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Hoimbubborp – :
Somebody is preparing to bake something with very juicy apples, powdered sugar and synthetic vanilla. However, they have just finished doing their hair with a ton of hairspray (which is probably caused by the leather). Very feminine and curious.
romeoVIK – :
This is lovely! It’s a fruity leather Chypre if there is such a thing….
It’s sweet and fruity with a lovely smooth light leather mingled through!
I only bought a decant but my goodness..I’d love a big bottle!❤️
Bertrand❤️
I put reminds me of Rogue…but an upscale better blended quality ingredients one! Rogue got on my nerves,,this,,,ahhhh,,,LOVE it!
njkz2009 – :
Basically a feminine perfumey in my opinion. I can not pull it off as a man. I get no leather. it’s sweet, floral and fruity, and definitely for the ladies. I gladly would compliment a woman wearing it. But it’s just not for me.
NewRussian – :
This is interesting in the way that I get a nonlinear composition which is totally uncommon on my skin chemistry; Usually when I spray something on, 90% of time that is how it’s going to smell for the duration of wearing it.
This is also really interesting in that I get traditional base notes when I first spray it, such as the leather and honey, but it becomes more of a fruity (apple) nougat as it wears on. The apple is crisp and doesn’t become watery or bogged down by the other gourmand notes.
This is scrumptious, totally FB worthy and the sweetest leather I’ve tried where I can actually still detect the leather and enjoy the composition as a whole.
ltybc85 – :
Hmm this one is a bit of an oddball, it really does not smell at all as I expected it would. It really reminds me of IL Profvmo Caramella D’Amore. Very sweetly feminine, very soft and powdery. They are so similar in vibe I couldn’t see having both, but the leather in this one appeals to me slightly more.
ness181149 – :
I love this scent and have no idea why. I can not detect any of the “ingredients” individually, but instead smell a cloud of heavenly cushion. It is like the most transparent oriental leather in the world. Just perfect.
GroxiaEagergo – :
Bertrand always got his way of making scents that please my interests and recall my best memories. This one took me back to my trip to Tehran and Isfahan which I’m so fond of. However you would rather take it for winter or chilly days and I could see how it might not make everyone happy, even the “me” without having been to Iran. But I love it and make very clear sense out of it so it is a addiction anyway. Love you and your creations, Bertrand <3
juk88 – :
Have you ever taken a chamomile flower and rubbed it between your fingers? That’s how it smells when you spray it! But later on, that smell fades and it turns somewhat sweet. Interesting opening and an amazing dry down! Nothing overpowering, very well blended. Sillage is medium and longevity is good, over 6 hours.
zaaqer – :
I love Traversee du Bosphore and I had several bottles. I just bought myself a new bottle and today it will be all about red apples, honey and leather, with an airy wiff of Saffron. Unisex- towards female, I think, a lot of sweet notes in this one. I find the new design boring, I love the old bottles with goldcap and clear glass.
deshos – :
Merry Christmas from tokyo. Its a rainy xmas midnight here, me and my wife enjoy this scent. Calm and comforting holiday in a bottle.
sammag – :
I congratulate L’Artisan for staying relevant in a world bombarded by a horde of niche firms – some exploring all kinds of marketing tricks just to garner attention. I understand those methods are truly needed in this crowded lane, but in the end it’s all about the quality of the fragrances, what memory it will create. L’Artisan don’t need fancy bottles (though theirs are not bad either), over the top prices, provocative posters or fragrance names to make memorable fragrances and sell their stuff – they just focus on the creativity and quality of the fragrance.
TdB is an excellent example made of top ingredients – the saffron is complemented by sweet fruity notes that smell delicious but not overly so, balance here is key. It’s all very yummy, but i can tell i’m wearing a fragrance, and not sniffing some food i’ve spilled on my hand. The entire composition is magical – not sticky syrupy, but dry, sweet, but not cloying. Worth of L’Artisan’s legacy.
