Layers of imaginatively composed notes, accords and technologies by Kamila Lelakova, the first female perfumer for Boadicea the Victorious, has produced a bold perfume of tenacity and emotional impact. Defender opens with a rebellious shout of zesty ginger, grapefruit and unexpected swirls of dark liquorice and honeyed cognac mingled with a fascinating red berry compote and hints of kirsch. Orange blossom announces the arrival of Defender’s all-important heart of Night Blooming Jasmine and the background for the jasmine is an alluring blend of mournful myrrh, its earthy smoke and balsamic mood mixed with a note of hay absolute used by Defender perfumer Kamila Lelakova to hint at Boadicea’s childhood, farming wheat and barley with her family. The other main note is a verdigris leather accord, a seductive homage to the tactile, atmospheric nature of natural skins and hides.
Defender is an extraordinary composition. The fragrance opens with a rebellious scream of spicy ginger, grapefruit and unexpected swirls of dark licorice, honeyed cognac mixed with a captivating compote of red berries and hints of cherry. There is a metallic tinge to the opening sequence, adrenaline and silver pulsing to activate our senses and memories before merging into an intense language of tempered bombast.
