Bois Mystérieux 
Guerlain (2019)

Guerlains' Les Absolus d'Orient line was an excursion into the dense exoticism that came into vogue in recent years, reminiscent of the bombastic, stout fume grenades from lux middle-eastern brands. I've found that most from the line are devoid of nuance, almost suffocating in their walls of funk, however Bois Mysterieux, like Encens Mythique, were standouts, perhaps because they both originated from the discontinued Les Déserts d'Orient line, with Songe d'un Bois d'Ete being the template for Bois Mysterieux.

Yes, Bois Mysterieux is loud, but it's more resonant than say, the Santal Royal or Cuir Intense shrillness. It opens with full throttle indecency—compelling indecency, however, as this woody is a double entendre, just having returned from a long workout in an alternate dimension where cumin-scented deodorant would make sense. No cumin is listed here, but that's what I detect, along with the bay leaf that does happen to be mentioned. This burly big galoot tree-hugger likes to splash bay rum after he has perspired profusely in a cedar dry sauna, "yes, that will do just fine, mmhmm."

A rubbery, fungal (not jock itch, but pretty toadstools in the forest), XYZ your fly is undone dry down could be courtesy of the myrrh and leather engaged in amorous congress, making a stitch, as it were. As Bois Mysterieux is creating friction on the dirty cedar floorboards in the base, I can't help but to feel a bit vulnerable in much the same way as, surprisingly, the diametrically opposite Guerlain classic Jicky. It's an unlikely modern marvel in the Guerlain canon.

Myrh Leather Saffron

It has the same smell as Songe, but it is a bit different. It is less challenging, and a bit more massly pleasing in the base. Ultimately the breathy animalic nature is gone, but the medicine still remains. Myrh is kind of overdosed in the opening. The base smells a little cheap. I was wavering on up or neutral. I like the bottle, I like to wear it. It is just not my favorite in the line. And when you've smelled Songe this one kinda smells like an imposter. But it is much better than the average dreck, so I went thumbs up. Pricing, it should be $120 or less for the 4.2 oz bottle. Performance was pretty heavy. Longevity good.

The opening blast greets me with a smooth neroli that has been given a herbal flair by adding some laurel, and a very gentle touch of spice in form of a touch of saffron. On me this is a light saffron that is a bit anaemic.

The drydown is dominated by a patchouli that is a bit darker, initially quite smooth but gaining a crispness and little bit of sharpness that reminds me of an synthetic oak moss at times. This is underlined with a jasmine that is very clean and not at all powdery, and a woodsy sidekick. The wood is fairly nonspecific at first, and then has cedarwood characteristics.

The base still carries some of the patchouli, but a herbal and mildly spicy myrrh arises that, almost contemporaneously has a leather note attached to it.
The leather is dark, a bit tannic but without any smokiness and gasoline character.

I get moderate sillage, very good projection and nine hours of longevity on my skin.

A good autumnal scent that is quite average at stages, but quite well-composed at times, when the neroli, patchouli, wood and the slightly spicy herbs are aligned such as to create some nice and harmonious moments. The development of this creation contains original ideas, but some of the notes are a tad too generic at time. Overall a - just - good score.