Timbuktu

I must have gotten a fake sample from Ebay but I couldn't find it anywhere else. Surely I'm not the only person who would have to get it out of the Goodwill box to try again (I bought a set, lotta perfume, maybe someone else will enjoy it). I smelled wood, heavy smoke, and really dry something or other, possibly dirt. Will put on a cotton ball - so I can run away from it- and try again. Hate to be Debbie Downer, but there it is.

Fragrance houses and their marketing teams are adept at conjuring perceptions of a scent by giving it a name with exotic associations. Places such as Zanzibar, Madagascar, Marrakesh, Cairo, and Babylon... all names that carry the promise of ancient mystery, excitement, and adventure. And so it is with Timbuktu. Like its namesake, Timbuktu is enigmatic; it takes time to fathom its mysteries. It invites continual return and exploration. On my first experiences of the fragrance, I found it hard to pin down and find words to describe it. Sometimes it is woody; sometimes it is fruity and juicy; sometimes it is dry and dusty; and sometimes it is smoky. Often it is a combination of two or more of these aspects at the same time. What I can say with confidence is that I've yet to smell another fragrance like it, so, for me, at least for now, it is unique. Cardamom and pepper spice notes are evident in the opening but are quickly pushed into the background by sour mango and papyrus, which, in combination, give the scent a fresh, clean, airy, and uplifting feel. There is also something in the composition that is akin to the smell of freshly laundered linen drying in the breeze on a hot summer's day. Added to this is an unknown aspect, which could be Karo Karoundé, but I cannot say with certainty, as I have no experience of the flower/shrub. I do, however, think that this is what I am sensing, as the scent develops a rich floral character. Within about 15 minutes, that floral note is competing with the mango and winning. Further into the drydown, although the mango remains to a lesser degree, it is the papyrus and, I imagine, the Karo Karoundé that come to the fore. Added to that, there is a slight smoky incense note lurking deep within the composition, which I feel gives it a dryness while adding to the subtle sweetness of the fragrance. What I haven't touched upon yet is what lies at the pounding heart of this scent... vetiver and, to a slightly lesser degree, patchouli. Both notes are evident throughout the evolution of Timbuktu. Timbuktu contains a lot of contradictions in how I experience it over the course of several hours. Its heart is unchanging from start to finish, making it highly linear, but each time I put my nose to it, I am drawn to focus on a slightly different aspect. On my skin, Timbuktu lasts six hours or more. Sillage is moderate to strong, in my experience. Tested: 1 ml decant Seasons / occasions: Spring, summer, and autumn. Not suitable for formal occasions, but works well for informal days out, adventures, and casual evening meals. Key thoughts: Contradictions that work... juicy but dry, sweet but sour, dusty but clean. Vetiver and patchouli controlling it all. A beautiful, interesting, and exotic fragrance. Overall rating: 9.5/10 Buy full bottle: Yes

Timboktu is an ancient form of meditation in a scent, The Vetiver and the Patchuli are king here giving the scent a well rounded and clear direction, I can describe this in a most simple way as a collection of dry group of hay leafs ready to be fired, mixed with fresh pink pepper and dry cardamom, the way is made that makes a difference, the composition is mixed in a peculiar typical " transparent" layered technique, giving this scent defined direction, but at the same time leaving everything very airy and pleasant to the nose, there is a great link with country side and dry greenery. I absolutely don't get any mango or fruits, yes the composition starts with some sort of light sweet note in the opening, but is not close to any fruit to me, if that the case is ripe, or dry. I highly suspect that the old version probably had this prominent in the opening, here is not there. I was aspecting something different in the opening from the notes, but i do know how Artisan works their scents, This is a refined scent created for people that don't want to announce themselves, but leave a elegant and delicate trail while they walk, or present themselves, the big secret of this scent is the beautiful timeless key combination of Papyrus-Vetiver-Patchuli incapsulated into an Inciense cerimony style, this reminds you surely of Chinese Medicines, Beige and Dark green, a work of contrast that is celebrating a Mali religious ritual, it gives a incredible feeling of order, ancient and yet modern and wearable feel. Artisan has this scents that remind me of rooms, in this case again its an old room full of Artworks, but this time isn't a big place, is a personal collection of some old man that has saved all his beautiful paintings. Is a beautiful reppresentation of this room, because you can smell the Canvas as much as the wood that is sitting in the room and the air that is mystic and indeed inciens, In the drydown the entire trail goes into that mistery side and after few hours becomes totally fixed next ot the Myrrh, it is a cerimony, but created for the skin giving the wearer a elegant, refined and classic feel. It is unique to my nose, imagine being wrapped in precious Papyrus, for a non trained nose could be anything, but is quite rare to come across something like this, with so much character and depth based on very humble elements. Timboktu is a great composition by the master Bertrand that goes into my collection with great joy, is a EDT but performs very well on me, note: it takes few months and longevity becomes even better, this goes right next to all my other Ritual scents taking a place of a composition that will definitely grow in time with me. Is a timeless scent that needs time to get your love, but once it clicks will never leave your side. One of Bert best works for sure.

