Description
Van Cleef & Arpels is launching a luxurious line which includes 6 fragrances in September 2009, created in cooperation with various perfumers. Their flacons are identical, massive and made of glass, decorated with simple black tops, while their compositions are very special and of high quality because of expensive raw materials used in creation of the fragrances.
Collection Extraordinaire includes:
Gardenia Petale, nose: Nathalie Feisthauer,
Orchidee Vanille, nose: Randa Hammami,
Lys Carmin, nose: Nathalie Gracia-Cetto,
Muguet Blanc, nose: Antoine Maisondieu,
Bois d’Iris, nose: Emilie Coppermann,
Cologne Noire, nose: Mark Buxton.
The fragrances will be available in amount of 75 ml (1.5 oz) EDP, for about 130 Euro. They will be sold in boutiques of Van Cleef & Arpels and in selective stores. Inspired by Haute Couture fashion line, Haute Couture perfume collection is made as a very luxurious and authentic one. The nose behind this fragrance is Emilie (Bevierre) Coppermann.
печатник – :
This is infusion iris homme on Eso Super molecule
Very synthetic
That woody feeling is syntheticly made
I still like it but it will be better without this strong molecule vibe
… i need few wearing and some time to see if i am keeping it
burlix – :
I’ve sampled this because I know that it’s close to Bois d’Argent by Christian Dior.
It opens up with a profound concoction of Iris along with some Amber, Vanilla, Myrrh and Blonde Woods. Iris stays throughout the whole wear length. It’s sensuous but also clean smelling at the same time.
It dries down into an inoffensive powdery Iris fragrance and all of the heavy notes fade away. The dry down smells nearly exactly like Infusion d’Iris by Prada.
adolfhitler1488 – :
So smooth pure woody perfume I have ever tried .
repsapCooke – :
Maude Abrantes – Amedeo Modigliani
ERIK SATIE Gnossienne 1
колямба7777 – :
i have a sample of this, many thanks to chloematilda.this is a really lovely expensive smelling scent full of opulence. creamy vanilla with iris and amber. stunning.
it reminds me of dior bois d’argent.
alexhelp222 – :
Such a great and somewhat underrated Iris scent that’s starting to get a bit more love. Can be had for a good price to if you look around and it’s well worth it. Sweet, creamy, slightly resinous and perfectly unisex. It may seem subtle but it’s one I become very nose blind to after a while but others can catch the sillage. You might think it’s weak but I promise it’s far from it. People who love the Dior Homme line or anything that has iris accompanied by sweet notes then this is one you have to check out! Seriously good stuff! This isn’t one you smell right up at your arm either but just let the scent linger around you. I think Dior steals the spotlight just by being a more well known brand but this one seriously gives bois d’argent a run for its money.
rfu445speagoessenda – :
This one was something different! It is calming and refreshing both at the same time. Very pleasant and relaxing. I could see myself buying this one day…!
Almenora1978 – :
Nice very soft BUT
120 euro and it disapears after 10 minutes
Very close to skin, you have put your nose on yor skin/clothes to smell it
NIMVAN – :
More vanilla than iris, although the iris is there. Bois is wood, but the wood in this is abstract, more of a suggestion of a woody theme rather than the depth.
Moderate sillage, elegant and addictive. Easily unisex, if you can find it on line at a good price, grab it because you will return to it when you want something beautiful but understated.
PENZA pashki – :
Gorgeous, just gorgeous! This is definitely a fragrance that exceeds the level of hype. Everything about this is a win for me.
However… for years, my husband’s signature scent was Dior Bois d’Argent. It was a spectacular contradiction to be near him, embraced by the such a lovely fragrance. I was always a little jealous he discovered it before me.
Although he no longer wears it often, Bois d’Iris reminds me too much of that time for it to ever be mine. I seriously shed an internal tear.
All my baggage aside, Bois d’Iris and Bois d’Argent are both beautiful marriages of Iris and Myrrh. The most notable difference for me was the opening. Bois d’Iris is a bit woodier and Bois d’Argent has a bit more juniper and leather. Both settle into a lush composition of cold iris, warm myrrh, a bit of sweetness, and dry wooded base. Longevity is great for both. Bois d’Iris stayed around a full day whilst Bois d’Argent will politely stick around for multiple days.
Ethereal, atmospheric, and unforgettable.