*****
mgq566elipseskism – :
Duchafour has created a unique gourmand with a new and unusual combination of notes in Traversee du Bosphore. Its opening is familiar; a leathery lipstick infused iris reminiscent of Dior Homme with a red, tangy fruitiness gradually creeping toward the forefront. By the half hour mark the iris has taken a back seat, overcome by the tart fruitiness which has grown in both intensity and sweetness. Now a jammy red rose enters the picture as well, coated in a rich, sugary syrup, and we are presented with Bertrand’s interpretation of Turkish delight, a dessert I’m all the more eager to try now that I’ve smelled this. This is the heart of the fragrance, a soft, pale suede note graces the background just noticeable, while on top of it a distinct candy-like sweetness, slightly tart like a red apple, but sugary and delectable, has taken hold blending in with and accenting a rich, honey-rose syrup drizzled over chunky nougat. It is sweet, it is tart, it is very much red, and it is unlike anything I’ve smelled before in the world of perfumery. The heart persists for some time, and just when you’re beginning to feel stuffed, as if you can’t take anymore of the rich, treacly, candied-rose, it all starts to settle down and warm elements of tobacco and a nutty pistachio bring a sobering, neutralizing reassurance to the base, grounding Traversee in a warm, savory finish. What an olfactory ride! Du Bosphore may not be loved by everyone, but if you connect with it you will indeed love it. It is completely unique, and the creative, deft hand of Bertrand Duchafour is on prime display in this complex gourmand extravaganza. I’ve been lucky this year to discover both this and Noir Exquis (another Duchafour creation). Both are among my best discoveries of the year, but more importantly, both are undoubtedly the best gourmand fragrances I’ve sniffed in at least three years (I haven’t been this impressed with a gourmand since Pierre Guillaume released Tabac Rouge). However, while I can wholeheartedly recommend blind buying Noir Exquis, I have to recommend sampling Traversee du Boshpore. It is so unlike anything around I have no reference point to orient potential buyers. In that case, it’s probably best to sample this in the unfortunate case that you find Turkish Delight just doesn’t sit right with you. Gladly, I don’t have this issue, so I’ll be wearing this quite a bit in the future with great pleasure. T
The feel of Traversee du Bosphore is casual, though it could probably be dressed up a little too. It leans more toward night than day in my opinion, but seems well-suited for almost any season. I imagine the sweetness could become too much in really hot, humid weather, but other than that I don’t see many seasonal limits for this one. Projection on my skin is very good and longevity is impressive. Please note that there seem to be altering, inconsistent accounts of its performance, though I find for a L’Artisan this is extremely well-performing and I’ve have had no issues with it. Thumbs up all the way. It’s not every day something like this comes along and for that reason Traversee du Bosphore is a truly special scent. 8 out of 10.
EDIT: After wearing this for several weeks, I have one issue with it: The sweetness can sometimes become overpowering, especially in its initial stages. While this is a very interesting scent, and beautiful at times, this sweetness grates on me after some time. For this reason I would change my final rating to 7/10.
ORDERARCOXIA – :
Nutty, milky caramel, a slight whiff of florals (roses?), an unlikely ribbon of soft suede, all grounded by cedar, the diva of woodiness. (My nose picks up not even the merest hint of orchid.) All together a sweet dreams sleepy quality that has my wrists and forearms attached to my nose as if with Velcro.
Traversee du Bosphore always seemed to me like the name of a fragrance that would evoke water, swiftly moving and a bit muddy but absolutely aquatic in focus and nature. Reviews turned that expectation on its head but in no way prepared me for such a sugary, gourmand treat.
I’m a bit disappointed that I don’t get the sea-faring feeling of being on a ferry taking me from one shore to another but I can’t help being pleased that the voyage includes a visit to the best snack bar/bakery ever found on a ship!
Only a couple of hours have passed since my bottle arrived and I’m a bit surprised to find myself smelling like a freshly fried and glazed donut but… I’m really loving this super sweet concoction. Recommended for all lovers of sweet gourmand fragrances but especially for those who love a warm, sticky Krispy Kreme!
