Gaiac 10 Tokyo

scent: 10/10 longevity: 8/10 sillage: 3/10 projection: 3-6/10 value: 1/10 This fragrance first garnered my attention from an Instagram reel made by @Max4cracks as he faints and is subsequently brought back to consciousness after taking a whiff of this. Interesting, I thought. I then realized this was City Exclusive for none other than Tokyo itself. Only then did I long for it more as I wanted to wear/try Le Labo's iteration of what they could squeeze of Tokyo inside a bottle...to perhaps relive and experience the essences of my 2019 trip to Japan or just maybe put myself in the headspace of when and who I was during that vacation. Come August of this year, I am now familiar with Le Labo and who they are. I wear Le Labo. I have friends that wear Le Labo. I wear Santal 33, I have friends that wear The Matcha 26, Another 13, The Noir 29, etc, all these fragrances stand out and have at least some sort of statement to make for the most part. I excitedly go in-store and buy my first sample of Gaiac 10 and try it on for the day aaaand...Nothing. I had to BURY my nose into my wrist to even get an idea of what Gaiac 10 was holding in store for me. Safe to say I was disappointed...until a couple hours later, it finds me. This creamy, sweet, inundating scent, but then gone the next second. I burned through that first sample trying so hard to understand this fragrance and even ended up getting two more samples to solidify my decision to get this or not and getting my friends' opinions in hopes of validating that this surely will make me smell good. I finish the last of my 3rd sample and finally came to an understanding of what Gaiac 10 beholds. This fragrance is beautiful. Others remark of a burning or bbq top note...maybe if you try really hard. It's smoky akin to incense or the remnants of a recently extinguished campfire. Gaiac 10 feels as fleeting as the smoke it smells like, but just as smoke stays on you and your clothes, Gaiac 10 does as well. This fragrance is an enigma, a mystery...it feels linear but at the same time nuanced with the way it behaves. Gone with the wind, returns as the beloved prodigal son next. The top note smokiness lasts anywhere between 1-3 hours depending on conditions and then the rest is that sweet, creamy scent. I have woken up with it still on me, just as strong as when I have applied it, and other times gone. I have already received my fair share of compliments while wearing this fragrance but in the end, Gaiac 10 poses as something kept to itself. Much like the largely mainstream culture in Japan, the people there are reserved and Gaiac 10 is fairly constructed to suit that specific market. When in such a behemoth of a city like Tokyo, it's hard not to feel small and invisible. Gaiac 10 feels exactly like that but is a testament to being alone, but never lonely.

A clean, smart musky wood that is just to die for. Opens with a blast of smoky, woody chip-y guaiac wood surrounded by clean, cozy, and fuzzy white musk's. Super inviting and casual while remaining professional and understated. Then as it dries down it begins to fill out as more woods like cedar (smells like Virginia cedar to me) and a hint of olibanum (frankincense) come into play. This mid gives the clean woodiness some much welcomed depth, but in the air it remains fairly if not entirely balanced, only tipping into mostly guaiac and woody notes in the deep dry down. This is a VERY good clean woody fragrance, and while I may be slightly influenced because of the marketing; this is a very Japanese style fragrance: clean, put together, and understated while still retaining a presence and air of casualness about it. It's a very simple fragrance, both to its benefit and to its downfall. The benefit is because this is one of the most versatile, signature scent worthy fragrances anyone could own; especially if into woody fragrances. The downfall on the other hand is due to the price. I can hardly justify $375 for a 50 mL of such a simple fragrance, somehow even more expensive than Creed (a brand notorious for their pricing if you didn't already know), but man this and a couple of the other city exclusive fragrances are tempting because of their quality. Time will tell if I ever decide to pick up a bottle. Very very good longevity of 18ish hours with moderate projection for the first 6-8 hours with intimate for the remainder. Strong projection if under summer heat. 9/10. Signature Scent Worthy. Song vibe - Sparkle by Toshinobu Kubota TLDR - A very solid clean, musky wood scent that while simple and understated, is equally as addicting and smooth. Must try if a fan of woody scents, or just entering the genre, and want a unique yet safe option to mindlessly reach for day after day. Would make for an excellent office scent. Side note - If you really like this type of clean woody profile, I highly recommend checking out "Kyoto" by Comme Des Garcons. This is a bit more "designer-esque" compared to the CDG but a must smell.