83KR71KR – :
At least to me, Bois d’Iris might just be the ideal woody gourmand. Of course, that’s oversimplifying it, because there’s a lot going on in this lovely creation, but that’s what it comes down to: sensual woods and delicious sugary vanilla coming together in perfect, velvet-smooth harmony. This is a match made in heaven: the blending of these two aspects means this scent doesn’t smell quite edible, but gives it a silky vibe that’s almost chocolaty in a subtle way – and somehow it’s more successful in that regard than most perfumes with an actual chocolate note listed! I thought I must be crazy to think this, but I see that one other reviewer has mentioned it, so there might be something to it after all.
The balsamic notes stay politely in the background to provide depth, and the iris is the star of the fragrance only for the briefest while in the very opening – it’s very well done, dry and natural and also wonderful in combination with the driftwood, but after just a few minutes it blends in seemlessly with the gourmand/woody main event. It does easily stays around all day though, and to my nose it gets better and better with time. It’s easy to overspray since it’s so addicting, but be careful – sillage is stronger than you might be aware of. My colleague hinted that he’s “very sensitive to scents” and that I was “wearing more perfume than normally” today, and it’s true I used four sprays instead of two just to be sure not to miss out on this lovely smell throughout my day. Lesson learned – better to keep this gem a bit more to myself!
jurassik – :
It’s a no-brainer. It really is. Let me tell anyone who is on the fence about this. If Guest_Colin Maillard says it’s good, you can trust him because he is one of the toughest critics out there and I value his opinion. I didn’t know iris could be this good. So smooth and creamy with a touch of vanilla and I do pick up some of the incense like he said as well.
Beautiful scent.
9/10
immanuil – :
I simply canno’t live without this perfume.Applied today one more time after a long time not wearing it. And its the same wonderfull smell. Moderately sweet,lingering gently from my skin,never in an annoying way. Masterpiece for me. Love this a lot. Need to buy one more bottle till its become sadly discontinued…
gzjeka – :
This is soothing and pleasurable scent. A scent of quietness and equanimity. I don’t smell a lot iris but mainly vanilla and also a bit of woody and incense notes. When I first got interested in this fragrance, I tested it side by side with Dior Homme and found it sweeter in comparison. Fortunately, it becomes less sweet and more about iris and vetiver in the drydown three hours later. However, at this beautiful stage, the projection is so soft that you won’t be able to smell it without putting your nose up against the skin.
Despite its unsatisfactory performance, there’s something about it that made me miss it when I wasn’t wearing it. There’s such a wonderful mixture of luminosity and comfort to this scent that I miss its invigorating effect in daytime and its comforting quality in the evening. It’s so versatile I can never be without it. With that said, if one day I somehow have to give up this fragrance, I’ll replace it with Orchidee Vanille, from the same VCA collection, because it shares that lovely combination of luminosity and comfort.
JaGGronirlcic – :
Absolutely unisex. The “driftwood” reminds me of Creed Viking and TF Oud Minerale and the iris is very similar to YSL privee line’s Velours. I can only compare Bois d’iris to what I all ready own and I must say I love it! 10-12 hours of longevity and arms length sillage. A very ethereal and transparent scent.
igrok33rus – :
I wear it today and it’s amazing and soft fragrance that reminds me Victoire d’ambre by Rituals. Amber is more present than iris in the notes, the name of this perfume could be “Bois d’ambre” !
and320076466 – :
I blind bought it and I’m so angry at myself. I wish it was anything like it states here, all I can smell on my skin is very sweet vanilla with a touch of powdery iris. Nothing woody or balsamic for me; I’m really dissappointed.
Edit: I’ve noticed the sharper tones after a couple applications: it seems more interesting now, but I can definitely smell just a little bit of rubber too
chj624JeomiWogkig – :
This becomes candy sweet iris on my like insolence except this has a lovely dry woody background and the smell of frankincense.
I find the sillage quite good actually, the more it warms up on the skin.
I dont smell much amber at all.
The most noticeable notes to me are sugar, iris, wood and frankincense.
oksa – :
This is another one of those that just break my heart…It is SO, BUT SO very beautiful, but has no sillage no lasting power, no …nada! Except sheer vanishing beauty…Yes, I can see the metaphor in this, I have thought about it:” Perfumes are like so many other things is life, fleeting, etc etc…” But God damn!! 🙂 Poetic, but frustrating….
oksi10lompa – :
Van Cleef & Arpels Topnotes Extrordinaire
This was simply love at first scent. I dabbed a bit of Bois d’Iris on my skin and was immediately enveloped in a heavenly strange accord of salt, dark wood, sea air, iris, powder, and a bit of musky moss. Simply stunning. I had to have it. It was the most interesting wood and iris perfume I’d ever smelled, and I’ve been around the block a few times, as far as iris goes. I had to have a bottle.
