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HELP: Bois d'Armenie or Tonka Imperiale?

post #1 of 36
1/5/11 at 2:57am
Thread Starter 


Hey guys, my trusted noses! I need your help. I haven't smelled these two. Which one smells better?
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post #2 of 36
1/5/11 at 3:28am
Both smell equally good.
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post #3 of 36
1/5/11 at 4:46am
One is tonka and the other is light woody. Ur comparing apples to oranges.
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post #4 of 36
1/5/11 at 4:54am
Thread Starter 
I've read reviews of BdA and it sounds really good. Not a lot of reviews on TI yet but quite popular here on bnotes. hmmm???
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post #5 of 36
1/5/11 at 5:08am
Both pretty good, matter of taste. TI is probably going to get more mainstream approval though because it's one of those fragrances that simply smell pleasant to the untrained notes. But Bois d'Armenie is not that risky either, we're talking about no Arabie here.
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post #6 of 36
1/5/11 at 6:29am
Both are really good, I own BdA and this year I'd like to buy the TI , they are really different, one is sweet and the other one is a subtle incense.
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post #7 of 36
1/5/11 at 6:32am
Thread Starter 
Something tells me in the end I'll end up with both bottles.
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post #8 of 36
1/5/11 at 6:54am
I thought both were OK, but not FBW.
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post #9 of 36
1/5/11 at 7:44am
Tonka Imperiale
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post #10 of 36
1/5/11 at 10:20am
Hi hi volley! I'd go with Armenie...you won't regret it. Can always get Tonka later.
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post #11 of 36
1/5/11 at 10:51am
They are both elegant, but Bois d'Armenie gets my vote. It feels very versatile, has a whiff of the Guerlain-vanilla but is mostly a dry, comforting incense scent.
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post #12 of 36
1/5/11 at 5:05pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you guys...I'll post in the near future which one I end up with.
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post #13 of 36
1/5/11 at 8:15pm
I would go with Tonka Imperiale out of the two. BdA is really nice but Tonka Imperiale is a note-specific scent and they did it well.
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post #14 of 36
1/5/11 at 8:47pm
Yes, I've loved both. BdA was in competition with Derby for me, and I went with Derby. BdA is a bit more "masculine", if you were selling it in department stores. TI is more of a typical Guerlain gourmand feminine, IMO. I would have a hard time choosing, and would probably opt for the new Arsene Lupin Le Voyou. I love that one better than either of these two choices.
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post #15 of 36
1/9/11 at 4:10am
I saw you bought both, how do you like them?
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post #16 of 36
1/9/11 at 4:16am
Thread Starter 
They're both really good. I'm "test driving" them now. TI on left arm. BdA on right.
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post #17 of 36
1/9/11 at 6:27am
I faced the same dilemma last year. I shortlisted Tonka Impériale, Bois d'Arménie and Cuir Beluga. The Guerlain SA of the Galleries Lafayette Department store in Paris strongly recommended Cuir Beluga and strangely enough it's the first one that didn't make it in my final shortlist (TI and BdA). Cuir Beluga is lovely but there are better alternatives and I want a leather to be more assertive or edgy. So far my holy grail leather is vintage Bel Ami, I will probably add another one to my collection in 2011 (Dior Leather Oud or Chanel Cuir de Russie). It won't be Cuir Beluga (of which I now own a decant for reference purposes). There is a "milk chocolate" note in CB that I find a bit... uncalled for. TI basically works the other way around: gourmand base twisted with a herbal note (rosemary).

I am very satisfied with TI. Longevity is extreme, close to what I get from Mitsouko or Habit Rouge extraits at a much more affordable price (HR extrait is... EUR 300 for 50 ml!).

I am still undecided about BdA, I am putting it on my shopping list in competition with L'Artisan Timbuktu.

For those who find Tonka Impériale too sweet, I would like to recommend to give a try to Boisé Torride. It's not a tonka bomb like TI but the coumarin notes are very well blended with sweet woods.
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post #18 of 36
1/9/11 at 6:44am
Thread Starter 
Hi Reminiscent. Thank you for sharing. I got both. To be honest, I also do like Cuir Beluga. Let's see how that goes. I agree with you on Boise Torride. This one is really nice!!
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post #19 of 36
1/9/11 at 7:21am
go with Tonka. Armenie will most likely seem like a deja-vu to you
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post #20 of 36
1/9/11 at 7:28am
Quote:
Originally Posted by volley2 View Post

Hi Reminiscent. Thank you for sharing. I got both. To be honest, I also do like Cuir Beluga. Let's see how that goes. I agree with you on Boise Torride. This one is really nice!!

