Iris
Jasmine
Lilac
Neroli
Petitgrain
Rose
Sandalwood
Melisse2
24 Reviews
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Melisse2
Top Review
22
Not a Lightweight - a White Flower Powerhouse
The original of this fragrance was developed by Ernest Daltroff in 1923, twelve years after his other daffodil scent, “Narcisse Noir.” I have no idea how it used to smell. Since Caron relaunched the perfume in 2017 as part of its Collection Privée, it might indeed be similar to the old scent.
With the relaunches of the Caron classics, the perfume house is reconnecting with its traditions and honoring its three house perfumers Ernest Daltroff, Michel Morsetti, and Richard Fraysse (source: ALzD).
Recently, I have tested a few fragrances from this line. My impression is: none of them are lightweight. I also don’t believe they have much in common with the Caron scents that Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez criticized in their A-Z Guide as pale shadows of the once-great perfumes.
I first tested “Narcisse Noir” and found this scent to be strict, old-fashioned in its seriousness and complexity, bitter, dense, and animalistic.
When a fragrance is called “Narcisse Blanc,” one would expect a brighter, friendlier, more charming scent in contrast to the darker one. A look at the pyramid also suggests the expectation of a cheerful spring fragrance.
Instead, “Narcisse Blanc” reveals itself to me as an indolic white flower powerhouse. The opening of an overwhelming, sultry, fleshy orange blossom or daffodil is a bit too much for me for about three-quarters of an hour. In another daffodil scent, Meggi once quoted her daughter with "Horses don’t stink." It goes in that direction.
It then transforms into a bitter, serious, completely unsweet, and slightly animalistic scent, in which orange blossom continues to dominate, accompanied by jasmine, and very late I think I also perceive rose. The prominently featured sandalwood in the pyramid I consider to be the indolic echo of the white flowers. I don’t smell any lilac at all. Perhaps traces of iris in the base.
Just a few months ago, I couldn’t relate to such fragrances at all. However, after extensively testing increasingly sweet cookie and vanilla scents, I have reached a certain saturation point, and the pendulum is now swinging in a different direction.
In any case, I find “Narcisse Blanc” wonderful in this stage, after the opening has passed. The scent lasts for more than 14 hours, with a clearly noticeable sillage in the first six hours, which doesn’t become overwhelming.
However, the fragrance will not be joining my collection. Firstly, because of the first 45 minutes. And secondly, because I prefer “Narcisse Noir” with its greater variety of flowers, citrus accents, and complexity.
I thank you for the gift of this sample and am glad that I could get to know this fragrance.
With the relaunches of the Caron classics, the perfume house is reconnecting with its traditions and honoring its three house perfumers Ernest Daltroff, Michel Morsetti, and Richard Fraysse (source: ALzD).
Recently, I have tested a few fragrances from this line. My impression is: none of them are lightweight. I also don’t believe they have much in common with the Caron scents that Luca Turin and Tania Sanchez criticized in their A-Z Guide as pale shadows of the once-great perfumes.
I first tested “Narcisse Noir” and found this scent to be strict, old-fashioned in its seriousness and complexity, bitter, dense, and animalistic.
When a fragrance is called “Narcisse Blanc,” one would expect a brighter, friendlier, more charming scent in contrast to the darker one. A look at the pyramid also suggests the expectation of a cheerful spring fragrance.
Instead, “Narcisse Blanc” reveals itself to me as an indolic white flower powerhouse. The opening of an overwhelming, sultry, fleshy orange blossom or daffodil is a bit too much for me for about three-quarters of an hour. In another daffodil scent, Meggi once quoted her daughter with "Horses don’t stink." It goes in that direction.
It then transforms into a bitter, serious, completely unsweet, and slightly animalistic scent, in which orange blossom continues to dominate, accompanied by jasmine, and very late I think I also perceive rose. The prominently featured sandalwood in the pyramid I consider to be the indolic echo of the white flowers. I don’t smell any lilac at all. Perhaps traces of iris in the base.
Just a few months ago, I couldn’t relate to such fragrances at all. However, after extensively testing increasingly sweet cookie and vanilla scents, I have reached a certain saturation point, and the pendulum is now swinging in a different direction.
In any case, I find “Narcisse Blanc” wonderful in this stage, after the opening has passed. The scent lasts for more than 14 hours, with a clearly noticeable sillage in the first six hours, which doesn’t become overwhelming.
However, the fragrance will not be joining my collection. Firstly, because of the first 45 minutes. And secondly, because I prefer “Narcisse Noir” with its greater variety of flowers, citrus accents, and complexity.
I thank you for the gift of this sample and am glad that I could get to know this fragrance.
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