Reviews of Bois de Cédrat (1875)
by Creed

A truly beautiful cedrat topped woody scent that hints of better times and values. Wear this and feel wonderful.

Cedrat (citrus medica) is neither lime (citrus aurantiifolia or latifolia) nor your normal household lemon (citrus limon), but a thick-peeled variety best known in the form of candied lemon peel. The people of the Mediterranean use it in a variety of ways, liqueur de cedrat (from Corsika) not being the worst of them. As I have now learned, from Nigel Groom's Handbook and the wonderful Perfumes of Yesterday by David G. Wiliams, cedrat oil no longer refers to oil of cedrat, but a composition of citrus oils/synthetics. As Williams writes (p. 201): "Genuine Cedrat Oil disappeared from perfumery no doubt because it was found not to supply any interesting fragrance notes that could not be produced by the use of other materials at lower cost." He quotes from Piesse's 1855 Art of Perfumery that it had a "very beautiful lemony ordour" and "was principally used in the manufacture of essences for the handkerchief." Creed's Bois de Cedrat, if the listing on cale.it is correct uses bergamot, Sicilian lemon and mandarin over a cedar base and the result is an immensely refreshing, zesty citrus with a soft woody underbelly. The citrus is the star, of course, it's very natural (compare it to the artful fiction that is Terre d'Hermes) and, amazingly, lasts a while. Bois de Cedrat is a good compromise between Trumper's West Indian Lime, which is pure citrus and gone in a flash, and Monsieur Balmain, which is a fantastic - and very affordable - lemon beauty with a lot more going on in the drydown. There are of course many very nice citrus scents (classic sharp Eaux de Cologne like Guerlain Impériale or Eau des Fleurs de Cedrat, Eau d'Hadrien etc.) and when you scour the markets of Southern France you will find local products on par with this at a fraction of the cost of a Creed. Buying this at full price is thus a luxury, but pleasure it will certainly give.

first submitted May 31, 2008

A great solio-citrus, not one iota impressionistic or abstract. As pointed out below, Meyer lemon is the closest real world analogue to BDC thanks, I'd wager, to a hint of bergamot providing the orange aspect and some kind of subtle herbal accord providing bitterness--the two features that separate Meyer lemon peels from their martini-riding brethren. BDC is also half of the only layering combo I'd actually wear out of the house:--two or three spritzes of BDC on top of one of Bois de Santal (which has a nice creamy lemon opening of it's own) provides an amazing two hour balancing act of smooth and sharp followed by whatever's left of BDS, which persists a good three hours longer than BDC.

Excellent SOUR citrus scent, with a very nice and "truly dry" cedar note.
I stress dry cedar, because so much of the "cedar" used in perfumery is a very bad, greasy synthetic "petrol cedar" and misses the dry appeal of fine woodwork made of cedar. It lasts very well for a sour citrus, especially on fabrics, as the tart lemon/citron used here contains alot of basenote (citronellol) [not citronellal)
Thumbs up for filling a small niche in the citrus category so well.

This beautiful citrus scent is how I found my way back to Creed. All hype aside, Bois de Cédrat IS an extremely natural EdT, if not the most natural one in my wardrobe. Almost entirely composed of light, airy citrus, with just a hint of wood underneath, it's gentle, cool, and amazingly refreshing. I love wearing this one on hot days, but I always bring the bottle with me, because the citrus is SO light, the longevity is - in a word - terrible, and because the topnotes are just indescribably good. I enjoy wearing this one to bed at night, because it's so comforting, and also pleasant for my wife. An excellent choice for seafood dining as well.

There are other citrus scents which I prefer when I need longevity, sillage, presence, or complexity, but when I want something truly divine, this is the one.

I can't quite bring myself to give this a neutral rating, anymore that I can bring myself to go to a restaurant and complain that the waiter brought me a lime or a lemon, while I distinctly asked for a cedrat.

BdC is much too linear for me. Still, one could wear it for Spring and Summer and REL for Autumn and Winter and be done with it!

No one could fault your ever so refined taste if you stuck to these two alone.

No more fragrance addiction! Take up Scrabble or Yahtzee as a hobby. But then life would be rather boring , wouldn't it?


BdC as the name translates is a forest of lim--er--I mean cedrat. It's definitely a 'gentlemen's' scent with a delightful feel and a depressing price tag.

I rather like it. For a while.

This is a fine example of minimalism found more commonly in pre-1920s fragrances. The lemon note leans toward the exquisite fragrance of a Meyer lemon and smells fresh off the tree on a warm afternoon. I also sense the oil of citron as your fingernail pierces the fresh peel. The drydown brings in hints of fresh woods and a slight herbal finish, yet maintains the citrus up front.

Delicious.