I feel kinda lonely being the first to post a review on this great fragrance. But I felt the need to share my thoughts about this fragrance. Gaiac 10 is a beautiful and subtle woody fragrance. When I first spray this fragrance on I get a beautiful natural smelling gaiac and cedar scent, as this fragrance begins to dry down you begin to get a lot of clean musk blending with the wood notes and a hint of incense to make a beautiful scent that stays somewhat close to the skin. But make no mistake this fragrance lasts. which should come as no surprise being that it is a perfume extract with 30% aromatic compounds in it. That being said this fragrance truely baffles me when ever I wear it. The reason I say this is because it seems that when ever am trying to smell this fragrance I can only faintly pick it up. However, when I am not focusing on it is when I can pick it up the most, and what I smell is amazing. What I also love is that only people that come in somewhat close contact with you will be able to enjoy this fragrance and it almost has a magnetic effect when they do pick it up. Its almost like a person that whispers and forces you to listen. Plain and simple to me this fragrance speaks softly but carries a big stick. Projection: This fragrance by no means projects loudly, but when it does get noticed it makes its presence very well known. 8/10 Longivity: When ever I wear this fragrance I get anywhere between 12-16hrs all the time. 10/10 Scent: A work of art in my humble opinion. I truely believe its beauty is in its simplicity which makes perfect scense, being that it is a Tokyo exclusive. 10/10 Versatility: This fragrance is extremely versatile for me, I can wear it in the cold months, in the warm months, day, night, formal, casual...10/10 Price: This fragrance is expensive if you are lucky enough to be able to get your hands on it. For me it is well worth its price but I suggest everyone should do some good sampling before thinking of buying this. 7/10 Overall: 9/10

I've been wanting to review this scent for almost six years, but I deliberately waited. I wanted to wear it over and over again, through different seasons, weather, countries, occasions, moods, and with different people. I wanted to see how it lived with me before trying to describe it... I guess I'm a little obsessed. I knew this would be my signature scent the moment it touched my skin. Some fragrances take time to understand, but this one felt instantly familiar, as if my body already knew it. It brings me back to several places at once: my grandma’s house, the place where I have always felt the safest. A quiet Buddha temple I used to visit when I needed peace. The soft smoke of burning incense drifting through cool morning air. The fog of early dawn settling over an ancient forest, with a still lake nearby reflecting the first light of the day. And when it settles into my skin, musky, warm and quiet, it feels almost like a soft embrace, like resting your head against someone you trust completely. It smells like warmth, wood, silence, and time itself. When I wear it, I feel safe, grounded, and quietly happy, like the world has slowed down just enough for me to breathe. To me, this is the scent of earth and existence, something deeply human and timeless. The kind of scent that reminds you that life is simple at its core, with its warmth, shelter, memory, and the quiet presence of the people we love. This is the fragrance I want to carry with me through life's important moments. The scent I would wear on my most meaningful days, and the one I would gift to the people who matter most to me. Some perfumes try to impress. This one simply feels like home to me. 10/10

Sublime. Unique. Elegant. Misunderstood. Gaiac 10 revealed itself to me very slowly, but when it found me, it changed my whole perception of perfumery! You need to be emotionally ready if you want to understand this one....... This fragrance is ultra powerful yet stubbornly subtle. Projection is bigger than you think and the longevity is much much much longer than you realise. This is not a línea fragrance as often described. It’s ultra complex and changes character over time. I wear this year round but always rediscover it during hayfever season, which I suffer from severely. After having a blocked nose all day, I occasionally get a powerful yet fleeting whiff of it up to 24 hours after application. And for those of you who try to smell it by sticking your nose into where you have sprayed, don’t bother........it will find you when it’s ready, and only if you have the patience. And you may have to wear it several times before it reveals itself to you, which it will do when you least expect it. But when you know it, it will reward you........fleetingly! I have tried all the perfumes it has been compared to and IMHO there is no real relationship to any of them, which is a pity as it’s insanely expensive and would happily go for a cheaper alternative - but there aren’t any. Gaiac 10 has changed my whole perception of what a good perfume is and I can totally see why this is the Tokyo exclusive! The biggest advantage is that all my other perfumes are also now experienced differently, and all I need is one or two sprays of most other fragrances to enjoy them rather than the way too many sprays of the past. Gaiac 10 smells like divinity!

