CREED
Bois du Portugal

1987

bergamot
basil
lemon
lime
mandarin

lavender
clove
coriander
nutmeg
pimento

cedarwood
sandalwood
ambergris
vetiver
patchouli

A super-sharp, punchy mix of citrus, aromatics and spices. I feel conflicted about Bois du Portugal; and I think it depends on what I focus my attention on.

On one hand, you have the side that’s very familiar, masculine cologne. It reminds me of growing up, father figures, it’s retro, it’s dated (outdated perhaps?). Frankly, it reminds me of cheap aftershaves, which at a Creed price point automatically made me shun Bois du Portugal for a couple of years.

The other side, is the mineralic, sweetness that creeps into this composition. While I definitely am not a big fan of the overall style and the opening, as it dries down, I start to appreciate it more and more. In particular, I’m reminded of the ambergris-heavy Escale en Indonesie from Les Indemodables.

It’s that Eau Sauvage-esque masculine barbershop style that will never be my favorite; and Bois Du Portugal also isn’t as much to my liking as the Les Indemodables, but it’s closer than I imagined initially and I can see why people enjoy it (to those people, I’d like to say, give Escale En Indonesie a try).