1
A Vintage Grand Cru Perfume
This is a very well done, thoughtful and brave creation from Guerlain. It really showcases the expertise of Guerlain's perfumers and I feel that they went to more of an experimental rather than a commercially crowd pleasing round. I did not expect it to be this refined and unique but at the same time very classic and vintage-esque. It's a perfect form of “Past meets Present”.
Now let's talk about how it smells like! The opening is very energetic and lively with a huge burst of Bergamot and bitter Almond which gives off a raw plum, apricot and almost Cherry like sensation. I was so certain that Cherry was one of the notes here but it’s the Bitter Almond that tricked my nose.
As the joyful concoction settles, a rich and mood enhancing Tonka Bean Absolute blooms up and conquers the whole show with its multifaceted nature. The Bitter Almond from the opening forms a bridge to a freshly-toasted almond-y facet of Tonka which mingles with the density of warm spicy and sweet Pipe Tobacco-ish feel. The delicate powdery floral heart of bright Rose, Jasmine and buttery Iris dazzles around the Tonka core. It's a very powdery, creamy, warm and indulgent blend which is very distinctive to the original Shalimar.
The Madagascarian Vanilla tincture, also used in Millésime Vanilla Planifolia, becomes more prominent in later stages bringing the deep, rich and golden-brown Ambery feel to the base. There’s a noticeable amount of leathery facet coming from the vanilla which is also to be found in the original Shalimar. To me, it’s more of a leathery-suede feel with a brown accent. The unlisted Musk is quite modest compared to the original which adds a sensual edge to the composition.
All in all, It’s an update on a very classical Shalimar that stays faithful to its origin. Therefore, don’t expect this to be overly innovative or new as it’s after all an interpretation of 101 years old creation. What it does is elevating the feel of Tonka Bean in original form, rounding out the edges and modernising it to fit the current demographic. I think it’s a great gesture to compose a scent that both looks back in time and forward to the future at the same time.
The performance is truly extraordinary. It has a dense intensity that doesn’t overwhelm by any means. It forms a cloud that is soft but thick in texture like a cotton candy. It lasts me easily 7-9 hours which is no surprise based on the notes and expertise of Guerlain.
Now let's talk about how it smells like! The opening is very energetic and lively with a huge burst of Bergamot and bitter Almond which gives off a raw plum, apricot and almost Cherry like sensation. I was so certain that Cherry was one of the notes here but it’s the Bitter Almond that tricked my nose.
As the joyful concoction settles, a rich and mood enhancing Tonka Bean Absolute blooms up and conquers the whole show with its multifaceted nature. The Bitter Almond from the opening forms a bridge to a freshly-toasted almond-y facet of Tonka which mingles with the density of warm spicy and sweet Pipe Tobacco-ish feel. The delicate powdery floral heart of bright Rose, Jasmine and buttery Iris dazzles around the Tonka core. It's a very powdery, creamy, warm and indulgent blend which is very distinctive to the original Shalimar.
The Madagascarian Vanilla tincture, also used in Millésime Vanilla Planifolia, becomes more prominent in later stages bringing the deep, rich and golden-brown Ambery feel to the base. There’s a noticeable amount of leathery facet coming from the vanilla which is also to be found in the original Shalimar. To me, it’s more of a leathery-suede feel with a brown accent. The unlisted Musk is quite modest compared to the original which adds a sensual edge to the composition.
All in all, It’s an update on a very classical Shalimar that stays faithful to its origin. Therefore, don’t expect this to be overly innovative or new as it’s after all an interpretation of 101 years old creation. What it does is elevating the feel of Tonka Bean in original form, rounding out the edges and modernising it to fit the current demographic. I think it’s a great gesture to compose a scent that both looks back in time and forward to the future at the same time.
The performance is truly extraordinary. It has a dense intensity that doesn’t overwhelm by any means. It forms a cloud that is soft but thick in texture like a cotton candy. It lasts me easily 7-9 hours which is no surprise based on the notes and expertise of Guerlain.
Williescents
