Bois des Îles (1926)
by Chanel

Very lush blend of sandalwood and floral notes brightened by aldehydes, fruit notes, and citrus, and then richly anchored in woody resiny musk. Vetiver and benzoin contribute some of that richness. There seems to be a bit of amber, too, but that isn't in the original pyramid, and may be a modification of the recent reissue in the EdT strength Exclusifs de Chanel series. This can certainly be worn by a man, especially as a special-occasion evening scent. The florals and fruit notes are very well balanced by the woods and the darker resin and musk notes. Ernest Beaux was a genius, and his work is timeless.

at the very first meeting it is heavy but after sometime and after wearing a few times it is somehow very tempting. Jasmin vanilla almonds and tonka all make an old rich powdery complex that gives you confidence.

Bois des Iles EDC and Parfum Comparison

Left Arm: Chanel Bois des Iles Parfum
Right Arm: Chanel Bois des Iles EDT

I applied a good sized dab of the parfum, and two very wet sprays of the EDT in an effort to equalize the two somewhat. What I noticed immediately is that the EDT had much more prominent aldehydes in the top notes. The aldehydes also are in the parfum, but are either much less in concentration, or are eclipsed by the strength of the rest of the composition. In the EDT, the aldehydes are very similar to No.5, if not the same. I think I remember reading somewhere that somebody thought BdI EDT was like a combination of No.5 and Coco. I think I can understand this comparison--the No.5 aspect is form the aldehydes, and the Coco aspect is from the spicy undertones, barely perceptible at this stage. In comparison, the spices and woods are immediately present in the parfum, and the small amount of aldehydes gives it a touch of brightness.

I think I really doused myself on both arms. Either that, or the development is slow to unfold. It took quite a while for the aldehydes to burn off (about an hour). In the process, the EDT really blossomed. I smell very ripe peach, brandy, dark rose, clove, vanilla. When I don't try to discern the separate notes, I get the "gingerbread" effect that people talk about. To me it seems more like a rum spice cake, but I suppose that is what gingerbread is, in a way. The EDT is not as woody as the parfum, and it has a bit of that sourness that I noticed in 31 Rue Cambon. Some sweet powder is also starting to come out.

The parfum is almost knocking me out, and so I think future wearings may demand a smaller dab, lol. I actually can still smell some of the aldehydes after 1 hour. But, I also smell a luscious sandalwood, vanilla, clove, dark rose, and only the tiniest hint of brandy and fruit. It does not have the same kind of "fermented" smell that the EDT has, and it is not as sweet at this stage. I don't get the gingerbread association as much, either.

I would classify the parfum as a sultry chypre in the same vein as Shiseido Feminite du Bois. I suppose I would also classify the EDT in the chypre family--only it reminds me more of Dior Dolce Vita, which has family similarities to FdB, but is much lighter in every respect. I definitely also see the resemblance to Coco, now that both the EDT and parfum have dried a bit.

Now, about an hour and a half after application--the EDT is fading. It is wearing longevity-wise as 31 Rue Cambon does. And to be honest, the drydown also smells quite a bit like 31RC, only it is much less sour (a big plus for me). The parfum is still going strong, but is opening a bit more, and the dark floral aspect is more apparent. Still no gingerbread with the parfum, but it has a way to go. I think, though, the sandalwood and vanilla will play a larger part from start to finish in the parfum. In contrast, the EDT dries to fruit, floral and powder, with only a hint of wood.

I wonder which one Luca Turin reviewed in The Guide? I give the parfum 5 stars, but I am not sure I would give the same rating for the EDT. The EDT is almost a completely different fragrance from top to bottom--the aldehydes are challenging, and I am not sure they really "fit" the composition. I really love the soft drydown of the EDT, though....

Perfume transcends the intangible mystery of time. And just like the presence of the mysterious time traveler, it enters our life suddenly and disappears without warning. Perhaps this was why when I saw her I smelled a phantom breath of Bois des Îles: a perfume that silently entered my consciousness and whose beauty I was unable to appreciate years ago because of its antiquated aldehydic moments and the vagueness of its intentions.

Years later, my reflections on Bois des Îles have been refined and clarity is starting to bring me more pleasure from this jus treasured within the crystal cut flacon. Without taking away from its mystery I can enjoy it and indulge in discerning the notes as they lazily dance on my skin. First come bergamot and aldehydes, which take some time to fade away. They are oily and bring to mind the somewhat uric aspect of sandalwood, and the somewhat sharp (at first) nuances of heady ylang ylang. As the aldehydic cloud settles, Bois des Îles becomes deliciously warm, with the spiciness of dry ginger and nutmeg. Sandalwood embraces the perfume throughout its evolution. Although there are floral notes in the heart (namely jasmine and rose), ylang ylang is the only one that truly stands out. The others are blended to complement the sandalwood and ylang ylang (smoothing and rounding its sharpness) and bridge from top to base and the crisp-woody notes of vetiver. And in the final movement choreographed on my skin, the sweetness of vanilla absolute, tonka and benzoin feels like a silky caress of soft lips and warm sand.

One of Chanel's best fragrances ever. Deserves much more publicity than the (non-existent) promotion it currently receives. Every bit as fascinating as the No. 5 that clogs the Chanel counters in all department stores worldwide. More subtle, more flavorful, deeper, more attractive--and more flattering to wear, too.
I smelled the gingerbread right away. Sure, Bois des Iles is about woods and florals, but the effect, in its entirety is warm, spicy-sweet, like a faint breeze carring the scent gingerbread from the oven on a cold day. This is better than the sandalwood-gingerbread of Bulgari Omnia because it does without with the annoying black pepper topnote. Bois des Iles is superb sandalwood, a love-at-first-sniff experience for me. I cannot speak more highly about it.

This is a very beautiful, complex fragrance; very elegant, classy, and sophisticated; discreet and delicious: one of those fragrances that -- as others have described -- is hard to pick out any one note all are so beautifully blended. If you like woody florals w/ a little spice and if you love sandlewood, you have to try a sample of this at least (I think I got mine at luckyscents.com or try perfumedcourt.com they might also carry it. The absolute only problem is that it doesn't seem to last on me; although today, it did I can even smell it now -- maybe it's the subtley that grows on me ... it's a toss up for me now between BDI and Sacre Bleu (which to me is VERY long lasting; somewhat sweeter; stronger in general). Confused at this point!