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Explorer Boadicea the Victorious 2008

6.5 / 10 72 Ratings

A perfume by Boadicea the Victorious for women and men, released in 2008. The scent is woody-spicy. The longevity is above-average. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Woody

Spicy

Earthy

Smoky

Green

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Bergamot

Orange

Heart Notes

Orris butter

Helianthemum Amber

Amber

Base Notes

Cedarwood

Labdanum

Ratings

Scent

6.572 Ratings

Longevity

8.459 Ratings

Sillage

7.748 Ratings

Bottle

8.566 Ratings

Value for money

5.111 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro, last update on 10/30/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Inquisitive

46°N 08°E

Reviews

10 in-depth fragrance descriptions

08/13/2022

10Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

BobbyGee
230 Reviews

BobbyGee

Helpful Review 4

Boadicea / Explorer

For me it is the smell of no.2 after my favorite Elaborate (Elaborate, which is much better than Complex). Unfortunately, my opinion is subjective because until today I got to know about 9 of their fragrances, guided by the notes and possibilities. I didn't touch the sweet ones at all.
In my opinion, this fragrance has a large 'male' component. The main opening is tons of galbanum with a citrus spin. It all goes on to the next more masculine notes - the dusty and smoky roots of the iris, to finally sit on the woody notes. This is the main trio of notes for me: galbanum / iris roots / tree.
Somewhere there we can actually find a citrus scent or a delicate rose, but these are not mainly sounding notes. However, we will not experience sweetness. Personally, I think that the fragrance is made for a suit, and the owner does not necessarily look like a boring gamony, but more like an overgrown, experienced and curious world and passionate experience. The smell definitely draws attention.
That's it.
Projection and durability at a very good level

10/31/2025

8Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Majid114
127 Reviews

Majid114

2

Dark Green Ambery Resinous

Explorer from the British House of High Niche Perfumery Luxury Boadicea The Victorious is a Oriental Green Amber Woody Resinous Balsamic Unisex perfume, with a masculine inclination. This perfume was launched in 2008; and the perfumer who created this fragrance is John Stephen. Explorer is a fragrance that embarks on an exciting journey of sharp botanical vibes and captivating contrasts. From fresh dark amber foliage to balsamic resinous dry woods. It is a fragrance that feels fresh and dense simultaneously, inspired by the beauty of exploring nature and the thrill of discovery. A very delicious perfume!

The opening is of a very intense citrus and dark green impact, bergamot with orange illuminate and blend with the dark galbanon reverberating an almost aldehydic herbaceous freshness, forming a metallic green accord. Entering the heart of the fragrance comes a buttery waxy iris and a very discreet rose intertwined with a resinous amber with a slight sweetness balancing the composition and bringing an ambery floral touch. At its base, the obscure resin of labdanum and the dry woody woody of cedar provide a noble and elegant structure; This labdanum is very full-bodied and also balsamic, leaving a sophisticated and opulent trail.

Explorer is a classic and formal perfume with an ambery green soul and balsamic resinous woody personality... a Sophisticated Chipre Amber style. It combines traditional elements of perfumery: iris, resin, cedar; With a fresh dark green footprint, I found it ideal for those who like refined perfumery. A blend of citrus/green freshness on top, with an ambery resinous heart and a deep base of woods and balsams, creating a sophisticated and versatile profile at the same time. The evolution flows naturally: the initial freshness gives way to hot resin and then to dry wood at the end. The fragrance has well-defined layers, that is, from light to shadow, from lightness to density.

03/03/2015

ColinM
516 Reviews

ColinM

1

Austere darkness

Explorer by Boadicea is probably the nicest scent by this brand I’ve tested so far. It opens with a rubbery, dry, spicy and dark blend centered on sour woods (cedar, but really dry and gloomy), herbs, galbanum, austere resins and initially just a hint of labdanum. The texture is thin, leathery (no leather, though), somehow quiet but bold and threatening. The mood is refined and mysterious, fairly synthetic too but not (that) unpleasant, as it nicely recreates a sort of fascinating, nocturnal, silent and obscure “natural mood”, with nuances of aged wood, something salty-camphoraceous that reminds me of ambergris, dusty resins. In the middle stages it “warms up” a bit, and the orris root note emerges – fairly restrained and tamed down, well concealed behind the general austere darkness, but it’s there; almost not powdery at all (as you would expect instead), rather rooty-earthy and dusty, with a hint of amber too. Finally, a smoky, earthy, shy rose note emerges, quite a “masculine” rose despite being much subtle. Overall Explorer remains sour and dry in a way that becomes a bit boring after a while, but with a fascinating, sophisticated feel of austere darkness. Not saying it’s particularly good, but say: “not unpleasant”.

