Bois Doré

Bois Doré was not what I expected. A mineralic vanilla-tonka scent, nothing about this says "bright woods" to me. It is, however, a beautifully-balanced, high-quality scent featuring a slightly unusual composition, in keeping with others from the Extraordinaire line. BD is sweet from initial spray, with vanilla present from the opening. It is smooth, creamy vanilla, not syrupy or cloying, punctuated by some peppery spice. The mineralic notes follow, adding a curious metallic quality to the opening. It is slightly discordant, but still works - adding a little bite and interest. As it develops, the tonka bean slowly emerges, marrying nicely with the increasingly dry vanilla. Some almond is in there, but I primarily get tonka. I really enjoy scents that feature vanilla-tonka-almond notes in some combination - the cosy gourmand sweetness is delicious in cold weather. Here, it is beautiful - just the right amount of sweet, good-quality, wonderfully warm and comforting. It becomes powdery and slightly woody as it begins to dry down, the tonka bean lingering. There is a smokiness to the drydown too, a nice counterpoint to the sweetness. It fades to a musky tonka bean scent. Sillage and longevity are moderate. This is feminine-leaning in my opinion due to its vanilla sweetness, but is perhaps an example of a unisex vanilla. It is surprisingly tonka-dominant, not a bad thing in my book, but particularly here when it is high-quality and not just coumarin. A grown-up gourmand with a little edge initially, BD is not what I expected, but is truly lovely. Another underrated gem from this house, BD is an excellent tonka scent. My kind of gourmand. Tonka Doré. 4.5/5.

this might definitely be the best almond heavy fragrance ever, in the market. I tried this for the first time on a sampling card yesterday. went back to the perfume shop after 3 days of having tried both versions of the Moonlight Patchouli and the sales advisor offered this one as another good fragrance. this is definitely incredibly classy. it has the "old money" quality to it. with the way it's blended, with the ingredients used that make it like a divine cloud of almond and vanilla, this is mesmerizing. I didn't try it on myself but had it sprayed on the card. yet I'm still planning to get this when I get the perfume version of Moonlight Patchouli. if you like the generic Good Girl by CH, but would love to find a sublime, rich and refined person type of it, with class and no hint of "trying too hard to get attention", this can be the much much higher end version of that. and on another note, Tom Ford Tobacco Vanille lovers would also mostly love this. it honestly has an unmatched elegance when compared with other nice almond heavy fragrances. but I feel like Van Cleef & Arpels as a whole brand with their fragrances has a consistent "lux and classy" profile to them anyway. Just got myself a full bottle of Moonlight Patchouli EDP. I'll add this to my collection for the days I want to basque in the glory of a divine almond & vanilla creation instead. the whole brand is incredibly elegant and classy.

This house is so underrated and I don’t know if men has found their perfumes. They have many unisex ones like Bois Doré and even the rosy ones are so intriguing on men, especially Moonlight Rose. The scent is warm, very classy yet cozy. I love the mineral notes with Vanilla instead of brown sugary notes which sometimes ruins the beautiful Vanilla. There is a little bit salty feeling which makes this scent unique. Like almost all VC&As this is quite simple blend and that’s why they are so versatile, you can wear them wherever you want. The base is smooth and Cedar wood with Tonka and White musk create a soft and sensual touch to the blend. It wraps around you and it hugs you affectionately. The scent is lingering beautifully, not loudly, it’s an elegance in the bottle. VC&A’s style to make Vanilla is exceptional because it’s always classy, never a heavy gourmand which would be clearly edible. The longevity is surprisingly good and I can smell it on my skin next morning if I have sprayed it in the evening. This scent shares the same dna with Orchidée Vanille and Bois d'Iris - both of them are my favorites as well. Thank you for reading, I hope my review was helpful. I would appreciate a lot if you want to follow me on IG and/or YouTube (English subtitles): @ninamariahperfumes It gives me a lot of motivation to write more. 🤗

