I would like to review most of L’Artisans creations on my blog eventually, since it is a house that suits me. L’Artisan Parfumeur is about subtlety and elegance. Qualities I would like to cultivate in myself.

I already mentioned several times that I am a big Ellena fan (Jean-Claude Ellena) and this perfume he did for L’Artisan was the first I ever purchased from the house – Bois Farine.
Part of the Travel series, it was created in 2003. Notes include fennel seed, iris, white cedar, guaiac wood, sandalwood, benzoin.

Ellena was inspired by flowers found on the island of Reunion, calles Ruizia Cordata, that smell of flour or dough.

It is, I believe, one of the most unique scents ever made, resembling no other, for that alone Ellena gets my respect. It is not easy to describe what it smells like, but once one has smelled it, it remains instantly recognisable, nothing similar is to be found out there (correct me if I am wrong!). For many it smells like peanut butter, but I don’t get that. Flour or starch come closest for me, just as the name implies. It is not warm, not cold, not sweet, not harsh. It is a bit nutty, powdery, definitely dry. It walks the line between comforting and startling in an ingenious way.

I can wear Bois Farine throughout the year, it is always appropriate, even though it is so exceptional.

It sure is the greatest four ever made.

Picture source: parfumo.de, Arbres-reunion.fr, spoonfulblog.com some rights reserved, thank you!