603 Cuir Encens Fève Tonka Bon Parfumeur 2020

I really think violet leaf should have made it into the name of this fragrance instead of the incense. I get the same violet leaf/leather combo as in Fahrenheit Parfum plus a kind of odd soapiness which I guess is the tonka bean. There is a hint of incense but I only get it when pressing my nose up to where I sprayed. A nice take on the masculine violet genre but I much prefer Fahrenheit Parfum to 603. They are around the same price and I think the Dior is a better composition, not to mention much better longevity.

I like the way Bon Parfumeur thinks. Use three dominant notes and use other notes to add color to these dominant notes. Bon Parfumeur 603 is an aromatic incense fragrance with mild leather notes. The perfumer behind this perfume is Mylène Alran, who is not familiar to me other than 603. You can see her discuss this perfume on YouTube. This perfume has recently been rebranded as Cuir Sahib according to their website with some small differences in the minor notes. But I don’t believe that the perfume itself has changed. This review is about the 603 Leather, Incense & Tonka that I bought in June 2024, originally written for a sample from them, but later upated when I got a full bottle.
A few years ago, the notes listed on Bon Parfumeur website for 603 were lemon, nutmeg, violet leaf, frankincense, cypress, clary sage, leather, tonka bean and cashmeran. Bon Parfumeur 603 opens with violet leaf, leather and frankincense notes, though the manufacturer lists the leather much lower on the olfactory pyramid. According to Mylène Alran in her YouTube interview, the objective was to magnify the frankincense accord using notes that embellish its character. My nose couldn’t detect many of the top notes (lemon and nutmeg) listed on their website and discussed by Alran. Perhaps a better nose than mine can detect them. This is not a detriment because the leather and frankincense can hold the fort on their own. It is quite possible that nutmeg and cypress are hidden under the incense and leather. Within an hour, tonka become a bit more apparent, though it is listed as a base note. The overall effect is very lovely for the first few hours. The notes mentioned in the name - leather, frankincense and tonka - are clearly the pillars that hold Bon Parfumeur 603 up. Keep in mind that the leather note is mild, so 603 does not resemble Fahrenheit from Dior. Just for the sake of completeness, new notes added in 2025 to the olfactory profile on the website are labdanum, cypriol and patchouli. Someone else could comment if these exist in detectable quantities in the Cuir Sahib.

The performance of Bon Parfumeur 603 in fine, but its longevity does not match what the notes would suggest. It disappears from my skin almost completely in 6 hours, leaving only a vaguely pleasant dry down. But it stays longer on clothes. 603 would have been a classic if the dominant notes stayed alive for a few more hours. This is the best perfume among the many Bon Parfumeur samples I have tested so far.

In summary, Bon Parfumeur 603 is a good frankincense and leather perfume, though it is a rather monotonous throughout its life. Despite the longevity issue, I would buy it if I can get a 100 ml/3.4 oz bottle for under $100. It is good value at that price, especially if you want a perfume that is primarily frankincense. Unfortunately, it is currently listed at $220, though you may be able to snag one for under $75 from the grey market sellers.

It had been sitting here for a long time, this sample from Yatagan's Christmas letter.
I just didn't quite dare to test this scent: leather, incense, and tonka bean - just the fragrance notes in the name made me put the mini spray back time and again.
Why I finally did it this morning, only the gods probably know:
It was wise to follow them, because today is the right day: the day to embark on a journey into a fragrant world full of balsamic shadows and beauty with "603 Cuir Encens Fève Tonka".

I encounter a dark, very deep scent that reminds me of a walk in the twilight between ancient, venerable walls. Nature is very close and is already in the process of reclaiming this area; piece by piece, quietly and almost imperceptibly.
A spicy yet delicately fresh opening, with the incense adding a certain mystery, allows one to pause for a moment and listen to the fine sound of the fragrance, floating in the fragrant space of cypress and sage.
The shadows of the cypress seem to protect like lined-up spears; this combination with incense and purifying sage has something slightly sacred about it.
A fine vibration lingers in the air, an almost imperceptible scent magic makes it hum and sing softly. A serenade of nature radiating comfort.
Warm leather and a skillfully dosed tonka bean nuance give this scent moment a sweet animalic touch, which, however, remains pleasantly unobtrusive and fits well into the existing fragrance profile.
Woody and sensual, radiating a deep balsamic spiciness, this scent closes harmoniously.
It remains mysterious and protective, spreading pleasantly unobtrusively yet present on the skin for several hours, before it quietly dissipates, leaving behind a fine scent trail of incense, soaked with much spice and magical depth.

"603 Cuir Encens Fève Tonka" is a surprisingly quiet scent that gently scratches at the senses, as if it wants to awaken them and simultaneously invite them to perceive what is within us and what surrounds us.
Resins and woods, herbs and spices have been brought together here (probably in a cauldron) by the renowned sorceress Mylène Alran into an unexpectedly bold and intense fragrance.

How could I have doubted Yatagan?
He knows what I like and what he can challenge me with.
With this sample of "603 Cuir Encens Fève Tonka," he has given me a gift that will offer me a fragrant refuge from all the distractions that are once again sweeping through the days.
A balsamic protective shell of scent: thank you, dear friend!

... that is and remains my impression of this perfume.

In my early youth, I had a friend whose family came from the Orient. The apartment always smelled strongly of wonderful spices, and her 2 incredibly handsome brothers always smelled so wonderful. I especially loved her perfume, but I never dared to ask what they wore. (Because I was shy and maybe a little bit infatuated^^). They smelled so aromatic with a deep but unobtrusive sweetness that always captivated me. This scent was simply magical to me! And lo and behold! I bought a fragrance blind that strongly reminds me of that time. Fun fact. They lived on the edge of a beautiful forest from which a lovely breeze came. Sounds like a fairy tale :D When I think back, it was a bit like that.

What I also really like about this scent is that it starts off strong but then stays close to the body over time. It's a real cuddle scent :) And the frankincense that I can smell well fits wonderfully in, which probably makes it oriental-spicy for me. I wear it quite often just to feel good, especially during the lonely lockdown period. I hope I could help a few people with this description.

By the way, I am very surprised that this scent has no comments yet, and I am still a bit proud to be the first one ;P

Stay warm and be kind to each other :)

The first time I sprayed it, I smelled Fahrenheit, and the second time Alaia (which I also wore for a long time).
For me, the nutmeg stands out prominently at first, with a bit of violet leaf, and very quickly this incense note joins in. But not resinous or predominantly masculine, rather very gentle.
In between, it takes on something very clean on my skin, probably from this cypress-sage combo. Only to then become softer, with a hint of suede.
603 Cuir Encens Féve Tonka fits perfectly with its subtle elegance into a business suit and is thus also perfect for the office.