Because the experience of scents is so subjective and personal I tend to put all my notes in my "notebook" instead of in the review section. I like to read what others have said and will often copy/paste some of their descriptions into my notebook because they are so "spot on". However when someone says if you like this scent you can get this other alternative for - cheaper price, better longevity, etc. I get a little nervous. There are too many factors involved to suggest a simple absolute of "this" = "this". In this case I love the scent of Gaiac 10 and have sampled CdG Kyoto. In My Opinion (as subjective as it is) there is a similarity only in the cedar but that note's not what makes Gaiac 10 so enjoyable to me. If you discount the musk and the gaiac you no longer really have Gaiac 10 and they appear NOWHERE in Kyoto. If I had purchased Kyoto hoping to have a cheaper version of Gaiac 10 I would have been so disappointed. To others they may be very similar and while I hate the price of Gaiac 10 I don't see Kyoto as being a substitute - either in scent or value. As for Gaiac 10 it's the first musk oriented scent that I've really enjoyed. To me it's a cooler, white (with shades of green) musk that works perfect with its woody counterparts. Sure it's fairly linear but that's okay since I enjoy it for what it is. I'm disappointed that I don't get the longevity that others are reporting and not sure that I'll ever purchase a full bottle at this price but it's definitely decant/split worthy. One of my favorite's from Le Labo.

So incredibly light, and simple, and subtle, and linear, something that's almost entirely a skin scent, but why am I so f*cking addicted? It's the most beautiful, powdery, enticing guaiac wood ever, with comforting and almost lactonic white musk and some oh-so-faint resins in the background. That's all there is to it, yet it's irresistible. It's like silk sheets at your wealthy lover's home, like reed diffusers and essential oils at the world's most luxurious spa, like a feeling of home, of cuddles, of nostalgic childhood memories, of utter, indisputable love and adoration. It's the aromatic culmination of everything you've ever held dear to your heart. I never believed in the saying of less is more, and always went all out extravagant in everything I did, but Gaiac 10 is the perfect thesis for devout minimalists. And I'm starting to believe them. I loathe myself for wanting this so much. I can't stand that it's so beautiful that I want to melt into it. And thinking about how the full bottle was in my grasp at the Le Labo boutique, and how I couldn't pay the $400 price at the time, and how the city collection was gone by the time I could collect that much money in my bank, makes me want to weep endlessly into my pillows until I faint. At least I have a sample size, that I'll somehow have to manage not finishing up until the city collection comes back next September. The end. I'm going to return to crying into my pillow now.

I’m new to perfumes and it was important to me to find a vegan/cruelty free scent. After doing a lot of research, I discovered Le Labo. I got a ton of their samples and wore one each day and took notes in my phone. In time I discovered Gaiac 10 and immediately spirit-bonded with this scent. I don’t know what it is, but this scent feels magical, simple, and intimate. Unlike other scents from Le Labo, Gaiac 10 feels wispy. When wearing it, I may not smell it strongly if sitting still nor will others around me. But when I begin to move I begin to smell it and it seems to leave a shimmery, wisp of a tail behind me. I have gotten many positive comments always from people I walk past. I have received not one negative comment. The days I receive comments are the days I’ve used more sprays. 2 sprays = only I can smell it unless others are very close 4 sprays = the wisp effect is soft 6 sprays = the wisp effect is prominent The scent lasts 9-12 hours, but softens greatly after 6’ish hours. Gaiac 10 is not a “sexy” scent. It is a meditative, calming, spiritual scent. I bought a 50ml bottle and have no regrets. This will be my signature scent going forward. Gaiac 10 won’t appeal to most people as a personal scent and that is fine. It is subtle, understated, and mature. It’s not an attention grabber. It is the contemplative scent of standing alone on an overcast, cool day in a forest after a light rain.

I don't know why but when I smell Gaiac 10 I immediately conjure this image of a person in my mind someone who's very quite, really secure in themselves, doesn't have the need to impress anyone and a bit aloof but once you get to know this person they are very kind and loyal. Just like this person Gaiac 10 doesn't like to be the center of attention or make a big impression on anyone but its wearer. I don't know how to explain it but Gaiac 10 feels very futuristic in the way it's composed like how a fire would smell on Pluto the flames of this fire are between white and grey with a bit of pale yellow for warmth. This fire starts off very cold but with time it gets warm but only warm though it will never becomes hot. From this fire you get the softest trail of smoke with woods, black pepper and something slightly sweet and warm the sweetness that comes from the tiny pale yellow flame this fire has a very calming effect. I don't think I could do this fragrance justice by trying to pick up notes and analyze them so I won't do that. Gaiac 10 is a fragrance that feels otherworldly to me it's like no other. The projection doesn't go beyond my personal bubble but I could always detect it on myself. The longevity is a different story it's insane it lasts for more than two days on my skin. I love the way it preforms and I wouldn't want it any other way.

