Bogue Gardelia

bogue gardeliaBogue Gardelia is one of those perfume unicorns. Since I first heard its name floating out there last year as a limited edition and read on Kafkaesque the following small part of her extensive review –   “An opulent, baroque, and complex symphony of notes that deluge the senses, evoking the very best of the vintage chypre style, and so much more as well. Animalic, lush, tropical, floral, vegetal, mossy, resinous, furry, musky, and indolic elements shine in pitch-perfect balance within a prismatic kaleidoscope that clearly nods to Gardoni’s famous MAAI, but also to vintage Mitsouko parfum, albeit a Mitsouko that is given a tuberose and gardenia twist. It’s like stumbling upon an unexpected nook of hot-house flowers growing deep within the recesses of a mossy, dark forest, unfolding like a furry and autumnal twist on the Rite of Spring.”

Yeah, exactly!  Bogue Gardelia was created by Antonio Gardoni in 2016 for Profumeria Sacro Cuore in Bologna as a limited edition of 50 bottles.  Made as a celebration of the store’s 50th anniversary as well as Giovanni and Lia Padovan (owners of the store) 50th anniversary.  Three types of gardenia are in it and make up 6% of this extrait.

If you love big, retro perfumes and especially ones centered around gardenia, you will be super sad to read the first paragraph about the limited edition’ness of this.  But rejoice, it really takes like a drop or less to maximum perfume projection.

I had a hard time figuring out the convection points of this.  I definitely get a huge vintage Mitsouko parfum vibe, but then there is this funkiness that was familiar.  When I went to the Basenotes gathering in Denver, someone mentioned JAR Bolt of Lightning. That’s it!  Vintage Mitsouko parfum and JAR Bolt of Lightning collided with each other as they rounded the corner at Bergdorf’s, and you can’t tell where one starts and the other begins.  It is a joyous salute to everything about big, retro perfumes.  There’s a great civety base, but it’s not overtly animalic, just a nice subtle funk.

My big wish is Bogue would do this in an EDP, but I have a feeling the materials used that make it so pricey would change the character of the perfume completely if they tried that. So I’m just settling in for a while and luxuriating in a feeling of being taken back to a time when you could get you vintage Mitsouko parfum at the counter fresh and in a vat and then having the 21st Century splash down with the weirdly wonderful Bolt of Lightning. It’s amazing. Go and read Kafkaesque’s entire post for a better blow by blow detail of how it develops. Oh, and it last like a year or something.  Once it goes on, it stays on until I shower.

Winner of the Art & Olfaction Award Finalist sample set of what I can round up  – Rachel W. Just click on Drop Us a Note at the top, send me an e-mail, remind me of what you won and get me your mailing address. I’ll send you a quick e-mail to let you know I got your e-mail and it didn’t land in a spam filter and then get it on the way to you.

Today’s drawing is a two-parter.  First, when I left the Basenotes gathering last weekend, they had a box full of samples that they had brought to swap, etc., and these were ones that were left. It’s a lot.  They told me to take them and dispose of them to someone(s), so I’m going to do a drawing here for them! I’ll break the box up into two sets. Drop a comment to be entered.  I’ll include in the grabbox a small sample of Bogue Gardelia too!  I’ll also draw two more names from commenters to win just a smidge of Bogue Gardelia. So when you comment, mention if you are entering for both or just one and which one.  So big, bad Bogue Gardelia, your kind of perfume or no?

  • Hema says:

    Oh wow, Gardelia sound like is has loads of personality, I don’t know if I’d be able to wear it. More likely it would wear me! Thanks for a fun review, now I’m off to hunt for Bolt of Lightning since I’ve yet to smell it!

  • Paige W says:

    Wow, Gardelia sounds like quite a ride! The Basenotes samples are all kinds of intriguing – I’d love to be entered in that draw. On another note, I’ve just received a set of Serge Lutens samples that I ordered based on your Perfume Ed posts! So far I’ve worn Un Bois Vanille and Clair de Musc and have fallen in love with the latter! I’m itching to try the precious vials of Ambre Sultan, Chergui, and De Profundis that are sitting on my dresser. 🙂 Thank you for the amazing resource that this website is!

  • I’m interested in both the samples and the Gardelia, so please enter me for both. The limited-edition-ness makes me sad because it almost certainly means I’d never be able to afford it, but it sounds amazing.

  • HeidiC says:

    That would definitely be my jam! I’d love to be in the drawing for both! Vintage Mitsouko is my favorite scent, though I’m also a huge fan of MAAI and my teency sample of Diaghilev.

  • Koyel says:

    I’d love to try Bogue Gardelia, thanks! And I bet I’d enjoy other samples too, so please enter me for both 🙂 It sounds fabulous, and like something my boyfriend would loathe.

  • Lisa D says:

    I don’t love vintage Mitsouko (I know – gasp all you want), so I’m in it for the samples!

  • Lemoncake says:

    The Bogue Gardelia sound beautiful…would love the chance to try it since vintage Mitsouko is a favorite Thanks for the draw!

  • pats133 says:

    I would love to try some of the leftover samples if i happened to be lucky. thanks.

  • Tatiana says:

    OMG! Vintage Mitsy crossed with JAR Bolt? Sounds amazing! Makes me with I was back in Paris, or had at least decided to splurge on a bit from JAR when I was there.
    Interested in the sample of Bogue Gardelia.

