The Story
Why it exists.
The beginning
Bois d'Ascese began as a memory. The burn, the smoke, the particular warmth of something destroyed that still feels like shelter. In 2012, working with perfumer Julien Rasquinet, Goodsir built that memory into a wearable form. The incense is Somalian. The tobacco carries weight. The whiskey adds something that almost reads as amber, but isn't, it's the real thing, unaged and unapologetic. This is a souvenir from fire. A souvenir from Australia. The composition unfolds in layers: smoke that rises first, then the richness of tobacco, followed by the warmth of whiskey that sits close to the skin. There's a warmth throughout that's almost amber in character without being sweet, it's the whiskey doing the work, present and direct.
What makes Bois d'Ascese unusual isn't the smoke, it's the reassurance. Most smoke-heavy fragrances lean aggressive: acrid, sharp, demanding space. This one chooses warmth instead. The Somalian incense anchors it in a tradition of resin and prayer rather than destruction. Labdanum adds something almost honeyed without being sweet. The tobacco has been softened by the whiskey, given weight without sharpness. Cinnamon appears in the heart as warmth, not heat.
The evolution
The opening announces tobacco and whiskey in a warm, aromatic burst, neither sharp nor aggressive, just immediate. The smoke carries an aromatic quality that shifts the composition, moving from aromatic to something more contemplative. Cinnamon and amber take over the heart, creating a warmth that reads as honeyed without being sweet. By the drydown, the incense has become the backbone, resinous, unapologetic, with cedar and oakmoss threading through like memory. On skin the next day: the unmistakable signature of smoke. On clothes: an imprint that doesn't wash out. The longevity means this becomes part of a room's atmosphere, not just the wearer's. The Somalian incense arrives as the composition deepens, bringing smoke that has become the structural element, resinous and present. Cedar and oakmoss add woody earthiness that grounds everything.
Cultural impact
Bois d'Ascese chose warmth where other houses explored animalic or smoky compositions that leaned aggressive. Smoke that comforts rather than confronts. It's not the loudest smoke in the room, the one that stays after the others have left. The composition rewards close attention: tobacco and whiskey arrive together, warm and aromatic, neither sharp nor aggressive. Somalian incense brings depth without aggression. Labdanum offers honeyed warmth without sweetness. Tobacco and whiskey create an opening that's immediate but restrained.