(Note: I guess I’m a latecomer to the Bertrand Duchaufour fan club, but my lordy, his ability to translate gorgeous mental imagery into an olfactory experience that’s almost touchable is nothing short of absolute brilliance!)
me-xmypuk – :
Received a 100ml of TdB today. In the opening, I was instantly hit with a very strong rose note. This lasted for around 30 mins. The next thing to appear was (for me) some sugary sweetness that made the initial burst of rose a bit more pleasant. As the fragrance dried down I began to also smell a sort of nutty/nougat note subtly coming through, with the sugar now becoming the prominent piece of this fragrance and the rose becoming a bit quieter but still noticable. At this stage I think it is very pleasant. I will say, however, this fragrance DID stay very close to my skin after the 30 minute mark, and that opening for me is a tad too sharp. I do still really like this scent and don’t regret buying it at all.
cdr314speagoessenda – :
I have a 15 ml sample of this and a couple of ml are still left. The scent is sweet and delightfully oriental but lacks a distinct oompf for me. Definitely an everyday scent that won’t insult anyone. Easier to wear than Shalimar, somehow nicer. I would still like to get a big bottle of this. I’ve been using this as I’m trying to fall asleep and this goodness is wrapped around me and so it screams leisure to me.
EDIT: I tried this again since I have few drops left on the bottom of my bottle. It made my skin smell like smoked ham! Yikes. I think it’s a pass for me after all.
NiLssan – :
If you’re familiar with Dzing!, this fragrance opens similar with a warm “barnyard” animalic note. You’d need to be familiar with both Dzing! And the aroma of a barnyard or petting zoo to understand. This note does not continue to dominate the scent for long, the dusty, goat smell gives way to a very pretty candied rose and vanilla and the animalic is now clean suede instead of barnyard. It’s not a heavy gourmand and it’s not a toothachingly sweet, powdery, pink thing like Loukhoum by KM. It’s soft and pretty and remains complex and interesting for most of its life. The final drydown is creamy, soft caramel. I never do notice much apple on my skin.
Apelmon – :
I adore this scent. It’s like a gauzy pink watercolor, sheer and sultry without heaviness. I love it in warm weather. It smells like pistachio and rosewater, marzipan, tea, and the suede adds almost a powdery note that doesn’t leave the sickly-sweet granny impression of most powder notes.
RIBLYASYDAY – :
L’artisans no 1 for me. Turchish Delight,not to sweet.
Loove it.
Klim-Rman – :
Finally, I received my decant. My absolute first impression was that this had this gritty, coarsely powdery effect that I recognize from Guerlain French Kiss and Replica Lipstick On. This effect can totally be achieved by a combination of almond, leather and/or saffron. In Shalimar for example, the same gritty texture is caused by the strong leather note. In Traversee this gives me the impression of sparkly, fizzy rose and berry tonic water. This leather note is high up among the main notes, but I find it’s only prominent in the beginning,
as the gritty effect softens after a while, the sweetness becoming more apparent, smoothing the leather-grittiness out quite a bit. The iris follows, though not as a main player, bringing a certain cosmetic vibe to the scent. The rosy, berry like sweetness, the foundation of this scent, becomes more and more prominent, yet staying watery, transparent, jelly like – jammy – as opposed to stuffy, muggy or thick.
With time passing by, the nougat read as almond, sneaks up behind the rosy sweetness, bringing a certain powdery, cozy, heliotrope-like lovely feel to the scent. This stage reminds me more of loukhoum than before.
This is what stays on my skin until disappearing. This is a multifaceted perfume with many sides to explore – the cosmetic powdery side , the dry fizzy side, the airy powdery almond side, the fresh and watery facets of the rose, as well as the sweet jammy facets of the same rose… it’s definitely worth a try.
alla1553 – :
After reading that this was inspired by Istanbul I wanted to try it so bad and ordered a sample, but this is way too light for me imaging such a scents rich Turkey. I imagined as a thick syrupy oriental with the smell of turkish delights, tuskish spices, the smell of air that linger in the streets of markets, smells of flowers and trees and maybe some vibes of Bosphorus but almost all i can detect is apple with sugar and some spicy notes
Gusartoajc – :
Nice fruity opening (but in a good-fruity way, no too much of a 12-year old’s berry scent) quickly moving to warm sweetness. I don’t get any smoke or leather, but maybe they provide some tempering for the sweetness which is agreeable honey rather than horrible sugary vanilla and the whole result is reminiscent of a low-lit cafe in an eastern alley, sanitised and gentrified for the tourists, but still a little spicy, a little sweet, quite nutty and altogether agreeable.
