Bold As Love

Very Jimi Hendrix in spirit, which makes sense given the inspiration. This is a fragrance that benefits from a certain level of familiarity with unconventional compositions. It is not well suited to blind buying. The central idea can be summarized in one word—smoke. With a concentration around twenty-five percent, it should not be approached as a typical cologne. What makes it unusual is the structure. On the surface, it borrows the framework of a classical cologne—citrus, aromatic herbs, and a cooling freshness. Underneath, however, sits a rougher core built from smoky leather, patchouli, and root-like materials. The opening shows pineapple and ginger, but not in a light or refreshing style. It feels sharp and prickly, closer to the bite of spicy fruit peel than to a clean fruit note. The sensation is immediate and quite intense. That sharpness fades quickly. In the heart, juniper introduces a dry, cool spice, while lavender and geranium shift the profile into a green, slightly soapy fougère territory reminiscent of traditional masculine perfumery. If the fragrance stopped there, it would read as fairly conventional. The turning point comes in the drydown, when the smoke and leather grow heavier. The leather carries warmth and a coarse texture, with a distinct smoky presence. This layer settles over the earlier fruit and herbal notes, creating a deliberate tension within the composition. One of the most distinctive aspects is how the fruit is handled. Instead of making the fragrance more approachable through sweetness, the fruit is placed alongside smoke, herbs, leather, and darker woody roots. The effect suggests stage smoke, spicy fruit, worn leather, cool herbs, and shadowy wood. It is a complex, unusual composition with a clear identity. Within The Britologne Collection, it stands out as a particularly memorable entry.

Oops mistake I applied three sprays. Jesus F christ on a bike, this is STRONG. And it's OLD SCHOOL. This is like 80s dad fixing the car on the drive way, brutal. But it does smell good, I'll give it that. Spray with extreme caution! Now I've had it on for 45 mins, it's reminding me of Music For A While if MFAW was infected with the hulk DNA and had taken crack. This perfume is crazy, 100% not safe for any indoor situation, but it's great. One thing which goes hugely in its favour for me is that it has smoke without entering into the BBQ zone (like the Beauforts etc). As others have said, it genuinely smells like burning leather shoes (plus some of the feet smell, just like in MFAW, the pungent rotting pineapple is exactly the same). The lavender is there but is hard to single out from everything else. I Have Bohemian Infusion, Bravi, Fanfare and Chords (I love them all) and this one is 1000 times more challenging than any of those. To associate this with the concept of a cologne is to gravely misunderstand the nature of the beast. Bold indeed! Update: after several hours, Interlude pokes it's head through, and then in the very far drydown I get olibanum, vanilla and orris. Update: the opening of this perfume is so horrible that every time I put it on I think I hate it. But after 20 mins max it starts to make sense again, and after a while longer I remember I love it. But yeah, brace yourself for the opening assault!

It’s very good! This is a very unique combo of fresh and zesty fruit (I can also feel some ginger here as well) and some earthy notes of smoky leather (and maybe even some tar?). Love how juicy notes have a bit of ashy undertones here!

The fragrance is bold and sophisticated. I smell familiar Thaneen oily orange blossom base, though at whole the scent is smoky and woody reminding me of CDG2 Man/ Le labo Vetiver. Another masterpiece from Thameen.

Very interesting scent. Contrasting fresh fruity and leather, earthy patchouli and smoky notes. Longevity and silage are very good. It is overpriced, though. This one is not a blind buy.

this is like a take on the aventus dna, but instead of a birch type of smoke, it has the leathery smokiness of amouage's interlude man. wears much lighter and airier than that, and has a mass-appealing fruity facet that is quite nice. Maybe it's a bit similar to a xerjoff erba fruity accord? on my skin, the leather appeared first, then it opened up from that to become a bit more fruity AFTER, which was interesting -- after this airy heart it dries down into a leather that feels a bit cooler to the touch, maybe in part by the juniper berry and aromatic notes. The smoke actually backs off a bit as it dries down. Fans of interlude man may enjoy this one for hotter weather applications, and I think those that aren't at all acquired to that level of smoke and leather will instantly be put off due to it being present immediately. I personally like it! But I want to try it again to gauge if this almost 'inverse' feeling of a note pyramid can work in practice and performance

