Iris Torréfié Guerlain 2020

Floral fragrances often have a hard time with me. While I usually quite like them, it is not uncommon for me to find them difficult to wear. They become too overwhelming, disturb me, and simply do not suit me. Coffee is also not among the notes I typically seek.

So, I had no great expectations for a fragrance that has Iris right in its name and is obviously garnished with coffee.
Still, I was curious about another perfume from the L'Art et la Matière series, in which I have already discovered some very special favorites, and I had been wishing for quite some time to test "Iris Torréfié | Guerlain."

Then the moment finally arrived. I was lucky and found a lovely swap partner here on Parfumo, with whom I could exchange a whole bunch of beautiful fragrances. Iris Torréfié was among them.

When the fragrance package arrived, I was very excited and immediately sprayed all the scents onto little cards. The first impression was good. There was no scent that I didn't like. I also found Iris Torréfié beautiful, although it had an unexpectedly green freshness, and the coffee seemed quite bitter, black, and probably already cold.
After a few hours, I conducted a sort of small blind test. I mixed up the cards on the table and then sniffed them one by one with my eyes closed. The one I liked best would accompany me through the next day and be the first tested on my skin. It was "Iris Torréfié | Guerlain." By now, I could hardly perceive the coffee. It was more like a subtle hint of tea in the background.

My day with Iris starts again with coffee. Not bad for the morning, I think, even if this coffee seems a bit green and sour to me. In fact, it’s somewhat like wanting to drink black coffee with bergamot. A few roasted notes are certainly present as well. There’s also a certain cardamom spiciness. My olfactory impression fits perfectly with the top note indicated on Parfumo.
What I describe may not sound particularly inviting at first, but I actually find it very pleasant and a bit invigorating.

The scent soon transforms; the coffee quickly fades, and from this point on, Iris Torréfié is no longer a coffee scent for me. Rather, I think I can subtly detect a hint of tea in the background from time to time. However, it primarily presents itself as a spicy iris scent with a woody undertone, which will change repeatedly over the next few hours while still remaining true to itself. Sometimes powdery, sometimes creamy, sometimes refreshingly light green, sometimes warming, sometimes reminiscent of sweet dragées, then again a bit more bitter, spicy, and floral, Iris Torréfié shows me more facets than most other fragrances I have tested so far, while still staying true to itself (even though I feel that familiar notes occasionally flutter by, like Allure Eau de Parfum).

The longevity is excellent for me. Iris Torréfié truly lasts all day, is always well perceivable, and yet never too much. The sillage is absolutely perfect for my taste. You can smell the fragrance well when you come close to me, but I certainly do not disturb strangers who are meters away.

Iris Torréfié feels to me like a feminine scent, rather a bit more mature than very young, that fits well for many occasions. A lovely evening at the theater, a family celebration, meeting friends, a shopping spree, a day at the office, a restaurant visit - no matter what, Iris Torréfié works for me always. I also see hardly any restrictions regarding the seasons, except perhaps in the height of summer.
Overall, Iris Torréfié is a lovely all-rounder that I could also imagine as a signature scent.

My first test was followed by several more. My first sample was quickly used up, I sought a second one, and now I also have a bottle. Because Iris Torréfié currently belongs to the 5 fragrances from my collection that I reach for most often.

And today is again such a day with Iris. I currently have several new samples here that I would like to test, yet I am drawn once more to "Iris Torréfié | Guerlain," and the others will have to wait. This is the decisive point for me to dedicate a few lines to this fragrance here:

Iris Torréfié: always present - never too much - always beautiful.

I have found a new favorite. My Iris.