Baruti Perfumes Oh My Deer! Berlin im Winter, Onder De Linde photo by Rachel
When anyone asks me who I would have create for me a bespoke fragrance, without hesitation I answer that it would be Dr. Spyros Drosopoulos, perfumer, owner and founder of Baruti Perfumes. I was first introduced to the Dutch house when I smelled their authentic gourmand fragrance simply named “Chai” at the Dubai perfumery and lifestyle boutique, Villa 515. Baruti Chai’s spiced milk tea may have been inspired from the perfumer’s years as a Ph.D. student drinking chai latte but, to my nose it was the perfect rendition of my favorite Arabic beverage: chai karak; a take on Indian chai masala with extra spices and sweetened condensed milk all on the backbone of a strong black tea. Baruti Chai was my first acquisition from the brand and the first indication that Dr. Drosopoulos was a perfumer to keep my eye on.
Spyros Drosopoulos of Baruti Perfumes courtesy of the Brand
It was a fortunate encounter with Dr. Drosopoulos at an event at the same boutique in January 2016, his captivating backstory of deciding to completely switch his career from psychological research to creating perfumes and opening his own brand had me hooked. The name Baruti, meaning gunpowder in Greek, was chosen because it describes something that has bite or edge. His goal for each Baruti Perfumes is to be strong, memorable, intense – and wearable. This is not just some marketing mumble-jumble, it is an ideal way to look at all the ten scents in Baruti’s collection. It is rare to find a brand where the creations are not just looking to check a box but are each completely distinctive and pleasurable to wear; Baruti Perfumes is one of these extraordinary houses.
Dr. Drosopoulos (center) with Rachel’s mother and husband in Dubai (photo by Rachel)
When pressed to select just three favorites, I found the task difficult yet enjoyable since it was the perfect reason to pull out my bottles and sniff them all at once. In no particular order, I present “Three You Should be Wearing by Baruti Perfumes”
courtesy of the brand
Baruti Perfumes Oh My Deer! (2022): Starting with the newest addition to the collection Oh My Deer!, is an excellent introduction for someone new to the brand. What started as a self-imposed challenge to create a deer musk accord (without using any animal products) quickly developed into a full-fledged fragrance in a way only Spyros could create. Knowing the heft of some of his previous works such as Perverso and NOOUD I was a little hesitant to see what would come of a Baruti deer musk focused scent. It was a pleasant surprise to find Oh My Deer! as a beautifully sexy and even somewhat gourmand musky scent. Not to say there is any over the top sweetness, just a touch of vanilla amber mixing with the various musks that are both clean and a little bit dirty. To my nose, the pyramid is reversed from how I expected a musky fragrance to present itself. I get the coziness up at the top and as Oh My Deer! wears there is a definite shift to a brighter and crisper chapter of this scented story. The floral lily of the valley mixed with metallic notes comes across like a sparkling glass slipper resting atop a soft pillowy cushion. Baruti Oh My Deer! is a shape shifter of a scent that fits right into the house’s library of edgy yet easily wearable creations. Notes: Black pepper, Sichuan pepper, Aldehydes, Metallic notes, Lily of the valley accord, Incense, Amber, Vanilla
Baruti Perfumes Berlin im Winter Courtesy of the brand
Baruti Perfumes Berlin im Winter (2015): Upon first experiencing Baruti Berlin im Winter while living in Dubai, it transported me straight back to the cold New England winters in which I grew up; sitting in front of a wood-burning stove with a hot beverage warming me from the inside out. It is such a personally comforting scent that I would wear it whenever I felt a little homesick. Yet at the same time, Baruti Berlin im Winter blends perfectly with Arabic culture thanks to its use of resins, rose and oud in a completely non-traditional way. No one is going to mistake Berlin im Winter for a classic Middle Eastern fragrance however, perhaps without even trying, Spyros has created a bridge between the East and West. By including just enough NOOUD, a stand-alone fragrance without any actual oud that even my Arabic husband believes it to be one of the better “oud” scents. Baruti Perfumes Berlin im Winter gives us a taste of Arabic style while surrounding you by the icy cold winters found only much further North. Like so many of Baruti’s fragrances, it is not an easy task to try to dissect and distinguish the individual notes of Berlin im Winter; it is best to just sit back and let the fragrance engulf you in a feeling of home – no matter where that might be. Notes: Lavender, Mastic oil, Rose, Iris, Cassis, Plum, Myrrh, Frankincense, Irish Coffee, NOOUD, Amber, Leather
Baruti Perfumes Onder de Linde Courtesy of the Brand
Baruti Perfumes Onder de Linde (Melkmeisje) 2015: Onder de Linde was the easiest of the three scents to select because, for me, it demonstrates Dr. Drosopoulos deft use of blending ingredients, bringing to mind Vermeer’s ability to transform an everyday subject into a masterpiece. Onder de Linde (formerly Melkmeisje, Dutch for milkmaid) was inspired by the setting of Vermeer’s famous portrait, the Dutch countryside. Not only is the perfumer able to create a realistic representation of nature from flowers without natural extractions (neither linden nor lilac produce significant scented oils) Onder de Linde creates one of the most unique fragrant textures I have experienced in a perfume.
Vermeer’s Milkmaid (Wikipedia)
Just as Vermeer used some of the most expensive paints of his time to create the vibrant ultramarine and yellows, Drosopoulos masterfully utilizes his olfactive palette to conjure a creamy linden blossom note I find just as milky as what flows from the jug in Vermeer’s painting. Comparing Baruti Perfumes Chai and Onder de Linde was an interesting experience – both scents have the same comforting feel but in opposite seasons. Chai is suited for the cold winter days where a steaming cup of milk tea hits the spot while Onder de Linde uses the creaminess of freshly collected milk to signify a promise of new life in spring. Just as I would not be able to begin to explain how Vermeer creates his masterpieces from a blank canvas and palette of paint, I am just as tongue-tied when trying to put into the words how Baruti Onder de Linde combines fresh notes of linden and lilac with milky woods, sweet honey and pillowy musks into such a delectable and exceptional fragrance Give Baruti Onder de Linde a try and take your own springtime journey to the Dutch countryside. Notes: Pear, Lilac, Linden blossom, Honey, Orris root, Vanilla, Vetiver, Sandalwood, Musk.
In addition to the original extrait versions, Baruti recently released all ten scents in the collection as eau de parfums.
Rachel Watson, Senior Contributor
Disclaimer: Reviews are all based on the extrait versions of the scents purchased by me. My opinions are always my own.
Photo of the Baruti discovery set courtesy of the brand
Thanks to the generosity of Rachel, we have a brand-new discovery set of all 10 extrait perfumes for one registered reader in the U.S. ONLY. You must register or your entry will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what sparks your interest about Rachel’s review of each of the three she chose and which one)s) appeal to you the most? Draw closes 4/20/2023
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Please enjoy previous reviews: Perverso by former Editor Dana Sandu; Dama Koupa by former Editor Gail Gross, Indigo by Guest Contributor Danu Seith-Fyr and Tindrer by Deputy Editor Tama Blough (R.I.P).
Rachel and former CaFleureBon Contributor, Cynthia Hunter with Spyros Drosopoulos in Dubai (photos by Rachel)
Sr. Contributor’s Note: I had the opportunity to take part in an introduction to perfume creation class with Dr. Drosopoulos in Dubai in 2017. It was such a memorable and entertaining experience; the knowledge I took away from the lessons is invaluable.
Dr. Drosopoulos has expanded his teachings through the Institute of Art & Olfaction with a weeklong intensive class (available live online) starting May 15th.
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