Would I pay 60 quid for that? No. But it’s very pleasant and cheered me up on a wet, dull, dark winter’s day. Doesn’t last much, though.
7/10
bonifacy12 – :
I have to say, that they’re quite different; Skin on Skin is dry, and TdB is syrupy and sweet. I think they’re both wonderful, and I think they’re both worth having!
avos – :
It smells great. Its very similar to skin on skin, but slightly sweeter. Probably not worth owning both – but if you’re turned off by the iris in skin on skin, this may be a good alternative.
Vlad1972 – :
I think this is a good example of a gorgeous perfume that is just not for me. It’s very unusual a sweet Turkish delight with a touch of leather that lasts forever. I love the smell but the scent wears me. I would prefer this as a candle, now that would be lovely.
v.a.l.i.k – :
For me, the opening of this was gorgeous. Best of all, it was *different* which is what drove me to the niche market in the first place. At first this was a sweet, powdery, unique scent that I really loved. Not gourmand on me; instead it reminded me of peach suede. There was a leather note, but it was a soft brushed suede in a feminine peach hue like a pricey spring handbag. I wanted this handbag in my life.
Unfortunately, the middle ended the affair. With my chemistry, the beautiful feminine opening gave way to pure worn leather and old-ish lipstick. I was transported back in time to my late teens, wrapped in my boyfriend’s faded leather jacket, putting on my cheap drugstore lipstick that was on the verge of turning. Actually sort of a fond, fun memory–but not how I want to smell all day.
If you like the “makeup” type scents, or leather scents, go to LuckyScent and get a sample. You might really like this one, and you know you’re getting the real thing from that site. Even though it’s not something I want to wear, I actually like the smell enough that while the bottle lasts this is my favorite–and most expensive–room spray.
admin88813 – :
To the review directly below, you said it all. I too am pleasantly impressed at this fragrance’s uniqueness. Yum! Turkish delight/nougat, with an ‘almost effervescent’ vibe about it. Love it!
Would recommended this to anyone who enjoys the smell of the confectionary(s). Lovely perfume. I’m hooked.
B*E*A*U*T*I*F*U*L
**footnote, this perfume needs to ‘develop’ on the skin for a few minutes…. I think it’s the initial saffron or juniper berry (although not a listed note) that is a little ‘awkward.’ Spray in more places but in small quantities. The dry down is well worth the brief wait required to really enjoy this. ☺
morozru – :
I am not sure if I have ever been as impressed with a perfume as I am with this. I’ve never been to Turkey, but if it really smells like this I want to go! Astonishingly creamy and sweet, but still clean smelling, this is gourmand at its best. The first 10 minutes I smelled a crisp and tart apple and….cardboard. like the cardboard smell I get in Apres L’ondee, only more distinct. The Apple I love, the cardboard not so much. But then the cardboard is gone and it’s Apple and a sugar so specific I can smell the individual grains of sugar. The rose comes in strong, and it’s, from that point on, what Serge’s Louve wanted to be.
I don’t get even a hint of leather, but but I don’t miss it. This perfume had me smiling for hours and hours. I am as in love as a girl can be….yum. Just yum.
zhildin – :
Hmph. On me this is a red delicious apple (IE sugar and very little taste) that fades into nothing in about 30 minutes. :
Simple – :
What an amazing perfume!!! I received my bottle today and I am really exited. From the time I put in on my skin I just can’t sniffing myself. To me it is a very sweet leathery fragrance with a pinch of fruitiness. At the beggining it has a slight powedy note that disappears after 10 minutes. From then it is a sweet gourmand leathery perfume till the time it fades away. It stays close to the skin and unfortunelty it doesn’t last long on skin. Perhaps it’s staying power is can been improved with few sprays on clothes. But in any case, Traversee du Bosphore is one of the most appealing leathery fragrances, sweet and gourmand, easily wearable and totally unisex. The best creation offered by the house of L`Artisan Parfumeur IMHO.
