Rake & Ruin, from BeauFort London was released in 2018. The perfumer behind this creation is Julie Dunkley. It has the top notes of Angelica, Coriander, Gin, Juniper, Lemon, Licorice, Orange, Pink Pepper, Sichuan Pepper, and Smoke, middle notes of Cade oil, Castoreum, Costus, Cypress, Labdanum, Orris Root, Pine Tree, Smoke, and Violet, and base notes of Ambrarome, Musk, Sandalwood, Smoke, and Woody Notes.
Oh dear.... Oh dear oh dear.... The boundary testing olfactory experiment that is Beaufort has just stepped into territory I don't like at all. Having tried Tonnare first and loving the wet stone/gunpowder into, very smokey notes and dryness then a lasting fresh citrus and ozonic, seabreeze accord that was simply stunning...to this, it's been a long journey. Some inbetween teetered with upsetting me this one just spilled out into proper weird. It reminds me a little of a friend of mine who's personal hygiene leaves somewhat to be desired. There's an animal, sweaty, dirty, unwashed hair/beard, denim jacket (complete with metal band patches) slightly alcohol, cannabis smoke and bong water sauteed feel to rake and ruin. Now... I placed the image in my partners mind when I said do you think this smells like....%$^$"%&^??? and she was was like OMG YES!!! but still impressive. Anyway, Is this unique...absolutely, I've never smelled anything like it...It's woody and has the element of pine or spruce, I get even a meditative quality of incense. The bbq rib sauce and bomfire smoke looms large and coupled with those animal qualities (which I'm adverse to btw) which in this setting and composition are pretty unbearable. The opening goes give that lovely gunpowder, slightly metallic smoke quality somewhat of a Beaufort signature, it's just a nuts fragrance. I don't even think the composition is messy, it's deliberate focused and has real purpose to me. I wish I liked it, loved it even...but I can't get over the fact that it's a bad smell. Infinitely complex and an incredible feat of olfactory innovation...but still it's a bad smell. An olfactory piece of art but unwearable. I could probably replicate the effect by going on a three month bender and never showering or changing my clothes, sleeping next to a burning tyre yard, maybe imbibing some of the ingredients said to be in here? Sorry Beaufort you are generally a brand I love...this is just a stretch too far for me personally, good luck to those who love it and wear it. UPDATE: Okay so my thoughts haven't changed on this one but I'm interested to note that Ambrome is now being quoted as a note on Fragrantica and it's a material included in Rake & Ruin. I have some Ambrome and it's the strangest material, smelling as it does, somewhat similar to labdanum absolute. Great right? Nope! It's actually soured my appreciation for labdanum and perhaps used in Minuit quantities might be really effective but the raw stuff or if you put too much in....Jesus it's awful! Maybe that's a contributing factor to why I hate this so much? In any case although I didn't smell it (I would've definitely mentioned it in my review) it doesn't surprise me to see it in here.