Invigorating Boadicea the Victorious 2010

As a stroke of luck for the year, the new brand Boadicea the Victorious emerges. Invigorating is also a very good fragrance.

With this fragrance pyramid featuring a citrus top, floral heart, and labdanum in the base, I suspected Chypre nuances, but the (oak)moss is missing. Invigorating starts with just a hint of lemon and then reveals a remarkably beautiful floral accord of geranium and jasmine. It has the potential to be placed at the center of a feminine-floral composition. However, a dark green accord quickly breaks in, which truly smells of fir and turns the scent into something more rugged. Soon, the base announces itself: labdanum is now discernible, and the bitterness is softened by the sweetness of amber. Flowers and bergamot take a back seat.

Fixatives that extend the volatile top and heart notes may not have been used. There is development, but it happens at lightning speed. Within a few minutes, the base is reached. Boadicea the Victorious seems to prefer the serene accord over the fragrance journey, based on everything I have experienced so far. The very short development of Invigorating leads to the same conclusion. For me, this is acceptable, as the base accord is once again very beautiful: a good balance between bitterness and sweetness, crafted with somewhat unusual notes (fir!), which remain within bounds and do not push the fragrance into the experimental.

Invigorating is a very decent perfume for the cooler days; you can warm up to it.