MPG Bois De Turquie: Initial Impressions

Ever since I heard of this I meant to sample it, but for one reason or another it's not until now that I finally have. The notes list had me intrigued: I love iris, myrrh, geranium, cinnamon, sandalwood, orangeflower and ginger. Of course, you know how it goes with notes lists..

Anyway, before I continue, here is the official notes list taken from NST

bergamot, tangerine, orange blossom, Laurus nobilis (bay laurel), geranium, iris, jasmine, ginger, cinnamon, sandalwood, patchouli, myrrh and frankincense


When first sprayed it was a bit of a shock. It seems the iris note landed first on my skin and was all I could smell for a few moments, something like the opening of Infusion d'Homme but much more pleasant, and much smoother and even velvety in texture. Moments later an equally smooth tangerine became perceptible, and it was rounded and deepened by hints of cinnamon and perhaps ginger. It is all smooth and sweet but far from cloying or thin. I'm trying to think of any scents that this smells like, but can't really - I guess the closest description would be crossing the opening of Lacoste Elegance (which I always thought had a sort of cream soda opening) with Infusion d'Homme - but it smells better than either of those and likely better than the combination of them.

So in a sense I guess I agree with the reviews I've read where they mention a cream soda like accord. It is faintly similar, but again, not at all effervescent like soda, but instead smooth and velvety. Somehow though, it avoids coming across as flat soda.

Within 10 minutes the bay and geranium are faintly noticeable, and from here to the heart the scent becomes progressively drier. The bay never becomes downright spicy, but is used in a restrained and skillful manner to prevent the scent from becoming overbearing, which could easily have happened if no counterpoint to the sweet/round/velvety opening emerged. It's amazing how something so rich and creamy becomes dry and even a bit dusty. The iris takes center stage in the heart and makes me think of a mix of the earthy iris of Iris Bleu Gris and the clean iris of Infusion d'Homme. The slight rubbery nuances of this particular iris blend suggest a suede like note in the context of the accord. The sandalwood and myrrh combo of the base (I detect little if any patchouli) are creeping into view now, and no doubt helped contribute to the 'drying effect.' The cream soda accord is still present but fading by the minute, and this stage of transition is absolutely beautiful. It calls to mind a temple of some sort - perhaps turkish, perhaps oriental - sweet spices, large and extravagant oriental rugs, incense burning in the distance. It is still early morning and the sun is just rising. A crisp and slightly cool air teases your hair while you sit in the lotus position and meditate. The juxtaposition of warm and cool, wet and dry, introspective and extrovertive qualities (and notes) is really amazing and unique.

From here on out the myrrh, sandalwood and to a lesser degree iris dominate to the end. The smoothness of it all is now moreso than ever suggestive of suede. It's been a long time since I've sniffed it, but it called to mind Daim Blond's drydown. Like a cross between Daim Blond and the new Santal Noble.

The experience is akin to a small spiritual journey through the temple. At first you take in all of the sights, sounds and smells, the amazing architecture. The beauty of the earth as well as mankind and its accomplishments and creations fills you with awe, wonder and appreciation. Then you sit and meditate and clear your mind of earthly pleasures, remove the veil of maya, and are left with an even deeper sense of awe and wonder of merely being alive and conscious.

That was my experience on my first wearing. Some other random thoughts and observations: Overall the scent is quite light and ethereal. It is not raw as so many other MPGs, but instead extremely subdued, well blended, and restrained. Yet it still smells quite natural and very high quality, imo. The heart of the fragrance also reminded me of another MPG fragrance - Or Des Indes - although while ODI is an opulent and unabashed oriental, BdT was again lighter and more restrained. ODI *is* the olfactory equivalent of indulging oneself - perhaps hedonistically so - while in a lush oriental palace. BdT could take place in the same setting, but is the spiritual view of the same surroundings. It is still going fairly strong after 4 hours, but it is easy to lose track of because of the nature of the base accord - it is light and suede like. I think I detect a hint of vanilla further rounding out the sandalwood/myrrh/iris combo. Sillage is actually quite good - even after four hours - but again, easy to lose track of.

It is not a gourmand nor oriental - but some kind of combination of the two. The way it combines these two and manages to still stay relatively light and airy recalls V&R's Antidote - not that they smell anything alike - but how it managed to combine citrus and sporty with oriental and still stay relatively light. Also like Antidote, this is one of the most evolving fragrances I have smelled.

While this is light and restrained enough to be a contender for a 'daily wear' fragrance, for me the associations and ride it takes me on makes that seem like a sacrilege proposal. Perhaps best worn on an introspective walk on a spring or fall evening. Or to church temple or mosque. Or on a lazy sunday while reading a really good book.

Initial rating - 4.5/5 stars.

