Humiecki & Graf is one of those perfume houses that I've probably steered away from. After reading the reviews and notes of some of their fragrances, I've had that gut feel that they will be all weirdness and unwearable. I'm sure that is unfair, but there you have it.
Well, I wore Bosque for the first time today. It has notes of grapefruit, primrose, narcissis, buffalo grass, vetiver, saffron and musk. Many of the reviews I read raved about the vetiver note - all I smell is a weird and sickly sweet musk, yet in a strange way, quite compelling. I don't know if this is the sum of the parts of florals, grasses and musk, but it is very odd. I don't personally smell vetiver very much, if at all, but perhaps this is because I am expecting the vetiver I know and love. As for buffalo grass, I couldn't even begin to tell you what that is meant to smell like, not having any reference point.
After all this, I feel that Bosque ended up smelling just like I thought a Humiecki & Graf perfume would smell like. Call me short sighted. Having said that, I don't dislike it. It is strangely compelling, but it is all about musk in my book, a very odd and skin-like musk.
Buffalo/bison grass or "zubrovka" is a traditional Polish vodka flavoring-- it has a scent comparable to hay or sweetgrass, but also contains natural coumarin, so I imagine it would serve as a fougere-booster.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that's a good point - after my shower tonight, I could still smell Bosque, but there was something left in the base after a wash that did have a fougere-like smell, so I've learned something new today - thanks Meg!
DeleteI just read Brian's review of Multiple Rouge on I Smell Therefore I Am and it made me want to sample that one. But I cannot find a place to purchase a sample of it anywhere, which is probably good because as we all know, we all have so many unsniffed samples hanging around.
ReplyDeleteBut now, after your review, I even more want to sample some of their line - I like weird (but not Secretions Mag weird).
Carol, I have limited experience of H&G, so cannot vouch for the weirdness factor. Bosque to me is slightly offbeat and a touch unsettling, but definitely not unwearable.
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