6,5/10

09/29/2010

9Scent 7.5Longevity

Apicius
1328 Reviews

Translated · Show original

Apicius

Top Review 11

Patchouli, from the Best

Objection to my predecessors! Explorer is one of the best patchouli fragrances you can get. Even if it doesn't meet certain expectations.

How do we imagine a patchouli scent? Naturally somewhat "oriental," sweet, earthy, voluminous, and heavy. This image had been in my head for a long time as well. It stems from the cheap patchouli oils that were smeared on the Palestinian scarf back in the early 80s.

Explorer has nothing to do with such a hippie patchouli. It comes across quite dignified in a smart suit, has gray temples, drives a luxury car, and would dismiss its former hippie existence with an arrogant expression as a youthful folly - oh yes, weren't we all like that at some point?

By the way: Patchouli is not listed as a fragrance component in the pyramid. Is one ashamed of its origins? Or is my nose being misled here?

Explorer explores different areas than the ones mentioned. The scent is bone-dry, harsh, and bitter. This is likely due in good part to the labdanum. At the same time, it smells quite green-herbaceous (galbanum?), a bit ethereal, and somehow like swampy underbrush, peat, and moor. I cannot make sense of the iris and rock rose (what does that smell like?). Like some patchouli fragrances, Explorer also comes across as somewhat cold and pale. Amber provides only limited warmth. As for the cedar mentioned: if the usual fragrance substances were used, they do not stand out further.

I think the classification here into top, heart, and base notes is only partially justified and cannot really be gleaned from the Boadicea website. Once again, Boadicea presents a perfume with a complex but cohesive scent. After a bit of initial back and forth, I could not discern any development. For me, that's OK. If a chord is truly excellent, I don't want it to change constantly. Explorer is marketed as a unisex fragrance. However, it contains nothing that one would conventionally describe as feminine.

Patchouli fragrances are difficult for me to wear; they often give me headaches. Maybe I should use it along with aspirin!

10/06/2010

9Scent 7.5Longevity

DeGe53
560 Reviews

Translated · Show original

DeGe53

Helpful Review 11

Lolle says cedar, I say cedar too

Guys, I don't know where you perceive the patchouli scent. Here the cedar is so green and prickly that it hurts the nose.
But not right from the start. The fragrance begins very slowly, with a bit of peatiness (yes, Apicius, I agree with you, mossy and reminiscent of a freshly rained forest. It's so primal, one hopes that a swarm of mosquitoes doesn't come buzzing around the next treetop. Amber seems to have been used just to prevent the gracious consumer from being directly scared off by the cedar tip.
Today was test day and a comment I received quite harmlessly while sitting at my table: it smells extremely like cleaning products here. D-A-N-K-E!!! My response smile was as wrong as that of the Cheshire cat.
Anyway, the scent develops throughout the day into a veeeery sharp, green-woody direction. Freshly cut cedar hanging right around the neck.
I also have to agree with Apicius regarding the development; there is hardly any. And I can relate well to the association of cold and smooth (spear tip!!). I wouldn't say it's pale; pale is dull or boring to me. Cold wasteland, it's dripping from the walls, winter is alarmingly close, the air damp and cold. Brrrr, you freeze right away, but that's how Explorer is in the end.
However, the scent seems to project more the longer you wear it. Strange brew, but for me quite wearable because it is so completely different and peculiar. And what seems like patchouli to some is probably the galbanum combined with amber and bergamot, which really has a very heavy presence here. The initial hit is tough stuff.
Anyone who is up for experiments should definitely test Explorer.

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