I've heard them compared before in the review on NST but sadly I've not smelled Dzonghka yet. I'd like to hear the impressions of anyone who has tried them both.

The late stages of the drydown are once again very "cool." So the scent starts cool and creamy, warms and dries, and then becomes cool and a hint creamy again.

I got about 5 hours of scent with good sillage, 3 hours of decent sillage, and then another 5 or 6 as a skin scent.

By the end I did feel it was bordering on being too sweet, yet never crossed that line. It's at the edge of my sweet threshold.. I do wish it had some other note in the base to add some warmth and curb the sweetness a tad. A tiny hint of oud would be excellent and would fit perfectly with its overall spiritual feel.

That being said, I still think it is an amazing scent and quite the journey to experience.

It's weird that I didn't really get a distinct ginger note. I could detect it there but more as a supporting rather than starring note.

After wearing this again I have some more impressions:

Applied more judiciously the sweetness doesn't come out so much. This is a good thing!

Overall its character is somewhat similar to Prada Amber Pour Homme. It smells different, but has a similar progression, although is definitely less soapy than the Prada. There is a wonderful almost suede like or leathery iris note in the middle of BdT. Actually, perhaps it's closer to the development of Prada Infusion d'Iris, if you could imagine that mixed with some subtle spices and cream soda. The base is closer to Prada Amber, though.

If I had to describe it in terms of other MPG scents, I'd describe it as part Pour Le Jeune Homme, part Iris Bleu Gris, part Santal Noble (new formulation), and part Secret Melange.

The scent seems to have a built in volume control - kind of like YSL L'Homme or L'eau Par Kenzo. No matter how much you spray it never gets "too loud." That doesn't necessarily mean it's better applied more heavily, because as mentioned the sweetness comes out more then, but it is still a nice "feature." Combine that with the lack of any synthetic edge and I think this one is wearable in almost any weather, any situation.

The cream soda note is provided primarily by the bay laurel. It's quite prominent from the opening to the mid-notes until the leathery/suedey iris takes over.

There is tons of development here, especially in the first hour. After that, the developments are slow and subtle, but present.

Longevity is about 7-8 hours. Just perfect, imo.

I'll have to retry my Chergui sample and report. That's an interesting observation though, and I hope it inspires some others to try this fragrance out.

So, overall did you like it, Gaivs?

Gaivs, in the review on NST they compare it to Dzhongkha. I'm assuming based on your signature that you've tried Dzhongkha as you are seeking it out. How do these two frags compare, in your opinion?

I just got my bottle of BdT and I'm loving it - I'm wondering if I should sample Dzhongkha, too.

Thanks for the feedback Gaivs.

I'm finding my perceptions changing a bit on Bois de Turquie now that I've got a bottle and have given it a few more wears. It's not nearly as sweet to me anymore. I mean, it is still a bit sweet, but now it comes across more as a richness rather than a cheap or thin sweetness (an impression i only had once, and I still had some Escada Magnetism left on my arms, no doubt interfering) - like the difference between the sweet and richness of a world class cheesecake versus the empty sweetness of some circus cotton candy.

I also get an almond like note, along with a hint of fish (fried, breaded) in the later middle notes. I imagine that sounds disgusting - a fish note - but it is faint and is just one way to perceive just one aspect of what I'm smelling, and I think it helps lend a hint of something pedestrian - a tiny whiff of the nearby fish market sneaking in through the mosque windows - to an otherwise regal scent. The juxtaposition creates contrast, and contrast helps further outline the scent's beauty.

One of my favorite aspects of the scent is how there are just *no* synthetic qualities to the lingering basenotes, something that is so extremely rare (almost unheard of in designer scents, and still rarely to be found in niche scents).

Also, the topnotes are to die for. I remember a thread a long time ago asking about scents someone bought solely for the top notes. Well, this is a scent where I could justify doing that. I didn't need to, though, as the whole scent is fabulous.

I know it's still the honeymoon phase (but keep in mind that this is the first new scent I've bought in about 6 months.. I try a lot but settle on little!) but I think this may become my signature scent. I'll never wear *only* one scent, but I would like to wear a single scent often enough that it gets associated with me, and given both my love of this scent and its versatility, it's a perfect candidate.

If anyone else samples this (I hope some of you will be moved to try it) please add your thoughts to this thread or write up a review on it. I think it's unfortunate that MPG's first new scent in years has barely been mentioned since its release.

I've still yet to try many of the MPGs, sadly. I've not sampled most of the BN faves such as Ambre Precieux, Eau de Iles, Parfum d'Habit, etc.

I'm going to try and track down samples of all the reformulations if I can, because I'm not sure it's worth falling for the old formula. I'm not even sure if I want to know what the old formulas smell like in fear of not being able to appreciate the new formula where I otherwise might had I not that reference point. I don't know what to do!

