This opens rather medicinal & "perfumey" to my nose, becoming smoother & more fruity over the first 40 minutes or so. Over an hour later, it takes on a creamier, more floral aspect, & l detect a touch of amber. lt continues in this vein, settling very close to the skin & lasting overall around 6-7 hours.
l do not know what real champaca smells like, but in my imagination it is a big, rich, creamy white flower with perhaps a powdery/incensy aspect. While l don't dislike Champaca Absolute, it did not live up to these expectations, the sillage is disappointing, & l would prefer it without the fruity notes.
IMO the Commes des Garcons Luxe Champaca is a far more beautiful rendition, & worthier of my hard-earned cash.

21st January, 2012.

Scent begins with a pop to the nose—warm cognac spiked with bergamot. Not altogether pleasant. Scent then calms down a bit and one can smell the dyer’s greenweed (at least that’s what I think I’m smelling, as it is listed as one of the top notes), a pingy floral. Blessedly, the frag coalesces after about five minutes, and begins moving in an unsurprising line. The champaca dominates, and one can smell the vanilla in the distance. I could not identify the violet or the jasmine notes, but I will say the fragrance packs a sweet wallop which almost did me in. Because of this, I cannot imagine Champaca Absolute at all on a man. I became happier with the frag as it continued the drydown. It became very warm, with the amber, marron glace, and sandalwood forming a nice accord. Still, there is something off-putting to me in this frag that is hard to identify: the scent begins high-pitched, and that quality never completely goes away. In fact, after several hours it still nags on, and for that reason I give it a thumbs-down. Good sillage and longevity, though, for what it’s worth.

25th July, 2011.

I have no idea what champaca smells like, but what I can tell is that this smells chemical and thin from the get go. Total shite.