i only just smelled gaiac 10 when i curiously ordered some samples of the city exclusives to decide which one i wanted to spend my hard earned money on come september. i was almost 100% sold on vanille 44 which i smelled in paris this spring but couldn’t bring myself to buy a bottle. and then i smelled gaiac 10 and everything changed. i haven’t been able to wear anything since and have ordered 10 more sample vials to hold me over until september 1. is it ludicrously overpriced? yes. is it magical? also yes. i’ve sampled all of the comparison scents in reviews below and nothing comes close to gaiac for me. it’s smoky and sexy, but also very clean and innocent. gaiac on my skin is very warm and musky. i only smell the incensed wood for the immediate opening and then it quickly becomes the most lovely mingling of musks. it’s impossible to replicate — there are perfumes that are musky but don’t have the wood notes or vice versa. i’ve tried white musk perfume oil with a few spritzes of la curie’s larrea which gives that same burnt wood/musky vibe but it’s not the same. despite other reviews, gaiac 10 lasts almost 12 hours on me, and the silage is somewhere between intimate and moderate. i love it. i’ll wear it forever if i can. i wish le labo would make this part of their permanent collection but i understand why they don’t; it’s far too special.

After all these years of adoring perfume it seems I’ve become obsessed with the molecules😀. I’ve known ever since the connectivity of the internet, about two decades and a Luca Turin later, that there is a century of aromachemicals behind the fragrances we love, although I’m old enough to have drenched myself in real oak moss and the devil bergamot, not to mention the nitromusks and litres of real essential oils. Still going strong and running the farm, even survived a bout of the plague. Probably my ‘fumes beat it out of my olfactory receptors. Anyway......Le Labo. I have a collection of beautiful LL decants going back ten years thanks to a perfume sharing angel, kept in their own little hat box, dipped into in turn 🧐 given a bit of a swerve quite often because they do seem anorexic compared to most of the stuff that lights my fire. But now I’ve clicked into the molecule paradigm, I’m delighting in rediscovery. WHY IS GAIAC TOKYO THE ONLY ONE THAT IS 10ML AND HALF GONE AND YOU CANT GET IT ANYWHERE. A subtle stunning radiant forestry fresh cut aromatic timber haunted by centuries of Japanese art and architecture, the immortal Zen gardens, the clean coolness of pine and steam, truly a masterpiece.

This is easily one of the best-smelling fragrances I’ve ever come across—but it’s not without its issues. Starting with the scent itself: it reminds me of a rainy spring or fall day with a subtle hint of gunpowder. Strange description, I know, but that’s exactly the vibe it gives off. If you’re into guaiac wood, this one is special—it’s front and center in a big way (which makes sense given the name). The musk sits quietly in the background, never overpowering, while a smooth cedar note lingers underneath. Together, the guaiac and cedar create a clean, smoky profile that’s honestly incredible. Now for the downside. Performance is extremely weak—borderline nonexistent. It barely projects and fades quickly on skin, making it one of the weakest performers I’ve experienced across a large number of fragrances. Because of that, the price feels hard to justify for what essentially becomes a skin scent. I’ve found the best use for it is post-shower or as a relaxing evening scent before bed. That way, you can enjoy the beautiful scent without worrying about projection or bothering anyone around you. Scent: 10/10 Overall (including performance): 6/10

Yes, this fragrance is expensive. Yes, it is simplistic. Yes, it is worth every dollar. For me a fragrance doesn't have to have 50 ingredients nor punch you in the face from 10 feet away to have value. This is a beautiful, quality, and masterfully blended scent. I see reviews saying it doesn't last, but for me I have had positive compliments after 5-6 hours of wear from people within arms length from me. This scent is one of the rarest on the market (Along with the whole City Exclusive line), being that you can only purchase it once a year unless you happen to live in Tokyo. That combined with the fact it smells like no other scent I have personally got my nose on & my aforementioned positive experience with performance, it's absolutely worth every penny. For me this scent is amazing for the fall & winter in my Canadian climate. Its not easy to find a scent that has a fall/winter vibe that isn't too strong or overpowering, so this ticks all my boxes. I have gone through 1 full bottle & 1 refill and will continue to fill it up as long as Le Labo offers City Exclusive refills year long at boutiques.

