Imperial by Boadicea the Victorious
We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.
8.1 / 10 199 Ratings
A popular perfume by Boadicea the Victorious for women and men. The release year is unknown. The scent is spicy-woody. The longevity is above-average. It is still in production.
We may earn a commission when you buy from links on our site, including the eBay Partner Network and Amazon.

Main accords

Spicy
Woody
Resinous
Oriental
Floral

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes Top Notes
RosewoodRosewood AngelicaAngelica LavenderLavender
Heart Notes Heart Notes
GalbanumGalbanum JasmineJasmine
Base Notes Base Notes
Cambodian oudCambodian oud Indian sandalwoodIndian sandalwood Gaiac woodGaiac wood PatchouliPatchouli LeatherLeather
Ratings
Scent
8.1199 Ratings
Longevity
8.4174 Ratings
Sillage
7.9179 Ratings
Bottle
8.7182 Ratings
Value for money
6.867 Ratings
Submitted by Fenja, last update on 29.03.2024.

Reviews

7 in-depth fragrance descriptions
6
Bottle
9
Sillage
8
Longevity
7.5
Scent
FvSpee

249 Reviews
Translated Show original Show translation
FvSpee
FvSpee
Top Review 53  
Who talks about winning? Survival is everything.
I see. The imperial perfume (or imperial perfume) of Boadicea the Victorious. Excuse me, but the whole brand, and the name of this fragrance, tramples on my E**n so much that I doubt whether I can even appreciate the fragrance fairly
It is not my first tested Boadicea, but my first commented, so a few words about the brand may be allowed. I first met Boadicea at the KaDeWe in Berlin, when a nice, funny and knowledgeable salesman tried to get me interested in this brand. At that time, I was struck by the high prices, the Celtic opulent flacons and the bulky names (I remember Monarch, the same name category as Imperial). The fragrances I tested at that time were quite powerful and reminded me of the more brute Amouages, both fascinated me a bit, but didn't seem quite right for me. Nevertheless Monarch was on my watch list for a while for the sake of later in-depth tests
In the meantime, between me and this brand is rather an empty bottle. I still don't like the prices (50 ml = 145 pounds sterling), neither do the bottles. As for the fragrance names, I have meanwhile noticed that they not only offer ostentatious and British-nationalistic ones such as "Britannia", "Empire", "Imperial", "Monarch", "Majestic", "Hero" and "Glorious", but that they have also named part of their collection after contemporary Arab sheikhs and princes, who were probably honoured for their services to boosting British exports rather than democracy in their home countries. In addition, I feel pi..., uh, stung by the energizing emissions policy: 114 fragrances since 2008. I hate that
But what bothers me most is the name of the brand. Boadicea the Victorious, Boudica the Victorious, is celebrated in the brand presentation as the beautiful, glorious warrior queen with flowing hair, whose attributes beauty, strength, power, glory and victoriousness should radiate onto the fragrances (and their buyers).

The only victorious thing about Boudica (which is usually referred to as Boadicea in English-speaking countries) was its name, which means "the victorious one" in Celtic. According to the current state of research, which is based on a meagre source (mainly archaeological finds and the report of Tacitus, who was anything but a foolish talker), the story went something like this:

Around 60 AD, Nero ruled in Rome, and (South) Britain had been firmly in Roman hands for about 50 years. A part of this Britannia was ruled by a client king (old name for puppet regime) quasi on behalf of Rome: the deal was: he was allowed to rule for life, after that his territory fell under Roman direct administration. When he died, however, he decreed in his will that his daughter Boudica and Rome should share power. The Romans didn't see this as an agreement and didn't consider it to be in accordance with the contract, they simply took the whole small kingdom and on the occasion raped Boudica's daughters, which was not quite in accordance with the good order even by the standards of that time (but only because they were aristocrats of an empire that was in principle still allied with Rome).

Boudica was chosen as leader by the outraged people of this part of the kingdom, but also by other Britannic tribes, and in a kind of anti-colonial frenzy she fell upon the Roman settlements in south-eastern Britain, where she slaughtered about 70,000 men, women and children (Roman settlers and Celts who had come to appreciate the Roman way of life). This was not very clever strategically, because the Roman legions in Britain, which of course were much more powerful and only at that time had other things to do somewhere in the north of the country, rushed in and in turn wiped out Boudica's entire army, including all the men, women and children in the retinue, 80,000 people in all. Boudica escaped, but did not survive for long (probably poison). After that there was silence in the box for about 400 years.

