Bois des Îles (1926)
by Chanel

This review is for the Parfum formulation.

Wow. Beaux never ceases to impress. What I smell is a scent that is integrated and very engaging.

I am first hit with a rich and voluptuous mix of notes that are gently blurred through the lens of a Beaux Aldehyde.

I detect a slight boozy note. I smell richly woven ylang, bitter almond, Grasse jasmine and sandalwood through woods and florals that make up this rich yet abstract image which this smell evokes. I think I can also detect a hint of incense?

Having experienced the EDT reformulation shortly after the original Parfum (as the Parfum now seems hard to source) I am only left wondering one thing. Why such an amazing and captivating scent, which could only show the house of Chanel in the best light, could be given such severe treatment. The current formulation is pedestrian and pale in comparison.

Where the original Parfum is voluptuous and elegant, the current EDT formulation is just another face in the crowd, it just happens to be wearing a 2.55 as it is trying to blend in and not say anything of any particular value.

In a world where fragrances tend to play like in-your-face rock music videos, Chanel's BOIS DES ILES performs more like a classical symphony from the likes of Beethoven, Bach or Rachmaninov. Some may even compare it to an opera. That this beautiful scent is nowhere near as successful as Chanel No. 5 borders on 'criminal'.

**** This review is of the EDT ****

Others before me have described Bois des Îles in accurate detail, and I see no need to retread that ground. I will say that to my nose Bois des Îles has much in common with its sibling Cuir de Russie, especially the prominent doughy iris root, the animalic civet, and the labdanum-tinged amber drydown. Perhaps I’m deluded, as I haven’t seen the observation made before, but I can’t escape the feeling that the two share some crucial DNA. I’ll even posit that whatever core features Bois des Îles and Cuir de Russie share account for the unparalleled sense of indulgent luxury they both express.

Bois des Îles is simply and without a doubt one of the most compelling wood-centered fragrances I know. I rank it alongside (the vintage) Santal Noble as the finest treatment of sandalwood that I’ve encountered. What more can I add? Only that this is a true classic, one of the few scents that every serious student of perfume must smell at least once in order to appreciate the full scope of olfactory art.

My absolute favorite perfume! Of course, my husband would say, "Every perfume you own is your 'absolute favorite'!" Maybe he is right. A favorite fragrance for each individual - and often fluctuating - mood. But no, seriously...this is a wonderful woodsy floral with perfect balance, and it's definitely at the very top of my list. I own many Chanel perfumes, and I find this to be the most wearable.

I had tried a sample of the newer formulation from the Les Exclusifs line and fell in love. Recently (maybe there is a god after all??) I found an older bottle of the EDT (a full and unused 3.4oz!! woohoo!) on ebay for less than $100. I'm comparing the two as I type, and I must say that the newer Les Exclusifs formulation is very similar but perhaps more flowery and less musky? The older bottle's color is definitely darker. The older formulation makes me think of my beloved Jicky with extra sandalwood and less possibility of offense due to civet overload.

Surprisingly I am enjoying the newer formulation a little more at the moment. Maybe it's because I had fallen too hard for my first whiff of the newer Bois Des Iles from my recent Exclusifs sampling. The iris is breathtaking in these newer formulations. One day I'll have to spring for one of those enormous 200ml bottles!

Definitely another must-have for me. Maybe I'm a Chanel Woman, after all. I think the ones I see most often and smell most often (No. 5 and Coco, primarily in my small twon) are just not "me", so I had given up. I'm so glad to have tried this and Cuir de Russie. I whole-heartedly agree with all those above who give a thumbs-up to this masterpiece. My only complaint (and maybe this is due to my sample being the EdT, is the longevity of each stage. I want it all to last a little longer, so I will be trying the EdP in the coming weeks.

Chanel Bois des Iles

To be a well-rounded individual one should experience the classics. Certainly that holds as true in perfume as it does in any of the other art forms. One set of these classics are the five Chanels created by Ernest Beaux in the 20's. The most recognized is No. 5. Bois des Iles is one of the other four scents created and it is as much a classic as No. 5 is to my nose. It starts off with the aldehydes which are No. 5's signature. This similarity is so strong I had to take a look at the bottle a second time to make sure I wasn't spraying No. 5 on me. The aldehydes in the EDT strength are as long lasting as any aldehydes I have ever had and one's tolerance for aldehydes, if you find them annoying, will be tested. I love the fizz and pop of them and most of the time they don't last long enough for me so this is a pleasant experience for me. There then comes a beautiful group of florals which join in starting with jasmine, joined by ylang-ylang, lily, and finally a soft rose. As the heart comes alive the signature note of Bois des Iles is the gingerbread accord present here. This is gingerbread cake as it comes off quite moist because it is paired with an almond note, I think that is what makes me think cake. The real star to my nose, of Bois des Iles, is the sandalwood base. The sandalwood is mixed with vetiver and a very light musk to make this one of my favorite sandalwood scents out there. Some of that is because it is slowly revealed over the course of the development of this scent on my skin and when it makes its appearance it brings this scent home beautifully. The sandalwood is what remains and it lasts for a very long time on me even in the EDT strength. It's nice to know that sometimes when you experience the classics you truly inderstand why they are classics.