sven130389 – :
Interesting, reviews here are really going in different directions… and it may be strange to some, but the first time I sprayed this, all I could smell was rose! Just a sugary rose. Not one I would like. But i am a fan of trying again, and this time, here’s the sugar, the nougat, the powder, and all the gourmand side of Traversee. I’m not usually a gourmand lover, but I wanted to try a gourmand fragrance that doesn’t smell like industrial food additive (like La vie est belle – something that would never make me think of eating!). My need has been fulfilled 😉
Meaut832Unlogrere – :
Sweet chaos and deliberate gourmand mess with breezy notes of ocean, ship with thin leather sails, trading pistachio and nougat, perhaps, haha, with dragons flying in the sky and tulip baskets been seen from the shore afar.
I would say by character and composition it rather reminds me of Parfumerie Generale, – Aomassai and stuff. But just like being in a loud bazaars everyone feels at home straight away – same happens with Traversee du Bosphore – this mishmash of notes appeals to you and you don’t judge – just enjoy. If you are conservative type of person, you perhaps will not understand the purpose of it fully, but if you comfortable with some unexpected miracles – you will love it!
alex Mac – :
Verdict first: It’s a YES PLEASE from me! There is so much I’d like to comment on with Traversee Bosphore, that I’m going to break into bullet points!
*What power the name holds! This scent is a sophisticated journey to the treasures that belie a Turkish souk. Yet…. “Marshmallow dream” would probably have been a totally plausible alternative, was it not for the top quality of the product. The PERFECT name has been chosen. WHAT an enjoyable journey! (Honestly, go and sniff the drydown! It’s amazing how similar nougat / pistachio can smell to marshmallow!!)
*Having been enticed by smouldering reviews, I’ve eyed up this one for a while. Blind buy time! (I live far away from cities and fancy perfume shops.) There was the usual anticipation…. WOULD I LIKE IT?!
*The opening: a brash “I’m not your USUAL perfume!” Totally original! I sense a preserved lemon note – as used in Middle Eastern cuisine. Not listed among the notes, but that’s what it smells like to me…
* The drydown arrives soon after: the lemon gives way to a most glorious nougat and pistachio.
*On me, this sublime drydown remains fairly linear right to the end (and boy, am I thankful for that?! I just can’t get enough of it!)
* Longevity: 7-8 hours on my skin – I usually struggle to cling onto any scent for more than 4 hours. Yay!
* I think this scent would be a winner whether I smell it on a lady or man, in laundry powder or a candle… even in cooking!
*IN FACT! I bet you could sniff this when you have dessert cravings, and be left fully satisfied without needing anything to pass over your lips! (It’s THAT good!)
*YES, it’s a gourmand – and it’s a GREAT one! (Not particularly leathery on me.)
*I’m not usually a fan of unisex perfumes, and couldn’t believe how feminine this is on me…. while at the same time masculine on my husband! Crazy science!
* I imagine one day, when I’m in heaven, THIS celestial drydown will be the fragrance that gently floats past!
Heavenly, oh yes!
grisha – :
Exotic, gourmand, delicious.A bit powdery, a bit fruity, Traversee is in fact a scent describing smelling climate in Turkey.
First of all delicious nougat and pistachios.They go hand in hand and really picture well- known dessert sold everywhere in this country.
These accents are even more realistic than in Rahat (SL) or Keiko Mecheri`s Loukhoum. Going closer to the heart we can detect some fruits, but they are rather a jam on the plate than fresh apple or pomegranate.I was expecting stronger leathery accents, but there are only slight traces of them.Not very spicy with saffron whirls around a heart. TdB is all for sweetness but tender one, without killing effects known from Rahat. Opening is in veeery gourmand style and in the base we can smell rose and iris traces,however not intense.They say that tulips, symbolic for springtime are blooming as first in this area. Not a killer but with a good sillage and average longevity TdB it`s an uplifting scent. And for those who are dreaming about exotic journeys too.Some local specialities, domes of mosques shining in the sun, souvenirs from a bazaar in the centre of Istambul,handmade,sumptously decorated carpets.A little dark haired boy calling to check what his father is selling.All this splendour and exotic climate of passage between two continents are closed in a bottle.I`m in love with it!
maxamak032 – :
With this fragrance I had the feeling of being in a candy store, eating jelly beans and cotton candy.
