Don’t be tricked by the “cherry” in this perfumer’s name. Thorn & Bloom Stranger in the Cherry Grove isn’t a fruity perfume. This is a botanical perfume that is like charred woods and smoke.
Perhaps it was a romantic rendezvous lit by firewood, a bonfire-side party in your home town when your visiting from college or maybe holidays spent at a loved one’s home, there’s something about smoky fragrances that people find nostalgic. It appears like many of us have pleasant memories from nights spent by fireplaces and campfires.
Stranger in the Cherry Grove is like a bonfire in a cherry grove. It’s smoke, woods and a hint of cherry fruit.The saffron adds a savory yet metallic element. Any of the fruitiness fades within the first minute this perfume hits the skin. Most of the wear of Stranger in the Cherry Grove is charred woods and smoke. Eventually a rustic, worn leather makes an appearance. It’s hard to wear this and not think about mid-autumn nights and the sound of crunching leaves under your favorite pair of boots.
And there you have it. This is a bonfire made from pruned fruit trees that lights up a long, cool night. You know if you’re the type of person that is going to like a perfume like this or not. I like but I do have this base covered with a few other scents that I own (but they aren’t all-natural). What I like about this one from Thorn & Bloom is that it’s not overly bitter or medicinal and it’s not mellowed by sweet notes. It smells as natural as a charred woods.
Notes listed include black cherry, cedarwood, sandalwood, saffron, amber, birch tar and vanilla. Launched in 2015. PERFUMER – Jennifer Botto
Give Stranger in the Cherry Grove a try if you like smoky perfumes. Or perfumes like Tauer Lonestar Memories, Annick Goutal Eau du Fier, Sonoma Scent Studio Winter Woods, Tauer Lonestar Memories, Pirouette Perfume Gold Wander Lust and/or Opus Oils Spank. I also think this one would layer nicely under other perfumes if you want to add a smoky, darkness to something you already own. I’m not one to layer but I can see this one adding a certain something to anything from vanillas (like Elizabeth and James Nirvana Bourbon) to florals (like Serge Lutens Sa Majeste la Rose).
Projection and longevity is above average for an all-natural perfume.
Stranger in the Cherry Grove is available in a few sizes with the 1 oz retailing for $200 at Thorn & Bloom. Samples are also available for purchase.
Victoria’s Final EauPINION – Campfire and leather. So much smoke!
Want more reviews? Try…
EMMH – Interview with the perfumer and more info on the brand.
Renegade Craft – Interview with the perfumer and more inf on the brand.
*Disclaimer – Sample provided by the brand. I am not financially compensated for my review. My opinions are my own. Product pic from the brand. María Félix pic from www.fanpix.net.