Longevity on me is pretty good. I get about 4-6 hours of it being easily detectable (but light) and then it fades down into a skin scent. I can still detect a faint trace of it on my forearms where I sprayed about 24 hours ago. Very faint, but there.

I think part of why this seems to disappear is because of more naturals being present. Many of my all natural scents can seem to disappear almost immediately - despite actually lasting for quite awhile. I think that is because the lack of any synthetic being strongly "out of proportion" to the olfactory stimuli the brain normally receives allows the brain to more easily tune it out. It's easier to tune out a piece of gentle classical music (natural aroma) than it is a siren (synthetic in unnatural proportion), for instance.

I am NOT in the camp that more is more when it comes to scents though, and I find - just as an example - most Montale's to just be crudely strong.. like those kids who listen to music so loudly in their cars that their trunks are rattling. I share the opinion of L'Aventurier who said something like "I find it kind of ironic that the people who mention putting on like 10 sprays of things are the ones who often claim poor longevity."

This scent *does* fair best with some warmth though. I love that about it - an oriental that can be worn in summer. Woot!

edit: Where'd you get your bottle? I got mine from BeautyHabit and it is the same as the 2nd picture you posted.

If you like it, maybe you can start a new thread reviewing it (well, either way, I suppose ). I admit it is with a bit of self interest that I'd love to see this one get more popular around BN as I don't want to see it be discontinued (or MPG to fail ).

I'm wearing it again today and think I love it more everytime I wear it. It has many sides and facets and always seems to behave a bit differently - always enjoyable, but always a unique experience. I remember Azsmells saying it would take a number of wears before he understood it fully, and Gaivs above echoing that sentiment, and I definitely feel that way, too. This is one where initial impressions can be deceiving (although to be honest, I had worn it about 3 times before starting this thread ).

edit: Just wanted to say thanks for trying this one amd sharing your thoughts Mike. I wish you enjoyed it more, but hey.. this thread needed a bit of counterpoint, anyhow. For what it's worth, I do really like Or Des Indes (heh, I couldn't remember if I made a comparison between BdT and OdI but there it is in the initial post!), so it's not surprising to me that you dislike this if you dislike OdI.

Perceptions sure are weird. I really don't get the myrrh upfront. It's a fairly large player in the latter stages of the drydown to my nose, but earlier on there is a brief hint of citrus (the smooth and sweet kind), followed by the powdery iris with hints of wood/spice and dryness provided by the bay leaf. I get a rosey note too, no doubt thanks to the geranium/jasmine, and eventually the rose note fades and just a fruitier jasmine is left in its place along with the myrrh and a slightly metallic note - which strongly calls to mind the imagery mentioned on The Scented Salamander of drinking wine from a golden chalice.

I do agree there is a similarity to Or Des Indes - it shares the powdery/metallic elements although both are turned down in BdT.

A few times while wearing it the bay leaf got really loud from about the 20-60 minute mark or so, and the way it blended with everything else left a very dry/cedary/almost hamster cage like note, that was softened just enough by the iris to be enjoyable instead of disturbing.

*sprays some on again* Mike, I see what you mean about there being a blast of myrrh in the opening - although I still don't read it as such and am not sure that's what it is, there (not saying you are wrong, just sharing my impression).

What I think is happening is that the slightly rubbery aspect of the iris is combining with perhaps some cassia (a sweeter/softer cinnamon used as a top note) and perhaps the jasmine and creating that resinous myrrh sensation in the opening. Because, after the cinnamon/myrrh like top notes fade, that's when I start to pick up the iris (it's a warmer, rounder, slightly rubbery iris note, like that in Iris Bleu Gris but not as real/rooty). It smells like the iris note in Infusion d'Homme to me, although without the synthetic qualities present in d'Homme (which I think is not the iris note but the white and soapy musks in the base). This dominates for awhile - joined only faintly in the background by the rosey geranium and spicy/dry bay leaf notes and a hint of a lemon note from a smooth ginger. The iris fades slowly to reveal them. Then the jasmine joins in and after awhile the jasmine and myrrh become most prominent along with the sandalwood. At that point it is quite sweet and wine like (almost reminds me of davana essential oil but this "darker" smelling).

I could be entirely wrong and just seeing the fragrance differently - just as two people can see entirely different things in the same rorschach inkblot. I'm wearing it now, along with some myrrh oil (and myrrh c02 extracted oil, too). After doing so, I"m not so sure of my own perceptions anymore. It's hard for me to say as I do smell the myrrh like note early on but then it fades or perhaps becomes the rubbery/resinous element of the iris note i detect, only to fully come into the limelight again late into the drydown.

