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Enchanted Forest

post #1 of 26
12/20/12 at 10:20pm
Thread Starter 
I just received a pre-launch sample today of Enchanted Forest by Bertrand Duchaufour from a new fragrance company called the Vagabond Prince. Has anyone else tried this? The inspiration was blackcurrants and the Russian forest, a kind of fairytale forest ripe with dark berries, fir balsam, vetiver and resins. Really appealing in an earthy, natural way.

There will be more free samples when it launches in January, so if you ask nicely, who knows.


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post #2 of 26
12/21/12 at 2:36am
http://www.basenotes.net/threads/318...rom-Fragrantia

It sounds nice so far, but the amber and musk concern me as I have a low tolerance for these notes. Are they prominent?
http://www.fragrantica.com/perfume/T...est-17172.html
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post #3 of 26
12/21/12 at 3:18am
Signed up and did not win, no surprise for me. There were a lot of familiar names in the list of winners, so the buzz will reach us all soon, I am sure.

Blackcurrant is one of my most favorite notes, especially in combination with davana. Bertrand D.'s recent creations are more misses than hits for me though. I wish the company who launched it all the best though, they are working hard. Some ideas for future releases are Yaroslavna and Leda.
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post #4 of 26
12/21/12 at 4:36am
Even without the horrid scandal of Gulnara-Gate, I had pretty much given up on Duchaufour's perfumes. There are too many, and too similar. Also, he's been using a few notes in pretty much all the new ones that give me a horrible headache, I suppose I am hyperosmic to them. I mean, aren't there any other deserving perfumers out there who can compose a new niche fragrance? I can think of a few, surely some of these niche owners can, too. I have experienced total BD Burnout.
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post #5 of 26
12/21/12 at 4:37am
Love black currant, coriander, davana, rosemary, rose, honeysuckly patchouli and castoreum, so needless to say I'm excited to be on the winner's list! I'm not a huge fan of Duchaufour (I tend to really like just about everything he does, but rarely ever find actual *love*).

I'm curious if the coriander/davana element is going to be similar to that in Jubilation XXV. I hope it's the more winey/grapey davana, like that present in its sister, Jubilation 25.
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post #6 of 26
12/21/12 at 5:35am
I'm one of the lucky winners. After a quick sniff I can say that the blackcurrent note is definitely the main player, sweetened with vanilla and spiced with pink pepper. Though not listed in the notes, it seems vaguely incensey to me.
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post #7 of 26
12/21/12 at 9:36am
I also won a sample, and received it today. Very astringent black current opening, reminiscent of grapefruit rind. some cooking spices (coriander) and some pine. I don't smell rose or vetiver though they are listed. It is a definite citrus themed parfum not quite gourmand, suitable for summer/warm weather wear. As for the Duchaufour scandal/drama, It is like the debate over sports hero's or music stars who's personal life has scandal. I like their product (athletics, music, art, perfume etc.) and really don't care much what they do in their personal lives. I guess the wealthy ruthless dictators have to smell nice too!
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post #8 of 26
12/21/12 at 1:59pm


Mine came in the mail today as well and just dabbed some on my wrist. I apologize for not possessing the descriptive skill necessary for the reader to get an accurate impression of the fragrance. I am vague because I don't want to come across as a pretentious poser, but I know what I like and so far (30 minutes in), Enchanted Forest is a like. I detect a sweetish wild berry and something coniferous floating in the background. Hope the dry-down doesn't disappoint. My main concern is if it might be too feminine.

I just transferred the dabber vial contents to a spray vial so maybe I can give a better impression after a more complete wearing. Again, so far... pretty nice.
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post #9 of 26
12/21/12 at 2:57pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by chili_willi View Post



Mine came in the mail today as well and just dabbed some on my wrist. I apologize for not possessing the descriptive skill necessary for the reader to get an accurate impression of the fragrance. I am vague because I don't want to come across as a pretentious poser, but I know what I like and so far (30 minutes in), Enchanted Forest is a like. I detect a sweetish wild berry and something coniferous floating in the background. Hope the dry-down doesn't disappoint. My main concern is if it might be too feminine.

I just transferred the dabber vial contents to a spray vial so maybe I can give a better impression after a more complete wearing. Again, so far... pretty nice.

You have a good idea, I found that fragrances daubed smell different than fragrances sprayed...
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post #10 of 26
12/21/12 at 11:01pm
I received my sample on the 20th... however, I have a head cold and can't smell anything. I'll have to wait until this thing clears up!
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post #11 of 26
12/21/12 at 11:38pm
I got it and I like it. Blackcurrant is clearly the center - nicely fruity but not overpowering. The restraint was very welcome. The coniferous notes are the big winner for me - lots of them, and very, very realistic. I was impressed. Also some earthy, moist, forest-floor notes that appeal to my country-boy side. Freshness, too. Good balance, so that everything is in focus during the opening. It lives up to the theme and the ad copy.

Kinda goes bad on my skin - becomes outright balsamic/fruity and loses the complexity. On paper it stays nice and complex, so I'm gonna try it on clothing. Longevity is not great on my skin. Smells very natural, however - a big plus.