The very jovial and cheerful entrance, has been the most original and what I liked most with this sweet feeling of apple with sugar and honey.
Then the leather inside this batch seems loose as it barely foreshadowed, only seen during the middle notes by the iris and feel very good the spicy effect harmonize well and gives a touch of Turkish delight. Actually, the final drying which I found more boring, less succulent and edible the start.
Duration and moderate stele to be a fragrance L’Artisan where much of their creations have problems lasting and wake, not bad.
Rating: 6.5
dorel_xtreme – :
It smells… absolutely fantastic. It smells like an equestrian supplies store. Fancy leather saddles, riding crops and poshness as opposed to leather biker jackets. The red apple note is also very clear and together with the sugar cubes it makes me think of sweet horsie treats.
Сарделька – :
I just received my 15 mL bottle yesterday. The jury is still out: Do I like it? I’m not sure yet. It smells nice… apple and leather are all I get, before a sugar-sweet drydown perhaps 30 minutes later. It all smells very synthetic to me, through every state of its development. It’s not bad and I don’t dislike it. But, based on the two times I’ve worn it thus far, it hasn’t met my expectations.
(Interestingly, I am reminded of a less-tart “Play it Rock” from Playboy!)
mehh – :
This scent opens with iris leather notes, a bit balmy and sweet like syrup. I smell pomegranate, and almond nougat, all sugary. The leather moves down to the base of the scent and the fruity sweetness stays on top of that. The scent is linear on me from here and slowly fades out, with small hints of iso-e-super and lots of ambroxan in the drydown.
Longevity is and sillage are moderate on me.
Traversee du Bosphore is a very sweet and sugary gourmand scent, with a bit of leather iris dustiness that defines the difference between candy and perfume. I wish the leather would stay a bit longer though. I enjoy wearing this scent on happy summer days.
Foontik – :
I’ve been wanting to try Traversée du Bosphore for ages. Just like everyone else, I’m totally charmed by the idea of an olfactory trip to a bazaar in Istanbul, suggested by the wonderful name and the intriguing list of notes. I’ve also recently realised that I like the way leather complements gourmand notes very much – the combination can make the former softer and more wearable and the latter more sophisticated and grown-up, potentially merging them into the perfect kind of scent . So needless to say, my expectations were very high, and I was very excited to get my hands on a little decant.
After some weeks of testing, I’m still not entirely sure whether those high expectations have been met. I adore the opening, which is unfortunately the only phase where the leather note is at all noticeable, at least to my nose/on my skin, and the same goes for the apple note. Both of these work just as well as I had hoped in combination with the sweeter notes, which aren’t very pronounced yet at this stage, but definitely present in the background, especially the honey and nuts and something like rosewater. So delicious, though not entirely edible because of the leather – at this stage, the fantasy of the Turkish bazaar is very easy to imagine indeed, and if it stayed like this I’d probably already be counting this among my favourites.
Unfortunately, the leather and the apple note disappear very quickly, and the less subtle sweetness of sugar and nougat dominate the rest of the scent instead. From this stage on it reminds me a bit of Mandorlo di Sicilia – it was surprising, but I see here that I’m not the only one. It has the same kind of slightly off sweetness in the heart, and the same powdery, vanilla-heavy drydown. Without a doubt, this is very nice as well, but there are better Turkish delight scents out there and the opening is definitely the standout part.
All in all, I do like this Traversée very much – after all, the opening is excellent and the rest of the time it’s just fine. It’s too bad that that wonderful opening doesn’t stick around for a bit longer, but I still think this’ll become a fall and winter staple for me.
romnet – :
On my skin I can detect the red apple and the leather only in the first 5 minutes.
After that this all vanish and there are left only the sugar, the nougat and the honey.
Today, I am wearing Traverse du bosphore, but a friend of mine asked if I am with Mandorlo di Sicilia. You can imagine my surprise!
