Cuir Béluga Guerlain 2005 Eau de Parfum

Since my last stay in Vienna and several visits to LeParfum, I am glad that I travel nearly 3 hours to our capital.
This small perfumery holds (too) many coveted fragrance treasures at once for someone who only finds perfume chains in their surroundings. My first impression: a tingling junkie feeling . . . new stuff, but what a kind - and above all (symptomatic): cost what it may!!

On the second day, after various short tests (almost all Matieres, some from Lutens and Amouage ..), I decided on Cuir Beluga. I wanted a special vanilla scent alongside all my Shalimar variations, one that is lasting but also polite and does not unreasonably threaten my immediate surroundings like Joop's Le Bain or Hypnotic Poison.

At first, I smell unfruitful almond liqueur, mixed with a very light rum note. A bright, spritzing tone that I cannot place and which possibly has to do with mandarin only lasts a short while. Slowly, the almond recedes and remains more or less present in the background until the end.
From now on, a rich-soft vanilla takes over in a wonderfully pastel-powdery light yellow, underlaid with cream-colored suede. Until the end after about 10 hours, the scent remains almost linear and loses only very slowly in skin-close intensity.
The sillage is medium and, as desired, polite.
The longevity is, similar to the Madagascar Ode, exceptionally good for me.

For me, Cuir Beluga is initially above all beautifully soft, warm, and hits the right note.
Upon closer sniffing, however, I discover some welcome, albeit quiet contradictions (strawflower, patchouli?), which occasionally break the unexcited harmony and make the scent special and unique.