N°19 Chanel 1971 Parfum

8.1 / 10 493 Ratings

A popular perfume by Chanel for women, released in 1971. The scent is green-floral. It is still in production.
Pronunciation Compare

Main accords

Green

Floral

Chypre

Fresh

Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Galbanum

Hyacinth

Bergamot

Neroli

Heart Notes

Iris

Jasmine

Lily of the valley

Narcissus

Rose

Ylang-ylang

Base Notes

Oakmoss

Leather

Musk

Cedarwood

Sandalwood

Perfumer

Henri Robert

Ratings

Scent

8.1493 Ratings

Longevity

7.9345 Ratings

Sillage

7.0316 Ratings

Bottle

8.5318 Ratings

Value for money

6.856 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet, last update on 09/22/2025.

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

N°19 Eau de Parfum

N°19 Eau de Toilette

Heure Exquise

N°19 Eau de Cologne

N°19 Poudré

Semi-Bespoke 22

Reviews

19 in-depth fragrance descriptions

07/14/2012

jtd
484 Reviews

jtd

Top Review 8

Cardboard Terrarium

The opening of Chanel 19 edt is one of my favorite experiences. It is a focused demonstration of the iris. I agree with many of the characterizations of 19: venomous, aloof, off-putting. 19 is powdery, but coldly and bluntly so. Up top, other notes, especially galbanum and hyacinth, accentuate the iris root and add to the wonderfully acetone, dry-cardboard smell of 19. Chanel 19 edt is a floral fragrance, but far les so in the topnotes than in the heart. The chill remains, but the acetone and paper recede, and the rose/jasmine heart continues the green trend right through to a grassy, vetiver drydown that I would ultimately categorize as woody-floral.

If I could make any perfume moment last forever it would be the topnotes of 19 edt. (Aside: I feel similarly about Cristalle and Pour Monsieur. Love them. Just want to drink them in. But, sadly, all three edts are brief experiences.) Despite its passing nature, though, I love the whole shape of 19. It is a beautifully worked-out fragrance and has a coherence of tone from start to finish that is both effusive and logical.

My dilemma: the concentration. The various Chanel concentrations are notorious for their qualitative differences. The edt is not a dilute version of the edp or of the extrait. It is a different formulation. I’ve fallen in easily with one concentration of the other Chanels. No 5: I understand the edp; I enjoy the edt. Cristalle: I don’t quite understand the edp (it has a niceness that defeats the pretty brutality of the edt) and want to live in the edt. For 19 I want both the edt and the edp.

While there is a similar componentry, the edp is leathery and warm where the edt is a cool, rooty/grassy floral. The evolution of the edp has a much slower timeframe, and gives a warm treatment to its flowers, rose in particular. Though distinctive, the edp winds up a broken-in green, leathery chypre not far from the drydown of Scherrer’s Scherrer.

05/26/2014

7.5
Bottle 5
Sillage 5
Longevity 9
Scent

MasterLi
375 Reviews

MasterLi

Helpful Review 12

Eau de Toilette Review

No. 19 is a strange one... A lot of people label this as a cold, heartless, "ice queen/boardroom bitch", kind of fragrance. I don't get that at all. To me it smells like a bunch of freshly cut morning spring flowers being newly placed in a vase.

I find this to be very soft, slightly powdery, and sensual. I don't find it "unemotional" or whatever. To me I think Chanel Cristalle fulfills all of those previous labels, that is one that I see as more masculine (and one which as a man I happily wear). No. 19 EDT opens a little like the Cristalle EDT does (hyacinch and bergamot) but the galbanum really gives it an amazing quality (warm and sensual). The powdery iris is really beautiful here. It's clean and fresh and sexy at the same time. I do get Oakmoss and Vetiver and I think the earthiness of the Iris (orris root) and the dryness of the Vetiver compliment each other beautifully.

It's true that this fragrance is the opposite of "girly", as it definitely gives off a grown up vibe, but I wouldn't say it's a "cold-hearted bitch" kind of perfume. To me it's quite alive and soft. The kind of person I would see wearing this would be an intellectual, kind hearted young woman, the kind of girl who is really attractive with a sweater and glasses who always has her head in a book, but doesn't know just how beautiful she is kind of thing. Alternatively any woman who wears a suit to work or academic but deep down is still really kind and loving to those around her.

With reference to the unisex quality often attributed to this, I find Chanel Cristalle (also by Henri Robert) more masculine than this, but something like "Dior Homme" (also an iris leathery fragrance) more feminine than this, it being sweeter and more gourmand than No. 19. Coincidentally... I know that my grandfather sometimes wears on occasion so I think it certainly wouldn't be out of place being worn on a man.