The people reviewing it on Luckyscent seemed to all perceive this frag quite differently from one another, too. It's hard to pin down.

It's weird - try as I might I can't smell a distinct orange blossom note, while some on Luckyscent and now you too Gaivs say that it's a primary note for you? I really think there's a lot going on and it's blended in a way where the note identities are a bit hidden amongst the other notes so it all comes down to one's frame of reference as far as how the notes are perceived.

Has anyone else got a cedar like note early on? It's only happened to me twice and it may have been the result of interfering with the traces of some other scent or something, but it was a very strong and identifiable clean and smooth cedar note. Strange!

Just wondering if anyone else has tried this and if so what your opinion of it is.

Since this scent will soon be available again from Luckyscent (and is already available at Aedes des Venustas) I thought I'd bump this thread to bring some more attention to one of my top three scents.

I'm hoping more people check it out and offer their thoughts on it. Also, it's in the directory now for those who own it and want to add a review!

I should add that I've been wearing this for almost a year now and I love it more now than I did upon first discovering it. It never gets boring and never leaves me feeling self-conscious or wishing I'd have chosen something else as my SotD. That's quite the feat considering its been my most worn scent over the course of the last year.

Also, I've noticed that the more I wear it the more strongly I perceive it for longer. Have you noticed this too, Gaivs? I used to understand how others could think it fades in an hour or two but now I can easily detect it 8-10 hours or more.

You need to try it again Mtg! You doubted my tastes w/ Reflection and now look who wants a bottle .

I guess I could see, possibly, where you may get that smell as there is a bit of a syrupy quality to the scent and the texture of the scent may come across similar to car air fresheners, but I find the distinct development to be decidedly un-air freshener like. Go and smell some fresh, dried bay leaves if you get a chance and you'll really see where the first half of the scent is coming from after the top notes fade away. On me I still don't get a ton of sandalwood in the base - not enough to consider it a sandalwood scent - but more cinnamon, incense, and a slightly chocolately patchouli which leaves the base smelling a tiny bit gourmandish. Luckily, by then, most of the sweetness is gone so it doesn't get into Le Male or A*Men territory.

This is also a scent that needs to be worn proper and is best when not sniffed nose-to-wrist. The sweetness that is there doesn't seem to project so far off the skin so close sniffing tends to distort what is actually smelled w/ a normal wearing.

Hopefully if you try it again you'll enjoy it a bit more. If it smelled like "New Car" smell to me, I wouldn't like it either!

I had some problems with orange blossom/neroli notes for awhile. I may have been anosmic to a chemical as for a period of time I lost all track of the neroli in Reflection Man and there's quite a bit of it there, it's hard to miss. It was a strange case of chemical sensitivity.

I now get the orange blossom in the opening of this more clearly, although it is never as center stage as the neroli note in say, Pour Le Jeune Homme. The bay, cinnamon and ginger sit alongside it. The ginger smells like a high quality c02 extract. I say this because it smells more lemony than your typical ginger accord - a quality found in good c02 ginger extracts. Either they are using that or perhaps an unlisted lemon verbena note or something - I definitely get a lemony vibe in the opening, which then fades into being more orange/tangerine and neroli-ish.

Has anyone else tried this recently? It's available for sampling at Luckyscent if anyone is interested.

It's funny you ask that. I do see some similarities in them being sandalwoody florals with citrus elements, although I do find them quite different too. They are two of my favorite frags though - Reflection is #1 and BdT is #2 or #3.

What I really love about Bois de Turquie is that it is fairly quiet and less dense than so many other orientals that it becomes easily wearable in the heat. Heck, it's one of the easiest to wear, 'anytime' orientals I've ever come across.

I get a blast of iris in the beginning, which is both a bit almondy and minty in character, although to me it's more... hmm, doughy, slightly? Definitely the first note I notice, only briefly in isolation though, is the iris.

Interesting that this thread should pop up again, as I've finally found a scent that really called to mind Bois de Turquie - Amouage's Opus VI. Now, don't get me wrong - Opus VI is a lot different than BdT. It is drier, harsher, more medicinal, has way more incense and bay leaf, and is definitely louder. But they share a combination of bay + incense + sandalwood and some citrus and floral elements.

So for those who liked BdT, Opus VI is worth checking out (I know I know i keep mentioning Opus VI in so many threads, but it really is GOOD and while maybe not the most elaborate composition of the Opus series [that award goes to III or IV, imo], it is quite possibly the one I could see myself wearing the most often). For those who didn't like BdT because it was too quiet or unisex, VI is worth checking out as well.

For what it's worth I still love BdT - although I really only ever crave to wear it in the fall or, for reasons not entirely clear to me, on rainy days. Maybe it's the iris and patch that work together to fit the gloomier and melancholy mood that so often accompanies rainy days.