De Bachmakov – herbal and woody and gorgeous

^{Photo - Wikipedia - Martinis with olives as a garnish  Kyle May 11/17/2007}

Sometimes the perfume gods turn their backs on you. The last time I was in Paris, I had De Bachmakov by The Different Company on my list of things to buy. I had smelled it, fell for it and now wanted to own it. Simple, right?

We stayed in the Marais area, visiting with friends – really easy, nice, lots of fun. The first day we went to the left bank for lunch, I had a chance to nip into Le Bon Marché, where I intended to pick up a bottle of De Bachmakov.

Now, here’s the thing about travelling with people – you are now part of a herd, and the herd decides what’s best for the herd. “I’m just going to nip in here and pick something up,” was met with, “But we have a reservation for lunch. We don’t want to be late…” And, because I’m a grown-up, I went to lunch. I was so close, so very close.

Staying in the Marais was good because that’s where The Different Company has its store, so I thought there would be plenty of opportunities to pick up the juice there. But it was not meant to be. Throughout the week, I would maneuver the group to Rue Ferdinand Duval only to discover that the shop didn’t open before noon, closed early, was closed Mondays and Tuesdays, most Wednesdays, Thursdays were dodgy, Fridays maybe, Saturdays for a little while in the afternoon, and Sundays were iffy. At least that’s the way it felt to me because whenever I walked by it, that store was closed.

It took a little time, determination, and patience, but finally, I got my bottle of juice at Le Bon Marché.

The Different Company was launched in 2000 by nose Jean-Claude Ellena and art director/designer Thierry de Baschmakoff. De Bachmakov was inspired by the Grasse-born de Baschmakoff’s Russian heritage and was launched in 2010.

What a heritage it must be because this is a swooner.

It opens with a cold blast of bergamot and alcohol – like lemon and vodka – how very Russian. Now, it gets interesting. As the top notes fade, craie douce appears, adding its soft mineral/musky/woody facet as the backdrop for the whole scent. Next, shiso leaf adds a green, herby, minty note, while coriander leaf adds a gentle spiciness – very exotic. The kicker is the freesia and jasmine, which add a gorgeous floral dimension right at heart and set the stage for the base of warm, spicy nutmeg and piney, woody cedar, with that craie douce always playing in the background.

De Bachmakov is cold and angular, and while it gets warmer, greener, and floral, it never loses its cool. It is a uniquely gorgeous scent that stays close to the skin. It’s my latest crush – and so worth rushin’ around Paris for.

Check out De Bachmakov in our Shop.