FRAGRANCE | On a high with the Bois 1920 Cannabis Collection

There's an instant attraction to the name, or curiosity at least, and I don't think explaining why is necessary. Cannabis by Bois 1920 is my first from the house, which was soon followed by its two flankers, all of which are in eau de parfum concentration. The bottles are pretty simple, standard Bois 1920 shape, but my, do the candy-colored trio look absolutely cute together! I'm surprised by the size of the boxes. Turns out there's a thicker, lift-top box inside the basic cardboard one. Nice! 

Now let's get on to each one.

Cannabis

As is the case with Nasomatto's Black Afgano, I can't really say whether the fragrance smells exactly like marijuana, let alone if it's anything like any component of the plant, if it's dried, or if it's being smoked. What I can say, though, is that Bois 1920's Cannabis smells green and herbal with a subtle, earthy tinge. It has a pronounced bitterness that envelops the whole scent, tempered only by a very mild sweetness that's nondescript but pleasant nonetheless. The sweetness is hardly noticeable as a single note yet the effect it has is significant in making the bitter green accord a lot more palatable.

I also feel like there's a muted lemony facet in the opening that helps push the scent in an overall bright and clean direction. The scent offers very little to no development although a woody undertone quietly makes its way over time. As it is, the scent never strays from its herbal green core. Though it's no monster, projection is actually good for its first couple of hours before softening, legging out for several more. Overall, I'm very happy with it.

Cannabis Fruttata

As if the original Cannabis wasn't good enough, Bois 1920 upped the charm here by adding a juicy, fruity twist. Like a layer of sunshine over lush greenery, the fruitiness just brightens the whole scent even further. It does not, however, necessarily define the scent because the bitter greenness of the original is still very much intact in Cannabis Fruttata. It's even more herbal in character, in a remotely similar vein as Olympic Orchids' Siam Proun, one of my favorite herbal fragrances. It's much less prominent, though, but it reinforces the fragrance's own identity nonetheless. 

Apart from the bitterness, there's also the addition of fig leaves to balance off the sweetness, bringing along a touch of woody earthiness. Despite the perceived juiciness and pervasive, but never overpowering, sweetness, the scent surprisingly remains dry. None of the modifications introduced weigh the scent down, so it's a perfect summer wear if you're craving something fresh, green, and fruity all at once. As with the original Cannabis, the fragrance is practically linear, but I'm okay with it. Projection and longevity are also both just as good as the original. Personally, it's a joy to wear.

Cannabis Salata

This is probably the least "cannabis" of the bunch. Cannabis Salata still has that signature bitter green core but with a hefty dose of marine saltiness added in. The result is rather unique to my nose. I know it's gonna sound strange but it reminds me of the smell of the paper lining the inside of the pack of menthol cigarettes that my grandfather used to smoke, the one that's silver on one side and white on the other. And I enjoyed sniffing that paper a lot for some reason! Talk about childhood memories, however odd!

I don't know where that scent is coming from but there certainly is a mentholated overtone here. There's a pronounced, mildly sweet, lemony burst in the opening but it doesn't stay long, so I don't think it's a contributor to this strange accord. Yes, there's the bitter greenness and the marine saltiness but there's also a muted, quasi-smoky earthiness in the background, courtesy of vetiver that's partially obscured by all else in the composition. As with the other two frags in this line, it offers very little in terms of development but scores high in terms of performance.

Cannabis Salata doesn't strike me as a crowd-pleaser but personally, I really like it. Its uncanny scent profile surprised me and easily won me over. It's not really a green frag but I wouldn't call it a blue or marine frag either. It is its own scent.

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All three frags from the Bois 1920 Cannabis Collection are unisex to my nose but Fruttata is probably the closest to a women's frag while Salata is the most masculine-leaning. I'm very happy with all three bottles, though. Should the house later decide to expand this line, you bet I'll be waiting.