Bois de Turquie

Ever since I heard of this I meant to sample it, but for one reason or another it's not until now that I finally have. The notes list had me intrigued: I love iris, myrrh, geranium, cinnamon, sandalwood, orangeflower and ginger. Of course, you know how it goes with notes lists.. Anyway, before I continue, here is the official notes list taken from NST bergamot, tangerine, orange blossom, Laurus nobilis (bay laurel), geranium, iris, jasmine, ginger, cinnamon, sandalwood, patchouli, myrrh and frankincense When first sprayed it was a bit of a shock. It seems the iris note landed first on my skin and was all I could smell for a few moments, something like the opening of Infusion d'Homme but much more pleasant, and much smoother and even velvety in texture. Moments later an equally smooth tangerine became perceptible, and it was rounded and deepened by hints of cinnamon and perhaps ginger. It is all smooth and sweet but far from cloying or thin. I'm trying to think of any scents that this smells like, but can't really - I guess the closest description would be crossing the opening of Lacoste Elegance (which I always thought had a sort of cream soda opening) with Infusion d'Homme - but it smells better than either of those and likely better than the combination of them. So in a sense I guess I agree with the reviews I've read where they mention a cream soda like accord. It is faintly similar, but again, not at all effervescent like soda, but instead smooth and velvety. Somehow though, it avoids coming across as flat soda. Within 10 minutes the bay and geranium are faintly noticeable, and from here to the heart the scent becomes progressively drier. The bay never becomes downright spicy, but is used in a restrained and skillful manner to prevent the scent from becoming overbearing, which could easily have happened if no counterpoint to the sweet/round/velvety opening emerged. It's amazing how something so rich and creamy becomes dry and even a bit dusty. The iris takes center stage in the heart and makes me think of a mix of the earthy iris of Iris Bleu Gris and the clean iris of Infusion d'Homme. The slight rubbery nuances of this particular iris blend suggest a suede like note in the context of the accord. The sandalwood and myrrh combo of the base are creeping into view now, and no doubt helped contribute to the 'drying effect.' The cream soda accord is still present but fading by the minute, and this stage of transition is absolutely beautiful. It calls to mind a temple of some sort - perhaps turkish, perhaps oriental - sweet spices, large and extravagant oriental rugs, incense burning in the distance. It is still early morning and the sun is just rising. A crisp and slightly cool air teases your hair while you sit in the lotus position and meditate. The juxtaposition of warm and cool, wet and dry, introspective and extrovertive qualities (and notes) is really amazing and unique. From here on out the myrrh, sandalwood and to a lesser degree iris dominate to the end, with a faint patchouli note adding hints of a chocolate like note (faint though, and not at all in a gourmand manner). The smoothness of it all is now moreso than ever suggestive of suede. It's been a long time since I've sniffed it, but it called to mind Daim Blond's drydown. Like a cross between Daim Blond and the new Santal Noble. The experience is akin to a small spiritual journey through the temple. At first you take in all of the sights, sounds and smells, the amazing architecture. The beauty of the earth as well as mankind and its accomplishments and creations fills you with awe, wonder and appreciation. Then you sit and meditate and clear your mind of earthly pleasures, remove the veil of maya, and are left with an even deeper sense of awe and wonder of merely being alive and conscious. That was my experience on my first wearing. Some other random thoughts and observations: Overall the scent is quite light and ethereal. It is not raw as so many other MPGs, but instead extremely subdued, well blended, and restrained. Yet it still smells quite natural and very high quality, imo. The heart of the fragrance also reminded me of another MPG fragrance - Or Des Indes - although while ODI is an opulent and unabashed oriental, BdT was again lighter and more restrained. ODI *is* the olfactory equivalent of indulging oneself - perhaps hedonistically so - while in a lush oriental palace. BdT could take place in the same setting, but is the spiritual view of the same surroundings. It is still going fairly strong after 4 hours, but it is easy to lose track of because of the nature of the base accord - it is light and suede like. I think I detect a hint of vanilla further rounding out the sandalwood/myrrh/iris combo. Sillage is actually quite good - even after four hours - but again, easy to lose track of. It is not a gourmand nor oriental - but some kind of combination of the two. The way it combines these two and manages to still stay relatively light and airy recalls V&R's Antidote - not that they smell anything alike - but how it managed to combine citrus and sporty with oriental and still stay relatively light. Also like Antidote, this is one of the most evolving fragrances I have smelled. While this is light and restrained enough to be a contender for a 'daily wear' fragrance, for me the associations and ride it takes me on makes that seem like a sacrilege proposal. Perhaps best worn on an introspective walk on a spring or fall evening. Or to church temple or mosque. Or on a lazy sunday while reading a really good book.