Bois Doré by Van Cleef & Arpels is a small masterpiece of balance from the Collection Extraordinaire. If I had to describe it with an image, it would be that of a piece of precious wood floating in a sea of pure gold dust. Fabrice Pellegrin's genius in this creation lies in the contrast between mineral darkness and creamy sweetness. Initially it is pungent and almost "cold". Black pepper and mineral notes give a sense of metallic cleanliness, like wet stones. But it's an illusion that lasts a few minutes. Here the fragrance warms up dramatically. The combination of almond and vanilla never veers towards the "sweet mess" (extreme gourmand), because the tobacco and cedar keep the scent dry, elegant and decidedly unisex. The Drydown is the real protagonist and is the Tonka Bean. It's an enveloping, powdery, lightly toasted cloud that stays on the skin for hours, evoking a sense of luxury. It is the ideal perfume for those who love sweet fragrances but hate childish ones. Bois Doré is sophisticated. Despite the vanilla and tonka, the teak wood and pepper make it "adult". If you appreciate perfumes like Baccarat Rouge 540 (for the mineral part) or Pi by Givenchy (for the almond), but are looking for something darker and woodier, this is an almost obligatory purchase.

Someone on the BDK Velvet Tonka Page said that Bois Dore was better as a almond/Tonka gourmand fragrance. I have to agree. The teak wood, black pepper and vanilla are elevating the almond and Tonka, creating a “carmelized” or “toasted” accord. I’m getting sweet (not overly sweet) spiced almond in the opening and gorgeous almost milky woods as it dries down. Spiced almond cream brûlée. I feel Bois Dorè is sweeter than Velvet Tonka/ which doesn’t smell at all gourmand to me; nothing like a gazelle horn (which is what the inspo was for Velvet Tonka. A Gazelle Horn or tchereck, is a cookie filled with almond and orange blossom topped with crushed pistachios) VT is so velvety, so smooth, it comes across as a luxury body oil. What they also share in common is that awesome “rubber tyre” accord that I LOVE. There’s also fuzzy, fluffy texture I get from both fragrances which comes from the musk. Bois Dorè’s projection is above average and the longevity is fantastic but that’s really dependent on individual skin chemistry. Next to Guerlain’s Tonka Imperialè, (which is my benchmark gourmand Tonka or marzipans fragrance) Bois Dorè is my second favorite “Tonka” fragrance.

Bois Doré. Visualise stepping into an ancient workshop, full of wood carvings smoothed down by time and touch. Where light bounces off polished metal, casting wonderful glimmers on all it catches. You're first met with the sharp, silvery gleam of something raw and untamed—like shards of a forgotten treasure, metallic edges cutting through the stillness, hinting at a precious mineral something trapped within peppery teak, waiting. Waiting. As the vanillic warmth of your touch emerges, the mineral reveals itself: the warmest gold of all, nothing like the piercing gunmetal blue you expected. Warm not in the usual comforting, docile way; instead, it feels like metallic yet inviting, cool to the touch, with a gleaming sheen of sweetness. It melts in your hand into molden metal: soft, creamy, but with an unexpected chill in its cocooning embrace. It is the smooth curve of a well-worn metal surface catching the light. It is a deep quietness, like a secret only half-revealed, at once comforting and so enigmatic Truly a one-of-a-kind fragrance—familiar yet otherworldly, like a glimpse of beaming times long past, forever etched in polished wood—Bois Doré.

This is spicy and milky in a good way! Very vanilla and almond dominating, but the pepper and metallic top note blends in and makes it irresestible! The woodyness is heavenly and beautifully blended... So to cut to the chase. I bought this straight away after I recieved and tried out my sample :^) The metallic and spicy top note compliments the sweet vanilla and creamy almond in a heavently way, and the tobacco and teak makes a unique depth. It is spicy and sweet and amber-y in a clean and rich way, and to have this last for an enitre day, and with great sillage thorugh it all is ... just a masterpiece. Straight off the cap it is very anonymous and hard to detect, this need to be tried on skin, preferably warm skin. I see the votes says that this is better in winter and yes I get it, vanilla, almond and pepper, I too do love that in autumn and winte. But this is for all year. It can get too cloying on the warmest day in the humidity, but I prefer this warm over cold. I feel like the notes evolve better in the warmth when its a sweet woody perfume. In the winter it is more of a quiet sweet musk. Either way, I love it....

