Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie Creed 1870

Years ago, in search of a new signature scent, I stopped at a Neiman's counter and found myself in front of the Creeds, not knowing Creed but guessing it was probably okay, since it was in the store. Spraying and sniffing began, but nothing strongly appealed. I was about to give up when the manager came and asked if I had a favorite floral. That was easy. Jasmine. He disappeared and returned with a bottle of this, originally formulated for Napoleon's empress. A few sniffs and I plunked down my credit card to pay the hefty price, understanding why Eugenie urged the House of Creed to move from London (where for 100 years it had been serving the English Crown), to Paris so it could scent her 24-7. Since that counter visit, I've lived in fear of running out of Jasmin Imperatrice Eugenie. It isn't the best Jasmine I've ever smelled. For me, that honor goes to Montale's Jasmin Full. However it's definitely one of the best fragrances I've ever smelled. Eventually I learned it’s classified as an oriental and that these are big, sensual creations. Last year when I bought a perfumery kit and first smelled galaxolide, I recognized it as an underpinning of this scent and others. Experimenting, I combined it with indolic Jasmine Grandiflora and Bergamot and voila! Love. Whatever this perfume contained in Eugenie’s day, it has galaxolide now. Otherwise, I’m inclined to believe it is as noncomplex as the notes listed. Bergamot, Bulgarian Rose, Jasmine, Ambergis, Sandalwood, Vanilla are quite a narcotic enough mix to account for this empress’ beautiful airs. I wore it today to my nail salon and was swiftly complimented. Longevity and sillage have always been top notch, but recently when I bought a backup bottle, the empress didn’t seem the same. Reformulation? Lack of quality control? I’m nursing every drop of my old bottle, because the new one, though also lovely, doesn’t seem quite as grand.

Creed JASMIN IMPERATRICE EUGENIE is a sultry, seductive oriental floral perfume in which jasmine and vanilla dominate from start to finish, with sandalwood becoming more marked in the drydown.

I am quite familiar with the combination of jasmine and vanilla absolutes, as these feature prominently in the Bath & Body Works Aromatherapy JASMINE VANILLA line (logically enough!). It's a splendid combination, if not particularly subtle. I had thought that BBW phased out this member of their "sensual" line, but fortunately they did not. There are few more delightful bath experiences than using the BBW Jasmine Vanilla creamy body wash and luxuriating in the swirling aromas of jasmine and vanilla just above the surface of the water. But I digress.

The Creed formula is just as intoxicating to my nose--if not more--and suitable probably only for at-home use on cold winter nights. One reviewer I read at another site referred to "hot coochie". Not sure that I'd go quite that far...

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Update:

Based on my positive test of JASMIN IMPERATRICE EUGENIE, I eventually acquired a bottle, after which I came to see how much richer this is than the BBW line.

It's been a long time since this fragrance received a review. As a fan of Creed and their (sometimes) exaggerated stories, I was already familiar with the Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie from this community. However, I wondered why I never see this and many other fragrances in larger boutiques, even though they are supposedly still being produced.
The scent of Eugénie has always intrigued me, as I am a fan of vanilla and jasmine.
One day, I received a call from work that I needed to go to Kosovo for on-call duty.
I packed my suitcase, put on my uniform, and drove to the airport. Upon arriving at Germany's largest airport, I still had enough time after security to browse in duty-free. Since I spend very little time in duty-frees, I was never aware that Creed was available there. Apparently, there are significant differences between Schengen-area duty-free and non-Schengen duty-free.
Standing in front of the Creed selection, I boredly looked through the already familiar fragrances until two bottles caught my attention.
Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie and Fantasia de Fleurs.
Curious and shocked, I quickly grabbed the high-quality Creed test strips and started spraying. Fantasia de Fleurs was an unknown fragrance for me. The scent has also been discontinued, at least in Germany, and is not available on the Creed website, Souks, or in numerous Creed groups. Apparently, they can't sell it, just like Eugénie. I actually received a 2018 batch of Eugénie.

Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie honestly hits you a bit hard at first. The scent starts off very heavy, powdery, and bergamot-like. After a while, the fragrance becomes warm and woody, and the jasmine comes through. However, the scent remains heavy. I detect no trace of vanilla, at least to my nose. I also do not perceive the rose that is supposed to be present.
Eugénie is so complex for me personally that I find it very difficult to describe this fragrance.
I can definitely agree with my predecessors that the scent can come off as thickly floral and suffocating. But in a very fine and elegant way.

I imagine Eugénie in her pompous dresses wonderfully with this fragrance. A powerful lady with a status symbol underscored by rich, warm floral notes.
I would not categorize this scent exclusively for women. However, the outfit and the season definitely make a difference for me. For me, it’s an autumn/winter fragrance, just right with a thick turtleneck and an elegant winter coat.

Unfortunately, the longevity on me is only about 4-6 hours. The sillage is okay. When I applied it, my best friend told me I smelled very upscale. While gesturing “nose up.”

For anyone who has the chance to smell this fragrance and enjoys heavy floral scents that are not “girly,” I recommend this time travel to the 18th century.
I hope this fragrance will soon be available again for the general public, as it has been sold out on the website for ages.

For a jasmine fragrance, "Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie" is remarkably tame and bearable, considering my aversion to jasmine and other white florals.
"Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie" may have had a historical formulation. But how it smelled back then, compared to other fragrances from that time, I can't really judge.
Now, "Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie" is a subtle modern scent.
Certainly, not all ingredients are listed. It's not as simply created as the pyramid might suggest.
Above all, it is a relatively weak fragrance, initially even slightly citrusy-smoky. Then follows a very light, not sweet and not overwhelming floral blend. The jasmine has only very faint animalistic hints. Rose? Bulgarian as well? It is probably used very subtly.
I am not overly enthusiastic. The fragrance does not impress me. Moreover, after a relatively short time, a somewhat dominant woody note emerges, giving the scent a furniture polish note. I still find "Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie" quite successful in the further course, as everything plays out within very subtle limits. One can wear this jasmine fragrance daily without hesitation.
After some time, "Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie" changes again, the polish note disappears and in its place comes a pleasant creaminess, sandalwood is thus very skillfully used, and I also suspect a hint of musk. I cannot detect the vanilla. I consider this a positive aspect, as it does not mean that none has been incorporated. It could also have contributed to balancing and changing the very fine, light floral scent close to the skin in the base.
As a monofloral scent, I cannot classify "Jasmin Impératrice Eugénie"; it is a pleasant, slightly animalistic-scented floral blend with several unnamed ingredients. One would have to refer to other fragrances that are not declared as jasmine scents as jasmine-dominated.
A restrained feminine fragrance, the sillage is at most mediocre. The longevity is good.