Pretty torn up about this. I first got this as a mini, was convinced it was a dud sample, then got an official sample. I have worn this a bit more than four times now.....? Same result. I was really hoping this would be kind of a smoky green forward dark fragrance. It's an extremely soft balsamic with some kind of dulled dense fruit note. That's kind of it to me. I am not getting anything else, really. It's not nearly as multifaceted as I thought it would be. The sillage is close, and it barely lasts more than 5 hours.

Fresh and Spicy vetiver with a balsamic character. The fruitiness kicks in a little after the initial spray. But its more of a ambiguous fruit than a mango. Still a lovely fragrance and one I could see myself actualy getting. very nice dress up fragrance or date night. Smells mature and sophisticated. 8.5/10

This was not as I expected it to be. For me its reading green and fresh, I love the mango, Im not getting amber or even incense, more like tea to me. It's very unique, sophisticated, and definitely unisex. This would fill a 'green/aquatic' role in my wardrobe.

Perfection. I own oodles of perfume and this one is top of my collection. It has the beautiful wood notes but also tropical and it collides and gives you want you want. If you want to wear it in Summer on the beach, the mango will shine. If you want to wear it cuddling (obviously with my dogs) on a couch in winter then it will be perfect. I adore it. The name in Australia means "woop woop" somewhere far away. I think it sums it up perfectly. It takes me somewhere far away.

generic neutral-masculine old spice. summer ferry with sun-warmed mango on the breeze and a wooden deck. land ho!

I have a decant of the pre-reformulated version, it is a beauty. Quite masculine, dry with bitter vetiver, tea-like and meditative. Honestly it smells like traditional Chinese medicine brewed by the ancient guy living down the street (ask me how I know). I love it and would be happy to own a bottle if the opportunity arose at a reasonable price, or if the reformulated version is deemed acceptable by me. Maybe it's my skin but the mango has never really made a bold appearance, it's pure earthy, rooty, grassy vetiver to my nose. It reminds me of autumn when the grass dries and the air turns cold. I love to sniff it off my hand. Haven't tried the reformulated version, but this original one lasts quite long on the skin and projection is moderate. I'm wearing it in the cold springtime but in the summer the fragrance smells a bit richer. It's great for cutting through the hot air and blooms with a slight hint of mango. If the reformulation is indeed as bad as people claim, it is a tragedy.

Delivers the joy of the best vetiver, but more green grass instead of dry grass. Lots of damp loam with soft wet wood. Expertly balanced with the right amount of bright wood that rounds everything out. Base is earthy herbal patchouli. Reading notes is fun because I do get bitter mango skin and the spices. Dominant dry musty note is not my favorite. Clothes project more pungency and less staleness. Settles into wood and more familiar vetiver that's easily likable. As a fan of vetiver, it's good but almost...too safe? There's a sweetness that makes it project in a very alluring way. It feels like niche trying to appeal to the masses. A little too basic, but can't help but respect how effective it is. Good strength and presence. Shopping for blue jeans in a mall.

Why isn't the musk note included in the pyramid? This fragrance is VERY musky. I like it alot.

This is one of its kind, never smelt anything like this. All season unique scent and pretty good performance for an EDT. Totally agree with @Malkier down below. ^Free Palestine^

Reviews dismissing this as just another freshie are bewildering. Timbuktu has a very interesting and distinct darker vibe as part of its profile and I find that endlessly rewarding. It is not designed to blow your doors off. Its reward is a continual evolving complex Vetiver vibe. Highly versatile and a touch of elegance. Not a crowd pleaser, perhaps, but it rewards those who attend to it.

Nice fragrance. Well-blended and fairly complex. However, was expecting something a bit more unique, so in that regard it was somewhat disappointing.

This was a blind buy for me after serendipitously stumbling across a vintage bottle. I had no idea what to expect, and I deliberately avoided reading anything about it before it arrived. My first spray left me a bit underwhelmed. Once the brief, fruity top notes evaporated off my skin, the whole thing seemed to vanish. I didn’t think any more of it, and it wasn’t until about an hour later when I started catching these soft wafts of soapy, woody notes. From there it just kept developing, opening up more and more as time went on, getting drier, woodier, and earthier as I moved around. Incense can go in a lot of directions, but here it’s cold and softly smoky, without any oily or resinous heaviness. The fruity opening is long gone by this point, and what lingers for hours is this classy, refined, very clean vetiver that sits close to the skin but occasionally pushes out little bursts as it goes through its stages. I really like this perfume, and I’m genuinely glad I stumbled across it. Would I pay the ridiculous prices I sometimes see it listed for? No. But as a collector of beautiful things, this is something I’m very happy to have in my collection, and I can definitely see myself reaching for it on days when I want to feel elegant and sophisticated without drawing too much attention.

