BOADICEA THE VICTORIOUS
DEFENDER
2024
PERFUMER
Kamila Lelakova
grapefruit
red fruits
ginger
cognac
liquorice
honey
orange blossom
night-blooming jasmine
myrrh
hay
amber
labdanum
Benzoin
tonka bean
peru balsam
leather
musk
Not really a review, but a first impression from a Boadicea press event where Defender was first announced to the world (the release will be in October 2024).
I’ve had Defender on my skin for a couple of hours. I don’t know the exact notes at the time of writing (full notes have been added to this page in the meantime), but it opens with a fruitiness (like plum or apricot?) and a sweetness. However, on skin, it was significantly ‘heavier’ than I initially thought it was going to be. Liquorice stands out in the first hour to me, with some spices. The hay note adds a sweet tobacco (blossom) vibe.
As it starts to dry down, the gourmand-like sweetness comes to the forefront and a subtle, creamy fruitiness persists. At one point I was reminded a bit of Scents of Wood Plum In Cognac, but I think Defender grows brighter and fruitier again. I’ll have to test it more to be sure.
Definitely completely unisex in my opinion; some of the women I spoke to at the event found the liquorice/spicier opening a bit surprising (especially after the brighter first impression off a test strip), but most of them did overall appreciate Defender, as did the men that I spoke to. Either way, quite a nice new release that I will have to revisit someday.