Bois de Violette (1992)
by Serge Lutens Les Salons du Palais Royal Shiseido

A boozy violet. Thick and medicinal like most of the Serge Lutens line (I love the "house accord"). Not my style. Love the woods, though. I think there's a hint of cedar.

Aaaahhhhhh, this is scrumptious! Violet and wood. The violet here is absolutely succulent! It is deep, rich and dark (as opposed to bright/fresh/dewey). I actually salivate when smelling this Luten's masterpiece. It immediately reminds me of Dolce Vita - only better! The funny thing is, after reading Perfumes The Guide, I discover they are related! Bois de Violette pushes all the right buttons for me...including the woods blend, which does not strike me as dominantly cedar...it is crafted well and comes off as very wearable by either a man or woman. Maybe just a touch more feminine. In any case, I emptied my wallet for this one...and have not a single regret!

I was delighted to find Bois de Violette available for testing – even purchase – at Bergdorff’s recently, and given its reputation I plied my way past one of the most pretentious and ill-informed sales associates on planet earth to try it.

For me, wearing Bois de Violette was like lying in a snug cedar box filled with candied violets. Funereal, isn’t it? Well, Bois de Violette is not a "happy" scent. In fact, it’s close, dark, and thick, especially for its first hour on the skin. After that the lugubrious opening accord begins to sweeten and soften – first very slowly, then with exponential acceleration. Just when I think Bois de Violette is going to careen into the side rail of my tolerance for powdered sugar, its engine catches fire, and the resulting cloud of smoke redeems it for me. Once Bois de Violette settles in to its drydown I’m treated to the familiar smoky, spiced honey base that so many of the Lutens fragrances share.

Bois de Violette is an impressive, hard-hitting scent, one of those that I can admire without actually liking. All for the best, as far as my wallet is concerned, since it’s at least one much-praised niche fragrance that I won’t have to buy.

(An aside: Smelling the two side-by-side, it’s clear that Bois de Violette is the inspiration for Tom Ford’s ugly little Black Violet. Were Bois de Violette widely distributed in North America, Mr. Ford need not have bothered.)

I am completely smitten with this fragrance. It is so ellusive, so beautiful...All other violets fall short in comparison.

Much better than the disaster called Un Cedre. It's like Feminite du bois with a violet note that manages to be simultaneously soapy, cold, grassy and candied. Something in it feels foody too, savory, like cumin, saffron or some other spice? Or do I smell my lunch cooking in the kitchen? A cool and airy scent, despite the warmer, richer spicy/woody base. Intriguing.

My wife likes Kenneth Cole Signature on me, so I wanted to compare the Serge Lutens treatment.

Very nice - especially the strong violet-leaf introduction for green sharpness, and the feeling that I had just lain in a shady grove, crushing blooming violets (instead of swimming in violet water).

The woody drydown is not quite as intense or longlasting as my current cedar standard, by Azzaro, so my SL favorites will remain Ambre Sultan and Santal de Mysore.