As mentioned before, this was Gabrielle Chanel's signature scent. It was originally private and exclusive to her, before being released publicly just before she died. However, that being said... I'm now starting to get a pattern in late Chanel perfumer, Henri Robert's creations: Chanel Pour Monsieur (1955) is a green Chypre, No. 19 (1971) is a green floral, and Cristalle (1974) is floral Chypre. All have Citrus notes, all have Oakmoss, and all have Vetiver. But what sets No. 19 apart is the beautiful, sublime Iris note. Powdery, soft, warm and somehow elegantly clean... it undoubtedly makes No. 19 the plushest, most sensual, and most feminine of the trio. It really is a masterfully blended perfume.

I don't see Chanel No. 19 as a cold, "unemotional" fragrance, to me (a man's opinion) it's like meeting a very attractive yet quiet, shy, intellectual type of girl with a kind, warm, loving heart who you just want to cuddle up with on the sofa by the fire. This is just one gorgeously grown-up, well- balanced fragrance!

01/05/2012

7.5
Bottle 5
Sillage 10
Longevity 6
Scent

Missk
1357 Reviews

Missk

Top Review 5

Grassy green

I've never had any luck with Chanel fragrances and I definitely didn't fall in love with Chanel No.19 when I tested it today in the fragrance department.

Green is an excellent word to describe this scent. It's a mixture of wet sand, freshly cut grass and alfalfa sprouts to my nose. Something that I adore in nature but not on my skin.

This fragrance is fresh yet sharp and quite soapy. Although the floral notes are present in this fragrance, they aren't soft and feminine like other Chanel perfumes, instead they are sour and overpowering.

In the drydown I sensed the familiar soapy/powdery notes that are present in every single Chanel fragrance I've tried. I could easily pick a Chanel fragrance out of 100 other scents with my eyes closed.

I don't entirely dislike this scent; I do admire its individuality and freshness, however I'm more attracted to florals and sweeter scents. The lasting power is excellent, but that is to be expected from Chanel. On the right person this scent could be very distinctive, sophisticated and unique.

02/08/2013

10
Scent

TeaWithMilk
27 Reviews

TeaWithMilk

Helpful Review 6

Might be my favorite CHANEL

I love so many by CHANEL that it's difficult to choose just one favorite, but sometimes I think it's the No.19 Eau de Toilette. It's green and outdoorsy. I love the outdoors, and the scent of this takes me there immediately. The strange thing is that the EdT is quite powdery, which isn't very natural or outdoorsy, yet it works for me. It reminds me that I am feminine. This is my #1 perfume for a walk in the park or for hiking. Somehow it elevates me and makes the outdoors just a bit more heavenly.

I know No. 19 has a reputation for being cold, austere, and suitable for the office. I can understand, and I do not disagree. But at the same time, I often find it so fresh and alive and green that wearing it indoors doesn't seem appropriate for me. And how can something that brings me so close to nature, therefore to my heart, be "cold"? No, I find this to be warm in the right ways.

I also have the Eau de Parfum, which is more rosey and not nearly so powdery. I don't like it nearly as much as the EdT and rarely wear it, although it's exquisite in its own right.

SUMMARY: "Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood, where Christopher Robin plays...."

09/27/2018

6
Bottle 6
Sillage 8
Longevity 9
Scent

Greenfaerie
86 Reviews

Greenfaerie

Very helpful Review 4

Fairies in a garden

The parfum of No. 19 is truly spectacular. I never tried a vintage. My bottle is from 2016 I think. But it is very heavily weighted in sharp, bitter, green galbanum and powdery, starchy orris root. I detect tender greens and yellowish wildflowers. It's a classy fragrance and feels cool and crisp. Definitely aloof, but just so magnificent. I feel it's totally different from the EDT and more similar to the EDP in a way. I find it less woody than the EDT, but I don't get the strong rose in it that I get in the EDP (when I last smelled the EDP around 2011), and it is far more starchy in orris & powdery iris than either of the other versions. Really, it's like all 3 could be different fragrances. Anyway, this one is not to be missed!

I didn't realize I had to review all the concentrations under the Parfum here, so here is a brief description of each:
Parfum (approx 2016) - Sharp, green, powdery, starchy, bright yellow florals
EDT (approx 2010) - Powdery, woody, green, no florals that I can easily detect
EDP (approx 2011) - Not very powdery, greenish and rosey

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