Winner of the 2015 Art and Olfaction Award in the artisan category, Woodcut links contemporary, technology-based society to raw nature. Strong lines and delicate tracery combine to tell an archetypal tale of man’s rape of the earth. Woodcut conjures up dark images of ancient trees inhabited by spirits from a time when the earth was new, the flowing sap of felled trees, and the burnt sugar of the trees’ blood when it is heated by the saws of lumbermen and builders. The inspiration for this fragrance came from passing by a building site where old trees had been newly cut for a development and lumber was being sawed for a fence. The scent of cut wood was intoxicatingly beautiful and primitive, like a fleeting glimpse of the invisible essence of life spilled carelessly on the ground and burned as an offering to human greed. Woodcut was released in 2014 and was created by Ellen Covey. It features notes of fractional distillations of pine and cedar, oakwood absolute, tolu balsam, olibanum, caramel, burnt sugar and vanilla. Woodcut is parfum.
OLYMPIC ORCHIDS WOODCUT REVIEWS
Fragrantica: "Absolute work of art. Perfect woodiness, even somewhat of a dusty cabin like quality to it. I inhale it deeply and imagine a room at The Great Northern in Twin Peaks. From reading the notes, I was worried it would lean somewhat gourmandish, and less photorealistic. Thankfully, my fears were unfounded -- the burnt sugar instead just gives it a lasting warmth and depth, rather than anything overtly sweet. If I hadn't read the notes prior to smelling, I'm not even sure I'd consciously register anything like sugar. I have an obsession with dry wood notes, probably owing to some kind of pica, so photorealistic dry woods (actual wood, NOT green needles) are my favorite thing, and something that rarely delivers as much as I want. Thankfully Miss Ellen Covey did deliver for me this time!!"
Fragrantica: "Simple design executed with genius. I could not name another scent from this house that is so simple. Nevertheless, this is a real standout. Woodcut brings you right to the moment that wood is chopped; there is a juiciness and reverberation to this scent, a gesture to the violence of dismembering a tree. It's like I can sense the chainsaw in the scene. The sweetness of the caramel conveys the natural perkiness of the smell of cut wood. Truly delightful."
Fragrantica: "Wonderfully dry, literal, natural woody fragrance. The sweetness from the caramel adds a more "human" element to it while the wood notes make me feel like I just stepped out of the forest after chopping logs behind my cabin. Perfect for cool fall days wearing flannels and timberland boots."
Fragrantica: "There is something genius in the way Woodcut blends caramel sweetness with the rawness of freshly sawn wood. The result is astonishingly realistic: the dusty warmth of wood shavings rising into the air, softened by a gourmand undertone that makes it both evocative and highly wearable. It is a fragrance of contrasts sweet yet dry, comforting yet raw and this duality is what makes it so compelling. The caramel doesn’t overwhelm; instead, it clings to the wood like golden resin, highlighting its rough textures. Wear it with a red plaid flannel shirt, and the experience becomes complete."
Fragrantica: "I love this fragrance, this is the other one that’s in my top 2 from Olympic orchid. I’ve never found a caramel scent I like on myself, they’re usually too milky or sweet, but I love this one. It opens with a very strong herbal wood scent, I do wish that would stick around stronger and longer, but I still love it. I feel that it turns to caramel very quick and the caramel mostly takes over. Because this doesn’t have all the added milk, vanilla, etc. notes that many caramel fragrances have I actually love it, and there is still a subtle wood smell to it after it dries down. Adding another review to say that I got a full bottle secondhand, and I love it. Maybe becoming a signature scent for me- it is very much the same scent but feels like it tweaked some of my dislikes about it- im not sure if it’s because it’s an older bottle or it aged well or what- but it feels a bit less distinctly peanut buttery and more distinctly woody in a way that sticks around way longer than just the opening. It isnt dark and woody if anyone was expecting that, it’s more bright and has a realistic wood musty-ness that won’t be for everybody but I actually think in this new bottle that PB effect that bothered me more in the sample I tried prior actually pulls that together to be perfectly appealing. Some of those sharper contrasting wood (is it cedar?) elements stick around longer and that almost imperceptible dash of citrus in the base just make it perfect. I don’t remember if in my initial review i properly complimented how masterful the on skin dry down of this really is- for something so distinctly naturalistic and not perfumey feeling, hours in it reveals a slightly vanillic, surprisingly somewhat citrus-y beautiful accord. I dont know how to describe it other than it feels universal and inviting while still not smelling dime a dozen. It’s what I was hoping Olympic Amber would be like. I think this strikes the perfect balance of being somewhat niche but still very appealing, and it delivers on the concept completely. Hats off to this one, definitely has been my favorite from the house."
Fragrantica: "Absolutely incredible. I have a deep desire to collect scents that smell like Home Depot and I don't know why. But this... sweet lord-- this quenched that desire and so much more. I love it. It smells like straight cut up cedarwood with a hot chainsaw so the singed wood lingers in the air. I layer this with Khamrah by Lataffa for a sweet woody cinnamon scent. Love this. Buy it if you love woody scents. It's incredible."