So once I got a bottle and did a full wearing, I was not anticipating what happened next. The woody marine iris accord slowly slid into a sweet, faux wood, annoying musk. The iris jumped ship, the driftwood got awfully synthetic, and what was loudest was this aromachemical wood, laundry musk, and sugar sugar sugar melted all over it.
I could not have been more disappointed. The lovely topnotes lasted maybe half an hour before descending into a generic sweet sugar, blonde woods, and white musk perfume that lasted for hours. When will learn not to judge a perfume by its top notes??
Andreyderka – :
Do I want to smell like a creamy, iris campfire? Yes, I do.
dagenergoizp – :
Possiedo bois d’argent e ho provato questo.
Mi piace.Forse anche di piu’.
Bois d’argent e’ piu concentrato e maschile con cipresso e ginepro.
Bois d’iris ha la meglio nella dolcezza piu ariosa,dilatata dello zucchero al posto del miele appiccicoso e presente.
in pratica gemelli alla nascita.
Bois d’iris non spicca certo per l’originalita’ e carattere essendo un clone ma la parte zuccherina e’ amministrata egregiamente.
Tornassi indietro nel tempo, tra i due avrei comprato Bois d’iris.
Piu ruffiano ed espressamente un ottimo profumo lussuoso,pulito,quasi goloso vicino alla pelle.
alladin – :
iris with powder, vanilla, maybe a hint of herbal/balsamic note
wgx533elipseskism – :
Bois d’Iris: a hypnotic lullaby; narcotic sweet solace.
Tobacco-like incense, starchy iris, tranquilizing vanilla, balmy amber, crystalline sugar, papery wood, and transcendental myrrh.
Familiar, yet arresting, Bois d’Iris will loose you from your woes. Let go and allow yourself to be pulled asunder.
FureBounteefe – :
با توجه به نت برجسته زنبق در این عطر قشنگ یاد سری دیور هوم و در کنارش عطرای شالمیار اینیشیال و لئو میوفتید. .
اگر عاشق زنبق باشید این عطر فوق العاده هست . هم کیفیت خوبی داره هم بالانس منظمی رو ارائه میده
عطر از اول تا آخرش پودری و شیرین هست.
لابدانیوم به خوبی تاثیرش رو گذاشته رو عطر . یه حالت چرب و خامه ای مانندی رو به حس پودری عطر اضافه میکنه و واقعا عالی میکنه کار رو.
درسته عطری زنانه محسوب میشه ولی با کمی احتیاط میشه یواشکی یونی هم استفاده اش کرد : دی
orvlvl – :
Let me say, this is not a bad fragrance. But if you, like me, are in search of a fragrance like the name of this one suggests, one that is woody and iris-y…this may not be it. With a name like Bois d’Iris, I was expecting this to be quite dry, powdery, more of an old-world scent. It certainly is not. The vanilla and sugar notes are very prominent, so the iris and woodsy notes are more of an afterthought. They are certainly there, but you must also want sweet vanilla in your fragrance if you want these woodsy irises. It’s cozy, it’s quite warm, a little bit powdery…but not what I was looking for. Not a safe blind buy in my opinion, but certainly one to sample!
sinewlad – :
Bois d’Iris wraps you in a soft and warm blanket made of sweet powder. To me it’s a kind perfume and totally inoffensive, which is appropriate anywhere every day.
Even though it’s supposed to be an iris based fragrance, I don’t detect this note at all. On me this smells of a powdery sweet myrrth with some vanilla and woods on the background. It’s sweet, resinous but at the same time very delicate and gentle. This scent smells very refined and overall it’s gorgeous, worth being a signature!
ocelot – :
Trovo questa meravigliosa fragranza più simile al Diptyque Eau Duelle che al Bois d’Argent di Dior. La vaniglia associata all’iris e a note legnose e fumose mi fa subito venire in mente un boschetto dai sentori polverosi tipici dell’autunno, stagione che amo tantissimo!
