquatic, carrying a distinct petrichor accord that vividly evokes the crisp, clean aroma of fresh rain. Next, juniper berries and green leaves join the composition. The juniper berries introduce a woody and subtly piney spiciness, underpinned by a delicate citrus whisper. Lastly, the green leaves add a subtle touch of verdant freshness in the background, like the vibrant foliage after a downpour. All of these elements beautifully coalesce, painting a photo-realistic olfactory portrait of a rainstorm unfolding within a lush forest. Dry Down: The dry down continues its atmospheric narrative, remaining steadfastly ozonic, deeply earthy, and confidently woody. The primary notes I continue to discern are patchouli, ozonic notes, juniper berries, and musk. Patchouli and ozonic notes retain their dominant positions. The dry down is remarkably similar to the opening, with the only notable difference being the subtle exchange of the green leaves note for a gentle layer of musk, which lends a clean freshness to the base of the fragrance. Beyond this minor shift, the fragrance maintains a steady linearity throughout its progression. Performance: The initial projection is remarkably strong, effortlessly extending beyond six feet. Sillage mirrors this intensity, leaving an airy yet unmistakable scent trail. After approximately three to four hours, the projection remained impressive, still reaching about five to six feet, and the scent trail was easily perceptible. Even at the seven-to-eight-hour mark, the projection held on remarkably well, around four to five feet, with the scent trail remaining noticeable, albeit slightly lighter. The fragrance ultimately receded to a skin scent around the nine to ten-hour mark, demonstrating exceptional longevity for its light and airy nature. When to Wear: Baie 19 reveals itself as a wonderfully versatile fragrance, capable of being worn year-round, day or night. Its unique character makes it an appropriate choice for virtually anything casual, and it performs admirably in an office environment, offering something distinctive without being overpowering. However, due to its distinctly fresh and airy scent profile, I would not typically select this fragrance for a formal occasion. Blind Buy: Baie 19 isn't necessarily what I would categorize as a universally safe blind buy. While smelling like a fresh rainstorm is undoubtedly pleasant, and most individuals would agree it offers a nice aroma, it's not inherently a scent profile everyone wishes to wear personally. However, if petrichor accords are what captivates you, this stands as one of the finest, most authentic examples available. Final Verdict: As I noted at the outset of this review, Baie 19 is widely considered by many to be among the very best petrichor fragrances one can acquire. Having now experienced it firsthand, I can confidently echo that sentiment. A common pitfall for many petrichor fragrances is that the distinctive note often proves fleeting, lingering only through the opening, or the overall performance of the fragrance itself is subpar. Baie 19, however, elegantly sidesteps both of these issues. From its captivating opening through to its graceful dry down, the petrichor accord remains the undeniable highlight of the show, and its performance is nothing short of extraordinary for a fragrance of such an ethereal character. While its price tag of $340 for 100ml certainly places it in the luxury tier, making it feel overpriced at full retail, I can envision myself acquiring this from a discounter at some point. Bottom line: if you desire to embody the pristine aroma of fresh rain falling upon a forest floor, Baie 19 is, without a doubt, where you want to be. Scent: 8/10 Longevity: 7/10 Sillage: 8/10 Versatility: High Mass Appeal: High Gender: Unisex Value: Overpriced

I received a sample of this today with an online order. I was hoping for a sample of another fragrance, however when I saw I’d received Baie 19 I was pleasantly surprised. I’ve been researching a lot of perfumes lately due to lockdown boredom and this scent had been on my mind as something I thought was cool and hoped I could pull off. The tiny vial didn’t come with an atomizer, so I was only able to dab a small amount onto my wrist. My oh my, am I surprised. Speechless, even. This scent is powerful even in small doses. From the first sniff, I loved it. I’m assuming I detected a strong whiff of juniper berry, however I’m unsure what the exact notes were. I adore perfume, but I’m yet to learn the individual scents by name. But putting this scent into words is even difficult. From reading through other reviews, I agree with a lot of what I’ve read. Petrichor is likely a perfect description of this scent, which I have to admit my former tumblr addict self is excited about. It feels cold, bold, but enticing. I envisage the modern day “ice queen” that appears flawless and impossible to penetrate unless she allows you into her secret circle. The kind of woman that many men fantasise about, wishing they could claim her. Ironically this is also the kind of woman that I am completely opposite from, yet somehow still have a desire to be like at times. I feel like this is the kind of scent to wear when you want to be left alone. A kind of loud announcement making yourself impossible to be unnoticed, yet with a strong message of “don’t bother me”. It definitely feels powerful to me. Yet on the other hand, the petrichor resemblance leaves me with a totally different vibe. Yes it is cold, but not emotionally so, at least not deliberately. Perhaps it’s the scent of being alone, but being quite content with it. This is the imagery I get, after having it on me for 30-45 minutes: It’s raining, but you decide you want to be alone with the woods and so you head out without an umbrella, somewhat brooding. You’re the one who left their home city, bustling with people and sunshine, to move across the world. The dreary town you now call home rains more than it shines, which is evident by the lush green foliage peeping across your bay window. People tend to keep to themselves, which suits you just fine. You want to become this person, alone with yourself, delving deep into the waters of your own soul so you can create life-altering art. You expose yourself to the elements so you can really feel. You stay on walking through the wet grass, slippery twigs and dripping trees until you’re so cold you can only just feel your toes. You then return home to create, full to the brim with emotion from just experiencing life. It’s safe to say, I now have to have this fragrance.

