Quir
Boujee Bougies (2023)

A deconstructed ode to leather-clad dalliances, perfumer Pia Long summoned the ghosts of Folsom past in Quir. She harnesses (pun intended) the unbridled raw-dog feel of leather that few perfumers dare illustrate, complete with a big, fat....cigar. For those who may be concerned, the top is, however, not too aggressive.

It's castoreum forward, take note. For me, the more beaver-butt-pod, the better, honestly. I've been known to huff castoreum tincture like it was poppers, honestly. But this is by no means rough-hewn: Long does not fall trap the full IBQ trope in an attempt to birth the second coming of Bandit. The quinolines do quinoline, but there's more to this than meets the nose.

There is a tender rosy outline, a creamy caress that saves Quir from being a balls-to-the-wall BDSM caricature. There's affection involved in the carnal aftermath, an afterglow, a nuzzle, a snuggle. This is not beast mode, but may very well bring the beast mode out of the wearer and someone close who is seduced by it—and that's really what a good perfume should do, right?