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Chypre 21 Heeley 2015 Eau de Parfum

7.5 / 10 174 Ratings

A perfume by Heeley for women and men, released in 2015. The scent is chypreartig-floral. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Chypre

Floral

Green

Spicy

Fresh

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Petitgrain

Bergamot

Heart Notes

Bulgarian rose Saffron

Saffron

Neroli

Base Notes

Musk

Oakmoss

Sandalwood

Patchouli

Perfumer

James Heeley

Ratings

Scent

7.5174 Ratings

Longevity

7.2151 Ratings

Sillage

6.6148 Ratings

Bottle

7.2140 Ratings

Value for money

6.832 Ratings

Submitted by Rivegauche · last update on 09/25/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Hommage à l'Homme Eau de Toilette

Eau Suave

Touaregh

Chypre (2020)

Fougère L'Aube

Reviews

9 in-depth fragrance descriptions

03/27/2021

7Scent 7Longevity 5Sillage

Kurai
388 Reviews

Kurai

Musky saffron

Heeley's Chypre 21 was introduced as a 'contemporary take on the classic chypre'. The contemporary part I get, yes. This has Heeley's typical minimalism and a supposedly innovative use of algae - which, of course, is impossible to identify without a reference point. And the c-word? Yawn.. people call everything a chypre nowadays. That label has lost its value.

The scent does goes through a number of stages: a herbal-citrus opening followed by a moment of violet-dominance, then rosy florals with saffron and ultimately a breeze of musk backed with a light moss. At all times, the scent projects only moderately and feels light and airy. A bit of a spa retreat feeling. Office-safe yet interesting - despite the name.

05/10/2023

7.5Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

ScentGrail
109 Reviews

ScentGrail

A Fragrant Ode To Tradition

Heeley’s Chypre 21 is a modernized tribute to the timeless chypre genre I believe is worth checking out. It has its flaws, but those don’t undermine the fact that is a versatile fragrance you might like. The departure from traditional chypre fragrances might be disconcerting, but keep in mind that the newcomers will appreciate the modern twist that sets it apart from the classics.

TOP NOTES
This fragrance’s opening provides a compelling introduction that sets the stage for the olfactory voyage that follows ahead. A harmonic blend of fresh, floral, and spicy notes meets the senses upon application, providing a distinctive first impression. To my nose, the opening smells fresh, clean, rubbery, and quite safe for a fragrance named after “chypre”. This is thanks to the straight out of the 60’s fantastic bergamot which is infused with a vibrant and energetic aura provided by clean petit grain, and rubbery saffron.

HEART NOTES
As the fragrance progresses beyond its invigorating opening, the delightful bergamot and alluring saffron gradually dissipate. It would have been preferable for the saffron note to possess more intensity, perhaps combined with leather to provide an additional boost to the composition and make things more interesting. The heart notes of this fragrance unveil a different narrative, featuring a rose that, to be frank, lacks the three-dimensional quality found in fragrances like Zaharoff Signature Rose.

BASE NOTES
As the fragrance undergoes its dry-down phase, a distinct transition takes place, unveiling an unexpected and intriguing character. During this stage, the sea salt accord becomes more prominent, even though it is not explicitly mentioned in the official note list. Its presence adds a unique coastal and green vibe to the composition. Accompanying the sea salt accord, subtle nuances emerge, including woody patchouli and comforting musk.

OVERALL
While this scent may not appeal to those seeking a strictly traditional chypre experience from the past, its uniqueness in the form of additional saffron and sea notes makes it an intriguing option for hobbyists looking for a contemporary take on a once popular fragrance theme.

Read the full review at scentgrail.com

07/31/2025

ClaireV
969 Reviews

ClaireV

Ozonic, sea-salty, linen-esque floral - but not a chypre

Is Chypre 21 a chypre? Absolutely not, at least not to my nose. But it is a beautiful, sheer ozonic fragrance, and one that I would happily wear in summer. The opening notes of fresh, watery violet leaf and citruses remind me somewhat of Cuir Pleine Fleur, briefly, before being washed down in a crispy, bright ozonic breeze with a fair bit of sea salt in it.

In a recent interview with James Heeley, I read that he used algae notes to replace the oakmoss in this fragrance. The algae notes are indeed quite noticeable here and the final result is something more in the direction of his wonderful Sel Marin than a true chypre. It smells exactly like that wonderful aroma you breathe in when you are collecting clean laundry from the line - a blast of ]clean', yes, of course, but also the smell of outdoors air, and the salt-laden breeze from a nearby sea. There is something so linen-fresh and ozonic about this that I'm reminded not only of Sel Marin but of some of Francis Kurkdijan's 'white shirt' fragrances such as Cologne Pour Le Matin, Acqua Vitae, and so on. You know the type.

Chypre 21 goes on in this lovely Eau Sauvage-cum-Sel Marin-cum-Acqua Vitae kind of track for a while. It is never less than crisp and clean. A slight woody undertone develops, bringing in some clean patchouli and a hint of rose. The notes list oakmoss too, but I don't smell its rugged bitterness in the composition at all. Finally, saffraleine offers its leathery, rubbery flavor to the composition, anchoring it slightly at the base. But saffraleine does not and cannot replace either fixative powers of moss or the sweet, smoky heft of labdanum. So, despite the name, I must admit that Chypre 21 is not a chypre to my nose. It is beautiful, though. As long as you go into Chypre 21 expecting a citrusy, slightly woody ozonic fragrance and not a chypre, you will not be disappointed.

06/08/2023

Rosymel
122 Reviews

Rosymel

Inoffensive but with an odd undertone of damp

Eh, it’s fine. Inoffensive and pleasant, a little old fashioned, the opening has mild bergamot and some soft florals. I also feel like I can detect mint here and there, though it’s not a listed note. Smells like how I imagine a Victorian parlour would have smelled, complete with a faint undertone of damp. Like, not quite mildew but juuuuuust this side of it. If I had a parlour that smelled like this, I wouldn’t be upset, but I’d run the humidifier. Just in case.

Weirdly, this one actually gets stronger and projects slightly more as time goes on, though it’s still not detectable beyond about 6 inches of my skin (as far as I can tell). The damp note disappears, the mint becomes even more fleeting, and the florals become louder. The citrusy notes disappear after the opening.

Overall, I find it just okay. It’s a competently composed fragrance and fairly pleasant, just not very interesting on me.

02/11/2025

8Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

JewishJesus
65 Reviews

JewishJesus

Classic Chypre with a Twist

Not unlike some other Heeley fragrances, this perfume takes a classic scent and gives a contemporary twist. In this case, there's an immediately recognizable, gender-neutral chypre scent with bergamot, oakmoss, and patchouli that balances green, woody, and floral notes. These are nicely accented with some musky, soapy notes from white musk and neroli, as well as sweeter floral notes. The end result is familiar, but it is intriguing with its use of saffron.

Over its evolution, a sea salt scent makes way, evoking a beachside, Mediterranean garden, at least for me. Extremely wearable and well-appealing with moderate projection and longevity. Ultimately, I do wish the scent persisted a bit longer, or at least more strongly throughout its life, as the more unique notes with the exception of salt fade after the first hour or two.

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