Mix of lime and citrus and lemon and a hint of orange... well that's cedrat for you. A quality citrus much like Roayl Water which I love. Almost a dry woody citrus along the lines of Homme de Gres but the citrus in this is much much more tart and seems to last a bit longer. Good stuff.

Zing Went The Strings Of My Heart.

"Wood of Cedrat" - Outstanding lemon scent - possibly the best lemon accord in existence. It is underscored by some light fresh, translucent wood. The blend is perfect, appetising and insanely refreshing. A masterful fragrance.

If you want a natural smelling fresh scent, it is hard to imagine better than this.

Bois de Cédrat is a scent i couldn't fully discern nor appreciate until I bought a bottle of Creed's Néroli Sauvage. Citrus fragrances don't usually excite me too much, so I don't wear them that often nor do I pay much attention to the composition.

So I did an A/B test with Bois de Cédrat on one arm and Néroli Sauvage on the other.

Néroli Sauvage strikes me as a "warm citrus". It's sunny and a tad floral. As the basenotes come out on the skin, there is a bit of a custard sweetness that is attractive. Much later, I notice the sandalwood. Néroli Sauvage also seems shorter lived than my other Creeds--though I don't have longevity issues-- one shot of Silver Mountain Water to the chest can go for at least 15 hours on me. Néroli Sauvage lasts a decent while, but it remains very close to the skin.

Bois de Cédrat on the other hand seems more like a "cool citrus". It's very refreshing, like cool rain on a hot summer evening. While it seems straightforward with few notes other than lemon and cedar, it smells very full and complete. I get a kind of herbal waxy note as well--it kind of reminds me of the smell of original chapstick (black labelled tube). I get more sillage from Bois de Cédrat then I get from Néroli Sauvage, plus I do think it lasts longer--especially the cool fresh topnotes. Néroli Sauvage has more of a "fade to musk" thing going on underneath (which is a nice evolution), while Bois de Cédrat remains crisp.

It's worth it for me to have bottles of each. Some days you want something warm and inviting. Other days you need something cool and invigorating.

Bois de Cédrat is perfect for any occasion. Great for a spritz when leaving the gym, and just as good for a big night out.

An underrated Creed gem.

This one is keeper. The best smelling lemons ever! Very crisp in the beginning and does not loose character as it dries down. This one will put you in a good mood right away. It is a very simple citrus scent which stays throughout. Excellent dry down with a little bit of woods, not too much.

Agreed, it does not last as long (about 4 hours on me), but it is worth every minute I can smell it on me.

Bought this as bergdorff goodman, they are pros and know their Creeds.

Notes (official): "A fresh lemon fragrance with woody undertones." (yes thats all there is)

Bois de Cedrat (BdC, or "Drink Citron", in English, according to Google translation tools...seriously!) contains one of the most natural smelling lemon notes. The top note of lemon is distinct, clear, and coruscating. And the best part is that this lemon lasts. And lasts. Theres a lot of juice in these melons (sorry, lemons). It lasts way into the drydown, which smells woody mossy, but not overly so. I dont know why Creed have to be so cryptic about the notes structure. Why not shut up about the celebrity client list and open up their fragrance note structures to the public instead?

"Drink Citron" is a simple, but very elegant fragrance. Considering that its over 100 years old, it smells very contemporary. The simply construction of citrus top notes and a woody-mossy base has been copied by many, and its a testament to BdC's quality that it still smells great. I do find similarities with Trumper's fairly recent GFT; the notes pyramid smells quite similar, except that GFT's lemony top notes arent as exhilirating and fade faster than BdC's. GFT also contains a more pronounced woody-herbal base. I prefer BdC's overall flow because the excellent lemone note stays till the drydown. Longevity is very good for a citrus fragrance - atleast 5 hours.

BdC isnt the most complex fragrance out there, nor the most startlingly mindbending. Its a simple lemony-woody fragrance which still smells outstanding after all these years, and is amongst the best citrus fragrances you can buy today. Simple, elegant, classic, with a rich history. Bois De Cedrat is no lemon.

Wonderful, classic, sophisticated citrus scent. A clear, clean lemon note overlaying a subtle wood base. The fragrance is quite beautiful in its simplicity. Of course, it’s expertly structured and balanced. Bois de Cédrat provides a good sillage, and I find it lasts longer than most creeds. Pristine.

Outstanding citrus scent that holds up far past any era. Much more on the masculine side of the spectrum, very similar to many of the modern citrus scents that are on the market today. Quite nice and fairly good lasting power.

An incomparably simple summer accord of lime and cedar. Nothing is as dry or cool as Bois de Cédrat for me. The lack of musk keeps it from becoming a cliché. It's not as sharp as you may expect. It being of Creed quality keeps it true and harmoniously natural smelling. As of this posting, it looks to be discontinued.

While I typically steer clear of citrus dominant scents, this one has just enough woods in it to make it more long-lasting and refreshing. VERY good for summer I should think.