Baume du Doge

Today, I'm sampling BdD for the second time, and I must admit: I don't get it.

It's a quality frag with a ton of ingredients that I love, but it just doesn't move me at all. It's a definite "should love" but just barely registers as "like." Why does this happen so often for me with scents by Bertrand Duchaufour?

What am I missing in this frag? What do the lovers of Baume du Doge appreciate about this scent? Maybe with a little guidance I'll find something I've overlooked and appreciate this scent some more. Help me out!

I think I know one of the big reasons I am not enjoying this scent as much as I feel I should be, and that is the use of a specific aroma chemical. I have only ever encountered the chemical in one other fragrance, Jubilation 25 for women, but I am quite sure that these both share that same chemical. How am I so sure? Well, it's a bit of an odd explanation, but here goes..

Even when I'm not wearing it, I almost always have some Reflection Man near me - on a card or sprayed onto a ribbon or something that I can keep in my pocket. I just feel weird if I don't have that scent available to sniff whenever I'm in the mood for it (yes, odd, I know ). Anyhow, whenever I am wearing or even just sniff Jubilation 25, and then sniff Reflection Man, Reflection becomes greatly altered in a very specific way that I don't fully know how to articulate. It becomes even smoother but also waxy, and the sweetness is amplified and it is just rather unpleasant. Now, if I sniff Jubilation 25 on a card, and then Reflection, this will *always* happen, but if I move the card with Jubilation out of sniffing range and wait a minute for the molecules to clear from my nose, then Reflection smells normal again. As I said, this happens every time without fail - just some odd intermingling of two chemicals that shouldn't go together, I guess. Well, when sniffing Reflection after sniffing Baume du Doge, the exact same transformation occurs.

I think the note in question is a type of myrrh synthetic, as both Jubilation 25 and BdD are heavy on the myrrh, and yet the myrrh that is present in each is kind of airy. Airy and fairly light, without great throw, but very long lasting. I'd love to know what chemical that is.

On me the drydown is very sweet and there's a lingering, very sweet white musk note, too.

I'd like it if it was drier and had more woods and incense. The idea of an orange-y incense is appealing, but this ends up being yet another Duchaufour that doesn't work on me.

By "round" I only mean that he smooths all edges in his fragrances. There's nothing edgy left, typically. Sometimes, that can work splendidly (Jubilation XXV, Al Oudh), other times it's just boring.

Wearing this scent again and enjoying it much much more now. I'm finding my perception of it now to be quite similar to Oslo-Fjord's. It tones down the aspects of Jubilation XXV that are a bit much for me (the raspy wood in the base, especially), while remaining a nice incense and spice scent. I prefer the lesser sillage and longevity compared to XXV, too, as scents that are really strong tend to get on my nerves after awhile (which is the one complaint I have against most Amouages - even the ones I love).

This may sound odd but this scent reminds me of a quieter, more refined take on L de Lolita Lempicka, with a smidgeon of incense added.