I’m obsessed. A bit of backstory: Luna Rossa Black was the perfume that I saved for the love of my life. I couldn’t wear it myself - it was too masculine. But I adored it. On my first anniversary with my current (and hopefully last ever, because I’m head over heels for him) boyfriend, I bought him a bottle. I’ve not regretted that decision once. There’s something - SOMETHING - about this (the tonka, of course) that heralds LRB, but this is totally unisex. Cool woods. Warm, lightly almondy, lightly tobaccoed vanilla - never veering into gourmand. A hint of black pepper over the top - no sneezing here though. Deep, quality tonka. A little cosy musk on the drydown. It’s not feminine, it’s not overtly masculine. There’s a hint of both, rather than being between the two. This is the LRB that women can wear too. Finally I’ve found one. I will be buying a full bottle when I can afford it, and this tester will be treasured and likely bought again. I’m not sure if it’s going to be my signature or not as of yet, but I am IN LOVE with it, it’s going straight into my favourites. It’s certainly signature worthy.

The absolute epitome of COSY! What an incredibly well blended lactonic delight! Reminds me of Milk’s uber refined, perfectly tailored and quietly elegant Uncle; confident but unpretentious. This is Bois Doré. While not listing any milk or marshmallow notes, the accord is there to my nose. Maybe it’s the initial mineral note making way for an utterly delectable, creamy vanilla-Tonka drydown or maybe it’s magic. Whatever it is, it’s completely bewitched me and my wallet. Some say it leans feminine and maybe it does, but that confident Uncle wears it with finesse anyway. As anyone would. It’s a fragrance that defies gender specifics. And unlike some of VCA’s other fragrances that smell lovely but lack in longevity & sillage, Bois Doré PERFORMS! Moderate longevity & sillage; never overwhelming or screechy. Absolutely a favorite. It’s a brilliant composition that is signature scent worthy. Also, layers beautifully. Truly a masterpiece in my opinion and always a joy to wear.

Great Love! Both hubby and I adored it and sipped each drop of it. Looking for a new frag for my man and a sub for his Guerlain Homme Ideal L'Intense original opaque black bottle, the store lady recommended this one. I confess I liked it for myself. In spite of the slight resemblance in the pyramid this one leans more feminine. After couple of test sprays I returned home where my toddler had a nap in my hands. It's been 30 hrs since then and his cute head still smells like Bois Dore. However, longetivity on my skin was not that great. It was even poor - max 4 hrs. Walking with this frag outside under the soft windy sun was also very pleasant. That was somehow sn impulse purchase and I confess that name also influenced me. My fav season has always been the Golden Fall and my son happened to appear under the autumn leaves. So, Bois Dore is my sign.🍂🧡

This is an absolute no-brainer if you love sweet, dry, powdery, vanilla musk with a peppery kick. This is THE epitome of that scent profile, in a grown-up version. This is not a gourmand. You get the cedar in the background just at opening. There is a Playdough-y almond as it dries down. There is no tobacco that my nose detects. The powdery pepper is present all the way through and is gorgeous. Sillage is decent. Longevity is mid. Normally, this is a winter scent profile in my collection. But because the pepper is so present, it works in mild heat for me. Not sure I'd venture to wear this in mid August, but it works almost year round IMO. I will always have a bottle of this in my collection as long as I can find it. This Van Cleef line is so underrated. I have several full bottles and every one of them is truly a blended masterpiece.

I love this so so so much. This blooms in colder months for sure. To me this is almond/vanilla/tobacco that’s sweet, a bit powdery but also creamy at the same time. It’s a tiny bit woody with some musk. It’s not super sweet if you’re not a fan of that but it is a little bit sweet for sure. On me this projects good and it lasts long, especially on clothes. The more I wear it the more I love it but it was love at first sniff. I can’t get enough of this. It’s a cosy scent that I love to wear to bed or when I know I’m going to just chill or cuddle with someone and want to smell a tiny bit edible. Not edible in a cupcake kind of way but just appetizing if that makes sense. I would love to sniff this on a man, and would probably die if I did since I love it so much, but I really enjoy wearing it myself. I will 100% repurchase this scent.

Perfection in a bottle! This is the most perfect vanilla scent ever. Not only to my nose, but nobody who tested it stated differently. It's a perfect unisex, neither on feminine or masculine side. It's very elegant, cosy, warm, nostalgic, comforting. Vanilla woodsy lovers, this can be a total blind buy for you and you won't regret. I'm in LOVE with it. But, some things we love and yet we have to let go of :))) I won't buy this beauty ever again cause it's longevity and projection are the worst I ever had. And it's so so so sad and frustrating. It puts me in such a great mood for one hour and in such frustration after it fades away. When you think of someone who's always perfectly prepped up, groomed and put together then you imagine them smelling like this.

