Nirvana Bourbon by Elizabeth and James

Nirvana Bourbon is a fragrance release from the Olsen twins, Elizabeth and James line. I remember that I tried this once before some years back and liked it. Though, I didn’t spend enough time with it to do a full review. Now that I bought four samples of E&J fragrances, I can properly share my thoughts on this one. How does it smell? How long does it last? When to wear?

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What does Nirvana Bourbon Smell Like?

Notes includes: bourbon vanilla, oak wood, and tuberose

Click here to try: Elizabeth & James Nirvana Bourbon Edp Spray Womens Perfume Nib, 1.7 Ounce

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My Full Wear Review

The opening of Nirvana Bourbon, of course goes heavy on that bourbon vanilla note, but there’s also a good deal of tuberose. It feels smooth and slightly smoky, with the woodiness of the oak coming through.

I will say, that the oak in this one does have a very fresh spice to it, much like oak that has already been carved out. I have to say, that I really like it. It all comes together as a warm (fiery) smoky fragrance with an underlying sweet character.

While this Elizabeth and James is marketed as being more about the bourbon vanilla, the star of the show is actually the oak. This becomes increasingly dry, as things move forward. A unisex fragrance, but leaning more masculine, in my mind.

The vanilla that hangs around isn’t a creamy frosting variety, rather, it takes on a powdered like aroma. It weirdly reminds me of a whey protein powder that I used to have. 

There isn’t too much development with Nirvana Bourbon. That initial tuberose and vanilla mix, oak and more oak, and then a powdery oak dry down. On skin, the vanilla is more present. On a shirt, it was super woody.

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Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Sillage wise, it’s not an overpowering fragrance. It’s actually a lighter to moderate kind of perfume. It wasn’t projecting itself across the room, but I knew that I was wearing it the whole time. It stays close, but isn’t a weakling.

Longevity clocked in at 6-7 hours during this round of testing. Not bad and about what I remember it doing when I tried this one out years ago.

Seasonally, this one is a cold weather scent. Stick to fall and winter. It’s got a dry and cozy kind of aroma and will melt in the heat. It can probably venture into springtime, for some places, also.

Again, this one is totally unisex, and doesn’t feel ‘girly’ like some of the other offerings from this line. Casual to even more formal wear. Not necessarily a sexy scent or one that is going to be great as a nightlife wear. But, attractive and one you may get personal enjoyment from.

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Overall Impressions of Nirvana Bourbon

Do I like this fragrance? Yes, it’s a simple scent, but it’s borderline great. Not one that I want to wear all of the time, but I can definitely enjoy spraying this on during a cold winter’s day.

I like the oak and how the bourbon vanilla reasserts itself more towards the tail of the wear, after a long smoky/woody phase. I also like that the tuberose, isn’t too heavy in this one and the other notes really get a chance to shine.

You can usually find bottles of this for a good price. It’s well worth a shot, if it sounds at all appealing to you. Not much to explain, wood and vanilla, but within that is a lot to appreciate.

Update: All of these have been discontinued for a while now. Not sure if the entire brand is defunct or not, either. Seems like that’s the case. 

The prices of bottles are no longer all that inexpensive, so it may not be worthwhile to pay up to acquire it. This is a very nice fragrance, though, as was the rest of the Elizabeth & James line.