BON PARFUMEUR
502 – IRIS CARTAGENA EDP
2025
PERFUMER
Clement Marx
rum
cocoa
mandarin
mandarin petitgrain
orris
sandalwood
vanilla
eucalyptus
coffee
cocoa butter
papyrus
vetiver
This is a flanker of 502 – Iris Cartagena Extrait (2024) – winner of the ScentAdvice Best Of 2024 award.
‘The smell of a morning of blossoming love! The zesty freshness of mandarin and petitgrain opens this suspended moment. Dry, elegant cocoa reveals its delicious trail tinged with syrupy rum. Powdery iris blends into creamy sandalwood, while vetiver and papyrus prolong the woody impression. A vibrant and unexpected fragrance, like the fragrant dawn shared on the island of Baru.’ – Bon Parfumeur
‘I sought to infuse Extrait 502 with a breath of fresh air, working around the existing ingredients. Petitgrain Mandarin is adorned with Mandarin for a zesty freshness, Cacao finds a lighter sparkle in the Cacao infusion at the top, and Eucalyptus refreshes the whole with an aromatic breath.’ – Clement Marx
The 502 – Iris Cartagena Extrait (2024) won my best new release award for Best Of 2024 and it’s a fragrance that I’ve worn (and loved) frequently enough in the past year to know it intimiately. So obviously, I wanted to find out how much of that greatness has been retained in this more affordable 2025 EDP. As indicated with the ad-sticker above, this EDP bottle was gifted for review, but I’d already worn it prior and this bottle will be used for a giveaway.
Which brings me to point a: Personally, I prefer the Extrait. And b: I think they share enough of a vibe, for me to hand over the EDP and not miss it in my collection. That being said, the EDP is a lot more versatile, which (along with its price point) is where this new version shines.
When I first smelled it, I was surprised how similar of an instant reaction I had to the EDP. I don’t really get any of the ‘zest’ and juiciness from citrus here. There’s definitely some orange-fruity hue to it all, but it’s by no means a ‘citrus opening’ to my nose. Instead, it will be familiar for fans of the Extrait, in its chalky dry texture and rooty iris.
The iris is prominent from the get go and the overall experience is a bit fresher, brighter. Still heavy on the rooty aspect and earthiness, but a bit toned down from the Extrait; now smelling a bit more like fresher carrot. Due to the brighter feeling, I think it also wears a bit less sweet. The original Extrait has more of an ambery and dark chocolate-patchouli base, whereas the EDP retains a cleaner profile. I wouldn’t go as far as Santal 33 (cucumber-sandalwood), but there’s some overlap in the carrot-woodiness. A fragrance that it reminds me of most would be Teo Cabanel Encore, which leans sweeter and fans of Maison Crivelli Iris Malikhan should also keep it on their radar.
The drydown gets sweeter, but not in a full gourmand manner. I get dusty chocolate powder or coffee grounds, but the overall picture has a foresty, woody direction.
I find it quite easy to distinguish and describe the differences with the Extrait, but nonetheless, the overall vibe and feeling is more similar than I anticipated. It’s a very typical root-like iris and a dryness that stands out in both. It’s now less earthy, a bit brighter, a bit more easy going and versatile… yet, if you were not a fan of the Extrait, I don’t think the EDP deviates so much that it will change your feelings completely.
If you haven’t smelled either; as mentioned, I prefer the Extrait. I think it’s a bit more eccentric, a bit more artistic in how stark and dry it gets; but that also limits the use cases for me. It’s a less safe bet and probably more of an acquired taste. The EDP is exactly what it promises on paper; more affordable, brighter, a bit more entry-level, but I’d argue still one of the more ‘niche’ scent profiles amidst the entire Bon Parfumeur line-up. It won’t be a successor to win best release of 2025 by any means for me, but it’s a good solid flanker to make it more accessible.