Simply gorgeous! Bois doré is a mix of warm and cold, sweet and dry. I get the notes listed, vanilla, pepper, tonka, tobacco etc. perfectly blended into a beautiful comforting, yet not warming or cozy fragrance. Woods with some musk becomes more prominent longer into the wear-time. I really, really like this stuff. There's something nostalgic about bois doré, it feels like something I've smelled in my childhood, yet I can't pinpoint exactly what it is. It might be scented plastic toys ("dolls head") or sticking your head into a makeup bag, but in the best kind of way I suppose. Bois dore doesn't remind me of any food. I guess it could be the fragrance contains heliotropin. In any case, this is a thumbs up for me.

Lovely creamy tonka fragrance, with a mild sweetness. Smells expensive & yummy. Feels cozy... This isn't the loudest fragrance, but has a great sillage. It's the type of perfume that gets stronger as it warms up on skin and that really shows how good the quality is too. I feel GOOD wearing it, I love being able to smell it on myself even though it's not a beast-mode. This is still appropriate for work or church, but just as good for netflix n chill moments or doing errands. This & BDK Velvet Tonka are very similar to me, and both would be the closest perfumes to a "signature scent" that I have, even though I wear a large wide variety of fragrances** Everyday fragrance for gourmand & niche lover

First of all, I want to thank everyone who recommended letting the fragrance maserate. I have a very sensitive nose and prefer quieter scents, but I was so disappointed the first time I tried it because I could hardly smell anything. One month later, it's love at first spray. It's sweet with enough of a woody and musky background to keep it interesting and prevent it from becoming cloying. In the opening, I get the tiniest hint of smoky leather, which might be the black pepper and mineral notes, but it's super fleeting. The dry-down is super smooth and well-blended. Would smell great on anyone and is quite long-lasting to my nose. I'm curious to see how this smells on my husband. Yum!

Back when I was a photography student, I discovered infrared photography. It made everything, but especially trees with a lot of leaves, look fluffy and ethereal, like earth angels. In my culture, trees are respected and honored for their protective and grounding quality. This perfume makes me feel like a giant protective fluffy and ethereal tree has wrapped me in it's warm, beautiful fragrance. Last winter, I thought about selling this bottle, but decided that I should hold on to it and try it again next Winter. I'm so glad I did! The maceration seemed to help soften out any rough edges, and bring forth a warm, golden tone, and this has now become one of my favorite Winter perfumes.

This is the only full sized bottle of expensive perfume that I own. When I wear this I feel like I should also pair it with a mink coat and a diamond necklace (I don't own either of these items). It's so elegant and it smells luxurious. The price tag matches, although I got really lucky and got it for 130 at neiman marcus. It's a sweet, almondy and slighly woody vanilla. It's very unisex in my opinion, any gender could pull this off if they like sweet scents. It is potent and lasts a while, 1 spray is enough and 2 is almost too much. I really do love the scent but I haven't worn it that much for some reason. I think I'm gonna have the bottle for another 5 years the way i use it.

Smells like Diet Coke and marzipan; oh so smooth and sleek fragrance. It's an underrated masterpiece, exquisite and sophisticated. The accords are sweet but no one will think you smell like a dessert. The cold mineral vanilla aspect is reminiscent of Diet Coke and the almond truly smells of marzipan in the most refined way. The tonka dry down gives the illusion of faint toasted coconut. Ultra niche quality, long lasting, super minimalist and unisex, maybe even slightly masculine in a good way. The vibe: Snobby gorgeous face like Kate Moss but with timeless aesthetic like CBK. Frugal chic before it was trendy. SADE on repeat. Diet Coke on tap at home.

I finally bit the bullet and got a full bottle of this for retail bc I haven't seen it on any discount sites for ages and I'm terrified of it being discontinued. It's not super unique, but there's something different and special about this. It feels simultaneously warm and cold, it's not your typical 'warm sexy gourmand' but you can find that type everywhere these days. This is more sophisticated, androgynous and airy thanks to the metallic top notes. It feels elegant, it's also very powdery which always feels effortlessly sexy to me. Basically if you've smelt Velvet Tonka and Luna Rossa Black then this is like their cool non-binary child.