A great release from the brand. I really like the Britcologne collection. I own this, Bohemian Infusion and Fanfare. All great perfumes. I wasn't much of a fan of Thameens other offerings but under Chong these have really taken off. Unique summer orientated perfumes with surprisingly great performance. This fragrance like another user commented really is a ying vs yang concept. The fragrance does have a bold leather, nowhere near as off-putting as others have described; the leather is followed by a burst of freshness. It does remind me a lot of Apex by Roja, but this a bit more daring. 4/5

Refreshing modernist take on the traditional male barbershop cologne. The scent opens with a fruity aromatic accord (apple, pineapple, ginger and orange). The heart has aromatic lavender, geranium and juniper berries. The perfume settles on a powdery base of patchouli and vetiver with slight hints of leather. The masculine leaning scent has moderate to strong projection and very good longevity. A versatile scent that will please most wearers and their admirers. Enjoy!

Exotic. Smoke and "leather on fire" notes in the beggining. After one hour, sweet, refreshing notes appear.

My father got me (his daughter) this on a business trip to Manchester. I think he might have just smelled the nosel because it seemed moderately fruity and unisex. I sprayed it on myself, and now I smell like a gun store. I like it, but it is very masculine an a bit unpleasant. The leather smell is strong (one to two well placed sprays are all you need of this). I like old spice swagger as my go to underarm deodorant and I think they compliment eachother well. "Bold as love" improves an hour or so after the initial dry down, but some might find the smell a bit offensive (especially right out the gate).

Just received a sample of this. Sprayed it on the back on my hand and IMMEDIATELY wanted it off. To my nose, all I get is burnt leather. It went straight to the base notes. No fruits or flowers detected. I like leather notes, but the leather in this is very loud. The name of this fragrance is comedic, honestly. Bold As Love. It's bold alright. I am not one to write reviews on fragrances I don't like because I don't want to yuck on anyone's yum, but had I seen reviews saying this smelled very masculine and like straight up freshly smoked leather, I'd have chosen something else to sample.

An amateur blend. The ingredients have as much chemistry between them as oil & water

Honestly this was a major fail for me. And it pains me to say that as a huge fan of the house and the current director. But for me this one misses the mark. To be perfectly honest its a familiar profile but not the one I thought it was going to be. Some say it reminds them of aventus. Other say its really smoky or reminds them of interlude by amouage. I dont get that. I understand why some may make those links in certain points of the dry down but this fragrance to me reminds me of when a Dubai house that isnt focused on quality but performance takes a shot at this DNA. And for me its the cheap synthetic leather that many lean on when trying to make a aventus dna fragrance. Its not just them though. I have smelled this same cheap smell in many niche fragrances. Its a note that for my nose will never be appealing. Some say its akin to burnt rubber. But to me this isnt even all that smoky. Its a very acrid herbal citrus opening with a flash of pineapple off the top that quickly fades into a very long sharp piercing bitter citrus that to me even the late drydown is a off putting skin scent. I really loved bohemian infusion. I think that combines elements that clash but it has a functional bridge. And i am no stranger to challenging fragrances. I own many. But if this was in any other bottle it would be a $10 rack find. Strong for the sake of being strong with no actual direction and just doesnt smell like they used any high quality ingredients at all. But rather cheap isolates boosted by even cheaper synthetic boosters to keep the citrus going for a long time. Did I get any compliments? Yes. One. The lady at the store i returned it to took one whiff of my hand and said we normally dont return open fragrances but that is horrible. So she complimented me with a prompt refund.

