Miel De Bois

Miel de Bois is a weird and quirky creature that I like a lot. It is surely not easy to wear in the beginning but I do love this bold and unique interpretation of the honey and beeswax notes. The picture that this scent is painting for me is of an old and dusty log cabin in the deep woods surrounded by beehives. The beehives are maintained by a hermit who prefers to be alone with the nature. The smell of fresh honey, beeswax and woods are mingled together with a scent of the earth, falling leaves and the nature. I can even picture hungry bears lurking in the shadows. This is not a cute and playful honey scent but it is a scent of a wild nature, unbridled and uncivilized. The scent opens with a strong and pungent scent of woods. The ebony, guaiac and oak are indeed the wild nature in the bottle, quite powerful. The woods smell smoky, strong and a bit animalistic. This mixture is odd but it is definitely interesting. The scent becomes warmer and smoother as the honey notes appear. In the heart notes, the raw honey is mixed with a bit of a smoke, incense and woods. The scent continues to develop on my skin for hours. Finally, the beeswax notes become more prominent. The beeswax is raw and naturally smelling. The scent is warm and comforting at this stage. It is like coming to the wood cabin after a long day in the woods, starting the fireplace and then lighting the beeswax candles. The scent has great sillage and longevity. Overall score is 8.5/10. I love the smell of honey and beeswax, so I am always trying new fragrances with those notes. Miel de Bois is definitely something that captured my imagination. This is not a fragrance that I would wear every day but it is something that I would like to keep when I am in the mood for it. For me it is not a full bottle worthy but I have ordered an 8ml decant for those occasions when I would like to experience the wilderness in the bottle.

I bought this blind, trusting in my love of wood, honey and Uncle Serge. Miel De Bois opens with a blast of sharp, pale honey, oak and carroty iris. The iris-wood combo base will be familiar to anyone who's smelled much of the 'De Bois' line, especially Feminite du Bois. The similarities however, end there. Miel De Bois projects like a beast from the get-go, unusual for a Serge Lutens. The only other Lutens I can think of that rivals this for sillage is perhaps Fleurs d'Oranger. The honey is clear, sharp and bright. It plays out over a rich, woody base - not as dark as the ebony and guaic would suggest. The sillage cloud smells absolutely divine. Authentic honey, soft, dusty woods. An absolute pleasure to be surrounded with this olfactory aura. The drydown is fairly linear, with a hint of animalic, dirty musk picking up as time goes on, rendering the scent somewhat feral. The only place this falls apart for me is with my nose pressed to my wrist. Because of the impressive projection, I become anosmic to it rather quickly. Pressing nose to wrist however reveals only a thin, shrill, carrot-explosion of iris - A note I've always found challenging. Over application also results in a bewildering cloud of carrot juice. Lesson learned with this strange beauty. Apply sparingly and in the right weather. Longevity is damned near eternal. Sillage is firmly in the 'heavy' catagory and distorts horribly upon overdose. Unique, unisex and challenging. Enjoy responsibly.

Miel de Bois is an unsung Serge Lutens gem that transcends gender and season. It can be worn by anyone at any time of year, largely because of how natural it smells. The honey is dominant, bolstered by a woodiness underneath. In many fragrances, honey can feel thick and heavy, but there’s an airy diffusion to the accord here. It’s unlike any other honey scent I’ve experienced. Notably, too, it lasts FOREVER, even through a shower, and dances in the ether with each movement of the body. Though it’s a love for me, Miel de Bois is one of Lutens’ most controversial—probably even more so than another love, Muscs Koublaï Khan. Yes, it does open with an acidity that’s uncommon in perfumery. Some have likened it to apple cider vinegar. I get that, but, to me, the smell is closer to that of white wine or pure grape juice. I get nothing like urine—particularly cat urine. If I wanted that, I’d spritz Guerlain’s Aqua Allegoria Pamplelune! Don’t let those comments scare you away from trying Miel de Bois, for this is a singular fragrance experience. ETA: I see a few people have suggested a similarity to Cartier’s L’Envol in the “reminds me of” section above. That baffles me, as I sense no similarity between the two. They’re worlds—or universes—apart.

The newest addition to my Serge Lutens collection. This was not easy to find, but I did find it, a nearly full bottle from 2005. I, frankly, didn't know what to expect. I had a tiny 0.75 ml dabber sample 10 years ago, but I did not remember how it smelled at all. I sprayed it on my wrist and neck, two sprays. I have certainly have never smelled a honey note like this before. All honey perfumes I tried (including Chergui) are "pretty" honey. This is not pretty. This is a BRUTAL musky animalic honey scent. I do not get anything overly gross like urine, like some people here describe, but there is something here that is extremely provocative. This honey does not pull punches and does not mess around hiding behind pretty florals and fluffy vanillas. This is straight in your face raw pungent honey. I also smell musk, a lot of it, but this is not a musk of today's Kirkes and alike. I do not smell iris, but it does get a bit powdery about 3 hours in. It's bone dry too. Needless to say, I LOVE this. Not work friendly. Very strong and long lasting, I'd say uncharacteristically strong for Lutens. Marvelous all around, but not an easy or crowd-pleasing creation. Miel de Bois is an experience that is best enjoyed alone. A masterpiece.

