B
Boucheron (2008)

Oh well, the high cost was short lived for B. I had been looking to try this, and it is available now all over online stores, a 3.3 ounce bottle for as low as 45 bucks. That's great if you like it. But sadly, such a drop in price, so short after release had me wondering. Well, I got to give B a try. It is nice, it is long lasting, but it is nothing wonderful. Even with they hype of "the over 20 natural ingredients..." it still fell a bit short of my expectations. Even the original Boucheron as well as Jaipour now fetch a higher price tag than B does in most perfume online stores. The bottle is wonderful. Such a great feeling in my hand. Such luxury. Such taste. But such "plain" is what sprays out. Yes, it is a great powerhouse scent, great if you are one tough as nails corporate female exec....but don't expect men to be swooning at your feet. Even my husband's reply was, "Oh, yeah, you smell nice." What I was looking for was not corporate. I was looking for "nibble on your neck" kind of scent.

Initial burst of osmanthus and pink peppercorn is fresh and pleasant. I smell vanilla in the sandalwood dry down which comes fairly quickly. The lasting power of the fragrance is moderate. Overall this is pleasant but slightly uninspiring.

You know when you do a swap with someone, they (and you) will throw in some random extras, and perhaps if you don't know the person you'll include carded samples you just received from the mall but don't necessarily want (or have doubles of)? Well a carded sample of "B" arrived in a recent trade, and I tossed it on my desk in the 'to try' pile, where it sat for .... well, for a while before I just sprayed it on to say "I tried it, now I can file it."Well I'll be damned if I didn't sniff my arm some time later and say "hey! this ain't bad at all!". I've seen sampled it many times and I'm very impressed.B isn't your typical designer (high end designer?) modern feminine. The primary accord is rose and apricot on a background of osmanthus and musk. It is neither sweet or too dry, and the apricot really adds the twang that sets B apart. There isn't a tremendous amount of movement with this one, the apricot become distinct and some light woodiness and sandalwood emerge. The composition remains lightly musky with a white floral support that stays throughout. Overall I find the quality to be very high and far above that of typical designers. There is nothing obviously synthetic, flimsy, or cheap about B at all.I've read this release, still somewhat new, is pricey ($150), and it's nothing I'll be investing in soon. Maybe a few years from in the future when it's hit the discounters, maybe not. B is something that would work on a woman of any age and I think I'd find it quite attractive on a lady.Goes to show you don't ever know - watch each card you play, and play it slow.

Ech. Dry pepper and some sour, woody, fruity substances that are supposed to be osmanthus and sandalwood. Doesn't work together. Nothing smells attractive.