I think it's a winner. Not sure if I want a bottle, but it's easy to recommend. Unisex, IMO.
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post #12 of 26
12/22/12 at 8:24am
Thanks for your reviews.

Interesting to see the nice design on that cardboard sleeve . . . from Fragrantica of all places.
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post #13 of 26
12/22/12 at 8:54am
What scandal re: Duchaufour?
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post #14 of 26
12/22/12 at 12:11pm
I'd LOVE to try this!!! I guess I'll have to wait till it comes out and I can get my hands on a sample. The bottle is beautiful, too.
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post #15 of 26
12/22/12 at 12:34pm
Mike, there was a thread on Industry Discussion. BD made a fragrance for a living dictator's daughter, I said So what?
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post #16 of 26
12/22/12 at 12:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Twolf View Post

Mike, there was a thread on Industry Discussion. BD made a fragrance for a living dictator's daughter, I said So what?

I agree, so what? He claims he didn't know who it was for...I tend to believe him but even if he DID know...so what?
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post #17 of 26
2/14/13 at 12:35pm
An epic failure.
Its an anti-Bertrand perfume.

Like Serge's l'eau.

Its a mess.
Absolutely no complexity. Muddled.
No smooth rendition between notes & accords.
Reminds me of when I get stuck in sand when I go off roading. Agonizing.
Complexity is not an opinion, nor is harmony of transition between top, middle and base. Not all perfumes are intended to be complex, nor should they be. But it's clear when Enchanted Forest was intended to be complex but failed miserably. Then there's the muddled transition.

Don't get me wrong. I love B. Duchafour. Heck I own 15 of his creations but it's like a mangled walrus freeing itself from quicksand. It's not a graceful sight.
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post #18 of 26
2/14/13 at 1:33pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

But it's clear when Enchanted Forest was intended to be complex but failed miserably. Then there's the muddled transition. ... it's like a mangled walrus freeing itself from quicksand. It's not a graceful sight.

Best negative fragrance simile in a long time. Et tu, Turin!!

Huzzah, hedonist!

[Disclaimer: I have no idea what the fragrance smells like. I just love the description.]
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post #19 of 26
2/14/13 at 2:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hedonist222 View Post

An epic failure.

Indeed! This was the first perfume that I had sampled in a long time where I couldn't wait for it to end.

You are correct, and couldn't have said it better myself, a muddled mess.
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post #20 of 26
2/14/13 at 3:13pm
I sampled this yesterday: Notes include pink pepper, aldehydes, sweet orange, flower cassis, blackcurrant leaf, hawthorn, effects of rum and wine, rosemary, davana, blackcurrant buds absolute, CO2 blackcurrant, Russian coriander seed, honeysuckle, rose, carnation, vetiver, opoponax, Siam benzoin, amber, oakmoss, fir balsam absolute, patchouli, castoreum, cedar notes, vanilla, musk

Despite the laundry list of notes, I was only able to make out sweet, juicy berry and incensey fir, with a hint of musk emerging after several hours on skin. I thought it was a charming scent, atmospheric rather than classically perfumey. I did enjoy the spray sample I was given, though I don't know that I'd ever be able to get through (or wish for) a full bottle.
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post #21 of 26
2/14/13 at 3:21pm
On me it is a blackcurrent scent.
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post #22 of 26
2/15/13 at 11:23am
I finally managed to obtain a sample. I like the green juicy opening; the green leaf comes through very clearly, and the fruit is just right--not sweet, not overly tart. I use fresh rosemary a lot, but I don't detect it clearly here. I admit I was worried about the "fir balsam" notes. I usually don't like them in fragrances, but here they are very subtle. I wouldn't get this fragrance, though, for its purported woodiness. The musk is very subtle, thankfully not overwhelming at all. It dries down to an almost mellow, vaguely fruity fragrance, only touched by a hint of sweetness, plus the composite effect of other notes that are difficult to isolate. Although I like the opening, and everything seems measured, it ends up turning into something like dissonant chords on my skin.
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post #23 of 26
2/15/13 at 3:30pm
I was gifted a sample and this is a definitely a scent to clearly illustrate the difference between dab and spray.

Dabbed- fir balsam, fir balsam, and did I mention fir balsam?

Sprayed: Blackcurrent, a little booziness, and you guessed it, fir balsam.

A little like drinking a ribena syrup with seltzer or wine in a forest?

It isn't as bad as one would think from reading my description; actually would love to smell this on a man.
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post #24 of 26
2/16/13 at 7:24am
Still have not tried this: did not win a sample from the F site or was not that lucky to find it elsewhere. If someone has a little bit to share please let me know, OK? A big, no, HUGE fan of black currant, you know....
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post #25 of 26
2/16/13 at 8:44am
Is this scent similar in any way to the rhubarb one he did for Aedes (not in smell but in 'category'?)
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post #26 of 26
2/16/13 at 10:45am
I swapped for someone's used sample.

I thought it smelled great on paper-- more complex than on skin, where the amber and muskiness took over. So I thought it might work sprayed over clothing.

But that didn't work, either-- the blackcurrant leaf ("cat pee") smell was overwhelming. Normally I like blackcurrant in fragrances-- I love L'Ombre Dans L'Eau and In Love Again-- but this was too much of a good thing. My husband also didn't like it.
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