John StephenThe nose · 16 fragrances · also made Gravitas Pour Homme (2020)Portrait →Will you like it? Mark a few fragrances you own or love and we'll tell you.
Boadicea the Victorious · Sold as unisex
Complex 2020
The scent of a well-curated library where the sharpness of herbs mingles with the rich leather of old books and the subtle warmth of incense.
Full bottle: Luxury tier, typically $250+. Links open each seller's own page. We may earn a commission; it never changes the order.
Complex 2020Luxury · $250+
43%Similar accords, often for lessOcean Leather · Memo ParisPremium tier, $100–250 · shares 4 of its 9 notes8 matches →How it wears
From community votes · bars are each option's shareComposition & Character
Main Accords
When to Wear
Who Wears It
The story behind the bottle.
Launched in 2017 by Boadicea the Victorious and crafted by perfumer John Stephen, Complex 2020 is a unisex fragrance that embodies the brand's quintessentially British heritage. The composition opens with sage and basil, providing a fresh spicy contrast to the rich, earthy notes of olibanum and leather. As it develops, oud and musk bring an enveloping warmth, creating a complex interplay between aromatic freshness and deep, sensual undertones.
Complex 2020 is best applied in light layers, as the aromatic top notes fade quickly but leave room for the deeper leather and oud to emerge. It pairs well with cooler evenings when the air is crisp and you want a fragrance that evolves throughout the night.
Fig. 01 — Complex 2020, Boadicea the Victorious
Where to buy.
Wear it for a week first
A decant costs a fraction of a bottle and tells you how it lasts on your skin.
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John Stephen
John Stephen, born in rural England, studied chemistry at the University of Bath before turning his family's failed perfumery venture into The Cotswold Perfumery in Bourton-on-the-Water.
The Complex line
2 fragrances, compared side by side
Designer Boadicea the Victorious
More from the house · founded 2005 · United Kingdom
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Chosen from what wearers say it smells like, what its fans also love, and its notes
Love it, not the $250+ price?
Matched by accords and notes. Sample first, then decide.
The originalComplex 2020Boadicea the Victorious · Luxury · $250+Memo Paris · 2020Ocean LeatherShares 4 of its 9 notes$100–250★ 3.95 (1,128)42%Match
Bvlgari · 2020KobraaShares Olibanum and Agarwood (oud)$100–250★ 4.36 (738)41%Match
Ramon Monegal · 2009Agar MuskShares Leather, Agarwood (oud) and Musk$100–250★ 4.02 (263)40%Match
Swiss ArabianAzza SilverShares Olibanum, Leather and Agarwood (oud)under $40★ 4.23 (30)
With Boadicea the Victorious Carbon Sapphire
Adds woody, rose and earthy; shares agarwood (oud) and musk.
Suggested from accords and notes · not yet tried by wearers
What people
are saying.
Still under the radar: loved by 23%, disliked or hated by 38%.