Gucci Mémoire d'une Odeur has always fascinated me ever since they first released it. That hay and sweet herb-like nuance immediately caught my attention, the intense and familiar aroma of chamomile, bitter honey, and green apple. Chamomile, a small daisy-like flower, does not smell but more than one because different varieties offer different shades to a perfumer. The wild one, for example, is herbaceous, green, and fresh, more reminiscent of the herbal tea we drink to calm us down or invite us to sleep. The German one, on the other hand, is sweeter but smoky, with hints of apple. Finally, Roman chamomile or Anthemis nobilis is sweet, delicately spiced, and intoxicating, with an apple blossom flavor. The latter was chosen as the top note for Mémoire d'une Odeur. So, close your eyes for a moment and imagine you are lying on a lawn. Next to you is an old wicker basket where you have placed a few handfuls of chamomile flowers. They look like a polka dot extravaganza, and the sun-intensified scent is unexpectedly lush. All this is Gucci's perfume, even if it's not the first with chamomile flowers, there are masterpieces like Youth-Dew by Estée Lauder, Gucci by Gucci, or my beloved Clinique's Aromatics Elixir, and so on. it'sIt's the way that wildflower blends with the other ingredients that makes this scent original and intriguing.
The perfume belongs to a new mineral and aromatic family and opens with an explosion of watery notes, where for a moment, the partnership with Kenzo Pour Homme is inevitable. I feel the same vibes in it, that underlying aroma so characteristic of the blue bottle in the shape of a bamboo cane, and I honestly can't tell which note or blend reproduces that beautiful watery accord. After a few minutes, I get a bitter almond-like puff, just a glance, followed by a herbaceous facet coming to life. I perceive the aroma of chamomile petals with light shades of petroleum and leather aspects, the same smell that comes out of a teabag when pressed between the fingers. There is no doubt that this flower so rarely used in perfumery makes itself felt, and I love it. From the very first notes, Mémoire d'une Odeur is not an intense, opaque, heavy perfume. Instead, it is just like the chamomile flower, relaxing, soothing, graceful, fresh. The initial aroma fades into the foreground but never completely disappears from the composition.
Slowly the opening retracts to make room for a floral heart. Jasmine, present here in a particular species known as Indian Coral, announces itself with nuances reminiscent of acacia honey and something that comes from orange, flowers probably but also a touch of sweet zest. The honey note is delicious, with a pleasant bitterness, and the orange remains relatively shy. As for jasmine, it can quickly smother a perfume due to its volume, but it is worked with a lot of subtlety here. You will easily guess its presence, sure, but it never goes so far as to steal its sovereignty with chamomile. It's a fancy heart, not sweet or overbearing. However, it also has delightful flaps of talc, still supported by the accord of water and a prominent dose of mineral musk that brings a familiar warmth and connects all the other olfactory elements with pure softness.
The woody trail features notes of dry cedar and creamy sandalwood. Vanilla enhances the creaminess of the latter. However, it does not stand out on my skin nor takes a gourmand vibe. The woodiness comes to calm the greedy side of the trio: honey, orange, vanilla. At this point, the scent no longer changes and is all one with the skin. The whole elixir is so well blended that none of the notes goes out of the chors.
I can't help but think that Mémoire d'une Odeur is a contemporary version of those aquatic aromas that defined perfume in the 90s, Kenzo Pour Homme, as already mentioned. I like most about this perfume because its unique blend of notes smell unlike any fragrance I've experienced; there is no Ambroxan, Iso-E Super, or trendy note in here. An excellent perfume for spring and summer, beautiful in the morning as soon as you wake up, you can wear it every day, in the office and on a date, with your most casual attire and when you are dressed to impress, but also if you go out to do a walk or jog. As for performance, well, both sillage and longevity are minor than moderate on my skin, settling close to the skin after nearly an hour. Strictly speaking, I did not expect that from an EDP concentration, the trail would remain discrete. We are talking about an intimate fragrance rather than a juice that will turn heads as you pass. Overall I like it, and a lot.
I based this review on a 100ml bottle I have owned since April 2021.
-Elysium
Updated on 04/17/2021
Top Notes 
Roman chamomile
Heart Notes 
Musk
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis
Base Notes 
Cedarwood
Sandalwood
Vanilla
HugoMontez
Mohsinmagda
Clelly
Alexconn
T3lk4
Firooz
Bekintuitive
Omardo
Bellsi
Erswan
