On my journey through the realms of the great Chanel extrait classics, "Gardénia" has so far escaped my attention. It's a shame, but no wonder: it's not advertised anywhere, is rarely found at perfume fairs, and when it is, it's prohibitively expensive, and even this site has only provided a few impressions so far. If it weren't for YouTube's Chanel expert "Dacob", I would never have gotten any closer to this treasure.
At his suggestion, I discovered the rare gardenia here in the souk a while ago and immediately pounced on the remaining bottle, regardless of the high purchase price. A first sniff conveyed high Chanel art, quality and nobility. The bottle quickly went into cool, dark storage... and fell into oblivion. On a whim, I recently decided to wear it to the theater with more elegant clothes. With newer formulations, I like to apply extracts a little more heavily in the areas recommended by Mlle. Chanel to get a better impression of the fragrance.
The top note reveals considerable power and brings a distinctive, highly elegant, floral bouquet of tuberose, jasmine and delicate orange blossom to the tableau. To my shame, I must confess that I have never seen a real gardenia, nor have I ever smelled one. My research revealed that its scent is similar to that of tuberose. As is often the case with Chanel, flowers have a naturalistic appeal, but ultimately remain abstract - like an impression of nature, but interpreted by Ernest Beaux's nose. It is pleasant that freshness prevails here despite the tuberose and jasmine tipping slightly towards the indolic. "Green" is certainly not a fragrance, but it is an association that comes immediately to mind.
Overall, I find the fragrance predominantly linear in its further development. (Old) Chanel wouldn't be Chanel, however, if there weren't other layers that accompany the progression. Gently woody facets complement the bouquet of flowers, which slowly becomes paler, but absolutely not wilted. Patchouli, incredibly subtle, echoes as well as the slightly fresh note of vetiver, which gives the gardenia a base, a stem and accompanying foliage. At the end of the fragrance journey, the gardenia has "gone down", as it were, and delicate woody notes mingle with it. Musk and vanilla, often figures from the ghost train of some of today's fragrances, I can only guess at and probably give a certain roundness. Sandalwood, much loved by me (oh "Bois des Îles"!), ennobles the fragrance.
In general, the fragrance conveys great elegance and, at the same time, a sense of detachment with a subliminal, serene calm. On what occasion can you wear it? Good question! I can't really think of a suitable occasion, nor can I think of potential wearers of our time. Perhaps it has also fallen out of this, our time, in which refinement and nobility seem at best to be quotations from times gone by.
For me, it will remain a highly private pleasure in future. Even hours later, I can still feel it on my clothes, not so much on my skin, and I can linger on the feeling I described and be pleased to have made its acquaintance. The 15ml bottles are now history, and Chanel has now interpreted "nobility obliges" in its own way and will probably only produce "Gardénia" and other extrait classics for the right clientele, the (moneyed) nobility of this world. It's nice that I seem to have caught the right moment! Whoever encounters it, enjoy and indulge ;)
ScentedSalon
