French Lover Frederic Malle for men

I managed to acquire samples of both Frédéric Malle BOIS D'ORAGE and FRENCH LOVER and had no idea that they were the same. I started with the decanted sample of BOIS D'ORAGE, with no knowledge of notes, perfumer, intended gender, etc., and my initial impression was that this was similar in some ways to ANGELIQUE SOUS LA PLUIE--only better. It must have been the angelica-cedar-pepper connection...

Next, upon learning that BOIS D'ORAGE really is FRENCH LOVER, I took a gander at my manufacturer's card and discovered that, lo and behold, this composition was created by beloved Pierre Bourdon! According to the marketing text, this perfume is intended for men with a sense of humor. Hmmm... it doesn't smell funny to me. Oh well, it smells great! A very nice blend of angelica, galbanum, pepper, incense, cedar, and what not, FRENCH LOVER is now my friend.

This angelica composition has much better longevity on my skin and also more depth and complexity to my nose than does the J.C. Ellena FM angelica offering. BOIS D'ORAGE/FRENCH LOVER seems entirely unisex to me.

Strong STRONG Green Foliage, that's the Galbanum & Angelica. Dry earthy, soil, like a the Dryest Patchouli.... Minty? Merciless Vetiver Root. Very complex and layered, and dries down gently, gradually. Revealing a clear Woody Cedar, like Finely chiseled furniture. Spices turn faintly oily, like Caraway, Fennel.... Mossy mossy moss. Harsh at first, i must say... Very Euro, sophisticated, unmistakably Masculine. This has character. I'm a fan of Pierre Bourdon, he sure knows how to "layer" things. The most solid "guy smells" created. Gets better with time and really grows on you. The Cedar is very clear.. i can almost see the Red sappy sheets of wood. Very VERY Astringent opening, but sweetens gradually...
This makes Aqua di Gio smell like a girly sugary FlowerBomb by comparison. Yeah, this smells like a man yo!
Oddly enough, i really think one's skin chemistry and body smells are MEANT to contribute to it. This blends so well... lingers for a long time... in waves. I catch a whiff of a sweet spice rack... Sage, Fennel, Cumin... oh that's just me... and ah love eeeet!
I actually do like the original French Lover name. But in the US people tend to think of inspector Clousseau & Pepe Le Pew.

ficusmuskus, the original name is French Lover, but for some obscure reasons they sell it as Bois D'Orage in USA only (Barneys for instance) :)

You can read this on the boxes:

FRENCH LOVER is a modern, although timeless scent designed for smart men with a sense of humor.

BOIS D'ORAGE (which translates in english into "Thunder Wood"), is a dramatic, almost Wagnerian composition that expresses the contained sophistication of the smart man.

wow galbanum angelica oakmoss!
hard and dry without mercy and wonderfully without heart!
It sounds like crushing dry wood
i think angelica it's on the top notes,just in the beginning.

for the galbanum remember me villoresi incensi that is sweeter but bois d'orage/french lover is dark more and more
not for everyday
elegant for gentleman but also for tough guy
ok only for tough guys:-))


one of my favorite absolutely
p.s.
on Malle's site you can read vetiver pimento cedarwood iris incense..
i don't know...maybe a little bit of pimento..i can't find nothing else
but this is only my opinion

This is very well composed and follows a classic, woody, vetiver, nutmeggy thing in the manner of Gucci Pour Homme and similar ilk.

The problem I have with it is it's so utterly dry, lean and peppery it gives me the illusion of having a parched throat and a dry tongue. Er, that's not really something I want in a fragrance! Compared to the full-figured appeal of a scent like GPH, French Lover is emaciated and boney... and quite frankly, hard work to get on with. There's also a chilly, airy, ozone note in there gently hissing away somewhere that adds to the effect.

I admire the perfumer for not politely fleshing it out with pleasantries or sugaring the pill too much.. but this french lover has a cold heart. Maybe that was the joke? It doesn't last long either - maybe that was the other joke?

One for the purists, I reckon.

the original title is Bois D'Orage!

I'm convincing myself everyday more and more that EP Frederic Malle is one of the best niche perfumes house of the last 15 years and French Lover just make my beliefs even stronger. An incense-pepper-vetiver scent that is as dry and bitter as much your immagination can go. It opens with a crispy blast of galbanum and woods, and even if not included in the note list I also get laurel. After 20 / 30 minutes a strong but sophisticated vetiver shows up together with frankincense. French Lover is a completely desweetened fragrance that leaves nothing to prettyness but at the same time it's austerely elegant, refined and modern.

If you're into fragrances such as Sycomore, Vetiver Extraordinaire or Memoir Man, you will probably dig this. Even if they don't share many objective similarity we can say they're in the same vein, they have a similar effect. Don't get me wrong, French Lover with its bone-dry structure can result much more disturbing to someone but its extremely sophisticated composition make this scent unique and immediately recognizable.

IMO this is an important and potentially influential release, kind of a trendsetter in the modern male perfumery. After two years from its entrance on the market it already has a few clones (i.e. Comme Des Garcons Monocle Scent # 2 Laurel).
Great projection and tremendous lasting power (12 hrs on my skin). A superb work and one of my favourite from this house.

Rating: 8-8.5/10

Intriguing fragrance. This is more suitable for a man. It exudes stremgtj and a certain sexiness and it is elegant with a citrus edge. The beginning smokes you with sharp tea spices and animalic notes. This is a power fragrance for the boardroom and a night on the town to a classy restaurant. when your girl leans in close for a kiss and embrace she will love it on you.

Yikes!

This has definitely been a scrubdown for me!

Offending to my nose like ammoniak.

I pretested FL on a cardboard and my kitchen very soon smelled like cheap obtrousive after shave.

It was breath taking odor and i was happy to take out the trash (where this cardboard pretty soon went the night before).

Great lasting power though.

Personally this is the Best of P.B. Its expensive but its worth it personally it is head to head with Creed and Armouge. But this might win it as a Unique killer. followed by Armourage then Creed

I like this one.
at the start it's just amazing classic.

BUT i'm Disappointed, cause after 30
min it's Rimnds me Paco rabanne Black Xs. i think i smell the the oriental woody part of xs.

and i'm trying to avoide it but i can't.

I dont want it do reminde me the Black Xs shit.

I wear this one a lot. Very "euro" and classic. I like the incense and wood. This fragance has some staying power.

An elegant aromatic scent, the beginning is sharp herbaceous, with a hint of cypress, after ten minutes I smell the cypress note quite clearly, then the fragrance becomes warmer, with incense and woody notes.