Bursch (2005)
by Acqua di Biella

Bursch is a very quiet fragrance. I need a heavy application for it to project at all, and even then it's quick to dry down and fade. The conventional citrus and lavender opening is well-executed, but hardly exciting. Some dry incense promises to add depth and complexity, but the whole scent slips away before it has a chance to act. Bursch would have piqued my interest more if it had lasted, but there's only so much fragrance I'm willing to put on to get results! Still worth a try, as it might be nice if it lasts on different skin.

22nd December, 2009.

Oh rhubarb! I love the smell of rhubarb, vegetable yet fruity. Odd, I don't like it in this. I certainly detect a bit of it. Amongst the other morr fun fruits and herb s in here. Perhaps the plants got a little drunk on the rum?

5th June, 2008.

I already get the rhubarb and rum in the bergamot / lemon opening. It makes for quite an interesting accord — clean, refreshing, daring, and a bit decadent. I like this accord very much; it has potential. Unfortunately, it doesn’t have a very strong delivery. When the fragrance reaches the saffron note, it loses substance. I do get beautiful wisps of sweetness, of incense, and of cedar, but they border on intangible. I don’t get the pepper or coriander, and the rhubarb and rum have already run their course, so the total nature of the middle accord is static and a bit too stark. For the dry down I get a very nice cedar that is not as strong as I would like it, and there’s a mossy / musky background to it, but I have longevity problems with it, which I should expect because it is an cologne. Except for its lack of strength and longevity, the dry down is quite beautiful. I wish Bursch would respond better on my skin than it does — I miss several of the important notes, and some of the notes that I do catch do not come through as well as I believe they should. I'm disappointed in Bursch: I was looking forward to a great rhubarb and rum fragrance, and Bursch has so much promise and potential. I get only partially satisfied, but, even as I'm nursing my disappointment, I have to admit that it is still a very good scent.

23rd October, 2007. (Last Edited: 31st May, 2008.)

Bursch comes across as unisex,and more naturalistic in its rendition than the heavy sound of the basenotes would seem to make it. It opens resinous and citrusy fresh. Part of the brightness of the opening is from the rhubarb which I would have never picked up if I didn't have the ingredient list. It turns the citrus into something other than "citrus" while still possessing a bright piquancy. The resin becomes more of a poppy resin note after the citrus dries off a bit, which is appealing in it's authentic tone. The fresh cedar helps to make this note possible. It becomes more of an incense in the midnote with the coriander and pepper keeping it from going flat with the appealing sensuality of a boozy edge from the rum. The cedar becomes more pronounced as it ages, pairing with the incense and a dryish vetiver, Thankfully it's a good fresh cedar. I'm a little tired of cedar fragrances as they're so ubiquitous (especially the cedar/iris combo). Frankincense may be present aiding the fresh woody character, as Frankincense can often smell fresh in blends. This cedar has good character and being paired with other naturalistic notes increases the effect. It is long lasting as the wood notes lingered throughout the day. Its final drydown is a more straightforward cedar woody note.

2nd June, 2007.

very good fragrance iper masculine it smells of rum and mate and envelops you in an oriental spicy cloud

10th March, 2006.