Must this blood-soaked, endlessly sad, foolish and tragic story, which stands for the worst that people are capable of, be slapped on a company sign to sell people fragrances? Do you want to think about all this in the morning at the bathroom mirror, and also about the stupid advertising slogans of the beautiful, beaming winner when you put on your fragrance? Not me
Imperial is a surprisingly sweet fragrance, which impresses me (even if there are no traces of it in the Pyramid) very fruity. For the first ten minutes I perceive the oily, lavish note of British fruit wine gums (not the one from Haribo, it's delicious), which I have always found rather scary. After that it remains gummy, sweetish, diffusely fruity, but also becomes buttery-creamy in a nice way. There are then undoubtedly dense flower chords, a little bit of spiciness like red pepper, something like a very delicate suede note and a bezoelike tingling.

I can't recognize pronounced oud notes, they are certainly as well used as the lavender. Nothing is more misleading in the pyramid of scents than lavender, because the typical freshness, lightness and dry powdery nature of this note is missing in the fragrance.

For me, a consistently sweet, soft fragrance, covering a wide range of notes (like many fragrances of this brand), but with a strong floral and quasi-fruity component. Thoroughly well composed, not violent or grossly overburdened, but already quite massive. The soft sweetness is in almost caricature-like contrast to the advertising slogans for this fragrance ("feel empowered", "authority of calm assurance that is the key of imperial power"). But it is also not voluptuous and opulent, for me this is definitely not a lascivious (or sexy) fragrance. I think most of all of gravitational, but meaningless activity, or of confused dreams that entangle the dreamer deep in his sleep and finally arrive much too late and yet unfreshed. In terms of colour I think of rich, dark, billowing masses of colour, violet, dark red, perhaps a muted emerald green. Emotionally I think of melancholy
Despite my bad mood with this imperial fragrance (you can tell by this comment: I don't like the whole direction) certainly not a badly made perfume, and therefore the attempt of a fair valuation with 7,5.

And in a good mood (!) thanks to Floyd for the testing opportunity.
33 Comments
10
Bottle
7
Sillage
9
Longevity
8
Scent
Floyd

290 Reviews
Translated Show original Show translation
Floyd
Floyd
Top Review 19  
Dark resinous shimmering symphony
The red sun stands low in the last light, the flowers landed in the docks shimmer only in obscure violet, the gnarled woods of the ship's planks sweat out the last heat of the day, the dark brown cracks in the patina of the black leather stacked at the edge of the quays are highlighted, shimmering in the golden brown resin drops, which migrate slowly over it and finally seep into the warm earth between the landing bridges.
Forgive me for the pompous poetry, but "Imperial" is a dark symphonic wall and yet tame, multi-faceted and reserved, a modern painting of British imperialism that has long since overpainted its details and subordinates even the oriental woods and flowers imported via the ports of the Levant to a powerful overall picture A flowery top note can only be perceived briefly and very fleetingly, here fresh spicy notes, probably coming from birch and freesia, mix with the bluish-violet nuances of rose geranium and lavender, which for me are always bluish-violet nuances, even in the later all-determining wall of mild oud, dark leather, golden yellow labdanum resin, fine-grained spicy sandalwood and a rose, which is always dimmed underneath and which emerges again and again. Patchouli is perceptible to me as a grounding antithesis that provides the fragrance with a light sepia filter. This "heart base" then takes over after a relatively short time, is closer to the body than arm-length, is never loud but always present.
"Imperial" is not a Rose-Oud fragrance in the true sense, but they subordinate themselves too much to the overall picture. I would rather describe it as a slightly angular, amber-coloured, resinous leather scent with a dark and soft Rose-Oud theme, which slowly fades away after about eight to ten hours, but never loses its character. One for spring, autumn, and winter, definitely more masculine, self-confident, experienced in life, but also artistic and dandy. One who, despite or because of his unswerving lack of development, has what it takes to become a signature fragrance.
9 Comments
8
Pricing
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
10
Longevity
9
Scent
MinoTaurus

13 Reviews
Translated Show original Show translation
MinoTaurus
MinoTaurus
6  
i came, I smelled, I fell for him..
Imperial has everything a special niche fragrance needs to have: Depth, exclusivity, longevity, and it's rare enough that you won't encounter three others with it in the same room.