131062 – :
this is a beautiful plush iris perfume.
the vetiver note stands out for me, swirling with the incense and woods, there is smoke in this vetiver, all adding to a rather ethereal quality to my nose. there’s a pipe tobacco note for me too.
can’t stop sniffing my wrist. that lovely dry sunbaked slightly sweet driftwood.
a good dash of ambergris. lovely.
only lightly i smell black vanilla pods. more myrhh than vanilla.
this is a very meditative concoction.
it reminds me of the dry down of Passage D’Enfers not in smell particularly (sweetened incense), but in the feeling i get from it.
and Chanel’s Sycamore in the balance of vetiver and dry woods sweetness on my skin.
Bois d’iris is refined.
and to me, is indeed all about woods and iris, surrounded by some magical meditative soft notes of sweet incense, ambergris and myrhh.
this is not the scent of a place on this earth, it is from a beautiful place inside the mind.
igor33019 – :
Like the exceptionally tasteful Woodlandwalk, I love iris and wood so suspected this one would be good for me, but I wasn’t prepared for how plush this scent would be. I am really enjoying my sample.
I have been used to smelling recently either fresher, more airy iris scents, like Prada’s Infusion d’Iris and Dzongkha, or more powdery iris scents like Lipstick Rose, Insolence, Donna etc. This is richer, smoother and more buttery. The vanilla, resins and sweetness in this remind me of the middle section of Shalimar Parfum Initial (I put this in the ‘reminds me of’ section but it is not a dupe, so I expect for that reason it will be voted off pretty quickly but it might be helpful to some of you looking for a replacement for that discontinued fragrance). My husband thought it smelled like white chocolate and it definitely shares some of that Coromandel/ Iris Ganache/ Shalimar PI gourmand vibe.
I like this very much indeed. I would say that the sillage is moderate – it is discreet enough to be worn at meals and in public without bothering others, but those close to you or walking in your sillage will be able to smell the scent. The longevity is extremely good – I still smell it well after 12 hours. It is fairly linear to me but I find it delicious: rich but not cloying, a lovely buttery iris, and enough resins and incense to add mystery. Whilst this normally spells “evening” and “winter”, it is still transparent enough to be worn daily.
Liova – :
I love woody perfumes and orris/iris, so I was bound to enjoy this one.
I also liked Traversee du Bosphore (iris/rose/amber/sweet) which this reminds me of slightly, except that Bois d’Iris is less sweet, far more woody, but still soft and floaty like TdB.
This is natural, with a soft yet definite presence. It opens with a very distinct high quality iris/orris note that reminds me of Iris Silver Mist by Lutens, but then becomes more woody, very cedary, also sweet – a bit nutty, like nougat and rice paper.
The general impression is soft and gently elegant. It’s one I’d wear if I didn’t want to wear something too ‘perfumy’, for example on holiday in the country it would work beautifully, enhancing the natural smells around you yet lending a very pleasant aura.
If it was a colour it would be soft green or mauve, yet it’s also quite sunny and uplifting unlike the more melancholy iris-based perfumes (I love those too, but I think Bois d’Iris is warmer thanks to the sweet, soft woody aspects)
I could imagine an author or composer wearing this while musing in a sunlit library.
Lovely stuff!
santilo1984 – :
She pulls away from you, slowly. The room feels like it’s watching you, waiting. You can hear her heartbeat in sync with yours…you feel truly alive for the first time. The burning crimson of her lips, so tempting. Deep purple iris-flecked eyes, dancing. You are awash in everything, it rushes to be noticed. The room, cool and clean, lingers in your every breath – the musk of passion and the pristine sheets leave you wanting more. Your lover’s touch sends shivers up your spine, her sweet skin tries to swallow you whole – she oozes saccharine sweetness lit against the backdrop of sinking sun. This moment is burnt deep into your mind…the crisp white of your pillow is the last thing that registers – the powdered musk of a lost love, the last you smell. Today is for the living….tomorrow may never come.
