Bullion
Byredo (2012)

Bullion goes on with a burst of moderately sweet fruity floral osmanthus enhanced plum supported by black pepper before gradually transitioning to its heart. As the composition enters its early heart the plum fades into the background with the osmanthus remaining to leave traces of the fruit still detectable in subtle support to the black pepper that takes on a co-starring role, adding a waxy sheen to natural smelling dark woods rising from the base. During the late dry-down the composition gradually sheds its black peppery facet as it turns somewhat musky sans all but just the hint of any animalic heaviness, with remnants of the dark woods remaining, now in support. Projection is good and longevity excellent at well over 12 hours on skin.

Bullion is a perfume that on its surface is pretty simplistic with its peppery, almost incense-like woody focus. The osmanthus floral element is quite intriguing though, as in the heart section of the perfume's development it allows the plum from the open to remain to a degree, even though now it really is the floral primarily driving its detection. The woods used are quite pleasant and natural smelling but difficult for this writer to make any real distinction as the which ones are used. There is a waxy, almost iris aspect added to the peppery woods in the heart that to a modest degree reminds me of Declaration by Cartier, without the cumin. The late dry-down is a rather mundane, safe affair with the perfume never really taking major risks with its sanitized musky woody finish. There is no doubt Bullion is well put-together, but I never quite feel it distinguishes itself from a relatively crowded space of perfumes with similar fragrance profiles. The bottom line is the apparently discontinued $175 per 100ml EdP bottle at liquidators Bullion implies wealth and opulence, but delivers the more commonplace earning it a "good" 3 stars out of 5 rating but a neutral recommendation to most except peppery woods collection completionists.

The opening blast captures the aroma of the fruity fresh plum well - no doubt about it, although it is so clean that it seems nigh-detached from the real fruit. It is combined with a subtle pepper that is only very gently spicy on me, but it has the result of contacting the fruitiness, curbing its sweetness - this is never a really sweet composition - as well and providing a good balance in the top notes overall. This is well made.

The drydown begins with a period of somewhat nonspecific while floral contributions, but the base is where the plot thickens: a leather note arises, the light, bright but distinctly leathery note of new Italian Napa leather of purses I recall. It is not a strong, harsh or heavy leather. With it comes a pleasant wood impression, quite rich and smooth - with a touch of sandal in the background only. Towards the end the combination of the leather and the wood works very well, leading to a slightly creamy merger of the two.

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

The top notes of this autumnal scent for warmer days and evenings are rather nice - a good plum - as are the base notes, whilst the floral middle phase is quite generic and flat. Nonetheless, overall this one, in spite of some synthetic impersonality, deserves a positive score. 3/5.

Byredo Bullion is an odd one, no doubt. It involves the intersection of several different genres but doesn't seem to take on one in particular. It's fruity with plum, floral with magnolia and osmanthus, and woody with sandalwood, not to mention the leather.

To my nose, the plum stands out the most, as it's fruity first, and the rest of the other attributes are featured in relative harmony with one another.

Performance is decent, wearability is year-round and versatile, though I don't regard it in very serious terms, and it's surely quite unisex. I just find myself mostly puzzled by it and while slightly drawn to it, not inclined remotely to buy it.

7 out of 10

A case where the sum feels a lot less than its component parts. A plummy-saffrony-woody-floral oriental if I were pushed into classifying it. But if I'm brutally honest, it actually smells flat, the notes melding into one big synthetic linear accord. No significant leather to be found either, texturally or otherwise. Perhaps it's been reformulated?

To its credit BULLION projects very well, smelling attractively like a veiled sultry courtesan from a sheikh's harem. Such a conjured imagery alone is enough to give me *cough* I mean, give this fragrance a rise and that, my friends, is no bull. I'd certainly raise an eyebrow and perhaps flare a nostril too were I to smell this on a straight guy.

I thought I picked up the wrong tester -- smelled like Pulp, but then the plum note shone through and I was hooked. Morphs into a very sweet leather which has tremendous potency and lasts for aeons. I wish it was a touch more subtle but is a standout fragrance.

This is a wonderfully blended leather and the leather stands out.

For the price, however, I would compare with PG Cuir d'Iris, which smells similar to my nose.