What sets Bouquet Idèale apart from the rest of the Xerjoffs, is not only its name, that for once is closer to what perfumes are normally named, but the fact that this seemingly so unimaginative name, is a joke. There is no flower in Bouquet Idèale that I can smell. A flower-free zone, this spicy-oriental makes do without a single floral touch and despite or because of that forms an ideal bouquet indeed.
Notes include cinnamon, nutmeg, papyrus, cedar, sandalwood, tobacco blossom, labdanum, vanilla, coumarin and musk.
Bouquet Idèale is a perfume that begs to be worn. Testing on paper or a quick sniff on a cold hand won’t do the fragrance justice. Bouquet Idèale needs warm skin to shine and, boy does it shine then.
In the first few minutes of wearing Bouquet Idèale it feels a bit hollow, like a spicy, resinous shell that is empty inside. But once it has melded with my skin it seems as if the final ingredient has fallen into place. I get to be the flower in this bouquet!
Bouquet Idèale needs a living human being to be complete. Once this almost alchemic feat has taken place, Bouquet Idèale is a cocoon of warmth, a cashmere wrap that caresses me and gives me an invisible aura, it heightens my senses, it makes me swoon. What it does to others, well, I’ll leave that to your imagination…
Bouquet Idèale is almost linear, the progression from spicy top through wooden, vanilla heart to resinous, musky base is a quick one. One after the other, the notes appear and stay, until a full and resounding accord is reached that not only includes, but is solely there for the purpose of making the star of the show – my skin – shine. I have never experienced such a perfume.
I was underwhelmed with Bouquet Idèale when I first tested it only on my hand, it smelled good, but incomplete, hollow, partial. When I first wore it, it fell into place and I knew what had been missing.
I wish I could say something bad about this perfume, but I can’t (well, apart from the obvious – bottle and price), but I promise I will certainly publish the findings on any Xerjoff I try now, because they can’t possibly all be that good. 🙂
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You have me quite intrigued about these Xerjoff’s and this one has many of the notes I adore. I recall another Xerjoff you mentioned not long ago, it stuck in my head, however the fragrance eludes me. I feel it was a SOTD reference you made, not sure. I didn’t write it down..
Those Xerjoffs are a lovely bunch indeed! But thankfully there a few duds among them as well, bad reviews upcoming. 😉 You can look up my Xerjoff reviews on the blog, the one you mean is probably to be found there.
I won’t state the obvious, but please keep in mind that this perfume line requires a rigorous change of lifestyle: versace bathrooms, an extravagant wardrobe( roberto cavalli, versace, dolce gabanna et al) as well as giant white french poodels as walking difusers….
Well, I could have lived with the trashy, but expensive Italian design life, but the poodle breaks the deal for me, I’m off Xerjoff! 😉
I have neither versace bathrooms nor an extravagant wardrobe… but I do have a cute black poodle 😉 and I love the Xerjoff perfumes I have tried! I just received the disovery sets – thanks to you, dear Birgit, and your wonderful reviews 🙂
That is wonderful to hear, thank you, Isabelle! I’m glad you commented!
I think the perfumes work quite as well on black poodles. 😉
There’s something i can’t quite express about the name and the packaging I find a bit too alien, but you have intrigued me, and I think the idea of having to use the wearer’s skin to complete the composition is a trend I like a lot, so you have convinced me to try it when the opportunity presents itself.
That is lovely to hear, Lucy! I don’t like the brand, but am enarmoured by the actual perfumes, time and again!
That is one ugly bottle – too bad the juice doesn’t match! As you say, let’s hope they can’t all be that good. Funny how spicy perfumes often come across poorly on paper.
Lol, they should really think about a design overhaul! By now I found a really bad one, coming soon! 🙂
It is lovely , Birgit there is a competitionon my profile page for a decant of the Amber I won . It arrived today and if you like leathers you’ll like this .
Thank you, Angie, will hop on over! 🙂
Okay so it’s a “competition” ..oh those meds !!!
🙂 Hugs!
I wanna shine 😉
Oh, you shine on your own, Sweetie! 🙂
❤
I have a sample of this and I do remember liking it – must get it out again and check its development against your description. And yes, that bottle is quite ghastly!
Let me know what you think, V!
Since I do not see myself buying a FB in any foreseeable future and I do plan to test those perfumes more or less soon, I enjoy your positive reviews. But it will be interesting to read a negative one as well – just to have a full picture.
Thank you! I’m glad, the bottle and price stand in the way of appreciating the perfume for so many.
I love your review of this one, Birgit. I enjoy a linear, well-done fragrance more than most perfume fans I know. This one seems to be a fine example.
Thank you! Linearity can be a good thing sometimes.
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