Sea Wood

4 reviews for Sea Wood

1. Rated 5 out of 5

   lasseube – June 8, 2023

   Comme les vêtements, on porte un parfum à l’attention des autres, car ce sont des marqueurs sociaux, un moyen de s’affirmer vis-à-vis d’autrui. Pour les parfums naturels, c’est plus délicat car, étant plus volatiles, ils ne laissent qu’une trace subtile, presque évanescente dans l’atmosphère. C’est pourquoi c’est d’abord un état d’esprit que de porter un parfum naturel : on porte un parfum naturel pour soi, pour les proches qui nous côtoient dans l’intimité. C’est davantage un moyen d’affirmer olfactivement notre identité à ceux qui nous sont proches qu’un marqueur social.
   Or les parfums de Dominique Dubrana sont des parfums naturels. Et Bois de bateau (Sea Wood) ne déroge évidemment pas à la règle.
   En tête, assez explosive, dynamique, presque euphorisante, la fragrance dégage une senteur étonnamment encaustique qui pourrait effectivement faire songer (en rêvant un peu) à la cire d’un pont de bateau embaumé par l’abord des îles et les effluves des alizés. Viennent ensuite les épices (cardamome, girofle) qui relèvent encore l’exotisme du parfum. Puis, en note de fond, une base plutôt résineuse associée (nous dit Dominique) à de l’ambre, ce qui explique que l’on n’en identifie pas clairement les éléments. Pour ma part, je sens l’encens, mais non le vétiver ou le patchouli dont Dominique parle.
   À la fois raffiné et tonique, délicat et roboratif, subtil et énergique, Bois de bateau (Sea Wood) est un parfum merveilleusement « primaire » (au sens psychologique) : c’est un revigorant, un stimulant fait pour les êtres qui sont dans l’action, dans l’accomplissement d’une tâche, pourquoi pas dans le mouvement en plein air. Idéal le matin à la fraîche avant de s’engager dans le bain de la vie active pour se mettre dans un état d’esprit positif.

2. Rated 5 out of 5

   Luka – November 29, 2022

   A marvellous composition, at the same time calming, uplifting and a little decadent. On my skin, Sea Wood opens up with an invigorating but smooth and non-invasive boozy patchouli and vetiver combination, the patchouli being the dominant of the two to my nose, with no strong earthy notes, just the rich, somewhat boozy and sweet aspects of it. There is also a glimmer of something sweet and resinous, but that all takes a back seat after the first 15 to 30 minutes.

   After it settles, Sea Wood becomes a rather dry, lightly woody and breezy fragrance, with a generous but very well blended, smooth and not at all offensive dose of spices. Here I would agree with those who say it reminds them of wood taken from an old ship, my association would be to wooden planks washed up on the shore, or old wooden pontoons in a marina. For the first two hours or so, the predominant impression is therefore of wood that spent time in the sea but has now dried up, combined with a fresh ocean breeze, closer to the smell of the seashore in the winter than in the summer. The patchouli becomes more earthy and dry here, but never dirty or too strong. It is present, however, so keep that in mind if you don’t like patchouli (AbdesSalaam’s natural fragrances really show raw materials in their best light though, so I would still recommend this fragrance even to patchouli haters, as they might change their mind 😉) The use of vetiver here is very interesting, as I barely notice any of its aromatic qualities, except for perhaps some citric and lightly earthy facets, yet I am always certain it is there. Like it’s providing the strength of the fragrance, while remaining humbly in the background with its actual notes. Similarly, I do not pick up on a lot of frankincense, perhaps only in the slightly solemn character of the fragrance, but definitely no smoky or sharp incense aspects here. Of spices I recognized some ginger and a peppery effect, other spices like cinnamon and cloves specified by AbdesSalaam’s website I could recognize only after reading about them and really focusing on them, so again, those afraid of spice have nothing to fear here as the spice is, at least on my skin, never in the front row, blended into other notes seamlessly, and focused more on the aromatic facets of said spices, not the prickly, sharp aspects.

   After an hour or two, the same resinous, salty-sweet note that briefly peeked through in the opening of the fragrance starts slowly creeping back in, but this time it is here to stay. Slowly, the elegant and relatively dry, breezy and woody fragrance gets a sticky resinous support, and the overall impression of the fragrance now starts leaning more to the amber-woody side, still accompanied by that waft of cold sea air and elegant spices. As far as I understand, this is the mythical ambergris presenting itself, and quite honestly, it puts all (and I mean all) commercial and niche producers quoting this and that amber in their perfume, in the shade. The difference is as obvious as a coffee stain on a white tablecloth, so I would warmly recommend this fragrance to those who want to experience this precious raw material in its genuine form. After the resinous base joins the symphony, Sea Wood is a salty-sweet, at times even savoury fragrance, combined with all the notes mentioned above. The salty-sweet combination is perhaps similar to unpeated Islay whiskies like Bunnahabhain, which may be a little confusing and bewildering to the nose, but at the same time has that special something that makes you smell it again and again. So, while in the initial projecting phase Sea Wood is relatively dry, the later more skin scent stage (which lasts for quite a while) is on my skin sweeter, although not at all sickly-sweet.

   The ultimate pièce de résistance is delivered in the far dry down, when a base beneath the base of the perfume (I didn’t know that was even possible) reveals a heavenly golden musky note, like a single ray of light travelling across the room through a hole in the blinds late in the afternoon. And that single ray of sunshine lingers and lingers both on the skin and on clothes for a long time. Many say AbdesSalaam’s fragrances are three-dimensional, but I will go even further and say that this fragrance is bordering the fourth dimension, as smelling it seems to transport you through time itself…

3. Rated 5 out of 5

   Peter – September 21, 2021

   Is Seawood is a cousin of the lovely Tarter Leather on this site? In some aspects Seawood is more refine and exhibits pure class at any level. The spice aspect is more subtle but very effective. The name Seawood downplays the refined class of this perfume, it’s really fantastic.

4. Rated 5 out of 5

   Luka – July 29, 2015

   I definitely want to explore the rest of the line. Indeed it’s like a journey.
   When I smelled Sea Wood I could easily envision myself on a boat in the tropical sea on a bright hot windy day.
   The same is with the rest Hindu Kush, Milano Caffe, Venezia Giardini… it just takes me there.
   For years I was struggling to find a suitable perfume, but what I finally found was more than I expected. This is true perfumery.
   Thank you very much.