Great choices!
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post #21 of 36
1/9/11 at 7:31am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclmind View Post

Great choices!

mrclmind, I enjoy both frags!
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post #22 of 36
1/9/11 at 7:40am
Quote:
Originally Posted by volley2 View Post

mrclmind, I enjoy both frags!

I do too!! Have you tried either of the new Arsene Lupin duo yet? They are amazing!
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post #23 of 36
1/9/11 at 8:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclmind View Post

I do too!! Have you tried either of the new Arsene Lupin duo yet? They are amazing!

I agree. I can't decide which one I like better.....
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post #24 of 36
1/9/11 at 9:38am
Quote:
Originally Posted by morrison74 View Post

I agree. I can't decide which one I like better.....

I finally have both. They are on pretty regular rotation. Very expensive, but worth it! The dry down on each one is amazing.

I found quite by accident that layering Dandy with Attrape Coeur is about the best scent I think I've ever smelled!

I have heard from several people at Guerlain that the Arsene Lupins also layer well with each other and with Double Vanille, but haven't tried that yet.
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post #25 of 36
1/9/11 at 5:27pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mrclmind View Post

I do too!! Have you tried either of the new Arsene Lupin duo yet? They are amazing!

My seller doesn't have these two. =( I've asked him to find me some Derby in the bee bottle. =)
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post #26 of 36
1/9/11 at 5:30pm
Initial impressions are that BdA is a nice but inoffensive incense, and that there are far better and more unique incense oriented fragrances on the market (Memoir Man, Jubilation XXV, Micallef's Shanaan, Silver Factory, etc).

Tonka Imperiale is one of the best tonka oriented gourmands available, and represents all facets of the tonka bean and not just the creamy sweetness of tonka that you find in most modern scents that list tonka such as La Nuit de L'Homme. The only problem with TI is that I really can't imagine wearing it often - only occasionally at best and only really around the winter holiday season.
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post #27 of 36
1/9/11 at 5:32pm
Thread Starter 
BdA actually reminds me of Cologne Pour le Sour by Maison Francis Kurkdjian.
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post #28 of 36
1/9/11 at 5:35pm
Bois d'Armenie would be my choice.
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post #29 of 36
1/9/11 at 5:55pm
Bois d'Armenie took my breath away when I sampled it. The authentic puff of smoke at the opening is gorgeous. That said, for me it's novelty/decant-worthy only because the rest of the progression didn't knock my socks off. But those first few minutes... Wow!
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post #30 of 36
1/9/11 at 6:14pm
Thread Starter 
How about Angelique Noire? Is this any good?
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post #31 of 36
1/9/11 at 6:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by volley2 View Post

How about Angelique Noire? Is this any good?

Oh yes - wonderful. I received a compliment from the ladies at my Starbucks the day that I walked in wearing AN, from a sample. It doesn't smell IMO the least feminine. It's yummy.
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post #32 of 36
1/9/11 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by mikeperez23 View Post

Oh yes - wonderful. I received a compliment from the ladies at my Starbucks the day that I walked in wearing AN, from a sample. It doesn't smell IMO the least feminine. It's yummy.

you're bad! you're making me buy this!
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post #33 of 36
1/10/11 at 12:37am
I've been wearing Bois d'Armenie as my SOTD for almost a month and I'm still amazed by it. Incense and benzoin over and amber and vanilla, very Guerlain, very indebted to Shalimar - it may just be my holy grail. I like Tonka Imperiale, but found it to be a bit too simple. Cuir Beluga's use of heliotrope and iris is quite beautiful.
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post #34 of 36
1/10/11 at 12:41am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Guyer View Post

I've been wearing Bois d'Armenie as my SOTD for almost a month and I'm still amazed by it. Incense and benzoin over and amber and vanilla, very Guerlain, very indebted to Shalimar - it may just be my holy grail. I like Tonka Imperiale, but found it to be a bit too simple. Cuir Beluga's use of heliotrope and iris is quite beautiful.

I'm glad I got both of them. Today is TI tomorrow will be BdA. TI might be simple but it's delish! Sometimes simplicity does the job.
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post #35 of 36
1/10/11 at 12:53am
TI by a mile. Has better depth and more complexity, although it's not worth the price it's sold at. You're a big spender anyway
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post #36 of 36
1/10/11 at 12:59am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Killer_Vavoom View Post

TI by a mile. Has better depth and more complexity, although it's not worth the price it's sold at. You're a big spender anyway

thank you for the input. i already got them both.
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