Bottle Design:
Serge Mansau

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•⊰•⸙•⊱• der stille Monat November •⊰•⸙•⊱• ich Danke Euch und freue mich sehr über Euren Besuch und die lieben Kommentare •⊰•⸙•⊱• (by Flughörnchen)

Mystère Rochas 1978 Eau de Parfum

8.2 / 10 143 Ratings

A popular perfume by Rochas for women, released in 1978. The scent is chypreartig-spicy. The longevity is above-average. The production was apparently discontinued.
Pronunciation Compare

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Main accords

Chypre

Spicy

Floral

Animal

Woody

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Galbanum

Coriander

Hyacinth

Heart Notes

Ylang-ylang

Carnation

Narcissus

Orris root

Rosemary

Jasmine

Lily of the valley

Tuberose

Violet

Base Notes

Civet

Oakmoss

Styrax

Cedar

Cypress

Musk

Patchouli

Perfumer

Nicolas Mamounas

Ratings

Scent

8.2143 Ratings

Longevity

8.4101 Ratings

Sillage

7.699 Ratings

Bottle

7.9103 Ratings

Value for money

7.116 Ratings

Submitted by DonVanVliet · last update on 01/26/2026.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Mystère Parfum

Mystère Eau de Toilette

Ispahan (1977) Eau de Toilette

Poudrextase

Paloma Picasso / Mon Parfum (1984) (Eau de Toilette) by Paloma Picasso

Paloma Picasso Eau de Toilette

Magie Noire Eau de Toilette

Reviews

14 in-depth fragrance descriptions

02/24/2013

10Scent

BronxBeauty
58 Reviews

BronxBeauty

Helpful Review 5

Mysterious Mystere

Mystere reminds me of a bracing French white wine in which you can taste the limestone and other minerals from the soil. It has a dry, ashy top but the civet in it renders the drydown a bit sweeter and creamy. This fascinating chypre deserves its cult following.

11/24/2014

10Scent 9Longevity 9Sillage

Gold
726 Reviews

Gold

Inspiration

“Thus mellow’d to that tender light
Which heaven to gaudy day denies.”

Lord Byron was right.
MYSTERE - what a wonderfully mysterious perfume created by the great Nicolas Mamounas to represent a woman of a darker persuasion. A deep, aromatic chypre like the “best of dark and bright” in her eyes - combined with “raven tresses.” Rumours has it that Byron was inspired by a woman in her mourning garb. What was Mamouna's inspiration? MYSTERE remains one of the unsurpassed marvels of perfume history. Discontinued. Prices still rising and rising.

12/15/2019

10Scent 10Longevity 8Sillage

SchatzSucher
107 Reviews

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SchatzSucher

Top Review 47

Pure seduction in a bottle

That I have developed a great fondness for chypre fragrances is certainly quite well known. I am also aware that this fragrance direction is met with rejection by some inclined sniffers. I understand that all too well.
Chypres can indeed come across as very rough, harsh, and unwelcoming, or even quite outdated.
However, this fragrance direction deserves closer examination, as there are so many different variants, including those that are less brittle and much more lovable.
I also enjoy rummaging through the past and continually discovering fascinating treasures.
Don't worry, this won't turn into another tirade of "Everything was better back then." It gets boring when the same record keeps playing.
But when I repeatedly come across such bold vintage treasures, I realize that there indeed used to be more glamour, fragrance-wise.
For in those, everything is included that is now banned, regulated, frowned upon, and not politically correct anymore. But I don't want to start a discussion that leads nowhere. Opinions on this are too varied.

Some time ago, I received a comprehensive test package from Mrs. E. from B. It contained several finely and thoughtfully selected samples of fragrances I had not yet known. A mix of newer scents and vintage ones. There were many beautiful items included. I was thrilled.

