N°18 Chanel 2007 Eau de Toilette

Chanel No 18 took me by surprise, first, because I ordered it along with a variety of other Chanel samples under the assumption that this was an old classic!

Not so: No. 18 (at least the one I tested!) is a brand new composition, launched in 2007, which is quasilinear and possesses none of the qualities of "classic" perfumes.

That said, for a twenty-first century creation, No. 18 is likeable enough. The fragrance can perhaps best be compared to an oyster, as its primary appealing component is something akin to pulverized pearls or perhaps mother of pearl. This opalescent powdery or shimmering dusty texture--which is not, however at all sweet, as in ALLURE--I often find in leather fragrances (I'm thinking of KELLY CALECHE and JOLIE MADAME, both of which are quite flat to my nose). No. 18 apparently contains no leather, but it does contain some other note that flattens the scent. The other reason why No 18 reminds me of oyster is that there is a slightly sour aura to this fragrance, which grows stronger as time progresses. I do not find No. 18 fruity at all, or even very floral.

No. 18 is definitely not my favorite Chanel. It is also rather short-lived--my 1.5 ml sample was quickly exhausted. Worth trying, but not FB-worthy, IMNSHO.

I do get the fruits in this composition, however they tend to be layered with spices and pepper. Chanel No.18 veers away from the typical fruity florals on the market, choosing to portray something a little less shampoo-like or juicy.

I rather like this fragrance, and that's a huge thing for me to say seeing that I quite often dislike fruity florals, and dread Summer for that same reason. No.18 is different, perhaps even a little bit metallic.

I swear that there is an apple note in there somewhere, however it's very subtle. There may even be cinnamon too, which reminds me of the scent of a freshly baked apple pie. However, this fragrance is nowhere near being a gourmand.

Like the sales assistant noted, it's difficult to classify this fragrance and to pick out the individual notes. When I really stick my nose to my wrist, I get lemon, apple, bergamot, pepper, rose, ambrette seed, cinnamon, olives, musk and herbs.

Thankfully this fragrance is rather subtle in a fresh, dry and green kind of a way. The lasting power is pretty good, however it tends to vanish every now and then, brought back to life by breathing hot air onto the spot where you sprayed it.

In conclusion, Chanel No.18 is not my cup of tea, however it's a lovely, sophisticated and refined interpretation of a fruity floral that does tend to be drier than most.

No. 18 is a surprising fragrance for me from the Exclusiv line. Here is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

The Musk Mallow (Malva moschata) belongs to the subfamily Malvoideae within the family Malvaceae and is also known as Abelmoschus or Indian Hibiscus Mallow. This light pink to white flowering plant is an ancient medicinal plant.[1] It is an example of a neophyte that was intentionally introduced by humans several centuries ago.

When the lady at Chanel introduced me to No. 18 in combination with Coromandel, I was almost put off by the initial boozy note that gives Coromandel an intensified cognac scent. Perhaps the fragrance mix from constantly sniffing the ceramic sticks, the scent-laden atmosphere of the perfume department, and the overall impressions of the fragrance journey was too much of a good thing, because I initially rejected No. 18.

Now that I have received a sample, I find the scent quite pleasant and am even impressed by it.

The opening does indeed start off very high-proof, but this is only a brief moment until it releases a grape-like fruitiness. The scent of Ambrette or Musk Mallow is also familiar to me from mallow tea. The floral notes contained are not disclosed, but I suspect the classic Chanel recipe: jasmine, vetiver, ylang-ylang, powdery iris, and a delicate hint of musk and vanilla.

No. 18 is a subtle, reserved, and fruity fragrance, with woody and powdery undertones, that is not very sweet and is something quite different among the fruity compositions we know. It is an elegant and light fruit punch, ideal for wearing in autumn.

Actually, I find it even beautiful, enchanting, and unusual. The boozy note disappears quickly, and from now on it no longer bothers me.

Unfortunately, this dull fragrance doesn't excite me at all. I can't agree with Chanel's rather enthusiastic comment either. Dear Mr. Polge, here we go again. You are getting old. Perhaps the task of creating an exciting fragrance is wearing you down again. I'm not saying that this scent is bad. It's just nice, unexciting, and snooze-worthy, indeed. Well, Mr. Polge, there are certainly situations where one needs such fragrances, but to me, it feels too one-dimensional. Ambrette, phew! Supposed to be erotic.
(Here’s something about Ambrette: The oil is extracted from the seeds of the ambrette plant, a herbaceous hibiscus plant. The plant grows in parts of Central and South America as well as India and Indonesia.

It smells floral, musky, slightly sweet, and has a distinct brandy note. The scent is sensual.)

Well, I don’t know, if my husband wore this, I would think: "You smelled so calming yesterday, I fell asleep. Did you take long?"
The fruitiness is admittedly warm and slightly sweet, like a moist kiss with a sorbet mouth.
Mr. Polge, keep it to lure an older woman by the oven - and for that, I wouldn't even put down my knitting, if I were to knit - you would have to dig deeper into your bag of tricks, but thank you, nice try.

After I sprayed this fragrance, I gradually fell into thought. At first, I remembered when I saw it for the first time, around 2007: No. 18, I thought, what a silly fake. Every child knows it has to be No. 19 if it’s not No. 5. And No. 46 has long been extinct. And No. 22 only exists in the USA. And No. IV is by Jil Sander. Admittedly, my thought jumps were a bit clumsy. But then doubts crept in. What if some joker at Chanel has actually created a No. 18? Maybe it’s a prequel to No. 19, so to speak, the pre-form?
Or just a No. 19 without the nasty green note that bothers me so much?
All wrong.
Monsieur Polge, the master himself, thought: Ambrette smells so good and multifaceted already, I don’t need to do much more. Hush - just a few fruits, and voilà! A new Chanel fragrance in the Exclusifs line, and something completely different.
And, being the genius he is, he was right once again.
At first, I really only smell what defines Ambrette: herb-spicy, slightly alcoholic sweetness. Gradually, fresh fruity notes mix in.
Rum pot! comes to mind.
Very soothing! I think as well.
Christmas! also buzzes around in my head.
A beautiful, spicy noble scent, perfectly made for cooler days, but due to its rather light sweetness also wearable on warmer days, and all of this not just for girls!
I would even say, rather for boys!