The New BDK Perfume, Extremely Vanilla And Singularly Beautiful

To bake a cake, to make a piece of art, to write a book, we wouldn’t use second-class ingredients, materials or our tired mind. We would want to give it our very best. In the world of perfumery, this would be the case in the finest scents. Not about whether an ingredient is natural or synthetic, as a great perfume is usually a mix of the two. However, it is the singular notes that must stand to attention, ot be seen, heard and of course smelt. In this regard, David  Benedek at BDK has The Collection Matières, which is a celebration, a lifting up to its highest echelons, of singular materials. His latest extrait from the collection is Velvet Tonka Extrait for spring 2026, explore it here in The New BDK Perfume, Extreme Vanilla And Singularly Beautiful

The Collection Matières by BDK

Highlighting specific, high-quality raw materials is at the heart of The Collection Matières by BDK Parfums.  Designed to explore and cherish specific, high-quality raw materials, focusing on their origins and unique nuances. BDK Parfums uses this collection to explore contrasts and create contemporary olfactory narratives, whilst truly exploring and understanding the complete facets that make up a note.

 French Niche Fragrance

Each perfume in this collection turns the spotlight on one of the principal raw materials, emphasising the importance of the choice of raw materials, their origins, with the starting point for the inspiration for each one of the fragrances being found in the raw material itself.

David  Benedek and Alexandra Carlin

From this collection comes his latest elixir, Velvet Tonka Extrait, created by David and perfumer Alexandra Carlin, who also designed the original composition, Velvet Tonka. David talks of his relationship with the perfumer Alexandra, a little like love at first sight.

The first time we met, it was supposed to be a lunch for one hour or one hour and thirty. Because we are busy people. And it lasted for three hours. I love that. So a three-hour lunch that became the perfume.

David  Benedek

Comme des Gazelles

So for the next perfume, Alexandra says

So he told me personally, I think maybe it’s time for me to pay tribute to my Moroccan origins. But he said, ‘You do what you want, you show me what you want. And when we met again, I showed him Comme des Gazelles. It’s an oriental pastry that is very famous in Morocco and Algeria.‘

Wanting Alexandra to really have the freedom to express what she imagined, he enjoyed as she started with this sugar-glazed almond-filled pastry.

Extrait

The original accord she showed David was very raw, like Almond, Orange blossom, sugar-glazed, and together they discussed if it could be an accord for the Matière Collection, and if so, discussed that this Almond-like note, which is very high-end, very upscale in perfumery, is not unlike Tonka could work as an Extrait for the original velvet Tonka EDP. They then say it was such a ‘clear’ moment that they both ‘hit the road running’ on the project. Now exclusive to Selfridges for six months, comes Velvet Tonka Extrait, the fourth Extrait in his collection.

So the notes used are comprehensive, but of course, of the highest standards. The elixir opens with intoxicating white, slightly honeyed tones of floral, almost earthy, yet luminous Orange Blossom by LMR from Tunisia and Cosmofruit, an exclusive IFF molecule with its aroma combining sweet caramelised apple, plummy, red berries, and hints of savoury chestnut or nuts. This head works as a step into the heart.

Here, the heart is the alchemist of richness with a Pistachio creamy spread as a key element, adding an indulgent creamy, nutty layer, which is a mix of Almond with Pistachio alongside the rich, indulgent note of Tonka with its nutty Vanilla-like scent, melded with Almond and Cinnamon that finally meets with the warm spice of Cinnamon.

Its finale brings this deep, rounded scent together nd makes for something complete and remarkable. Saffiano Leather brings a refined, modern Leather richness, a luxurious fragrance note that captures the essence of high-quality leather with subtle waxy, slightly woody, and creamy undertones. Bouncing in comes the creamy comfort from Vanilla, a soft smoky Tabacco and of course, to deliver the ultimate richness comes an Amber Accord of Vanilla Bezoin and Labdanum.

From its opening of the Orange Blossom, with a hint of Morocco, the Vanilla Cinammon and Tonka, the sweet treats of Grandma’s kitchen, the richness of Amber to comfort, this is an extremely personal fragrance ot anyone, not just David and Alexandra.

The perfume is also, as a whole, about reflections back and forth from its ingredients, none of which are by accident but by design, as notes and facets mirror each other whilst bringing subtle nuances to each.

This is partly due to the quality of the notes, each the very best of its kind, but also the melding of each. The facets of Orange Blossom, which here is more sensual and rich, echoing the richness of the nuts, the Tabacco reflects a little of the leathery earthy Labdunum and so on, each not a sliver of the other, making this have a roundness, a completeness, but not obvious, as though it goes from a lightness to subtle darkness: An Opus to behold.

Velevet Tonk Extrait is exclusive to Selfridges.com

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