Day 67 – Half past five
Listening to: The Weekend – The Hills
Notes: I now understand what people are talking about when they say something smells like ‘cocaine’ – I never have, but this is that experience for me. It’s pure and sinful all in one breath, and it’s exhilarating. While not as complicated as I initially thought, this scent is extasy. The iris is front and center for the first hour or two paired with a cognitive trip of clean and slightly human-esque white musk. These core notes are accentuated masterfully with a rich and resinous saccharine note…soft vanilla and amber and a touch of myrrh and labdanum simmer beneath the enveloping musk. It comes and goes in waves and every time it comes around you want more. Perfect on a woman and quite intriguing on a man and this trip lasts over 12 hours. I also believe that Bois d’Argent by Dior is a similar but slightly more masculine version of this which highlights a more honeyed iris than a powdery iris and musk. This one is gorgeous though…
Karass72 – :
This a weaker version of Diptyque Eau Duelle, both are vanilla themed and with same dose of sweetness. Actually, I didn’t get any iris or it might be so light than went undetected.
overall, its nice fragrance, but overpriced. If you need same ingredients but with immense longevity and reasonable projection, go for Duelle.
Jayms – :
Oh my GOD, this fragrance smells really velvety and smooth, the best iris one imo, not so earthy nor dusty but creamy and very well balanced, romantic still powerful and better than bois d’argent too. Longivity is amazing and sillage is medium. Definitely one of my best and closest to my heart in terms of smell. Thumbs up van cleef and arpels 😉
wesred – :
Looking at the notes and considering the fact that this one is an “exclusive” I did expect Bois D’Iris to be far richer and denser that the regular VCA offerings. Well it is not. Starts of very alcoholic, transparent and remains light and transparent to the very end. The alcohol smell takes good half an hour to evaporate – or is it something else that resembles the smell of pure spirit? It seems to go on and on – very unpleasant. After 30 minutes, what’s left on my skin is some hard to recognise, spiky woodsy notes, laced with iris as found in Iris Poudre – bright, sharp with a slightly metallic aftertaste, sweetened by vanilla in the base. Vanilla as found in most mainstream, candy-like fragrances targeted at woman.
I don’t like. This fragrance has no body and smells extremely alcoholic. 90% spirit 10% if not less fragrance… the problem is that you can actually smell the spirit, from start to the very end.
bravorum – :
Oh god the opening was so strong with alcohol that for a half-minute I thought I actually sprayed pure ethanol on me, but after that faded away my wrist smelled like pencil shavings. This is very peculiar and definitely one of the softest scents I’ve tried. It makes me keep my wrist close to my nose. My skin smells like smooth electricity when I’m wearing this. Intimate, soft and intriguing iris.
EDIT: after wearing Bois d’Iris few more times I find it too sugary. I would really like it I if only it did have less vanilla and other sweet notes.
getegeplats – :
Very interesting iris scent. I like how it’s quite serious with it’s woody, powdery and ambery tones. I like this scent, but I feel right now it’s not a one for me. Maybe, when I get older I will look it up again.
I just find it to be more of a mature scent.
Interesting and luxurious niche fragrance!
netuimeni – :
Its an amazing smelling iris fragrance. However… Dior’s Bois D argent is almost identical but has much stronger staying power and better projection. Dior’s bang for your buck is also ALOT better, so i guess Van Cleef and Arpels hasn’t convinced me to make the switch.
shevchukvitalii – :
Very beautiful iris incense scent that smells luxurious and classy but with an eccentric development. My nose seems to be unable to register the initial opening of Bois d’Iris. I remember the first time trying this as a sample I thought I got a fake vial filled with water: that’s how weak this perfume opens for me. Even now after many wearings I still barely smell it when I spray. weasley in her review for Dior’s Bois D’argent mentioned she has difficulty smelling the perfume too, so perhaps it’s due the combination of notes?
Thankfully as the time progresses Bois d’Iris becomes unbelievably substantial and handsome. The perfume is now lusty, showcasing its delicate salty incense note threaded with thin mists of purple powder. It is quite dry yet full-bodied from the warmth of myrrhe and labdanum. I’m happy to report that I don’t get much vanilla or sweetness from this perfume, which seems to be a problem for some folks. It’s definitely a solid oriental iris for me, and I truly think it delivers the reference of bone-white driftwood on sea shore with its salty and balmy portrait of iris.
This perfume has tenacious longevity. I can still smell wafts of it 12 hours after application. And like I said before the projection only gets better after the first 2 hours, which is absolutely amazing!