Lavender meets fresh-tart rosewood, in the heart follows soft jasmine and an overdose of labdanum and then in the base the full force guaiac and oud. The madness!

Imperial is one of the few fragrances, on which I was once again positively addressed.

Due to the comlexity of the formulation Imperial belongs only on the skin tested, and it applies: less is more.

0 Comments
4
Pricing
9
Bottle
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
JackHunter33

84 Reviews
JackHunter33
JackHunter33
Helpful Review 5  
Fresh Spicy Rosy Woody Oud
On the opening I get fresh spicy lavender and Oud. The Oud reminds me of the Oud in Sahraa Oud by Fragrance Du Bois but much lighter and aromatic. From the Oud I can smell a slight rose and sweetness and this is the heart of the scent. It's quite intricate as here and there I can pick up other notes like leather and woods.

Eventually it becomes very woody and spicy whilst been very easy to wear. It's a very light wearing scent. And that oudy rosy heart is always there. It smells very classy and chic. I would say the scent is reminiscent and has the same vibe as Tom Fords Oud Wood and Royal Oud by Creed. But having better ingredients than both of them.

The star of the show is the slightly sweet rosy Oud which seems to be the heart of the scent. All in all very lovely and chic. I like it a lot!
2 Comments
Remusan

8 Reviews
Remusan
Remusan
2  
everyday luxury
A good mix with soft leather, balsamic notes and wood, with a blue nuances, very wearable and sophisticated, but suitable for everyday wear. Dark, slighty sweet and high quality
blue mix. Whenever i wear this i feel like a russian oligarch!
0 Comments
More reviews

Statements

6 short views on the fragrance
Patj1994Patj1994 9 months ago
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
5.5
Scent
Lavender, on top of lavender with more lavender…smells like an air freshener. Hard pass.
0 Comments
BoBoChampBoBoChamp 3 years ago
7
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
Initially musky spicy-green, a warm and smooth, slightly leathery, oriental spicy-woody Fall fragrance, with a creamy resinous-woody base.
0 Comments
BertolucciKBertolucciK 3 years ago
10
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
8.5
Scent
In the opening, lavender, angelica and a fruity touch. Then comes the oud, complex but well-rounded, smooth, warming, slightly smoky.
0 Comments
HermeshHermesh 9 years ago
10
Bottle
7.5
Sillage
10
Longevity
9
Scent
Has many facets: woody, oudy, flowery, fruity-sweet and even somewhat fresh (due to angelica, birch).
0 Comments
ShemsmellerShemsmeller 10 months ago
8
Bottle
8
Sillage
8
Longevity
9
Scent
For thé moment thé best boadicea i smelled but i will smell around 50.for thé moment thé best fragrance i discovered this year
0 Comments
More statements

Charts

This is how the community classifies the fragrance.
Pie Chart Radar Chart

Images

18 fragrance photos of the community
More images

Popular by Boadicea the Victorious

Ardent (Eau de Parfum) by Boadicea the Victorious Bodacious by Boadicea the Victorious Blue Sapphire (Parfum) by Boadicea the Victorious Energizer by Boadicea the Victorious Nemer (Parfum) by Boadicea the Victorious Intense by Boadicea the Victorious Valiant by Boadicea the Victorious Passionate by Boadicea the Victorious Amethyst by Boadicea the Victorious Exotic by Boadicea the Victorious Glorious by Boadicea the Victorious Invigorating by Boadicea the Victorious Hanuman by Boadicea the Victorious Notorious by Boadicea the Victorious Grace by Boadicea the Victorious Inquisitive by Boadicea the Victorious Lavish by Boadicea the Victorious N° - Midnight Degree by Boadicea the Victorious Almas by Boadicea the Victorious Monarch by Boadicea the Victorious