1920 Extreme (2005)
by Bois 1920

Bois 1920 Extreme is quite a good suprise. The opening is definitely manly with bitter and smoky green herbaceous accord (sorry but I don't get any fern here). It has a retrò-feel that I quite appreciate. In the drydown it developes to a sweeter velvety bourbon frangrance with Vanilla and Tonka Beans. The whole fragrance is well balanced, warm, absolutely comfortable and elegant. Although Extreme is a quite intense perfume it's not overwhelming and the Bourbon gives the Vanilla and Tonka Beans end a nice character and an exra touch of luxury. I don't know how it would be on a woman, but it's perfect on a man. Like it.

22nd March, 2011. (Last Edited: 2nd November, 2011.)

This was my first buy in new york, i tried it at barneys and keep sniffing my hand all day, maybe the scent that i received more compliments from my friends, the sillage and longevity are very good.

12nd April, 2010. (Last Edited: 13rd April, 2010.)

Well, on this one I must buck the tide of popular appeal. This fragrance does little for me, due to its perfumey, grandmotherly nature. I love woodsy colognes – but mostly smell floral (probably the jasmine) in Bois 1920 Extreme. Wood? What wood?? I don't smell one trace of woody notes. A hint of something herbal, perhaps the fern, but no wood and nor is any listed in the note pyramid. Tried it once, tried it twice, tried a third time – all with the same result. If you're a guy who, like me, would be embarrassed to wear Chanel No. 5, I suggest you avoid this one.

13rd March, 2010.

Bergamot, Fern, Jasmine, Brazilian Tonka beans, Bourbon vanilla.

Am I smelling the right fragrance? Because the notes listed above are not what I smell at all. First off, I don't like the opening much. It is intensely bitter and tenacious. I honestly can't identify the notes, but I know it isn't fern and bergamot. There are some intense, dry herbs and a strong helping of bitter, aromatic woods.

Luckily, it doesn't take long for the scent to calm down. There are still herbs and woods present, but they are much friendlier version of their former selves. At this point I can start to detect some pepper, some masculine florals (geranium? carnation?) and some piney notes, plus some tonka starting to inch its way in.

From there, the everything basically stays in place, but becomes more mellow, aided by the the growth tonka/vanilla notes. Take note: this is NOT a vanilla fragrance. The vanilla acts solely as a smoothing agent, gently massaging the restless woods and dry herbs. It is very good.

9th October, 2009.

Amazing stuff. Boozy and bitter. Green bitterness. And it changes a lot. Sometimes it's sweet, or herbal or boozy. And sometimes a patchouli note. Interesting.

21st June, 2009.

I have a funny story about this one. I actually bought this a couple of months ago. I loved the smell of it out of the bottle. Then I sprayed it on a card when I got home and it totally scared me off. I thought it was a stronger version of Davidoff's Zino.

Zino has, quite possibly one of the most masculine and perfect opening bursts of all, but he dry down is decidedly synthetic. On the card, I thought I had just a stronger version of the same and that my hopes the perfect masculine scent were dashed. I took it back for a refund.

On a whim a couple of weeks ago, I was strolling around the fragrance counter and started talking to the girl at the counter. She told me that the entire Bois 1920 line was designed to be mixed. She showed me 1920 Extreme and 1920 Classic mixed together. I was so taken that I bought them both.

I love the two mixed. But later, I decided to jump in and go for it and just wear Extreme all by itself. WOW!

It turns out that its the perfection of Zino that I was looking for afterall. The fern opening is so spectacular and decidedly masculine, it simply leaves not doubt. But its soft and at no time is it overly sweet. In the middle it stays slightly spice. Sometimes I get tobacco and pepper/pine/fern, other tims I get something just slightly powdery and animalic at the same time..almost acidic or alcoholic, but with something like fine ambergris floating in the background.

The dry down continues to amaze. Don't let the Bourban Vanilla finish scare you off. It never goes to "baby powder". It does dry slightly sweet - but the bourbon is more present than the vanilla so that the strength and character of this wonderful scent is never deminished.

Perhaps the best part of this is that it lasts all day - but it never strays too far. It doesn't knock people over, they just seem to know you are there.

My wife doesn't normally like the kind of scents I favor. But this one, while being overtly masculine, has the gentle touch of the refined gentleman. It never gets pungeant or overly musky. My wife loves this on me and I love it as well.

I look forward to experimenting with the entire Bois 1920 line - this is will be a fun experiment in quality and luxury!

9th May, 2009.