Basala / Basara (1993)
by Shiseido

It's a pity the opening of Basala is so cheap. After some dreadful minutes it becomes precious, woody and soft. Will everybody have the patience to wait? I don't think so.

An incredible mix of green and woody aromas, with a touch of florals, leather, oakmoss and patchouli. This would qualify as a chypre based on notes, but it's unlike any other chypre I've ever smelled. The mix of green and woody notes is unique to my nose. This is a fragrance that would really shine in cold weather, having enough projection to radiate from the skin without the aid of of warm air temperatures, but it can be worn well in cool weather as well, adjusting the application. Quite a coup for Dominique Preyssas, about whom I unfortunately know very little, except that he designed Le Dandy for d'Orsay, Talisman for Balenciaga, and a couple of men's scents for Jaguar. Definitely worth a sniff if you don't already know it.

Potent without a doubt, and bone dry as well. Basala jumps out of the bottle like it means business, with whole lots of cedar, lavender, and dry herbs. The opening is so stark it's almost frightening, and when I first applied it I thought "Oh *@#%!" and then "What have I done?"

Basala calmed down after a few minutes, and so did I. The very realistic lavender emerges even more strongly as the scent ages, eventually taking center stage, with notes of cedar and sandalwood, cinnamon, and maybe even nutmeg in the background. It would all be way too much if the accords were sweet, but like Caron's Yatagan, Etro's Palais Jamais, or Malle's French Lover, there's not a speck of sugar in this fragrance.

The result is stoic, bracing, and a bit austere, but also hypnotic and more than a bit exotic. The cedar and sandalwood persist into the drydown, along with the barest hint of powdery musk to meld it with the skin. An excellent scent. Too bad it's become so hard to find.

I'm editing this because I came across my old review and didn't even recognize it. Unfortunately I can't fully edit because I sold my bottle. I remember it being a good sized fragrance with pleasant sillage, a dry-herbal-fruity-woody-tea with big lavender and chaotic blending. It somehow reminded me of the original Monsieur Rochas, and had leather notes distantly reminiscent of Bel Ami. I also remember thinking it would have probably been a lot better if it had been made by Pierre Bourdon. He was originally supposed to make it, and apparently provided some of the design. He made Feminite du Bois and I recall there being some congruence between the two fragrances. The neutral thumb still stands. Not a bad fragrance by any means, but I lost interest pretty fast. I recommend smelling it.

Shiseido Basala

Shiseido is, of course, the corporate influence behind Serge Lutens but they do put out scents on their own. Sad to say many of these scents are for the asian market only and they are difficult to find. Basala was created in 1993 by Dominique Preyssas who is better known for D'Orsay's Le Dandy. In Basala she has created what feels to me like a very asian feeling scent. Almost scent Haiku if you will as each transition is mostly made up of two notes which lead to the next. The top is a bright mix of citrus and lavender. The lavender is really in near-perfect balance with the citrus to create a dry astringent beginning. The heart is spice and woods which is very similar to the middle of Obsession for Men to my nose but somehow a little more reserved and a little better composed. The base is a classic pairing of sandalwood and vetiver and with the herbal feel of the vetiver to provide contrast to the creaminess of the sandalwood you bring to a close a well-constructed chypre. This is clean, austere perfume construction which shows, like haiku, even the simplest of themes can lead to beautiful artistry.

I was expecting smoke and spice and all the other excellent comparisons the reviewers in this forum mentioned. Unfortunately on me I couldn't escape the thought that I smelled like an expensive tea bag.