One of the fragrances that particularly stuck with me is this one, Mystère by Rochas, which has truly captured my heart.
On one hand, because it presents exactly the direction I love, and on the other hand, because it allows all the notes used in this fragrance to come together into a highly complex, elegant, and present whole.
Alongside a dense richness of floral notes, there is a good portion of oakmoss and a well-measured touch of civet as an animalistic component.
I usually find myself at odds with very animalistic fragrances. Civet is also an extremely delicate component. Too much of it can make a fragrance smell like a predator cage, including markings; when finely dosed, it gives a fragrance a certain sophistication.
What I find interesting about Mystère is that, in my perception, the top, heart, and base notes quickly blend together, and not a single citrus aspect appears here. I admit, I don't miss it at all.
I smell a bitter galbanum at the start, but very quickly the floral components join in, which remain present throughout the entire duration. And almost just as quickly, the spicy base mixes in.
I usually find it quite interesting when a fragrance changes a bit over a certain period, but I really enjoy the relatively linear progression of Mystère.
In the floral notes, hardly any flower stands out particularly; only clove and jasmine push themselves a bit to the forefront.
The fragrance strikes me as mature from the outset, silky soft, warm, cuddly, and with a subtly translucent and gentle eroticism.
And that is precisely the mystery of this wonderful fragrance for me:
Mystère is a thoroughly seductive and alluringly erotic fragrance. Yet the perfumer does not come crashing in with overt or even vulgar lustfulness; no, he manages to maintain this erotic allure subtly, sensitively, and profoundly. The fragrance never screams loudly, nor does it ever come across as cute or playful. There is a certain seriousness that is quite noticeable.
And this lasts for a remarkably long time; Mystère easily lasts 14 hours on me. You are also very well perceived, but even though the fragrance has a distinct presence, it does not overshadow anyone.
I would recommend the colder season as the suitable time due to its warm aura.

Released as a women's fragrance in the late 1970s, I find Mystère absolutely suitable for men, if one is willing to embrace quite pronounced floral notes. The fragrance is also almost not sweet at all.
Since the fragrance has long been off the market, but I definitely wanted to have it, I looked around a bit. And in a well-known online auction house, I finally found it.
A new and still sealed bottle traveled from the Netherlands to me, and I essentially gifted it to myself for my birthday.
What makes me particularly happy is the fact that the fragrance is still completely intact and nothing seems off.
The bottle is the straightforward ribbed variant, as simple as it is beautiful.

In my opinion, a masterpiece has been created with Mystère at Rochas, to which I gladly give the full score. And I thank Mrs. E. from B. for introducing me to this fragrance.

Updated on 12/15/2019

09/27/2020

8Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Torfdoen
41 Reviews

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Torfdoen

Top Review 38

Tiger's Contact Lenses

With my face planted in the moss. Thank goodness, the champagne flute is still intact. I dig wildly in the peaty soil, gathering my lemons. There aren’t many. I stare at my wrist. This bastard has marked his territory. Must move on. I sense his pale peppery breath.

A small puddle of sparkling wine on a green-overgrown surface. I greedily sip the dew, which, judging by its sour note, can only be an old, noble drop. Somewhat expired, but intentional. Like a Norne today, but instead of the sweet-ethereal, it’s fermented-woody, nothing familiar in nature. Real oak moss, indeed. I think of Success, Paco Rabanne, Lauder for Men. It’s hard to tell where the grass begins and the sex party ends.

I stumble through a densely overgrown, exotic plant world, which doesn’t interest me further; I’m too busy looking at the flute, balancing the lemons, and picking the remaining earth from my teeth.

Then I pause. Everything is as it should be. A chypre jungle from the 80s that I’ve stumbled into. Super dense, with many shades. Disco lights, terry cloth covers, and hygienically extravagant woven into a complex natural wildness. Little smoothed out, without the urge to dissect everything into its sterile components. And with a latent herbal-muggy greenness. Sparkling tiger eyes. Survivor.

Just when I think I’m about to hold a very adult yet somehow timeless galbanum cocktail along with an earthy citrus fruit mystery in my hands, I’m thrown to the ground.

Two fat lemons are held up to my face. The tiger elegantly prowls around the ferns and vines. He steps out of his hiding place and doesn’t spare me a glance.

“Out of pure friendship, he didn’t kill you. He likes you.”

He pees in the champagne flute.

I straighten up and brush the dirt off my pants.

