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Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Baume du Doge by Eau d'Italie: Perfume Review

Inspired by Venice, once legendary gateway to the Orient with all its exotic spices, Baume du Doge is, not surprisingly, a piquant creation, bursting with the golden tang of saffron and cardamom, smoldering with the crimson fire of cloves.

It is - surprisingly- also a very earthy perfume. And yes, earthy is Duchaufour's forte, but, in my opinion, the raw quality of Baume du Doge surpasses anything else done by him so far. Saffron and, to a lesser degree, cardamom do have a very raw undertone in their spiciness, a dark, soil-like element that naturally contrasts the brightness of the spicy aromas. Nature is a gifted perfumer after all, and loves a good contrast. So really, the earthy aspect of Baume du Doge is only to be expected, especially if you take into account that the blend also includes the earthy-green-aniseedic fennel and earthy-balsamic myrrh. The latter, combined with sweet orange note in the top notes and vanilla in the base, lends a well-rounded, rich, opaque and creamy feeling to Baume de Doge, softens the sharpness of spices, tames the earthy element, bringing the fragrance to the almost-edible, patchouli-like territory and putting a finishing exotic touch on this understatedly oriental tapestry.

The restrained exoticism displayed by Baume du Doge is characteristic to Duchafour's art as is the indescribable, indefinable oddness of the composition. Strangely beautiful or beautifully strange, it has a haunting quality, something that makes you want to keep re-sniffing and analyzing and wondering. A thinking person's perfume.

Available at Lafco and Luckyscent, $130.00 for 100ml.

Image source, krasivoefoto.ru

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19 Comments:

Blogger elle said...

That photo is such a perfect match for this scent! I've got a decant of this I've been enjoying. Still deciding if I'll need a full bottle. I don't think of myself as a bottle person, but I am finding it hard to get past the shampoo/bath product feel of the EdI bottles. I usually get bottles over decants just so I have something easily recognizable to grab quickly in the mornings instead of rummaging through anonymous decants, but these have so little aesthetic appeal and are so characterless (very out of sync w/ EdI's interesting scents inside), I think I'd just ignore them and always pick something else. They get more attention in decants where the scent is not so rudely insulted by the bottle.

7:38 AM EST  
Blogger lilybp said...

Oooooo--this sounds excellent! WANT! And the picture is wonderful, too.

8:01 AM EST  
Blogger chayaruchama said...

Wonderful visual !

I concur completely-
This is a very intellectual perfume, as well as feeling very raw and edgy.

I greatly enjoy smelling it- as I do all the Eau D'Italie's-
But somehow, they do not compliment my skin, make me smell better/ more interesting.

In short-
They don't like me.
There it is....

8:32 AM EST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Chaya- I admire mr. duchaufour greatly. Alas, his scetns do not like me either , so you are not alone. you probally have a creamy, powdery or milky skin , that love amber, rose, orris, fruit top notes and other ingredients not found in abundance in his accords. We can appreciate his artistry form an intellectual level, but fragrance is emtoiton more powerful than intellect.great reveiw Marina.

8:42 AM EST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i have not had my coffee, so please excuse the chimp typing in my place. how embarrassing

8:44 AM EST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

What a fantastically chosen image to go with those beautifully chosen words. Because of this review, I want to smell this little Doge, but the notes scare me. Cloves, cardamom and saffron love my tongue but hate my skin...on husband, mind, it might well be a different story...hmmmmm (cue mental wheels turning)

Lovethescents

8:54 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

L,
You know, usually I am not satisfied with decants, because I must have a bottle, but with this bottles a decant is almost better-looking :-)

9:50 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

L,
I have a feeling you would enjoy this

9:50 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Ida,
So far, the only Eau D'Italie scent that suited me was Paestum Rose, so I was surprised that this worked this well.

9:52 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Michelyn
I agree about fragrances and emotion. Whether one admires the scent intellectually, there always have to an emotional spark, just like in human relationships.

9:53 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

PS
don't worry, I am not even alive before the 2nd cup of coffee myself

9:54 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

S,
I understand where your wheels are turning. :-) That's where mine are heading too: get a bottle "for Him", and keep stealing it :-)

9:57 AM EST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Меня всегда восхищают твои описания, но это - одно из тех, прочитав которые я воспылал желанием немедленно купить себе эти духи ) Наверное, меня так прельщает фраза про "мыслящего человека" ... На Фабрике Химчистке они есть? )

10:04 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Это большой комплимент, спасибо! :-) Они довольно новые, могут на "химчистке" ещё и не быть, и вообще я не спешила бы *самому* духи покупать. ;-)

10:06 AM EST  
Blogger Ducks said...

On me it is more "beautifully strange." You have so well described the raw, earthy quality that asserts itself so much on my skin with this scent.

Do I love it, or am I just fascinated by it? I'm still on the fence. It is certainly masterful and commands attention with its subtle complexity. Wonderful review!

11:50 AM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Linda,
It is easy for fascination to grown into love, just sayin' :-)

11:57 AM EST  
Blogger Flora said...

Did someone say cardamom, saffron, AND Aniseed? I'm in! This one is probably not for everyone, but for those who get it, it must be true love.

12:54 PM EST  
Blogger Marina said...

Donna,
I think that is exactly right. This is exactly that kind of scent.

12:55 PM EST  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

M, so glad you reviewed this scent. I was gifted with a sample, immediately sought out a decant, and am now seriously contemplating a bottle. It's warm and earthy and calming and has become one of my go-to scents this winter. Love.

11:23 AM EST  

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