Woods Lovely Dark And Deep

I am a little late to the Chanel Les Exclusifs line. It's because when they first came out, they were only available in those huge 6.8 oz bottles, and they were awfully expensive that I did not want to try them for fear I would fall in love with one and be obsessed with buying it. But a year or so ago they started coming out with 2.7 oz "Travel Size" bottles and those were just good enough for me. For Chanel, their scents' stories are as interesting than the scents themselves, and Bois Des iles is no exception. Created in 1926 by Ernest Beaux, it was supposed to have been inspired by Tchaikovsky's opera "Queen Of Spades," as that was set in the Island Forests, which id the translation of the name. You know Bois Des Iles is Chanel from first sniff - aldehydes welcome you, then the floral heart (iris, peachy rose, violets, ylang ylang) comes in, and there is a smoky, resinous base of dusty vanilla and some oak. This is supposed to be a sandalwood scent, but it isn't as big a sandalwood as Chanel Sycamore. A lot of people compare this to Chanel No 5, but I think this is more appealing, as it is less aldehyde-y and more floral. (I am not No. 5's biggest fan, for the record) I think this is a great perfume, in the perfume sense. It blooms like a perfume, stays on like one, and lingers with you like a perfume should. It's a classic.