My life is awash with examples of snap judgments turning out wrong with more information or exposure to a subject. Baie 19 is an example of a fragrance where my initial impression and the conclusion I drew based on limited exposure was wrong. This scent is structured around the odd ozonic note of petrichor, the heady, earthy smell of ground after a rain. The novelty of using petrichor in fragrance was something of a minor trend in 2019-2020. Fragrances like this one, Petrichor Plains from Mihan Aromatics and My Most Meaningful Relationships by Filigree & Shadow, are all examples. But whereas the latter two scents focus on a fairly linear presentation of petrichor with rosewood, Baie 19 presents a more variegated composition with a green, slightly medicinal patchouli weaving its way in and around the pertichor. There is also a sharp, medicinal green herbal note and some cool, bitter juniper in the mix here. This is a surprisingly sharp, occasionally camphorous and oddly watery experience with ambroxan boosted longevity and even a bit of musky, ambrette seed like, animalic tones later in the progression to lend an unexpected note to the base. All-in-all, Baie 19 is a blend of smells that is at once familiar and yet novel. And it is polarizing. Many folks will dislike it and the first time I smelled it, I found it off-putting. Later, I found myself drawn to the spot where I had tested it on skin. The attraction was persistent and it grew stronger. Eventually, I bought a large bottle and have come to really love this unusual fragrance. If you get a chance, sample it over time, on skin, with a willingness to forgive what may initially strike you as a scent you dislike. Over time, with repeated sniffs and some reflection, the beauty in the totality of this moderately projecting, unique patchouli fragrance may just win your olfactory heart as it has mine. Oftentimes the most rewarding things start off as difficult and the experience of Baie 19 is one of those things.

Aside from the ones named for specific collaborators (Another 13, the Colette ones), this is the only Le Labo fragrance I know of that isn’t named for an ingredient, which makes sense given how abstract it feels—to me, anyway. Baie 19 implies a bay of water, and it does make me think of the still, reflective surface of a cold mountain lake, with rocky, mossy shores under a silver sky. Rather than the moist earth of petrichor, it calls up damp stones. I get mineral, medicinal juniper and a combination of metallic, ozonic, herbal, green, and synthetic, almost latex-ish notes, and then some earthy musk as it settles down. It’s the natural world in vivid detail, but as if you were seeing it in VR, or a dream. It’s disorienting and magnetic, very subtle but continuously surprising—“What am I smelling?” I keep asking myself. I imagine this being what a mirror would smell like if it had a smell—the scent seems to arrive in my nose as if it was getting refracted through a lens, bent or inverted, like rays of light. Unlike a lot of other “molecular”-type skin scents, this one also lasts, though it doesn’t really project. I’m deeply intrigued by it. Maybe my favourite Le Labo fragrance? Certainly one of their weirdest. Expensive, of course, and it also suggests a mood I might only occasionally want to inhabit, so not an easy purchase. Incidentally, the first time I tried this, I also sampled Aesop’s Eremia, Tacit, and Ouranon, which I think aim for similar territory: understated, meditative, herbal, earthy, abstracted...and overpriced. Those three are all interesting and cool in their own ways, but if I was going to spend over $200 on 50ml, I think Baie 19 delivers more.

This is one of those fragrances that is hard to describe because it does not smell like a traditional perfume to me. It smells more like a change in the air. It is wet, ozonic, mineral, green, musky, earthy, and atmospheric, with that petrichor quality that makes it feel like rain has just hit cold ground. The opening is very ozonic and damp, It smells like wet fresh air, wet leaves, and rainwater soaking into pavement or soil. There is a crispness to it, but it is not sharp, nothing here is sharp; everything is expertly balanced. It feels more like humidity, mineral air, and that charged clean smell outside after a storm. The green notes are definitely there; crushed leaves, damp stems, and cold green air. The juniper gives it a cool, slightly aromatic lift, while the hint of patchouli adds that earthy cast, the damp-ground quality underneath. I think that patchouli is a big part of why it smells like actual rain hitting earth instead of just a clean aquatic accord. As it dries down, the ambroxan and musks become more noticeable. They give it this smooth, airy, skin-like base that keeps the fragrance subtle and diffusive. It does not sit heavily on the skin. It kind of floats around you like a weather system. The muskiness is clean and refreshing, it is transparent and atmospheric, almost like the scent of cold air clinging to skin and fabric. There is something very subtle about Baie 19, but not weak exactly. It is subtle in the way weather is subtle. I do not smell one loud note, it paints an environment. It has this quiet, damp, green-mineral quality that makes it feel understated but still very present.