Anya's Garden Kaffir Natural Perfume Review

Anya’s Garden Kaffir Natural Perfume Review

Date: 2011.04.19 | Category: fragrance | Tags: Anya's Garden,green fragrances,Leather,lime,natural fragrance,niche perfume,oud wood,tarragon,unisex fragrance

Anya’s Garden Kaffir is a natural perfume with interesting notes of lime leaves, herbs, woods, and leather that gives it an old-fashioned feel. They don’t make ‘em like they used to, right? Well, no, they do. We have to find them! This is one of the few unisex leather fragrances that I know of that will work in the summer! It’s sheer and green with a warm base; it could work in any climate. I had no idea that leather and lime are perfect together until now. (Well, I’ve worn Bandit, but it doesn’t emphasize the two notes like this does).

Kaffir (named after the lime, not the slur) opens up as zesty lime oil. It’s refreshing but it will remind many people of Thai food, Tom Kha soup. It reminds me of fresh lime/kaffir leaves and brewed linden tea. And I like that. After 5 minutes, I get Green with a capital /g/. The galbanum is beautiful, very high quality. It’s crisp and freshly cut greens. Forget Thai food, Kaffir reminds me of all the things I like about Balmain Vent Vert! There’s a lime zest there but it is mellowed by a green sweetness, one of my favorite and “complicated” notes, tarragon. Eventually, the greenness of Kaffir “settles down”. I’m left with an oud and sawdust softened by a suede like ambrette seed. I also get a delicate jasmine floral. On me the jasmine is very subtle and enhances the feminine softness of the suede-like notes of the dry-down.

I expected Kaffir to be a natural version of Piguet Bandit, a fragrance that intimidates many. You could compare the two fragrances, but I find Kaffir much easier to wear. I love Bandit but I only reach for it occasionally. Now, I’ve reached for my sample of Kaffir many more times than my bottle of Bandit! And so has the husband, Kaffir wears amazingly on him. It’s more herbaceous lime leaf, sawdust, and worn leather boots. It’s the perfect summer “cologne” for him.

Notes listed include Kaffir Thai lime leaf, galbanum, French tarragon, tinctures of eight jasmines, heritage oak, Grasse jasmine, golden agarwood, musk seed, and leather.

Give Kaffir a try if you like vintage Balmain Vent Vert, Piguet Bandit, Serge Lutens Daim Blond, and/or Creed Royal Delight.

The EDP spray of Kaffir retails for $100 and the pure parfum for $60. It is available at Anya’s Garden.

Want more reviews? Try…

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*Disclaimer – A sample of this perfume was provided by Anya’s Garden. I am not financially compensated for this review or any others. My opinions are my own.

Product picture is from Anya’s Garden. Lime leaf is from www.currysimple.com.

7 Responses to “Anya’s Garden Kaffir Natural Perfume Review”

Brian 11/04/19 17:17

OK this sounds interesting. I am immediately reminded of both Tom Ford and Montale for some odd reason…

Montale has some “woody limes” that I’m not too fond of; I wonder though how this would work.

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- Ajent Orange 11/04/19 17:57
  
  I don’t expect for everyone to like Kaffir but I think most will agree that it is interesting and not your average ‘fume. I do think it makes a much better masculine.
  
  Tom Ford Azure Lime? Is that what you are thinking of? I hate that one. It’s too “sport” scent for me. OK, hate, that was strong, but I didn’t get the hype.
  
  Are you thinking Montale Lime Aoud? Haven’t tried it but I would want for it to be like this one. It won’t be. It will be oud and rose
  
  Reply
Brian 11/04/19 17:18

btw, I tried my sample of Bandit once and thought “hmm, how interesting” then promptly put it back into cold storage.

actually, same thing happened with Knize Ten, but I just smelled Knize Ten again a few weeks ago and was kind of impressed with it… I’ll have to go revisit Bandit.

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- Ajent Orange 11/04/19 17:55
  
  I did the same with Bandit. I guess that is what I mean about it being “intimidating”. I think everyone sniffs it and thinks “how interesting” and then puts it away and never wears it. I’m always shocked when someone tells me that they actually wear Bandit, even though I think it is beautiful and interesting.
  
  Reply
Carrie Meredith 11/04/20 13:10

I should probably try this. Anya singlehandedly showed me that I can and DO love citrus in perfume, it just has to be done well, be done naturally, and apparently with love. Light changed the way I perceive citrus, so I need to give Kaffir a go, too.
Carrie Meredith recently posted..High Illumination- Aura Candles

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- Ajent Orange 11/04/20 17:45
  
  I see this being something that you’d dig. Not heavy on florals, sawdust, and an awesome green lime leaf note. This seems so vintage, sort of “raw” like that.
  You know who else I like for citrus? OJ. If all citrus was like OJ or Anya’s, I’d be a citrus fan.
  
  Reply
Fernando 11/04/25 18:59

Leather and lime? I want to try!

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