I posted my original review of Bois de Turquie in early 2013. This review was based on a 5 mL sample that I purchased from the Perfumed Court. I loved the fragrance so much that I bought a full bottle from a discounter. That full bottle turned out to be slightly disappointing, given that it didn't have that round buttery richness of the original sample. Basically, the formulation seemed thinned out with a large percentage of the sandalwood accord removed. The myrrh and spices were much sharper, given that the some of the counter balance from the rich base had been removed. I tested the two fragrances together on skin several times and the difference was very obvious. I still really enjoyed the fragrance, and I wore the hell out of it and actually finished the bottle, but I could help but wonder if the bottle that I retrieved from the discounter was a bit "off". So, I recently purchased a new bottle to replace the one I finished, this time directly from Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier and guess what, it smells more or less the same as the bottle that I purchased from the discounter. At this point, my conclusion is that the BdT was reformulated, which is a shame because the sample was one of the best fragrances I've ever smelled. In an attempt to recreate the original magic, I've been layering BdT with Santal Majuscule by Serge Lutens, and I must say, it is pretty close. On the other hand, this is last bottle of BdT that I will be purchasing because it feels like settling. Plus, my tastes have changed a little since 2013 and I'm not as into the new formulation as I once was. I would, however, purchase another bottle if it smelled like the original formulation.

I can hardly believe the gamut in how this fragrance presents itself - it can go from a heady and spicy beast to a tame and well-mannered gentleman or gentlewoman. A lot of people have claimed that it dies off rather quickly, but I experience a quiet rise and fall again and again for 8 to 10 hours - and it is a stunning performance to behold! Other than the bold opening that I get (from time to time) with the pungent bay leaf and geranium, this is a soft and surreal beauty - like a whisper in a dream that haunts you in all of your waking hours. There is a spritely jasmine note that dances with the greenness of orange blossom that is intricately laced into the most delightful orris and sandalwood heart/base combo. This dance goes on for hours as your movements send wafts your way - there is also the nice addition of a caramelized myrrh that somehow makes it even better. This is a fume without gender and without weight - truly an ethereal beauty! I hope you all have a beautiful day! Day 29 - The elusive moments Listening to: Queens of the Stone Age - Kalopsia

The early opening combines bay leaf with a strong support of tangerine and orange blossom, giving - indeed - a remote impression of Bentley Intense. Don't worry! It's only a remote impression, and doesn't last long. Then in the heart, the citruses calm down, and will have a stunning note of sandalwood appear, elegantly supported by bay leaf and a hint of florals. In the base, the florals will tone down, to let the myrrh and patchouli dance with the sandalwood. What a journey!! Stunning fragrance, that unsurprisingly reminds (but is not similar to) YSL M7 Oud Absolu (once the synth oud note calms down) because of the tangerine/patchouli/myrrh combo, but it is mostly very close to Santal Noble also by MPG and somewhat also reminds me of Heritage EDP by Guerlain (sandalwood/patchouli/amber). Highly recommended, even if I wish it projected a bit better (its only downside), but it has good longevity. Oh well... in view of its beauty, I'll happily forgive! Highly recommended. (This is a review for the current EDP)

Bois de Turquie by Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier is a gorgeous iris/sandalwood composition and one of my favorite scents for every day wear. It starts out sweet with notes of iris, mandarin orange, and orange blossom and quickly develops on the skin to expose sandalwood and bay leaf while a hint of myrrh lurks in the background. The iris note is beautiful and it never becomes too powdery because it is tamed by the sandalwood and perky bay. BdT makes me feel beautiful, approachable, and feminine; I could wear this everywhere and feel comfortable and appropriate. Longevity is mediocre, so I apply it to my undergarments. Projection is interesting because some of the notes sit very close to the skin, while the floral component leaves a decent trail. Overall, BdT is quite lovely and high quality. 4/5