MdB and I were fated to meet. I had this on my want list for almost a year with plans to get it on my next trip to Paris. However, on my last visit to a perfume shop with lovely SAs, one of them whipped out a full tester bottle of this and gave it to me for free as they no longer stock this, it being a Palais Royale exclusive. Words cannot express how stunned and lucky I felt in that moment cradling this precious juice in my hands. Until now, I can scarcely believe my luck. Back to the juice. Where others get loads of honey, I get loads of woods and animals. On me, it gives off the same vibe as Jean Desprez's Bal de Versailles. Not that they smell alike, but both have that animalistic character that is unmistakable. I think an unflattering description would be "urine/faecal" but for me I enjoy the smell and actually find it seductive and warm. I do get the honey but I would not say this is a "honeyed" perfume like Tokyo Milk's Honey & The Moon. It sweetens the musky-woody mixture in MdB. I have much, much love for MdB and the serependitous circumstances as to how I came upon my bottle finally, will make me a lifetime customer of that particular shop.

I finally, FINALLY found a sealed Palais-Royal version of this on eBay and it's the honey of my dreams. Two sprays and I'm surrounded in wafts of photorealistic honeycomb, branch and all. This is to honey as Un Bois Vanille is to vanilla -- utterly true to itself, but somehow richer and more complex, and turned up to 11. Both dance on the edge of gourmand without being cloying and to my nose are perfectly unisex. On me this is nuclear and lasts on skin for 12+ hours in cold weather, lingering on clothes for 24+ hours. (I've read that more recent re-formulations are a lot less assertive so YMMV.) I'm a bit afraid to try it when it's warmer out and will definitely start with spray-and-walk-through. If you love honey and beeswax notes with florals (Slowdive, the original Scandal) or without (Roaring Radcliff, Un Bois Vanille) it's worth the effort to find a decant. It shows up on eBay every so often but at extortionate prices, so best to sample first. My skin chemistry is very compatible with honey notes, so while I get animalic and sour undertones I never experience urine. If you ever get unpleasant notes from honey, avoid this like the plague.

Just a short note: this is a lovely honey woody scent that dries down to powder. I don't get any cat pee note in it, but I can see how the fact that it's quite bizarre can put some people off. It's dirty and has some sort of animalic sexiness. I wore it in church the other day, ( maybe not such a bright choice on my side ). Well, I felt people turning their heads when I was walking by... mind you, being my newest treasure, I also sprayed a lot!!! It surely has that little cloying feature that is caracteristic to Serge Lutens. I personally love it! Also I find the honey in it to be a little similar to Miel et Citron pailletes from L'occitane, minus the lemon of course. Lasting power is very nice, the silage is strange: one second is amazing, the other second it turns into a skin scent. It radiates warmth, definitely a winter scent. I must admit that I don't find it beautiful, but raw, original and quite addictive, like a forbidden pleasure. Delighted to own it, and recommended to all poeple that like sweet woodies!

Miel De Bois is a delightful honey wood scent, so warm, animalic and unique scent. I fell in love with it at first spray! When I sniff the small decant, it smells like sweet baby powder. The first spray is the strong blast of thick honey. After a short time on my skin, the honey slowly becomes a bit naughty with a wonderful animalic pee-like undertone to it. The wood notes comes through shortly after, it caused me to think of an isolated rustic log cabin way up in the Blue Ridge mountain of Virginia. There is smoke coming out of the chimney. The gaiac, ebony and oak notes are dark, dry, smoky and very heavy here. The honey is wonderful blending with the wood notes. The honey is also excessive, Very sweet, thick, raw, natural and sticky. The drydown is a softer version of honeyed wood with a touch of incense. Review is based on a small decant, sillage was great and longevity was about 4 hours then became a skin scent. Try a sample of this first, it isn't a safe blind buy!

This review is about an Arcade bottle from inbetween 2005/2010. Miel de Bois is just all about his name Honey and Wood. It's one of the most (if not the only one) realistic and animalic honey fragrance ever created. It's not just simple sweet gentle Honey, it's the tree, the hive hanging to the tree, the honeycomb full of honey and the bees put together in a bottle. The woody side of this perfume is very dry and rich like an old polished wood floor, with hints of raw wax, acetone and turpentine. The honey side is just like real raw honey, sweet but not gourmand, animalic with hints of sulfur and urine reminding that honey is made by the bees. It doesn't really change a lot during the day, it just became dryer and dryer, a true beauty. Miel de Bois is a busy hive endlessly producing it's nectar on the skin.

