The wine merchants Ginestet launched Le Boisé, a men’s fragrance meant to evoke the oak barrels used to age Bordeaux wines, in 2003. The notes are woods, spices, and vanilla.
Le Boisé starts with very strong, very spicy cedar and a faint suggestion of red wine. If you hate cedar (and many people seem to), the opening blast just might not agree with you. As it settles, the cedar calms (somewhat) and is joined by other wood notes, primarily oak and sandalwood, and it takes on a dry, smoky edge (perhaps a touch of frankincense?) that always reminds me of a fall bonfire. The spices are smooth and indistinct, and there is a subdued vanilla undertone that adds warmth but little or no sweetness…