СаНёК632 – :
The opening is a bit overwhelming, but after 10 minutes, it develops into a lovely sweet yet dry scent, a desert of dessert:)
postnoff – :
In one word: Exotically Divine!
Istanbul is an exciting place and embodies so many paradox aspects of nature, being half European Mediterranean, the other (bigger) half being Asian, or “Near East” to be more precise. Islamic but very Euro-friendly, resulting in modern new found freedom, constantly rope-tying with the old-world of tradition and confinements of religion.
Everything of those aspects are in this juice, juxtaposed, that I think should be seen as a celebration of the modern Turkish woman: Feminine, modern yet in touch with her past and respectfully so, sweet and delicate, and just so breath-takingly beautiful.
I also wish to say at this point that I am a huge fan of the Turkish language that flows so elegantly and is so harmonic and melodic, usually rare for a typical Islamic language. This scent flows like this language. It’s a song.
This juice opens up very medicinal and it catapults me back to my childhood days, when mom took me to the “Reformhaus”, German for an apothecary that sells organic products, remedies and all sorts of tinctures and chemical compounds, that seep into the environment, creating this marvellous sharp beginning.
Soon after most of the floral notes come through, in particular, I love the tulip note, that is very unusual and not to be found in many fragrances. The sugar and apple seem very dominant on my skin, and cover the rose like the typical Turkish Delight, rolled in additional honey and broken wafer chips.
At this point this creation is not dissimilar to BOND #9’s “West Side” but while the latter goes more towards vanilla, wet juicy rose, this one here remains sharper, spicier and has the nutty nougat meets pistacchio gourmand note.
Yes it smells of ice cream but it is not sickly sweet thanks to the leather and saffron accord, that keep your nose longing for more.
It’s almost like a carrot in front of donkey, you never reach it, but you reach out for it. It is always there, dangling in front of you, creating an allure of being close enough to reach; similar to the beauty of these modern, proud, beautiful women.
It is not a sillage monster but it lingers and envelopes you into a wonderful skin scent that won’t let go for hours, like a reliable and loyal companion.
To me this is instant “feel good” happy go lucky scent therapy and should work for someone looking for a truly delightful, modern Mediterranean leather-rose gourmand.
Bertrand Duchaufour is a master and this is another masterpiece of abstract perfumery in my book.
Verdict: 10/10.
johnvg – :
I think this one is much better suited for cooler temperatures, which may explain some of the negativity. The leather is light, but so is the Turkish Delight element, and it isn’t super sweet or especially musky (nor is it animalic). On major positive is that it doesn’t come across as “synthetic” even though it feels like synthetics were used, perhaps in fairly large amounts. It’s rather simple, and so it’s well-suited to those who want a pared-down experience with exactly this kind of quality. If you want a stronger Turkish Delight type scent, you might want to try KL’s Loukhoum. This is quite nice, and I can see myself wearing it a few times a year, but I can’t imagine spending $150 or so for a 100 ml bottle.
Wreliotmell – :
I used to have a Turkish coworker who would go home twice a year to Turkey, and every time he came back he would bring us a huge box of Turkish delight. It was different from anything I’d ever smelled or tasted, a uniquely, addicting mix of pistachio, rose, saffron and honey, dusted in a fine powdery sugar. Traversee du Bosphore doesn’t really smell like that box of Turkish delight even though it has some of the same elements. To me it smells like a leather platter filled with nougat, honey, pistachio and sugar. In the dry down, iris, rose and apple also comes out.
Gourmands are not my preference but this is one I’d consider for cooler weather. It’s difficult to explain, but along with a long lasting, soft-medium silage this has a different sweetness from the typical cotton candy, sugary, syrupy, sweet perfumes out there. It is leathery, sweet and warm with a winter deliciousness.
Lopicossy – :
This fragrance smells nice but not sure if it’s for me. I just sampled this again from a decant. I got it from the Decant Shop, I wanted to leave a review on their site but I see they don’t have there anymore which means it’s sold out.
It smells kind of odd or strange but in a good way. The apple note plus some other notes together usually don’t get along with my chemi