Eau d’Italie Bois d’Ombrie is one of those unusual but totally wearable fragrances. I’ve always thought of Bois d’Ombrie as a “Spaghetti Western” fragrance. This perfume is Italian and it represents the American Wild West much better than Hollywood could ever do.
Bois d’Ombrie opens up heavily with a sweet balsam with hot spices. And something that reminds me of sliced bell peppers and dried basil (hey, I did call it a Spaghetti Western!) It’s resinous and gummy. I do gets a heavy dose of birch tar. This reminds me of worn leather. It seems to remind others of a dirty campfire or even BBQ. The leather in Bois d’Ombrie is definitely smoky and burnt. The overall aroma to me is American Wild West. It’s smoky, smoldering woods. And whiskey.
I sniff Bois d’Ombrie and I see cowboy played by Clint Eastwood. There’s barren, balsamy desert. There’s traces of sweet grass and sapwood trees and in the middle of this, the town. Of course, he goes inside wanting to start something, order a whiskey, chew on tobacco, a wood stove crackling in the corner.
Notes listed include whiskey, cognac, Korean calamus (sweet flag), wild carrot, leather, iris, Brazilian copahu, vetiver, tobacco, opopanax, myrrh, and patchouli. Launched 2006. PERFUMER – Bertrand Duchaufour
Give Bois d’Ombrie a try if you like smoky fragrances. Or fragrances like Tauer Lonestar Memories, CREED Bois du Portugal, Sonoma Scent Studio Tabac Aurea, Slumberhouse Jeke, Eau d’Italie Bois d’Ombrie and/or YOSH Sombra Negra. Bois d’Ombrie is unisex but it does lean more to the masculine end of the spectrum.
Bois d’Ombrie has average projection and above average longevity.
A 3.4 oz bottle retails for $140 at Beautyhabit and at Brummells of London (UK).
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Dry resins, leather, smoky woods and booze. A Spaghetti Western of fragrances. I think it’s awesome.
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I’ve loved this one from first sniff, even with all its challenging-ness. I’ll have to try picturing Clint Eastwood next time! So far I was thinking it was kind of gentleman-pirate-ish. Like the nicely appointed captain’s quarters of a pirate ship. In any case, I lately got a new decant of it, so we’re all set for fall.
Well, I hope that I made it clear that I think it is awesome because that is what I think.
I can see that because there is a coolness in this that could be like open sea…I love any perfume that gives me a vision or a scene.
Heya Victoria,
I have loved the Eau d’Italie aesthetic for ages but never properly tried one of their scents, other than card sprays and I think a 1ml vial in my early blog days. You make me think I need to take a closer look.
Thanks,
Portia x
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I think you need to! I know that I need to check out more of their florals. I bought samples of the “weird” sounding ones but I can see the florals being great too.
[…] woodsy or boozy scents. Or if you like perfumes like Demeter Whiskey Tobacco (layered with Dirt), Eau d’Italie Bois d’Ombrie, Union Celtic Fire and/or CdG Synthetic Series Skai. All anti-perfumes are unisex. This one does […]