Perfection? Does it even exist? What is perfect? What does it look like and how does perfect smell? The extrait of my life fragrance Cašmir by Chopard, which is now part of my collection after a long search, is definitely olfactorily very close to perfection for me.
Cašmir is no longer a fragrance associated with luxury today. While it was already very expensive as an Eau de Parfum during my youth and nearly unaffordable for me as a student back then, you can now find this former dream scent of the Swiss watch and jewelry manufacturer in the lowest shelves of drugstores as well as on clearance tables for a low price.
Of course, this is not the Cašmir of yesteryear. It is a reformulation that I still have not sniffed myself and - God forbid - do not want to. Various dupes that I have come to know, which are said to be very close to the current formula, are enough for me. And yes, if the new formula goes in this direction, then I understand the often massive rejection that this fragrance faces today.
However, if you know the vintage version of this fragrance or even the extrait that captures this scent in its most beautiful form, then you can only love it. I dreamed of the extrait as a young woman. But when I could finally afford it after school and university, it was no longer available.
The extrait, like the vintage EdP, features a wonderfully fruity opening. I have always loved the peach note in Cašmir with all my heart. A sweet, juicy peach - beautiful enough to bite into. The flowers work more in the background and take away the attribute of a typical oriental floral bomb from the fragrance, because if Cašmir were that, I probably wouldn't have found it so easily accessible. The coconut is also somewhat reserved. Not my favorite friend in fragrance, but here you can only sense it, and that is enough for me. Because I unfortunately find the pronounced coconut note in various dupes very disturbing.
The longer the fragrance is on the skin, the more potent the vanilla note becomes. In the extrait, this is held in check even more finely by the woods, patchouli, and amber than in the EdP, so we never veer into the territory of a candy-like or food-grade scent. Cašmir in this formula was and is not a gourmand, but a sensual, very feminine, oriental perfume. It was created by Michel Almairac at a time when oriental fragrances were not yet characterized by a prominent oud note. Besides the peach, I particularly love this enchanting vanilla-patchouli combination in Cašmir, which I have never perceived in any other perfume.
What makes the extrait special for me cannot be copied. It is so incredibly beautiful that I would almost claim it is perfect.
You lucky one, you managed to get the real Casmir perfume! The EdP was my signature scent for a long time in the early 90s, and I always keep a small bottle in my collection. One of my favorite fragrances!
This wonderful scent has been one of my favorites since it was released, and it's still in my collection.
A few years ago, my two youngest daughters, who were 8 and 11 at the time, secretly decided to buy me perfume for Mother's Day with their pocket money. They presented their treasure at the Mother's Day breakfast with the words: "We sniffed everything, and then we chose the one that smells like Mom!"
Well done, my little noses.
How nice that your search was successful :-)! I also didn't know for a long time that there's an Extrait of it.
Once again, a great fragrance description from you. I'll sniff my vintage EdP mini when I get the chance and see if I can find peach ;-)!
I can really feel the enthusiasm in your comment, I think. I especially love that the ingredients often come across as active participants this time: The flowers are working... It makes the comment lively and powerful. Congratulations on your successful hunt!
Wow, the Extrait... how brilliant is that?! The old Cašmir was one of my favorite scents for many years and, in my opinion, close to perfection. Oh, how I loved it... The reformulation has turned Cašmir into a completely different fragrance. On its own, the new Cašmir isn't a bad scent at all, but it has nothing to do with the original version. When you compare them, the new version can only lose. The scent is perfectly described, as always.
It's actually really beautiful..... unfortunately, I didn't give it a chance back then because my colleague at work would always douse herself in it. I didn't know for a long time that Chopard is Swiss; I always thought it was très français :) Great that you still have the Extrait!
I only know the song "Kashmir" by Led Zeppelin, and it’s pretty much perfect too. I'm happy for you that you've found your "signature scent." Maybe I'll find mine someday as well.
Great comment once again!
Your comment has made me really curious about the fragrance again. A classic, Cašmir. In the past, I always found it too dense and heavy. I sprayed it a few times at the perfume shop (the EDP), but I never really got over it :-). But I never bought it. Now I'm curious to see how I feel about it today, even though it’s probably not the same anymore due to reformulations.
Great comment on a legendary scent!
When you finally find the one and only, it's definitely a bit like reaching your goal. After all, we're always on the hunt for it. I'm really happy for you, and that you can enrich your collection with this unique piece. Plus, what a lovely comment from you!!
How wonderful that the extrait has found its way to you! And your joy over this treasure is fantastic. Extraits are always something special, highlighting certain fragrance elements beautifully while letting others take a back seat. I've always liked Cašmir a lot, and I admit that I still enjoy the current version of the EdP, even though it has lost much of its brilliance. But now I'm celebrating this great acquisition with you and your lovely comment.
I only know the EdP, the current version. I also think this oriental scent is just wonderful with its ripe peaches, sweet coconut, vanilla, and floral magic. Oud wouldn’t fit here, that’s true. Still, I find few occasions to wear this lovely fragrance. Maybe it’s because it feels a bit dated and I prefer modern scents? I feel the same way about some older fragrances that I used to be excited about.
The nice thing about it is: The more fragrances we have and know, the more consciously we use the classics, and the slower they run out ;-) Great comment!
Congratulations on owning your very own treasure!
The description sounds amazing and really piques my curiosity about the Extrait or at least the vintage EdP...
Unfortunately, I never got to know the vintage version. When I first caught a whiff of Casmir, it was an unremarkable vanilla scent. I still wonder about the notes that are supposedly in there today.
Wonderful, this perfect love for fragrance! Back then, once a month, the daily newspaper included an advertisement from a perfume chain, and I would look out for promotions and save my pocket money... My almost perfect scent is still Eau Sauvage to this day.
A few years ago, my two youngest daughters, who were 8 and 11 at the time, secretly decided to buy me perfume for Mother's Day with their pocket money. They presented their treasure at the Mother's Day breakfast with the words: "We sniffed everything, and then we chose the one that smells like Mom!"
Well done, my little noses.
Once again, a great fragrance description from you. I'll sniff my vintage EdP mini when I get the chance and see if I can find peach ;-)!
Glad to hear your hunt was successful!
The old Cašmir was one of my favorite scents for many years and, in my opinion, close to perfection. Oh, how I loved it...
The reformulation has turned Cašmir into a completely different fragrance.
On its own, the new Cašmir isn't a bad scent at all, but it has nothing to do with the original version. When you compare them, the new version can only lose.
The scent is perfectly described, as always.
Great comment once again!
Great comment on a legendary scent!
The description sounds amazing and really piques my curiosity about the Extrait or at least the vintage EdP...