  • Rosemary says:

    Sounds fabulous, I’ll take both entries, and thanks for the draw!

  • Kim B says:

    Gardelia entry only please. Totally a big bad perfume person, all the way back to the beginning with Lancome Magic Noire and Paloma Picasso in their original forms in high school and college. Branched out thanks to the Perfume Posse – never used to like gardenia and tuberose but now can’t get enough of it!

  • eliz88510 says:

    I would love to finally smell Gardelia. I’ve been aching to ever since I read the Kafka review! Please enter me in both giveaways. Thanks!

  • Humm..this sounds amazing…ty for the opportunity.

  • Jerome says:

    I’ve worn Bolt of Lightning and Mitsouko! I enjoyed both, but did not re-purchase them.
    Now, I’m crazy to try Bogue Gradelia! It sounds like I wrote a prescription, that this scent would fill.

  • Jeanne says:

    It must be me in my older age, but I can’t seem to find a scent that lasts, except Chanel. I would love to try this ” one drop” gardenia. Thank you.

  • Sarah says:

    Patty, what an image “Vintage Mitsouko parfum and JAR Bolt of Lightning collided with each other as they rounded the corner at Bergdorf’s”. It sticks in my mind although my Mitsouko is regular old dept. store bottle and I know nothing of JAR. Smiling ear to ear here. Thanks.

  • RoseMacaroon says:

    Enter me for both draws, pretty please! I’m so new to this, still constantly finding new loves!!
    Thank you!!! The Bogue Gardelia sounds like beauty itself.
    XO

  • Nicole says:

    Bogue Gardelia sounds beautiful. I’d love to be entered for both. Thanks you!

  • Kandice says:

    I love Gardenia scents so I would love to at least smell this. Please enter me in both drawings. I haven’t bought anything new in awhile so samples are always welcome as well. Thanks for the review and opportunity.

  • FoxRedLab says:

    I would love to be entered for both, but I was just reading about Bogue Gardelia yesterday trying to discover more about his upcoming release, MEM. What a coincidence!

  • Michelle C says:

    Mitsouko & JAR bolt of lightning? Oh my! I would love to get my nose on this one. Please enter me in both drawings. Thank you so much!!

  • shiva-woman says:

    Thank you for the drawing! I love Fracas and a few other big white florals, and Mitsouko, both older iteration and new have a place of honor on the perfume altar. Gardelia sounds amazing. Please enter me for one and all.

  • BostonScentGuy says:

    Gardelia sounds wonderful! I love everything invoked in this interview–vintage Mitsouko, white flowers, animalics, old-time chypres…and Bolt of Lightning! Thanks for the draw! I’d be happy to be entered for any of these prizes.

  • Love those big, bad vintage-esque scents that growl rather than purr! Yup, bring it on! Thanks! Sounds amazing! -Robert H.

  • ScentSpirit says:

    I would love to win Gardelia and/or any part of the collection of samples.

  • Eldarwen22 says:

    I usually give anything a go. Except Secretions Magnafique.

  • Neva says:

    Every perfume with an old chypre vibe is appealing to me and only last year I discovered gardenia as a note. It would be wonderful to give Gardelia a try. Thanks so much for the opportunity.

  • nicevulady says:

    Gardelia would be just my heaven. I’d like to be entered for both. There are some beautiful fragrances out there, but there is also a lot of mediocrity. Thanks for the draw.

  • Rachel W says:

    I just won a sample set from you guys, so I won’t be greedy and ask for the Bogue. But I’m intrigued and might be ordering a decant from STC in the near future…

  • Kate E. says:

    Hi, I’d love to be entered for one of the Basenotes leftover boxes. I wish there were more fragrances like Bogue Gardelia being made instead of the deluge of fruitchoulis and flankers of flankers being cranked out right now. Maybe we’ll circle back around some day. Thanks for the draw!!

  • otamom says:

    I would love to be entered for the grab box of samples, thank you so much! I am ready for a little gardenia in my life, too! 🙂

  • Anna Egeria P. says:

    Bogue Gardelia sounds like it was created for me! I’d love to win a sample or any of the Basenotes samples. Thank you so much for this drawing!

  • Maya says:

    I’m in for both, especially Bogue Gardelia! One of the best parts of loving perfumes is discovering a new and wonderful one.

  • MMKinPA says:

    One drop to last all day… sounds fabulous. And huge! Enter me in both draws, thanks!!!

  • Claudia S says:

    Hi Patty, sounds intriguing-enter me for both, if you please. Thanks!

  • Kathleen Smith says:

    Hi!
    Bogue Gardelia sounds like a fragrance I would love; vintage big floral with Civet base and gardenia! Heaven! I would love to enter the drawing for this!

  • Taxi says:

    Mitsouko + gardenia sounds like magic! Probably smells magical too. Your Basenotes samples are enticing as well, so I’d like to try for both draws.
    Many thanks.

  • Queen Cupcake says:

    Hi Patty, I would love to win just a smidge of Bogue Gardelia…or a little smattering of samples, either way. Best to you on this fine Spring day.

  • Oh Gardelia sounds like my kind of heaven. Gardenia is my favorite white flower; I always love trying to pick it out when it’s a listed note. I’m entering for both drawings, please and thank you!