Bottom line: If you’re an iris fan you have to try Bois d’Iris, and not just once. But honestly the entire VC&A Collection Extraordinaire is fantastic so you might as well buy the sample pack to try each of them. I’m obvious sold 🙂
sergikani – :
I tried this fragrance for the very first time today and immediately, at the very first sniff ( and later too) it reminded me so.very.much. of Diptyque’s Eau Duelle! An extremely similar scent, only Eau Duelle has even more spice ( which I don’t like), whereas this perfume is creamier, gentler. I was very surprised that it has ‘iris’ in its name, because I don’t feel any iris in there. Ok it’s true I didn’t take much time to see how the scent developed but in the head notes – nope, no iris, at least the iris I’m used to from Hermes’ and Lutens’ perfumes… Also, to my nose, it is not similar to Prada’s Candy…
Apart from all the comparisons, I liked the fragrance. It’s full of warm, creamy vanilla, that wil warm you up on a cold autumn day ( or night), it’s lovely.
руслан73 – :
This is a beautiful creation.:) I have been using it almost a whole week now. That is very unusual for me. Love it. 🙂
Ilya132006 – :
Sent très bon, l’odeur de l’iris fait effectivement penser a DIOR collection privé bois d’argent. Coute moitie moins cher, par contre, je trouve qu’il est très faible et ne dure que très peu de temps. Je ne le rachèterai pas
moinnaGainouh – :
Bois d’Iris is a top notch quality fragrance made with iris, wood, amber, incense and myrhh (dominated by iris-woods mix), that has an obvious similarity with Bois d’ Argent (basicaly, an iris-myrrh mix).
Is it true that has therapeutic effects – creates a state of relaxation, confort and a feeling of elegance.
Both longevity and projection are very good and I can not but notice the strangeness of targeting this fragrance as essentialy for women, given that, for example, I consider it more masculine than Bois d’Argent and incomparable, in terms of male characteristics, with Dior Homme.
Side by side with Bois d’Argent, it’s creamier, sweeter, more masculine and…less expensive.
Fragrance 10/10
Projection Medium
Longevity 14 h
tara – :
To me this is all about iris and benzoin. I know it’s not listed in the notes here, but that’s what I get. Very similar to Orchidee Vanilla, Infusion d’Iris and, believe it or not, Prada Candy. Vanilla is very present, as well.
I get no vetiver, no salt, forget about the driftwood. It is lovely and soft, however, so no complaints, but not a lot to interest me, either.
Perfectly wearable, all-ocasion scent.
EDIT: I should’ve read previous reviews: Others have also found it very similar to Prada Candy. There has to be benzoin in this.
nemarbiam – :
A truly beautiful scent and definitely unisex. The first whiff is a bit like a good scotch with vanilla but then the iris, amber and incense step in. Very intimate, stays close to skin. Rich and comforting. The projection is minimal, at least on my skin. Have the same problem with other scents from this collection
kosta1972 – :
I get smokey amber from this. Not my favorite from this line.
zhakan – :
Such a comforting perfume.
Bois d Iris is something which actually keep my stress away.
The moment i spray it over myself,I just undergo a therapy mode..CALM and RELAXED as much as i can be!!!
Thanks Emilie for creating such a wonderful fragrance.
I hope it gets more n more love.
And friends no offence but do you really think the lasting and projection to be the primary criteria for judging the fragrance?
I mean there is something far beyond this lasting and projection thing,and thats the “Immmense happines” you get when you smell it..
Its a unisex frag..
Cheers
beicheSib – :
I was very excited to get my hands on a sample vial of this. I love VC&A, and find them to be a very reliable house, turning out good quality scents with nice compositions.
Bois d’Iris is one of the nicer Iris scents I’ve tried. I am a recent convert to this note, and I’m still trying to find a scent that I could wear on a regular basis that represents the iris in a way that appeals.
BdI opens softly, with vetiver in front. True vetiver, from the scent, very green, slightly moist, almost peppery, and a little earthy/dirty. This note is soft enough to be very intriguing, and quite pleasant.
The heart begins to open after about 5 minutes, and the almost waxy citrus like scent of myhrr becomes apparent, as does a rather leathery labdanum note. This combination is nicer than it sounds- warm, and the labdanum is softer than leather, but has that character and texture. Think of it as the faintest hint of a soft brown leather jacket, remaining on the skin after the coat has been removed. This scent feels very elegant; BdI has stature, but remains relaxed.
During the dry down the sweeter elements appear, particularly the vanilla and ambergris. At this point I found the sillage to be the strongest, which was a surprise. Faint drifts of almost haylike sweetness, the scent of old cedar from inside a trunk, warm, dense, rich, combine with hints of spice- not the heavy handed pepper so common right now, but just the faintest touch, almost an impression, which seems to be the incense note mentioned above. To me, this seems to be nutmeg, rather than incense, but it is lovely, regardless.