I caved, ok? I tried to resist... but I just went and bought the small bottle. And I am SO HAPPY. I was curious to smell this scent for a while, but missed the window last year in September. This time, I needed to see if it was really that good. The scent is just SO gorgeous, silky, complex, woody, warm, sexy, mysterious, comforting and alluring in one. It smells like someone you are in love with, when their skin has been kissed by the most beautiful summer day. It smells like the person you secretly aspire to be. It is classy, understated, cool, yet warm and kaleidoscopic in its simplicity. As soon as I had it on my skin, my mind could not stop obsessing over how to make this scent my signature. And I tried to reign myself in, to be sensible - the price point is painful. I tried to find dupes, and I did... Still, the want was strong, to have this NOW... because I could. Woe is me, the Le Labo store is a minute’s walk from my apartment. And here we are... A small bottle richer, a lot of money later, happily sitting in a little gaiac cloud forming around my head. They got me good.

This is now my favourite woody fragrance. I don’t need to look at others in this category. This is absolute perfection. It’s simply stunning and so elegant. It has such a clean, creamy scent mixed with woody notes and is perfectly unisex. It is an intimate scent that doesn’t project loudly, which is very much in line with the fragrance culture in Japan (I’m half Japanese and spent the first 18 years of my life growing up there). That being said, this actually lasts quite some time. I still get beautiful, lights wafts of this even after 6 hours. The salesperson in the Le Labo store in Tokyo said that this fragrance was created with Japanese cedar onsen baths in mind. The tranquility, cleanliness, and wood base of Japanese onsens are perfectly captured in this fragrance. It is a treasured fragrance in my collection.

I want to die bathing in this. I want to be reborn washed in it. It’s calming, a warm hug, familiar but something you have not experienced before. Something from another lifetime maybe or a parallel universe. It encapsulates me as a person in my opinion... I’ll reword it ...my soul. Lol yes I went there lol. It comfort. It neither light or dark, bold or shy it’s in between burning into ashes and a spark. This radiates around your personal space. Been a fan of lelabo dna and I’m so happy I have this. A lot of ppl will say different things about it but please try it before dismissing or loving it. I think this brought me back to when I first getting into scents and perfume. Now I accept that what matters to me doesn’t have to matter to other ppl. It’s all subjective at the end of the day.10/10

I know I’m not the only one obsessed with this perfume, desperately wishing it was more accessible and at least a little more affordable. If I could bathe in it I would. It’s not something you wanna put up to your nose directly as it is very strong and you will assault your senses but one spritz and my clothes, my skin, my room or wherever I decide to spray it smells of it all day. I even woke up after a night out and it smelled just as it did the day before but not much after. I’d say if you spray a cloth or let’s say a stuffed animal it will only last a few days at best. I could go on and on about it though the musky woodsy smell was never something I thought I’d go after but if you can’t afford this don’t bother trying to find out what it smells like because one sniff and you’re addicted.

The opening is a tendril of smoke from burning incense and charcoal. It dries down quickly to a smoother, more pleasant incense with fresh, bright woody accords. I get the mental image of birch, aspen, and willow trees with their peeling, silver white bark. It definitely has a "molecular perfume" vibe. In the heart, Gaiac 10 is quite subtle, and reminds me of the smell of a men's perfume applied the day before... when all that remains is a skin scent of vague, soft vetiver, cedar, tonka. Gaiac 10 truly shines in the base. Like an ember which was quietly smoldering under, Gaiac 10 suddenly ignites with a creamy, woody, and dirty muskiness. It's never loud, but it is incredibly alluring. 4/5 PS: Why does every review mention price? Yes, we know it's expensive. Is it good though?

@lyk_jorghia: Gaiac10 and Bvlgari Pour Homme are in the same ballpark when it comes to simplicity and character (even when BPH has a massive amount of notes). However they really cannot be seen as ‘similar’ or interchangeable. BPH has a citric and soapy side that G10 doesn’t have. Both do have something ‘comfortable’ as they are very dense, opposite of transparent. They also perform the same way, very intimate and close to the skin. I admit that the first time I smelled BPH, it made me think of G10. After full wearings I don’t see them similar anymore. I would never wear G10 in warm weather, where BPH (Extreme) I like wearing when the sun’s out. Which reminds me, I still have to write a review of Gaiac10, my nr1 fragrance :)

I blind bought Gaiac 10 while my best friend was in Tokyo, and it immediately became my signature. It is so good that I bought a backup during September in the States. It’s shocking to me because I’ve never smelled the BBQ ham that everyone was talking about with my Tokyo blended bottle and was super confused. However, when I got my hands on my backup bottle that was blended in the state, the BBQ ham hit my nose immediately, and they smell slightly different. I much prefer the one that blended directly in Tokyo due to it being more of a “cold” musk, sweeter, lighter, and overall better. The bottle that I got at a boutique here in the US smells like smoked BBQ with a savory note and lacks that “crisp” & “cold” that I adored.