Fragrance Review: April Aromatics, Bohemian Spice (2011)

Summary: Tanja Bochnig’s ode to all things patchouli further pushes the boundaries of modern natural perfumery with a minty-chocolate vibe and incredible longevity and development. Win a sample by leavng a comment below.

Pros: Bohemian Spice is both the patchoulii that many of you fear AND that many of you love. The “headshop vibe” is definitely present but it is also balanced by a number of other facets such as soft woods, vanilla and vetiver; avoids the murky depths that so many straightforward patchouli fragrances head for.

Cons: At €189.00 for 1 oz, this is by no means a casual purchase: for die-hard patchouli fans or those dedicated to handmade, natural perfumes only.

Notes: See below.

Reminds me of: Recalls Mazzolari Patchouli though not as dark.

Designer’s Description: “Bohemian Spice changes its olfactory color like a chameleon. Layer by layer the perfume develops magically and shows amazing facets. Each stage is an experience on our travel through the bohemian world and reminds us of the times when famous painters, writers and musicians spent months and years in the Maghreb to get inspired. Wonderful landscapes, foreign cultures, vastness, light, shadow. A sunny smile with Sicilian orange initiates a wonderful trip through a land of ease. From the opening exotic spices are mingling with the citrus fruit. In the heart woods and oriental spices blended with incense from Oman and Highland Lavender reveal a certain spirituality. Sandalwood and vetiver dance to the music of a tambourine, wild and free. Patchouli connects us with mother earth and gives the scent an immense power. The use of a special soft and subtle gourmand vanilla accord, unique creation of April Aromatics, brings a strong tenacity into the base and helps to carry top and middle notes along the journey. This accord is the secret of the rich and lush character of this amazing scent. Warm and calming like an embrace Bohemian Spice feels like a mild but intense desert breeze and makes us dream of faraway lands.Bohemian Spice is April Aromatic’s most complex perfume. It needs up to five month to get the right maturity.” AprilAromatics.com

Number of times tested: Four times from a sample sent to me for the Summer of Patchouli Love project at Perfume Pharmer; twice more from a sample sent to me by April Aromatics.

Number of sprays applied for this review: Two on the back of hand.

Fragrance Strength: EDP

Development: (Linear / Average / Complex): As Tanja mentioned in her description above, “layered” is indeed a good descriptor. The fragrance opens as a completely obvious patchouli aroma, like a basic white t-shirt, although with the most fascinating accents of chocolate and mint! We’ll call it a “thin mint” sweater! This is not so surprising as patchouli often has that minty vibe, but where did the chocolate come from? I was imemdiately reminded of Lutens’ Borneo and Givenchy’s Very Irresistible. As time passes, the fragrance seems to put on a soft, luxurious coat of sandalwood and vanilla over the tee and sweater. Whereas many fragrances give you the magic up front, content to dwindle to a skinscent as they develop, Bohemian Spice almost does the reverse, starting simply and building to a crescendo hours later.

Longevity: (Short / Average / Long-lasting): Those two sprays lasted almost 8 hours.

Sillage: (A Little / Average / A Lot): Not sure if it is the cold, rainy weather of late or maybe it’s the eminent flu creeping up on me, but despite the incredible longevity Bohemian Spice is more Joni Mitchell than Janis Joplin.

Where Can I Buy It? €189.00 for 1 oz AprilAromatics.com

Note About the Packaging: Beautiful and sophisticated, round paper box with cylindrical glass bottle inside.

The Bottom Line: So October has shaped up to be natural perfumer appreciation month here at ThePerfumeCritic. With no less than 5 reviews so far of naturals or near-naturals, I have definitely become more open-minded. I don’t think I’ve been this excited about naturals since being introduced to Ayala Moriel’s work 5 years ago. In addition to Bohemian Spice, I also fell in love with Tanja’s Rosenlust and Precious Woods.

I should also admit that I am now a BIG patchouli lover, which is strange because I used to hate it. No, loathed it to be more precise. Sharp, bitter, and dark is how I might have described it until two fragrances changed everything for me – L’Artisan’s Patchouli Patch and Novaya Zarya’s Patchouli Magique. The former was a soft, musky take on patchouli and the latter a powdery, woody version. Tanja’s Bohemian Spice was one of my favorites of the Patchouli Love project from earlier this year precisely because of how she married the earthy patchouli to a range of other notes and like the L’Artisan and Novaya Zarya scents, somehow made patchouli easier to love.

As mentioned earlier, though Bohemian Spice doesn’t necessarily change over time, it does seem to dress itself in a range of scented apparrel. Although no matter how you dress him/her up, one never forgets who is underneath it all – a very green patchouli. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about naturals this month it’s that they can defy expectation in terms of how they develop over time. The magic of Bohemian Spice is the beautiful, creamy warmth that develops from the onset, as if one were looking at a fir tree on a sunny winter day, sharp green needles at the top leading to powdery white frost at the bottom. After all of the patchouli fragrances I have tested over the years, it is just possible that Bohemian Spice takes the title “Best of Show” due to both its straightforward truthfulness AND luxurious adornments!

What’s your favorite patchouli aroma?

Leave a comment below for your chance to win a deluxe EDP sample of BOHEMIAN SPICE from APRIL AROMATICS

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