• About
  • Login to comment
    • Bluesky
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Now Smell This

a blog about perfume

Menu ▼
  • Perfume Reviews
  • New Perfumes
  • Archives

Jean-Charles Brosseau Fruit de Bois fragrance review

Posted by Marlen on 23 May 2006 3 Comments

Jean-Charles Brosseau Fruit de Bois

Following up on last week's review of Jean-Charles Brosseau’s Thé Brun, today I’ll be reviewing Fruit de Bois, another of the fragrances in the Collection Homme released by Brosseau last year. With notes of bergamot, grapefruit, sage, geranium, nutmeg, vetiver, cedar, sandalwood, juniper and amber, this one could easily have been mistaken for a Serge Lutens.

The bois in question here, and clearly the star of this show, is cedar. The scent opens with a faint though not unpleasant zest of grapefruit and juniper paired with earthy nutmeg and vetiver. These notes form a kind of veil over the cedar, preventing it from being too one-dimensional. From here, the cedar takes center stage as the warmer basenotes begin to open. Though the amber and sandalwood envelop the cedar, adding a slightly sweet edge, the bitterness of the cedar resurfaces every now and then.

I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of cedar due to the sometimes camphorous, body odor note that can accompany this blonde wood. That note is sadly present here which prevents me from totally falling for Fruit de Bois, but I will say that this is one of the easiest-to-like cedar scents to come along in a while (one of my favorite cedars is Yves Rocher Blue Cedre, if that gives you any idea as to what I find permissible regarding camphor-ish b.o. notes).

Like its companion, Thé Brun, Fruit de Bois quickly relaxes and stays close to the skin with good longevity but minimal sillage. Reminding me of Serge Lutens' Bois et Fruits, though more like the lighthearted summer version than a full-on Serge creation, this is definitely a scent for those who love cedar. Personally, I would have liked a stronger fruit note in this composition — the grapefruit just doesn’t carry enough of a punch — something deeper and sweeter, allowing the cedar to take a supporting role, but we don’t always get what we want, now do we?

Testers of Fruit de Bois are available for under $25 at parfum1; the fragrance is also available at perfumebay and at escentual in the UK.

Filed Under: perfume talk
Tagged With: cedar, jean charles brosseau

Advertisement


3 Comments

Leave a comment, or read more about commenting at Now Smell This. Here's our privacy policy, and a handy emoticon chart.

  1. Anonymous says:
    23 May 2006 at 1:24 pm

    Marlen strikes again! 🙂 Cedar? Body odor? Could be mistaken for a Serge Lutens? Oh my, I must have this.

    Log in to Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    23 May 2006 at 1:32 pm

    Camphorish BO? Hmm, I've never gotten that from cedar. Must be different chemistry – SL works great on me, fortunately no BO! Must try this Brosseau.

    Log in to Reply
  3. Anonymous says:
    23 May 2006 at 2:51 pm

    Well, usually cedar gets paired with other less exciting woods like the dreaded guaiac wood or the odious wormwood. And sometimes with spices like cumin and so I think I have some negative cedar associations…not even mentioning the shoe trees and hamster cages…

    marlen

    Log in to Reply

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Advertisement

Search

Recent reviews

Atelier Cologne Love Osmanthus
Moschino Toy Boy
Arquiste Misfit
Diptyque Eau Capitale
Zoologist Bee
Parfum d’Empire Immortelle Corse
Comme des Garcons Series 10 Clash
Frédéric Malle Rose & Cuir
L’Artisan Parfumeur Le Chant de Camargue
Yves Saint Laurent Grain de Poudre
Régime des Fleurs Chloë Sevigny Little Flower
Chanel 1957
Gallivant Los Angeles
Amouage Portrayal Woman

Blogroll

Bois de Jasmin
Grain de Musc
Perfume Posse
The Non-Blonde
More blogs...

Perfumista lists

100 fragrances every perfumista should try
And 25 more fragrances every perfumista should smell
50 masculine fragrances every perfumista should try
26 vintage fragrances every perfumista should try
25 rose fragrances every perfumista should try
11 Cheap Perfumes Beauty Outsiders Love

Favorite posts

The Great Perfume Reduction Plan
Why I Love Old School Chypres
New to perfume and want to learn more?
How to make fragrance last through the day
Fragrance concentrations: sorting it all out
On reformulations, or why your favorite perfume doesn’t smell like it used to
How to get fragrance samples
Perfume for Life: How Long Will Your Fragrance Collection Last?

Upcoming

List of upcoming Friday projects

15 March ~ swapmeet

3 April ~ damage poll
26 April ~ splitmeet

3 May ~ spring reading poll
17 May ~ Haiku challenge!

 

Back to Top

Home
Archives
About Now Smell This :: Privacy Policy
Perfume Reviews
New Perfumes
General Perfume Articles
The Monday Mail

Glossary of Perfume Terms
Perfume FAQ
Perfume Books

Noses ~ Perfumers A-E :: F-K :: L-S :: T-Z

Perfume Houses A-B :: C :: D-E :: F-G
H-J :: K-L :: M :: N-O :: P :: Q-R :: S
T :: U-Z

Copyright © 2005-2025 Now Smell This. All rights reserved.