Baïme (2000)
by Maître Parfumeur et Gantier

Wow, Baime is a basil and green fragrance fan's dream come true! I can certainly understand why some people hate this because this is a no-bullshit, dry, intensely green scent that brooks no nonsense. Put me on the list of those who love it.

This is an uncompromising fragrance. It takes no prisoners with its wall of green. It goes on sharp, green and earthy, with all of the facets you get when you smell fresh basil. If you don't like the smell of basil (and a lot of people don't), then there's no way you're going to like Baime. MPG had real balls to release this, because it contains no sweet or warm ambery notes to damper the green vegetation assault. This was meant for fans of green herbal scents only.

I don't smell salad or salad dressing from this at all. I get fresh green, woody and bitter smells throughout Baime's long life on my skin. The drydown is superb, with plenty of dry, crisp and bitter vetiver keeping up the freshness.

What a delightful scent this is!

MY RATING: 9/10

22nd January, 2012.

At a first test you could get to the conclusion that Baime is simply a great basil based fragrance, and for some aspects it surely is, but if you try to go a little deeper you'll realize there's a lot more going on here. Basil is definitely dominating but it's magistrally blended with other aromatics herbs, lavender and anise. I also get hints of fruits but can't exactly detect them as they're skillfully camouflaged to simply add a slight "extra-touch" of fresh oddness. The overall effect is of a pleasant, and addictive, super green scent that is bold in structure but thin and a delightfully bizzare in smell.

I'd say Baime has a lot in common with Dyptique's Virgilio because despite they don't share many objective similiarities they surely move in the same territory made of a pushed to the limit green freshness. A territory where culinary aromatics herbs are used to create a bizarre clean fragrance and not to dress up your salad.

1st May, 2011. (Last Edited: 9th May, 2011.)

Baïme goes on very fresh and intensely green, like a summer herb garden with some wood mixed in. Basil, marjoram, thyme, sandalwood, and vetiver meld into an accord that's savory, but not quite culinary. That is until about two or three hours in. Then I start smelling vinaigrette. The Greek kind, with oregano. An interesting idea, boldly executed, but I don't want to be mistaken for a bowl of mixed greens with tomato and feta cheese. :-0

22nd December, 2009.

I definitely get the salad dressing accord that others describe in Baime. It’s an herb-centered fragrance that I consider to be an acquired taste. Eventually it turns a bit sour on my skin. Perhaps it may work for someone else, but not for me.

27th July, 2009.

From reading other's reviews, I get absolutely no sweetness from this at all so I'm a little confused. This is a purely linear basil scent that's well crafted. There's hints of fruitiness but that's what basil smells like with a bit of licorice (especially when used in cooking). You might end up smelling like an Italian bistro or a Greek kitchen but those are the kinds of smells that really make me feel good. Just wonderful aromas of wonderful foods. This is one of the few MPG fragrances that I liked. Simply a wonderful herbal fragrance.

29th June, 2008.

I own several MPGs and have tried Baime several times. Ultimately it is too sweet to be an option as an aromatic for me. I love basil and thyme but prefer them in a dryer milieu. I give it a neutral because of its uniqueness. It's just not for me. 5/10

4th June, 2008.