Timbuktu is just another regular fresh fragrance you can find anywhere. It’s pleasant, but nothing special. For the price, you can definitely find something similar for much less.

What a unique and interesting scent… I imagine a well-off sophisticated gentlemen or lady wearing this. It’s a very nice natural baseline scent that calmly allows its presence to be known.

The concept behind Timbuktu, as envisioned by its creator, is to evoke connections with Africa, and indeed, it succeeded in my case. It's indisputable that this is a niche blend, yet I found it incredibly wearable. I took pleasure in witnessing its transformation over time. It's worth mentioning that this fragrance is best suited for informal occasions. It would find much better resonance at a casual get-together with friends or during a trip to the cinema rather than in a formal office setting. Despite the sensual undertones I previously highlighted, I wouldn't strictly label it as an evening scent. It holds its own throughout the day and appeals not only to aficionados of the African continent. My rating: Worth getting to know. (5/7)

Wearing Timbuktu today, I'm reminded that I should wear it more often. Timbuktu is an amazing blend, and it is difficult to describe what you are smelling. It smells like an intoxicating and exotic green (papyrus and mango skin) incense with some vetiver. There is nothing else like this.

Got a sample. I smell resins, I smell pepper, I smell incense, and a dash of mango. No vetiver on my skin (thank god!). I think I like it, but I need to explore this scent more to form a final opinion.

Woah. This is so not my normal profile, yet I find myself kind of liking it. It’s blended beautifully and gives me freshly showered masculine vibes. Flannel and cabin in the woods. It’s surprisingly light, but there is a bit of one heavy note sitting in there. Myrrh, maybe?

A true masterpiece. Deeply resinous and woody, dry and spicy, Timbuktu is a calm, meditative fragrance that brings to mind the scent of Tibetan incense sticks resting unlit. There’s a grounding serenity here, balanced by a mysterious smoky warmth that lingers beautifully on the skin. Both ancient and timeless, rooted yet bohemian. Its rich, earthy personality recalls the spirit of the 1970s, and suggests a quiet, wise strength. This is stillness amidst chaos – a purifying balm, as if clearing the excesses of other fragrances.

Pink pepper incense myrrh vetiver cypriol Timbuktu is an almost absurdly over-intellectualised fragrance. I remember reading a blog post by Bois de Jasmin, painting a rather colourful image of cognac and champagne, so I remember receiving the sample years ago and being very perplexed. What I experienced was a austere vortex of resins and woods. What do I genuinely experience with Timbuktu? Upon application, pink pepper, some shimmer from unlisted citrus raw materials and almost immediately clean yet sharp vetiver, ”stretched out“ and sprinkled with peppery and spicy almost clove-like nuances. Soon after, myrrh and cypriol, Dechafeur‘s signature emerges, warm embers. A subtle, warm abstract sweetness breathes life into an otherwise surprisingly cool and radiant wood pyre. In its last breathe I sense musk and benzoin leaving a final trail on my skin. One of the most striking compositions out there, flawlessly assembled. What more is there to say, other than that there are at least 3 Timbuktu like fragrances that stand there own for different reasons: Paestum Rose, Jubilation XXV, CdG Kyoto

I tested it in Tokyo, I don’t remember much, it wasn’t bad, maybe somewhere around Byredo 1996? Unfortunately, I don’t recall, but it was good, mature, thoughtful, and non-offensive. Actually, maybe a bit woody; I think I compared it to Oud Wood, but I’m not sure. ⸻ Yes, I’m checking it again in Taormina 2025 — like adding some coconut or something to Oud Wood, and something slightly more resinous, but it’s an extremely restrained scent, a skin scent, worth remembering. It doesn’t impose itself but is noble, like a gateway to modernity that doesn’t age.

Okay @nathan86 kinda nailed everything I wanted to say. This one sneaks up on you throughout the day. Seeping into your awareness like a cat prowling around your senses. Really smooth beautifully blended stuff here. I have the original version with the blue label for what it’s worth

