Bois du Portugal (1987)
by Creed

Bois du Portugal is definitely a sophisticated power scent that is warm, extremely rich and very masculine. It has pretty good sillage and very good longevity (but maybe not as much as previous reviews have made out, although it could easily last 6-8 hours). However, there’s something distinctly ‘80s about it that has prevented me from completely falling in love with it. Some would argue that it’s a timeless classic but, to a certain extent, I disagree – it's just okay.

[Original submission date: 25 May 2008]

Good for cold weather. Its classy as is many of the Creeds, but it is very complete in its blend, its not missing anything. To me this is the epitome of high class fragrance, and unfortunately alot of high class brands (including Creed) keep coming out with mediocre stuff.

for me it started off all cedar and more ambiguous woods... a sweetness crept in after about a half hour and stayed the entire time, dancing in and out with the woods for the entire four hours this stayed noticeable on my skin... there is a bit of booze to it, and perhaps a bit of tobacco but the sweetness is definately there, and it is absolutely lovely... i can see how some people would consider this to be a fragrance for another generation because it does have an air of refinement and opulence, but i can't pigeonhole this into any age restriction. the ingredients are definately high quality, much smoother and rounded than many crass synthetics put into popular fragrances today... creed's ambergris is kind of like chicken (i know that sounds stupid, but here's why)... although it is a mainstay in all of their offerings the last however many years, it absorbs whatever other ingredients are in the "stew"... i have yet to find a creed that is all ambergris, and even if i did i don't think i would enjoy it... bdp is a beautifully constructed product for those seeking a sense of austerity and warmth

When I first tried BdP on my actual skin it was a few days before Christmas - an unusually cold and snowy season this year on the west coast. I'd tried BdP on spray cards in stores over the years but never had I decided to actually apply it to my skin.

So I did.. and I was blown away - Bois du Portugal is pure elegance. Not only does it whisk me away into a world of luxury and true, classic style - I feel comfortable wearing it. I don't see myself wearing this one for casual occasions, but it has to be THE #1 formal fragrance. I will never get tired of this one, as it reinvents itself every time I wear it.

The longevity? Superb. Silage? Superb. Price? You get what you pay for, bottom line.

I think people who label a fragrance as "old man" or "outdated" need to broaden their horizons. Be skeptical of the folks who write these things - I would challenge those peoples' sense of appreciation for the finer things in life after writing something like that.. but everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.

Now I can't imagine being without a bottle of this masterpiece and I think every positive review here is justified. Wear this classic fragrance in good health and enjoy the vivid journey from glorious start to finish!

Doesn't get much better than this!! Took me about 3-4 wearings to appreciate it however. The grandaddy of woodsy scents. The only thing I'd change is increase the longevity a little. MUST OWN.

I have never understood what “suppose” to be so great about it. It doesn’t smell bad of course, but I can’t see the magic even to start with.

It’s just nice for the price. *yawn*


Semi-fresh aromatic woodsy oriental fougere. Very masculine for sure. Creed-style amber is by far the most prominent ingredient. It almost overwhelms this scent completely. Defeated woods with lavender are very subdued here yet they are capable to add few layers to this otherwise fairly minimalist blend.


When I smell BdP, I think of the word “ympäripyöreä”; I then check out the Finnish-English dictionary and see it translates into “vague”, “evasive” or “noncommittal”.