Iris Boisé

A simple, stripped-down, modern and earthy orris root fragrance. The only other notes I detect are steamed white rice and some creamy woods, like sandalwood, in the drydown. There is an iris patch in town that I visit every spring because I get to smell many varieties. I love to study their scent profiles--magenta, yellow, white, periwinkle and deep purple, huge billowy ones and little stiff ones. Violets grow in my yard like weeds (pretty weeds!) so I am very familiar with natural violets too. Irises all smell like violets. Some strongly so, while others are soft and sweet like violet pastilles. Iris Boisé doesn't resemble an iris flower. It's an orris root fragrance. Orris powder is a material you may not find easily, but it's one that I happen to have and use in herbal preparations at home. It's the scent of cosmetics. The iris root (not the flower) is dried and pulverized. The perfumer has not added anything sweet--none of the rose, vanilla or raspberry that you will get with the complex makeup fragrances on the market these days that seek to resemble lipsticks and powder compacts. Iris Boisé is very starchy, like the spray my mom uses when she irons shirts. Unlike most other orris root fragrances out there, this one actually intensifies with wear. It reminds me just a little bit of N.19 Poudré. Very nice if you want to smell really pure. Might want to test first if powdery fragrances are tricky for you.

Iris Boise delivers as promised: it's a chilly, iris forward scent ground by woody base notes. While the initial whiff might not be everyone's favorite, the dry down is reserved and pleasant. I used to see iris growing wild on my hikes in California. This was in the bay area, which was frequently covered with fog. So to me, iris should always be 'slightly cool'. And it is here. I recommend trying this as a winter/fall scent.