Finally in Paris to check this great fragrance. I cannot say I was surprised as with other Lutens in terms of wow factor or original smell but it is so nice to see even linear fragrances with a recognizable single smell can be this true to the real smell and yet so mesmerizing. I definitely loved it and would recommend it to both men and women alike. It stayed for many hours on my skin and in my case I never found it strange or difficult to wear (as in cat pee or similar). I would even go as far as saying this is pretty safe for a Lutens and not as strong as I imagined it from the reviews (reformulation perhaps?). I would definitely love to have it in my regular rotation. It smells like honey and not much else, but gorgeously done. The bell jars are amazing, I still haven't found one I dislike...

This is unbelievably beautiful! Individual body chemistry is everything here, so you either love or hate this. I personally LOVE, but at first spray it was a bit much. I received a small sample from Perfumed Court and grew to love this perfume. This dries down to the most luscious honey and wood that I've ever smelled. It's warm and comforting, projects well (two sprays are enough), and last for up to 8 hours. Definitely a grown up frag, not for little girls, or sweet vanilla lovers. I would also say this is more of a cold weather frag, and very much enjoyed by me during our Canadian winters. IMO the BEST of the Lutens line!

Honey is so tricky to use in perfume. It sometimes has a body odor appearance on the skin -which either is quite revolting or alluring. Here, complimented with a hard, dry and sharp wood and a soft, powdery iris and comforting musk -the honey is alluring. That is the best description I can give it -it is inviting. This is the smell of the country side in summer. It's begging to be basked in. Relaxing, warm, comforting, nostalgic... it's animalic, natural, sweet, herbal-y, but over all and above all -the personification of a natural wood soaked in honey. Delectable. 8/10

Honey-do-list: Can you please not smell like cat pee too much? Check. Can you be a realistic (like straight from the jar or comb) honeyscent? Check. Will you have an underlying base of wood, discrete, yet haunting? Check. Will you stay with me a good while? Check. And finally, will I love sniffing my arms and decolletage and think of pretty, busy bees and flowers? Check, check, check! Maybe this smells too vintage or animalic to some. I don't find it that way. On me, Miel de Bois is gorgeous, soothing and yet sexy. Buzz, buzz, buzz... Terrific scent!

A beautiful and classy floral woody musk, this is another very elegant offering from the eclectic Serge Lutens line. The perfume has a brief opening of woods (oak, guaiac) and a middle of notes of honey before it settles into a floral powdery base comprised of iris and musk. Beautifully blended with a lingering presence this is a unisex (feminine leaning) perfume with moderate sillage and projection and excellent longevity. Very comforting, warm and peaceful. A very fine, but somewhat lesser addition to this amazing line of fragrances.

As one of my Christmas gifts, my darling gave me a bell jar of Miel De Bois. I previously had one of the regular size spray/or splash bottles, hence my previous review a while ago. For me, this is still the absolute best, realistic honey and wood scent ever produced. It's enchanting, tenacious, sensuous, and mostly for a 'thinking person', unafraid of bucking convention, and appreciative of Nature and all of her aspects... Wild, beautiful, animalic, floral, woodsy... passionate and yet, somehow tender.

@OTA Mom - so sorry you are not having a good experience with this line. I am flabbergasted. Serge Lutens has only done me (my chemistry) wrong with one fragrance - Tubereuse Criminalle which was horrific to my nose, but it is loved by so many. If you don't get honey from Miel de Bois, you may have a bad decant or sample. This is my utmost favorite honey fragrance. I am wearing it today with the cool temperatures and rain, and it feels like I am wearing a warm honeycomb. So divine........

This scent is all about having the right skin chemistry, and Miel de Bois liking you enough to expose its rich, glorious dripping honey note. It's pretty potent and powerful stuff, just a drop is needed. Blooms well in hot and humid weather. The woods aspect is acrid and dry - a lovely counterbalance to the rounded honey. Like sticking your head into a beehive, angry stinging bees and all. Love, love, love it.

MdB is my signature perfume during the cold months. I just love it and my husband does too. Rarely do I wear something and have him ask, "What is that?" but every time I wear this, he does. It's just so warm, and layered, and woodsy with honey. Every time I wear it I smell something new. It's heavy so you don't need much, but I just love that after a while it smells like me. Like who I am <3

A stunning iris-honey opening that's just dreamy. As time passes it turnes woody in the backgroung that plays with honey perfectly. Out of the woods I feel predominately oak, but also guaiac and ebony. It is a very noble blend. The honey note with iris edge is present thorough the wear. A perfect scent, perfectly niche and in my opinion feminine.

This is a love or hate fragrance, I think. It smells so different from any other fragrance out there, but I love it! Some say they get the "cat pee" accord from it, which is what prompted me to try it. After all, who would wear that??? But I didn't get that at all. Just resinous honey and woods. Mmmmmm!