“That’s nice of him. I like him too. Especially because he didn’t attack me. As if he had an order to do so. It seems there’s a somewhat rough tone around here.”

She approaches me and removes the arrow from my head.

“Don’t talk nonsense. He likes to play with you. And he’s nothing against the power of the old forest.”

From a velvety seating nook, someone holds out a full champagne flute to me. I take the glass and drink it. Distant sparkling and rumbling.

The only sensible thing seems to be to challenge the mistress of the forest to a dance-off, 8 minutes of Boogie Wonderland.

Good idea, I think, becoming one with the movements, overgrown in green sourness.

(Thank you, dear Tabla, for the sample.)

Updated on 09/27/2020

05/01/2011

9Scent 7.5Longevity

Turandot
841 Reviews

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Turandot

Top Review 31

It remains mysterious - and that's a good thing

We often throw around the terms mystical or mysterious here, and sometimes very different ideas are associated with them. Often, these are dark scents, heavy and in many cases extraordinary and alluring.

At first glance, Mystère by Rochas actually doesn't fit this image that at least I have associated with this term so far. And yet the name suits this beautiful fragrance. In fact, nothing about the scent is really extraordinary, but one could consider Mystère as a synonym for "perfume" par excellence. The fragrance exudes a subtle, yet very feminine and discreet aura, and one could describe this aura as simply perfect. Now - I have my issues with perfection. Often I find it exhausting and sometimes even boring. Not so with Mystère. On the contrary, I find the scent inspiring and brilliantly refined in its simplicity. At least that's how it appears. When we look at the pyramid, it becomes clear that a whole lot of nuances are needed to complement each other in such a way that a homogeneous overall impression is created and there is no temporal sequence of different fragrance notes.

Anyone who wants to start picking apart individual components here must either be a pedant or completely unromantic. Sure, it is an elegant floral chypre composition, but what does that really say? You wouldn't describe a gemstone by its chemical formula but rather by its beauty. So I'll leave it at that.

The woman who wears Mystère doesn't need a sillage to stand out. She has charisma, style, and one secretly wants to know more about her, as she doesn't reveal everything. Yes, she is surrounded by a mystery, but not one that paparazzi sniff around, rather one that makes me want to read her biography or get to know her better.

For those still asking: What does it smell like? I refer you to scents like Arpege, Chanel No. 22, or Rumeur, but all a bit quieter and more reserved, with a delicate golden shimmer. All clear...? Curious? Yes, that's just how it is with mysteries!

More reviews

Statements

20 short views on the fragrance

JonasP1

3 years ago

9.5Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Delicate spicy ylang-wind
Elegantly brushing
Over mossy green fields
In warm red glow
Falls a resinous floral rush
With a pulsing civet breath...

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Shaking

4 years ago

8.5Scent 9Longevity 7Sillage

An almost perfect Chypre mystery, with just a hint of civet too much! Moss, floral notes...
A tear shed, how wonderful fragrances used to be!

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SchatzSucher

6 years ago

10Scent 10Longevity 8Sillage

Grandiose combination of flowers, spices, and that certain sensuality. Chypre in one of its most beautiful forms. Mystery? Masterpiece!

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Gold

6 years ago

10Scent 9Longevity 9Sillage

Bitter, citrusy, radiant, herbal-soapy, unique. Once mainstream. Now just a rarity for collectors. Genius scent.

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Hexana

10 years ago

10Scent 10Longevity 7.5Sillage

The bouquet in the heart note intertwines with the strong and animalistic ingredients of the base, creating a wonder - Mystère!

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Blaustern

5 years ago

9.5Scent 8Longevity 7Sillage

Finely balanced dense richness of floral notes without any one dominating
Silky soft warm-spicy radiant
complex-elegant masterpiece

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Ergoproxy

9 years ago

10Scent 10Longevity 7.5Sillage

This one is niche today. Strict, great floral accord without any sweetness, animalic-mossy base. For me, the best women's fragrance from Rochas.

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Serenissima

10 months ago

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

Paw prints in a thicket of fragrance notes, animalistic traces on flowers, herbs, and resins. A creation that awakens the senses, as current as it was then!

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