Bois Corsé Diptyque 2024

I’m still a bit confused on Diptyque’s Les Essences de Diptyques line. For a brand that has decent prestige, and is know for having some quite stellar creations, their ‘exclusive’ fragrance line is not feeling very exclusive, but rather a bit bland. Bois Corsé is not an exception to this, and I still found it an odd, and not entirely pleasant fragrance. The opening is very astringent, with a dry and powdery side as well. There is a very prominent woody note with a turpentine feel to it that seems to dominate the opening. To add, there’s also an underlying sweetness from the tonka , which is making the entire thing clash. This opening actually lasts for a fair amount of time, but the dry down is a somewhat better experience. The dry down consists mainly of powdery tonka, and the same woods from the opening, but they’re now toned down and easier on the nose. Despite it being more enjoyable I still found it to be awfully bland. It never really goes anywhere deeper than just vague sweetness, which is disappointing. I am truly having a hard time imagining this fragrance being the ‘essence’ of anything other than perhaps a furniture polish of sorts, or maybe some kind of unpleasant cocktail with lots of bitters?

I can’t fault Diptyque for much here though. From what I’m gathering this line as a whole seems to be aimed more at an abstract concept where they are attempting to capture the scents of things that don’t really have a scent. This is especially the case with Corail Oscuro, and the newly released Lauzulio, both of which seem like they wouldn’t strike as much of a nerve. Looking at it from a more artistic point of view, I can definitely appreciate the work, but at this price point I can think of better options that are more enjoyable and exciting to wear.