an addendum for a little bit of context When is a perfume rich? One possible answer for me is when it is culturally stimulating. The Britolognes by Thameen London, released under Mr. Christopher Chong's artistic direction, are a case in point for two reasons. The first one is personal: I can observe and try to understand the changing and the growing of an artist; a true artist will not repeat himself (herself) over and over again; he will take up new challenges and the tension of the unknown (or of the unsual) will be the trigger for success. In my opinion, Chong's stepped away from a past characterized by releases that were (and still are) strong and innovative statements, to a more self-conscious take on perfumes where he wanted to share (and induce) experiences. The second reason that makes this project interesting is that along Chong's maturation as an artist, we can also spot the changing of the market and of the definition of niche. I already talked about the genesis of the project and the meaning of the term Britolognes, for which I refer to my previous post. So, which experience are we sharing with BaL? A visit to the Handel and Hendrix museum in London (pics 2, 3). Jimi Hendrix lived in fact in London and a visit to his flat was the inspiration for this scent. Pierre Negrin took up the challenge, so one of the most loved duo in perfumery (Interlude, anyone?) came back together. Hendrix's magnetism is captured by a vivacious fruity accord of a juicy pineapple (kind of too sweet for me) and a green apple with a hint of zesty tangerin. Then we get "purple haze": a sea of violet-blue lavender engulfing the metal coming from a classically sharp geranium. Purple Haze is slang for LSD or purple cannabis; hence, as culture of the time, patchouli cannot be missed in the base. But hendrix was also a womanizer and the beauty of the scent is an attractive leather accord: smoky bearing a resemblance to Negrin's signature used elsewhere with a touch of amber. Certainly more challenging than the frist three colognes, but worth it.

This one is impressive, and I think it will grow on me even more over time. With Pierre Negrin and Christopher Chong involved, the comparison is inevitable: yes, this reminds me of an Amouage offering. Negrin definitely brought his Interlude DNA to Thameen here. It is smoky and leathery, but there is a twist: at its core, 'Bold As Love' is a citrus cologne (isn’t that a central theme of the Britologne line?). Mixing that fresh structure with heavy smoke and leather results in a very unusual profile—which is exactly what I appreciate. With the amount of redundant releases these days, 'unusual' is what I am looking for. I am still studying this fragrance as it is quite complex. Currently, with every wear, I am trying to locate the fruit and lavender notes, but right now it reads primarily as citrus/leather to my nose. Perhaps a different season will reveal those hidden aspects. Reading the other reviews, I totally understand why this is polarizing; it hovers right on the edge of wearable and challenging. All in all, I recommend sampling this if you like traditional citrus colognes with a dark twist. I’m on a journey to collect the entire Britologne line due to Christopher Chong’s involvement, and this is a solid entry that I plan to wear frequently. EDIT: From the 4 I have from this collection Bold as Love is hands down the most wearable (Easy to wear).

The Britolognes, under Mr. Christopher Chong's artistic direction may also be about reuniting couples; talking just about those of which I own a full bottle, we have Fanfare, @brunojovanovicperfumer and @cchonguk ; and we have Chords, @nathalielorson_masterperfumer and Mr. Chong again Then it would be the time the artistic director calls for Pierre Negrin. And there we have Bold as Love. Do we get Negrin's DNA of his commercial success, INTERLUDE MAN, 2011/12? The leathery smoky accord is there emerging through the base, but imprisoned within and hence, tamed by a cologne structure. A very citrusy fuity opening, where pineapple is what I mostly get, lingers for quite a lot (a lot) of time and paves the way to an aromatic heart, a classical masculine combo of lavender and geranium enriched by juniper berries with their resinous, peppery, and slightly sweet undertones. The beauty of the scent (for those who don't mind the sweetness of the pineapple) is a play into contrast: the cool and clean air of the cologne against the woody earthy base and that magical smoky leathery note I think it hints to Interlude. Follow me on IG @alexolympia6

This arrived yesterday and I opened it today and without hesitation I sprayed this all over my arms and the back of my hands. A huge massive mistake. I was immediately punched in the face with the scent of leather shoes on fire. The actual smell of leather being charred to utter blackness. I started gagging from how potent the smoky leather note is. It smells like a dairy farm barn has caught on fire and a few poor cows didn’t make it out before their hides were burnt. I expected some leather in the dry down but the very first second you spray this it’s as if you ate the double blackened part of a piece of steak that had been left behind on the grill and has been burned to a piece of coal. I immediately had to scrub it off. It wouldn’t come off all the way but what was left was a ginger citrus more pleasing scent. But I cannot go through that leather smoke one more time to enjoy the rest of the fragrance. This is a no from me ...

