French Bouquet bdk Parfums 2019

The fragrance house bdk Parfums is a relatively young fragrance label and has, in its now 5 years of existence, a pleasantly concise fragrance portfolio.

The founder David Benedek, born in Paris in 1989, has always had a connection to the world of fragrance, as his grandparents, who immigrated from Transylvania to France in the 1950s, were among the first to sell fragrances from Dior or Worth in Paris, initially aimed at tourists.
In the 1960s, they opened their first own boutique for perfumes and exclusive cosmetic products. The expertise has always been passed down within the family.
After studying economics and management, David Benedek moved to the Institut Français de la Mode to acquire further knowledge in cosmetics and perfumery and to pursue his passion for fragrances more thoroughly.
From this, it was only natural that he would create his own company. One that strikes me as very likable.
I find the company's website very pleasant, as it focuses on the essentials and does not try to charm consumers with convoluted advertising promises and other dubious statements.

In collaboration with various perfumers, different fragrances have emerged over time that aim to cater to different tastes.
From floral-fresh to fruity to oriental nuances, everything is represented.
Rouge Smoking and Gris Charnel have stayed in my good memory, even Crème de Cuir, as a leather fragrance (which I usually tend to reject), left a good impression.

Now, another fragrance is added, French Bouquet, to which I would like to write a few lines.

The name French Bouquet is not chosen by chance. On the one hand, it refers to its origin, and on the other hand, with French Bouquet, one wants to lean towards classic French luxury perfumery.
Already during the first test, I noticed a note that clearly reminds me of one of the most famous fragrances ever. Right in the top note, a large wave of aldehydes can be detected. This unmistakable scent of soap, a hint of a freshly blown-out candle, and a distinct wax note.
The fragrance component with the rather unremarkable name Dodecanal is responsible for giving Chanel N°5 its unmistakable character.
I would claim that an homage to this perennial favorite was intended here.
Now, French Bouquet is by no means a fragrance twin of Chanel N°5; it follows its own path. But I cannot deny a certain kinship.
In addition to the waxy note, there is also a slightly greasy impression. These greasy notes often disturb me because they usually come across as rather unclean or even dirty. I have noticed this in several fragrances that contain a lot of musk in the base.
Here, it is different; the slightly greasy impression appears at the beginning and emphasizes the waxy aspect without being unpleasant at all.

It continues with floral notes, white flowers and rose, with none of the flowers pushing themselves too dominantly, as they are quite closely intertwined. At most, jasmine stands out here and there a little. However, the friendly variant of jasmine has been chosen.
Later on, some wood, patchouli, a bit of tobacco, and a slightly resinous undertone become noticeable. This gives the fragrance a bit of additional depth.
From then on, it is clearly noticeable that French Bouquet and N°5 separate significantly, as French Bouquet is much spicier in the base and leaves a warmer impression. N°5 always seems cooler to me and less spicy.
A slight sweetness runs through the fragrance without ever being intrusive.

The fragrance has very good longevity and presence; 8-9 hours are easily achievable, and at the beginning, it is also very noticeable. After about 2 hours, the fragrance then retreats but is still easily detectable close to the skin.
There may be some discussion regarding its classification as a unisex fragrance, as many would probably categorize it in the women's section. However, I prefer to disregard such categorizations.
You should wear what you like best and what makes you feel comfortable.

French Bouquet has a nostalgic touch for me; the consciously classic-timeless orientation and the reference to a fragrance classic that has been on the market for 100 years this year further emphasize this nostalgia.
Since modern raw materials are used here, there is a certain synthetic touch hovering over the fragrance, but as I consider the synthetic elements to be well-crafted, I cannot complain here.

One last word about availability:
French Bouquet was apparently originally and exclusively created for Harrods, like Tabac Rose, but now seems to be regularly orderable, although it was not available during my last look at the website.

My conclusion:

French Bouquet is a successful fragrance, whose direction, floral-spicy with many aldehydes, is certainly not everybody's darling.
It will not make it into my collection, but it leaves a very good impression, and I wish the brand bdk-Parfums continued success.