GALLIVANT
BUKHARA

2020

PERFUMER
Ralf Schwieger

Coriander
Caraway
Bergamot
Pear

Iris
Clove
Jasmine
Apricot

Saffron
Musk
Benzoin
Amber
Woody Notes

Inspired by Uzbekistan and travels along the silk road, Bukhara instantly got me excited, with iris as a main component, as it’s arguably my favorite note.

Bukhara opens very bright, with a soapy pear and floral (jasmine?) scent. You get some bergamot, but mostly, it’s a cloud-like and fizzy musky scent, which is true for about the first hour of the wear. There’s a bitterness and I’d say that Bukhara is the freshest iris fragrance I’ve tried among dozens and dozens.

You get some iris from the start, but it transitions into even more of a chewy or even chalky iris as it dries down. I picture brittle white stones, some green herbs or flowers on the side and…carrot. As the fragrance gets sweeter, a distinct carrot scent comes through for me and I find it highly addictive.

When I smell my skin up close, it gets quite spicy as well (it lists coriander, saffron), but in the air it’s definitely heavy on the sweetened iris. By the time it turns into a skin scent, it’s warmer, I guess from the resins and more of a woody scent, than the light musk from the opening. I feel like this second transition tremendously helps the longevity of the scent.

As of late 2024 Bukhara remains my favorite Gallivant, followed by Istanbul.