A man as influential and incredible as Jimmy Hendrix completely deserves a fragrance like this. From the first spray, Bold as Love hits like fireworks: bright, explosive, and fleeting in the most poetic way. There's an initial explosion of fruit that feels like the sky cracking open on a Fourth of July Night. Then there’s the juniper berry that keeps everything together, almost like the “shape” of the firework. It smells like movement, color, and sound all colliding at once in a way. There’s a psychedelic layering in both his discography and the scent: moments of sweetness, chaos, calm, and brilliance woven together with intention. The drydown is like the leather jacket of a rockstar (similar to cuoium; they layer very well) with an animal note; a reminder to the untamed creativity and energy, or the bittersweet legacy of a star who burned too bright, too fast. Wearing this feels like honoring that kind of energy. 10/10

You look at the note break down, and your mind starts envisioning all the different ways that this scent could smell like. Prima facie, what’s not to like? The fruity notes, the juniper berries, the leather, etc.. Now, single out each of these notes, imagine the worst way each of them could possibly smell, multiply that by 10, and then add the entire sum together. I’m sorry, but what the actual hell is this? I always try to appreciate the artistry of any scent that I come across, regardless of whether I like it or not.. but this? My god, man. This smells like animalic leather, burnt rubber, and peels of a variety of fruit that are slowly rotting and biodegrading in a dumpster. Rancid stuff. Full respect to anyone that has the confidence to spray this and walk out in public. People will literally think you’ve soiled yourself.

An extremely tough one (not in a bad way). Strong slightly animalic burnt leather, A strong acidic sharp undertone with a touch of sweetness. The two elements swap places as the dominant smell every few hours for me, In the far dry down the leather is smoother. Heck, I even wear Amouage Interlude on the daily, but this one can be very offensive. Very hard to wear, Need to be in a stage of life where you care about NOTHING. If you like this but want it more wearable try Neroli Nasimba Maison Crivelli, very similar leather experience.

Zesty, juicy lemon and bergamot with a clean, slightly creamy white floral aura doused in underripe pineapple acidity. A "white" smokiness starts to show up just a short while into my wearing but without any typical ashiness to darken the profile. Instead it just enhances the floral tone and the bitter citrus edge to feel even fresher. It is very much present though so if you're anti smoke, no matter the hue, this may not be for you.

This is very aromatic. I get the weird ginger vetiver pineapple leather mix at the dry down but it still feels very aromatic even after several hours. The scent even feels a bit earthy somehow. I am not a pineapple note fan so I knew I am not gonna like this but I just wanted to write a comment about the longevity and sillage - it's pretty amazing, truly long-lasting and quite powerful perfume.

I rarely feel disgusted by a fragrance and i love leather ones, but this is truly unwearable. I don't see anything unisex about this. Sour leather with some smokiness, not in a good way, almost like soured gherkins. I don't understand the idea behind this, How can this be inspired by Jimi Hendrix ?!!! No way on earth would he smell this bad. Insane.

The top is nice but fades quickly into a leathery background. Nothing about it is "special" imo. Not bashing it, someone out there may love this but there are better options in both the lavender and the leather. I have fanfare, center stage, and bold as love. Center stage is by far the best of the 3. Haven't tried the rest.

This is not a review obviously, since i think this just came out or was announced. The notes give me a 90s vibe, in a really good way. Like when perfumers were taking tried and true tropes and putting big spins on them

Thanks to everyone who revied it here. I almost blind buy it, thinking this will be some fresh frutie tutie jupiter ginger smoothie with undertone of leather. You people are the real MVPs.

Alright baby Chong is getting the team back together!! First, the great Nathalie Lorson and now the great Pierre Negrin!

This is the perfect example of Ying and Yang but in perfume language. The border between challenging and wearable !

Kind of has the same smoky powdery leather drydown as Endymion eau concentree

I wish their next fragrance was called "Hot as F**k"

@MSponable your review KILLED me. 🤣