Russkaya Kozha

Wow! I purchased the sample set of this Grand Cru collection from Sephora and am I ever glad I did! NOT A SINGLE scent has disappointed me! They are all gorgeous! And they all share a common thread, being complex in their simplicity and simple in their complexity. I think that this Kozha is my second favorite (behind Oud Al Sahraa). Russkaya Kozha starts with a strong blast of gorgeous aromatic juniper that is a little sharp and a lot fresh. Our journey starts in a forest. Perhaps a walk through an evergreen forest on a crisp winter day with a mug of cardamom-heavy chai tea would be the most apt image for this first phase. The initial phase definitely leans masculine (and the prominent juniper is certainly what most contributes to this impression), but as the scent dries down and the benzoin and leather come to the fore, it warms up and takes on a decidedly unisex vibe. The benzoin definitely gives this a pleasant sweet powderiness that I just adore. Being someone who is generally averse to leather scents and masculine scents, I am very surprised at how much I enjoy Kozha, but I think that might have something to do with the fact that the leather is not so much the star as it is the entire supporting cast in this composition. It acts more as a smooth base for the benzoin, spice, and aromatic elements, bringing them all together beautifully. The leather is smooth and warm and wears more like a suede. Kozha doesn't have quite the staying power of Oud Al Sahraa, which lingers on my skin for a good 24 hours, but it is long lasting with moderate to heavy sillage. I love it when a fragrance surprises me and this one has been the biggest surprise I've had in a long time.

Man is this fragrance gorgeous. But, to start things off, this does not smell like it contains Oud at all. I am not sure what people are smelling when they say they can detect Oud. All I smell from this fragrance is a gorgeous Benzoin, Cardamon, and Juniper berry combo, with a slight leather in the opening that dies after a few minutes. I think this is the best offering from Berdoues. Smells very high quality. Like a less smoky version of Amber SKy from Ex Nihilio. This fragrance also lasts a long time. At about 8-10 hours with a really good projection for 5-6 hours. What shocks me most about this fragrance is that for Niche. It only cost 85 USD, But I was lucky enough to get it off of Fragrancenet for 50 bucks. What a deal for this quality. I think if you are a Benzoin lover like I am. You will die for this sexy fragrance. Let me know what you think of this masterpiece.

I'm seconding the talc others have commented on, this is probably the first fragrance I bought after reviews + smelling it, as I wanted something more masculine to mix up my current unisex lines that trend much sweeter than probably makes sense. I like this a lot in that regard. It indeed lasts longer than a lot of other things, without having to bathe in it to get that kind of longevity which welcomed. I didn't get leather as others indicated, lots of talc. It's airy without being too springy, I'll be interested in how it endures over the next few months of wearing it, as I think it's going to be my main Fall outfit.

After wearing and loving and writing about this perfume (below), I decided I needed the full bottle and would treat myself for my birthday. I was dismayed to find that Sephora does not carry it. Why do they carry the sample set but not the bottle? Anyway, this is gorgeous and I want it, so if anyone in North America has it and is interested in a swap, please let me know. Edit: PROCURED from Perfume1 thanks to a kind Frangrantica user's message!

I absolutely felt in love with this gem. I also discovered that it is discontinued. It smells like you just entered a brand new aston martin with leather seats, very expensive leather smell, no animalic no hard smell, and this is supported by a sweet base given by the benzoin and that makes me crazy. Wonderful, classy, sexy smell for a date dinner