Boadicea the Victorious Valiant EDP

Description

Valiant is Boadicea's sunny white floral, released in 2013.

Ylang-ylang leads the opening with mandarin, bergamot, grapefruit and petitgrain around it, bright and unmistakably joyful. As it dries, cherry blossom, orange blossom, violet, iris and rose cool it down into something softer, and a base of vanilla, sandalwood, tonka, patchouli and amber gives it weight. One reviewer described it as what you would get if Chanel No. 5 had a wiser, better-educated older sibling.

Scent Character

• Floral: 39% (ylang-ylang, cherry blossom, orange blossom, rose, iris)
• Fresh: 28% (mandarin, bergamot, grapefruit, petitgrain)
• Sweet: 17% (vanilla, tonka bean)
• Woody: 11% (sandalwood)
• Ambery & Resinous: 6% (amber, patchouli)

Translation: a bright citrus-and-ylang opening softening into powdery blossom over a warm vanilla-sandalwood base. Classical in construction rather than modern.

Fragrance Pyramid

• Top: Ylang-Ylang, Mandarin Orange, Orange, Petitgrain, Bergamot, Grapefruit
• Heart: Cherry Blossom, Orange Blossom, Violet, Iris, Rose, Jasmine, Neroli
• Base: Vanilla, Sandalwood, Tonka Bean, Patchouli, Amber

Performance

Longevity: Good. The vanilla and sandalwood base outlasts the citrus opening comfortably.

Sillage: Moderate. Present at conversational distance rather than filling a room, which is unusual for this house.

Best Occasions & Season

Suited to spring, summer and fall, and to evenings, nights out and leisure.

Concentration & Provenance

Eau de Parfum, 3.4 oz / 100 ml. Shipped from the United States.

Try Before You Commit

Decants start at $14.99 for 1 mL, with 5 mL and 10 mL also poured. Worth being direct: opinion on Valiant divides sharply. Some call it the most enchanting thing they own; others find it dated and old-fashioned. At this price that is a question to settle with a decant, not a bottle.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do reviews disagree so much?
It is built in a classical, aldehydic-floral style. Wearers who love that lineage rate it extremely highly; those who prefer modern compositions often read the same qualities as dated.

Does it contain oud?
No. The depth comes from amber and patchouli. There is no agarwood in this composition.

Is it feminine?
Sold as unisex, though the ylang-and-blossom heart leans traditionally feminine. The sandalwood base gives it more balance than the note list suggests.