BORTNIKOFF
SCHEHERAZADE

2023

PERFUMER
Dmitry Bortnikov
Rajesh Balkrishnan

blackcurrant
bergamot
red mandarin

apricot
pepper

cedarwood
sandalwood
vanilla
wild oud

Scheherazade is made in collaboration with Rajesh Balkrishnan.

‘A delectable Arabian nights confection containing the most luscious natural absolutes of blackcurrant and apricot tempered by spicy pepper and accentuated by a warm woody base of Lebanese cedar, Indian sandalwood and specially distilled Malaysian Oud. Scheherazade created by Dmitry Bortnikoff and Rajesh Balkrishnan is a feast for the senses and is a dream come true for lovers of exotic woody gourmand scents.’ – Bortnikoff

Scheherazade was one of the newer Bortnikoff that caught my attention. It was very different from my expectations, but nice nonetheless. Mind you that the brand’s description is apt and even calls it ‘for lovers of woody gourmands’, but that escaped me before wearing it.

So, this is much sweeter than I though. There’s a beautiful mandarin/orange rind in the opening that smells natural and cuts through most of the opening hour. It feels sharp and acidic with hints of green.

However, as mentioned, it goes sweet. Scheherazade wears like a fougere with an overdose of coumarin/tonka to me. Vanilla is listed and woods are listed and I get this forest vibe in there, but sweetened to the point where it leans gourmand at some points.

With the exception of Santa Sangre, this is not something that I’ve come to expect from Bortnikoff during my testing. The mandarin keeps coming through, which I think is needed and probably my favorite facet of this fragrance.

Overall, a lovely fragrance that enjoyed wearing, albeit it one that doesn’t necessarily give me the feeling of an ‘artisal oud’ and I wonder how its been perceived by fans of the house.