My primary criticism is that for the price, a bigger scent envelope is needed. There is good sillage during the dry down, but it is more in the form of the occasional drift of soft scent, than a scent envelope. If one could afford to apply liberally, this would improve, I’m sure. But at $169 a bottle, greater strength would be a major pro.
Longevity is outstanding, at 12+ hours for my skin. And while I love this scent very much, it seems worth pointing out that no iris appeared for me. Unless, of course, that powdery tone in the dry down is considered to be iris. A more appropriate name, based on my experience with the scent, would be Bois d’Incense.
This is one to try- recommended highly. But please be aware that if you seek iris, this may not be the scent for you. A gander at the other reviews here indicates that this issue was not purely a matter of my personal skin chemistry.
EDIT: I just noticed that this was marked as “for women”, which is bizarre. This is unisex, easily, and I would actually think it would find a greater audience among men than women. If this scent were to be gendered either way, i would consider it a masculine scent that is wearable by women. Gentlemen: Give it a shot, please! I think you’ll find this one quite impressive!
Spealablorb – :
Very elegant scent. It’s woody and deep balsamic. Pleasant, but too intense orient for me. I prefer softer scents.
yary – :
I like this Bois d’Iris more than most iris around. It wears so smooth and gentle yet very present.
I had kind of a lesson about Van Cleef scents in a perfume store, so I had time to smell it for a hour there, then on my skin for the rest of the day. It’s very pleasant, clean, not sweet but not a bitter scent, very powdery in a delicate way.
Sugar is listed and I couldn’t say it.
You won’t be submerged in a cloud of sticky baby powder as it happens with many “iris” scent. I really smell the woody side of iris in an elegant and discreet way.
All the other notes are complimentary and not invading regardless of their strenght, like labdanum and myrrh. It’s a smooth blend.
It’s long lasting.
Meelmefweef – :
I adore Bois d’Iris. The first few minutes smell like opening a new package of pencils—wood and plastic shink wrap. This transitions over a period of hours to a vaguely vanillic powder and an unburnt myrrh incense. What remains after a day of wear is the smell of a bit of ambroxan and bitter myrrh. Despite these warm sounding tones, I find that this wears as a rather cool fragrance due to the iris.
I was surprised to see the comparisons in the reviews below to Prada’s Candy. I don’t get that at all. Bois d’Iris reminds me of Prada’s Infusion d’Iris rather than Candy, they are both built around woody incense accords mixed with powdery iris. Both also exhibit classic traits of iris perfumes: melancholic, a bit austere, and somber.
On me this reads as a casual perfume or a work perfume. Very nice and quite wearable. This also smells wonderful on my husband.
ETA: wearing it again, I’ve found that I’m getting a strange almost Dr. Pepper pop like note after it has dried down.
hoopsymbofons – :
Last evening in the drugstore I happened to spritz first Prada Candy, then Bois d’Iris (this one for the first time) on the opposite sides of my left wrist and they were almost identical, maybe Bois was only a bit sweeter and less musky/powdery.
nada7777 – :
I’m having a similar experience as most other reviewers on this scent…
Bois D’iris is pleasant, but didn’t floor me. Certain days I *REALLY* do love it, though. I have a vast variety of iris scents in my collection, as it’s one of my favorite notes – and I don’t see this as a “must have”.
The iris in this composition is softened, it’s very mild and not too earthy, nor too powdery – it’s almost there to balance everything out. The myrrh/incense are slightly more woody than smokey, and do tend to overthrow most of the notes here, even the mild gourmand-sweetness to it (reminiscent of the caramel/musk combo in Prada Candy, weirdly enough).
The atmosphere to this is fairly relaxing, simple, something shy and understated – perhaps for work, or for meditation, anything that involves focus or introspection.
You can feel quality in this fragrance, and the notes are blended to perfection – wonderfully unisex – but it is just “okay” in my book!
mandrila – :
To me, Bois d’Iris is a man who shaved his face in the morning, while Dior Bois d’Argent is a man who forgot to shave.
Now that sounded weird lol. In other words, Bois d’Iris smells better, smoother, creamier, and even a bit younger than BDA. Less iris, more vanilla, and much less incense. It’s totally unis