Joséphine Rancé 1795

Rancé's "Joséphine" is coquettish, radiant, and charming. Here, the character of the historical Joséphine de Beauharnais, Empress of France and beloved first wife of Napoleon I, seems to be excellently captured, as described in history books and novels. The historical empress's penchant for extravagance is absent; the sillage of the fragrance is rather in the medium-low range for me.

What amazes me the most, however, is that the floral notes of lilac, hyacinth, and hawthorn, which I do not typically enjoy in fragrances, are so well "tamed" by the other notes that I wear "Joséphine" with enthusiasm.

I cannot dissect the fragrance into its individual components. "Joséphine" is for me a spring-fresh, slightly sparkling scent, leaning a bit towards the clean side, with a hint of cream that lifts my spirits. Only when I take a deep breath over the sprayed area do I faintly perceive the iris root with its characteristic sweet wood note for me.

Regards + thanks to Süchtig.