BOIS D’INDONESIE

A first (and lasting) impression of Bois D’Indonésie is its inclusion of oud, and it is brought into the perfume in the cleverest of ways. Oud can take on so many qualities, based on where it is from, how it is processed, in what state the original agarwood was found, etc. Some ouds have a distinctly airy, almost menthol-like minty-ness; its something lovely to behold, and it’s this kind of oud you’ll find here. It has a sharp, spearmint freshness immediately followed by a deep woodiness (with a whole myriad of notes tucked inside: coffee, saffron, cinnamon, cedar). Tantalizingly, this oud is kept in a perfect place: something to notice, and something discrete.

But being discrete does not mean that it’s not tenacious. Minty oud, paired with pale pear and a bright, luminous but bell-ringing sharp lotus makes an unmistakable profile. Whereas some oud perfumes reach right into smoke or the dank soil, this sings with simultaneous glisten and smolder. The brand describes Bois D’Indonésie as “an elegant wood fragrance that pays tribute to Indonesia’s exquisite temples… inspired by the intricate carvings, expressed through the mellow richness of incense and agarwood.” It’s an accurate reflection of these temples, which are both monumental, but full of the breezes and airiness of caverns. It is reminiscent of Japanese incense, which is far more cooling than the warmer incense of the west. Bamboo, that note that is both present and under the surface, is quietly damp and sappy with just discernible saline and green sweetness, suggesting the ever-present ocean that lies so close to each of the islands.

Bois D’Indonésie gives us that experience of viewing forward and back, and our reverie is the pleasant sensation of being trapped between these two times, the smells associated with this entrapment, and being completely at ease with this state of sublime uncertainty.

— John Biebel
Editor at Fragrantica