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Eau Lente Diptyque 1986

7.2 / 10 175 Ratings

A perfume by Diptyque for women and men, released in 1986. The scent is spicy-oriental. It is being marketed by Manzanita Capital.
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Main accords

Spicy

Oriental

Sweet

Powdery

Resinous

Fragrance Notes

Cinnamon

Opoponax

Cedar

Red mandarin orange

Perfumers

Desmond Knox Leet, Serge Kalouguine

Ratings

Scent

7.2175 Ratings

Longevity

7.7120 Ratings

Sillage

6.7108 Ratings

Bottle

7.6112 Ratings

Value for money

6.924 Ratings

Submitted by Pazuzu · last update on 03/24/2026.

Source-backed & verified

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Reviews

19 in-depth fragrance descriptions

05/20/2025

ClaireV
969 Reviews

ClaireV

Helpful Review 3

OG Opoponax

Eau Lente is to opoponax what Shalimar is to golden, ambery ‘oriental’ perfumes, except with its barbershoppy vibe, it’s more Daddy than Mommy. From its vigorous loins sprang Imperial Opoponax (Les Nereides), Ligea la Sirena (Carthusia), Bengale Rouge (Papillon Perfumery) and Empire des Indes (Oriza L. Legrand). I love that opoponax is a resin that can’t decide whether it wants to be a spice or a herb, which is why Eau Lente’s searing topnote lurches wildly between the metallic, sweaty sting of clove and the aromatic camphor of bay leaf. The base reveals a rich toffee-like resinousness, with a boozy, almond butter tonality and a touch of Johnson and Johnson’s Baby Powder. It is this disjointed transition between the astringent spicy-herbal top and the almond taffy base that make it an interesting perfume to wear. A chunk of amber dunked into a cup of Old Spice. You get the honey of a resin and the soapiness of a barbershop fougère. What’s not to love?

10/07/2021

BrianBuchanan
362 Reviews

BrianBuchanan

4

Slow decay

Autumn is a time of ripeness, the completion of the yearly cycle of growth and maturity, and so, to the weary farmer - with fields are full of waving grain - it’s a time of plenitude and celebration.
But there's another side to autumn, the decline of summer into barren winter, a shift from growth to decay, from life springing forth to its return back to the earth.
And it’s this poignant, melancholy side to autumn that Eau Lente captures, its brown resiny scent is full, over ripe, almost putrid.
It's said that the formula derives from an ancient scent known to Alexander the Great, and it wouldn’t surprise me to learn that it was used to embalm his body, such is the sweet spicy ripeness of it all.
With Eau Lente I was looking for an autumn perfume, but instead of a harvest festival I found something more like a funeral.

Updated on 01/15/2023

05/06/2025

meowchu
12 Reviews

meowchu

4

Definitely of its time

Got a sample for this one and well...Eau Lente definitely shows her age at first but then becomes warmly comfortable, just like when Grandma used to take her false teeth out right at the dinner table then say “you’re my favorite grandson” some minutes after. Not ideal for people who don't like spicy or vintage profiles.

03/24/2026

Jjcolbourne
1567 Reviews

Jjcolbourne

Helpful Review 1

Evocative Cinnamon Opoponax.

Rumor has it that this current version of the overlooked oldie from Diptyque pales in comparison to older formulations, and if thats so, it must be thoroughly impressive, as this bottle is quite a pleasure: cinnamon and cloves anchored in opoponax.

While somewhat linear, its joviality and warmth makes me grin. Cinnamic notes really sing on my skin, bringing out the woody and balsamic elements. It reminds me of this Christmas decoration we had when I was a child, it was shaped like a candy cane, yet it was made of intertwined wooden twigs and was redolent of cinnamon and spices. I was enamored with it just as I was with the Paine's balsam fir incense we would light up during the season.

I also am reminded (as others seem to be) of charming shops selling various wares and bric-a-brac, souvenirs and such in small resort towns, or even of Vermont excursions to villages with country stores, shops with new age books, crystals, and spiritual paraphernalia. I must admit I have a soft spot for visiting these places; with just the right energy for an ambivert much like myself who can only handle so much extroverted fare.

Do I want to smell like this? Hell yes I do. Especially when it dries down to an earthy, somewhat honeyed and caramelic opoponax base. What can I say? I am a tree hugger and a dreamer at heart. Seasons greetings.

01/25/2012

3Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

Sherapop
1239 Reviews

Sherapop

2

Slow Death By Cloves

The first time I applied Diptyque EAU LENTE I discovered that it is as strong as its golden amber color would suggest—more of a perfume concentration than an edt, it seems to me. Eventually, the composition dries down to a smooth and luscious amber. Unfortunately, to get there one must suffer through a spice-cabinet opening, which is so clove-heavy that it somewhat ruins the journey for me.

I tried a second time, applying the edt quite a bit more lightly but still found the opening unpleasant. To my nose, this perfume is simply unbalanced, and it's not worth the wait to get to the fine drydown since there are plenty of amber perfumes around town which are a joy to wear from start to finish. Désolée.

More reviews

Statements

31 short views on the fragrance

Sterben9225

1 year ago

4Scent

1

Sickly powdery sweetness reminiscent of a candy store with an overdose of cloves and cinnamon.

RinaStylist

1 month ago

A mystical voyage of jet-black smoke. Opoponax meets a faint cinnamon glow. It's a sacred ritual that resets the soul and stops time. Deep.

Aspasia0

3 months ago

7Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

Dry powdery, resinous, different than expected. Similar to a dry Shalimar without vanilla. Not my fit, but well done.

Gandix

1 month ago

7.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

29

23

Fresh, ethereal mandarin over cinnamon-toned oriental notes.
Quite spicy.
Over tempo with cinnamon to
cinnamon-colored amber.

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Baptiste

8 years ago

9.5Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

12

2

Lightly spiced meringue with cinnamon cream. Like the colorful macarons in the 12-piece box, where you save the dark brown one for last.

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CosmicLove

10 years ago

10Scent

9

2

Sour cinnamon cloud that slowly gets cozy with spices. Very direct scent that wakes you up. ;D

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Leons

4 months ago

7Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

8

7

Overripe mandarins.
Blood oranges in a cinnamon coat.
Candied ginger.
Spice cake.

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Esther19

8 years ago

8Scent 10Longevity 5Sillage

7

Wonderful cinnamon-clove-pepper opening, then the pepper seems to go where it grows - unfortunately. Disappears.

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Gaukeleya

7 years ago

7.5Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

7

2

Fine spices (cinnamon, clove) that smell not like the kitchen but like the bath: luxurious, creamy-oily bath soap in a luxury bath. Beautiful, but unique.

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