When I first applied this EdT to my skin I thought to myself that I was smelling a very pleasant modernized version of classic woody incense colognes. As time goes on, I'm finding it to be so much more than that. Part of the classic cologne impression came from the fact that after the first many minutes it seemed to fade very quickly, as if it was meant - like a classic cologne - to be sprayed in massive amounts as a freshen-up before bolting out the door for the day, quick to fade long before the midday. Second possibility was that I was anosmic to the accords themselves, which I was dearly hoping not to be the case. Where I ended up proving both of these impressions wrong was as I began moving around out of the car and my body temperature went up. This perfume needs heat and air. What happened next was stunning: the perfume took on a life of its own and began growing before my nose. I did another spray on clean skin a while after the initial sprays and did indeed conclude that the perfume fades almost to nothingness for a while, but then it blooms and blooms. The opening notes of green mango, pepper, and cardamom are backed by a silky-smooth incense accord that, as I said, gives it a reminiscent feeling of the classic cologne varietal. It dries down to almost nothing within an hour, at which points it starts releasing large wisps of silky myrrh, smooth and fresh vetiver, patchouli that smells of sweet topsoil, slightly vanillic and slightly sweet benzoin. I've used the word sweet twice in my description of this perfume, and I'm not happy about it. It's sweet but somehow not. Far from being sugary or syrupy, Timbuktu actually comes across as quite dry but the richness imparts a sweetness that is probably better described as a freshness. The resins of the incenses are fresh and sticky, not synthetic and sugar-added for effect; the vetiver is smooth and juicy fresh, not fetid or its natural sugars fermented; the spicy patchouli has not been dried out and concentrated into a spicy sweet earth bomb, but smells as if you stuck a shovel into the ground after a beautiful rain shower and turned up a deep layer. Timbuktu is supposed to represent Bertrand Duchaufour's travels to the ancient city where he witnessed the equally old African ritual of Wusulan, a practice by the women of Mali to create a perfume from the natural materials around them to help them seduce a man into courtship. Just like seduction and love are complex and multifaceted dances, Timbuktu reveals itself to be just as complex and multifaceted with each passing moment - and as equally mystical and compelling. Just when you think you've figured it out, it changes on you and lets another wisp of some warming, exotic, and seductive note into the air. This is a truly beautiful perfume.

L'ho preso nel 2011quando aveva ancora la bottiglia trasparente,il tappo dorato e la striscetta verde con il logo dell'albero. Mi aveva affascinato perchè mi ricordava fumo di incenso che sale nel buio di una foresta tropicale,un rito africano segreto,un fascino esotico intenso. Nel bouquet ci sono fioridi lavanda,caffè,incenso,mirra,legni secchi,fumo bianco,pepe rosa, liquirizia,il risultato è una miscela secca e legnosa sicuramente più tendente al maschile. Assomiglia a Dzongka,che però ha un'aspetto più umido di the.

This is all vetiver, incenses, patchouli, and papyrus. If you think there’s any mango in this you’re lying or hallucinating. The initial opening (10minutes) is like Terre D’Hermes Intense Veltiver with some funk, this is ok. Then this is a vintage dark smokey/leathery up front with some animalic funky oudy filth going on underneath, this part gives me a headache even though I’m a huge fan of funky middle eastern ouds. It starts off strong and stays strong with just a couple sprays. Longevity is better than average. Not a safe blind buy. Decant worthy maybe, but not full bottle worthy.

Timbuktu opens with dry smokiness with the lightest touch of funk, and, yes, a tiny sliver of mango. It settles into a pleasant dry tea-like scent, greenish but not quite “green tea”. There are whiffs of a sharper, fresher green along with the dusty-green-earthy core. I think the core is vetiver, but vetiver transformed into something a bit unfamiliar; it’s both greener and funkier. There’s a light floralcy overlaid on the dry green; I’ve seen karo karounde described as “jasmine with almond” which is pretty accurate. Timbuktu feels almost like a smoky-woody riff on jasmine tea. I’m a fan! It fits into the niche of “medium-light, dry and unisex, casually elegant” scents that includes Diptique Tempo as a prime example. Just a notch darker and more eccentric than a cologne, but still subtle and low-key. This is the sort of thing that can become your everyday scent.

[Note: The following is a review of the older, gold-capped bottle. As I understand it, but couldn’t personally say, the scent was reformulated (for the worse) when Puig bought the house and cheapened the packaging to those plastic-capped, black-and-grey bottles they currently use.] Timbuktu opens with this dried, almost leathery mango note—fruity but not juicy—wrapped in black pepper and dust. Then things get weird (in a good way). There’s smoke, but not churchy incense. Think travel-worn fabric, sun-scorched spice markets, and the faint memory of flowers that might’ve once been alive in your suitcase. It’s complex, but never dense. Some folks call it a chypre, others call it a vetiver incense scent. To me, it’s more like a prototype. You can smell the blueprint that later fragrances—especially stuff from Hermès—would refine and prettify. (There’s a reason why Bertrand Duchaufour and Jean-Claude Elléna are both credited with pioneering this style.) But Timbuktu keeps the grit. It’s less polished, more poetic. The drydown leans masculine in that airy woods-vetiver-patchouli kind of way, but I wouldn’t gatekeep this one. It’s too clever to be boxed in by gender. It’s restrained where it could’ve been loud, and that makes it all the more addictive.