From the spigo workshop to niche perfumery
In his small Florentine workshop Guido Galardi experimented with essential oils, scented solutions and fragrant sachets, and that is where the name Bottega Italiana Spigo 1920 comes from, shortened to Bois 1920. The resemblance to the French word *bois*, wood, is evocative but does not explain where the name comes from. The house has stayed with the Galardi family, which today also runs the Profumo di Firenze project.
The collections in our catalog
Oro: flowers, spices and warm bases
In the Oro collection, Oro Bianco Eau de Parfum is the floral version, with Damask rose, peony and ylang-ylang over a base of woods and vanilla. Oro Rosso Eau de Parfum pairs jasmine with saffron instead, with musk and oak wood in the base. Bolder and spicier is Oro Nero Eau de Parfum, which revisits Oro 1920 with saffron, clove, patchouli, leather and vanilla.
Cannabis: one green note in three versions
The three Cannabis scents share the cannabis note but frame it in different ways. Cannabis Salata Eau de Parfum pairs it with a salty marine accord, with vetiver and ambergris in the base, while Cannabis Dolce Eau de Parfum is a gourmand with cocoa beans, black pepper and vanilla, released in 2023 and created by perfumer Cristian Calabro. Finally, Cannabis Fruttata Eau de Parfum adds blueberry and has an amber nuance.
Trasparenti: Oltremare and Centenario
Among the Trasparenti, Oltremare Eau de Parfum opens with plenty of citrus, has tea and mate at its heart and a base of sandalwood and white musk. Centenario Eau de Parfum is a warm floral built on iris, the flower of Florence, alongside jasmine, tiare and ylang-ylang.
Scuro, Sushi Imperiale and the other compositions
The Artistic Collection includes Scuro Parfum, built on incense with citrus, oriental and spicy accents. Sushi Imperiale Eau de Parfum, which the house places among its orientals, combines citrus, pepper, cinnamon, woods and Madagascar vanilla, and Dolce di Giorno Eau de Parfum is an aromatic woody scent from the Limited Art Collection, in 50 and 100 ml sizes. Then there is Vento nel Vento, with peony, pink pepper, incense, licorice and white musk, and Real Patchouly, a woody scent with Indian sandalwood and Texas cedar over a base of vanilla and amber.
If you are looking for a single ingredient, you can compare Real Patchouly with other patchouli perfumes, or set Bois 1920 beside the other houses in our niche perfumes section.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Bois 1920 from?
Bois 1920 is an Italian perfume house from Florence, owned by the Galardi family. Its first formulas date back to the 1920s and were created in the Florentine artisan workshop of the founder, Guido Galardi. Today the same family also runs Profumo di Firenze, a project dedicated to the city with its own collections, separate from those of Bois 1920.
What does the name Bois 1920 mean?
Bois 1920 is an acronym for Bottega Italiana Spigo 1920. Spigo is the Tuscan name for lavender, the plant that Guido Galardi's first experiments in his Florence workshop started from. The resemblance to the French word bois, meaning wood, is a coincidence and does not explain where the name comes from.
Which Bois 1920 perfume should I start with?
The best Bois 1920 to start with depends on the notes you like. For florals there are Oro Bianco, with Damask rose and peony, and Centenario, built on iris. For citrus there is Oltremare, for spice and leather Oro Nero, for incense Scuro Parfum, and for sandalwood and cedar Real Patchouly.
What is the difference between Cannabis Salata, Dolce and Fruttata?
The three Bois 1920 Cannabis scents share the cannabis note but frame it in different ways. Cannabis Salata pairs it with a salty marine accord, with vetiver and ambergris, while Cannabis Dolce is a gourmand with cocoa, black pepper and vanilla. Fruttata, on the other hand, adds blueberry and has an amber nuance.
What is the difference between Oro Bianco, Oro Rosso and Oro Nero?
Oro Bianco, Oro Rosso and Oro Nero are three versions of the Bois 1920 Oro collection. Bianco is floral, with Damask rose, peony and ylang-ylang, while Rosso pairs jasmine and saffron with musk and oak. Oro Nero is the spicy, oriental one, with saffron, clove, patchouli, leather and vanilla.
Are Bois 1920 perfumes for men or women?
Bois 1920 perfumes are not split into masculine and feminine, and the product pages list Cannabis Dolce as unisex and Dolce di Giorno as for men and women, so the choice comes down to the notes. As for concentration, almost the entire range is eau de parfum, while Scuro comes in parfum concentration.
What is Bois 1920 Scuro?
Scuro is a fragrance from the Bois 1920 Artistic Collection, built on incense and in parfum concentration. According to the house's fragrance pyramid, it opens with elemi and black pepper, has jasmine at its heart and a base of guaiac wood.
What does Bois 1920 Centenario smell like?
Centenario is a Bois 1920 floral inspired by Florentine heritage and built on iris, with jasmine and exotic flowers such as tiare and ylang-ylang. The house describes it as a journey where past and present meet. It belongs to the Trasparenti collection, together with Oltremare.
What are the notes in Bois 1920 Oltremare?
Oltremare is a Bois 1920 eau de parfum from the Trasparenti collection that opens with plenty of citrus, including Sicilian yellow lemon and bergamot. Tea sits at its heart, while the base is Indian sandalwood and white musk.
What does Bois 1920 Vento nel Vento smell like?
Vento nel Vento is a Bois 1920 eau de parfum that opens with peony petals and the spicy notes of pink pepper. At its heart are incense and licorice, over which the house describes a cloud of white musk, and the base is dark.
