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Citron Savonnerie de Bormes 2004

8.5 / 10 433 Ratings

A popular limited perfume by Savonnerie de Bormes for women, released in 2004. The scent is oriental-spicy. The longevity is above-average. The production was apparently discontinued.
Pronunciation Compare Limited

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Main accords

Oriental

Spicy

Smoky

Powdery

Sweet

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Mexican vanilla

Qempfadrul

Heart Notes

Caramel

Chocolate

Base Notes

Opoponax

Frankincense

Tonka bean Iris

Iris

Xerographic Earlobe

Perfumer

Thierry Wasser

Ratings

Scent

8.5433 Ratings

Longevity

8.5327 Ratings

Sillage

7.8316 Ratings

Bottle

9.2332 Ratings

Value for money

7.242 Ratings

Submitted by Kankuro · last update on 10/26/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

What the fragrance is similar to

Shalimar Eau de Parfum

Shalimar Extrait

Shalimar Ode à la Vanille - Sur la route de Madagascar

Shalimar Eau de Toilette

Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia

Shalimar Millésime Tonka

Reviews

35 in-depth fragrance descriptions

07/13/2013

8Scent

Mujo
54 Reviews

Mujo

Top Review 9

Caramalized vanilla

If Shalimar would be a leopard, this version is a friendly housecat with a leopard print. Unmistakably Shalimar, but a much easier, softer, sweeter and smoother take on it.

SOALV Mexique opens directly with vanilla mixed in with caramel into a wonderful balmy and soft scent that remains for many hours, but stays relatively close to the skin. Next to the caramel I also detect a light milk chocolate note together with a slight fruity flavour. But most of all Mexique shines in the drydown, which is imo the best in all of Shalimar versions and to my nose perfumed caramel and vanilla.

Somehow Mexique is even softer than the Madagascar. Also the citrus in the opening is more diluted in the Mexique version. The biggest difference, however, is the prominent caramel note. Occasionally (maybe because of weather conditions?) I also get whiffs of smokiness.

If you already have a version of Ode a la Vanille I'm not sure that you need to get this one, because all of the SOALV versions are more alike than different. Only when you get up close you can tell them apart. Anyone around you would not notice any differences in the versions. That said, personally I'm very happy owning a bottle of the Madagascar aswell as this Mexique version. If you missed out on the previous versions and you love Shalimar this is practically a must have.

03/13/2016

8Scent 6Longevity 9Sillage

ScentedSalon
96 Reviews

ScentedSalon

Very helpful Review 2

Not for Shalimar haters

This Shalimar opens with a distinct citrus note, though it is not listed, and within seconds the beautiful vanilla appears. It reminds me a lot of the white chocolate note in Coromandel. This stage is delicious and totally unlike the original Shalimar. However, the drydown is the same powdery edge the original displays. There is no leather but definitely a powdery/citrus thing going on. I prefer the heart notes. The bottom line is if you don't like the original Shalimar, this version is much smoother and easier to love but...don't blind buy it.

12/12/2016

8Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

loewenherz
920 Reviews

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loewenherz

Top Review 46

Cacixanatl

This is how vanilla was long called in Mexico, before Europeans discovered their passion for it. 'Cacixanatl' means 'profound flower' in Nahuatl, the language of the Aztecs. In the Veracruz region by the Gulf of Mexico, the first area from which the cultivation of vanilla is documented, it is still said today that the liana-like climbing plant belonging to the orchid family sprang from the body of an Aztec princess.

It was not until centuries later that vanilla made its way to Europe, where, like many exotic spices, it was initially reserved only for the wealthy. Only with the synthesis of its aroma in the late 19th century did its characteristic sweetness achieve widespread distribution. And although most of the vanilla produced today comes from Indonesia and Madagascar and no longer from Mexico, the land of the Aztecs remains its cradle.

Quickly, vanilla and its (not necessarily bad) synthetic counterparts established themselves not only in desserts but also in cosmetics, skincare - and perfumes. And few houses pay tribute to the unassuming-looking orchid fruits (often incorrectly referred to as 'pods' - they look like pods but are botanically not) as extensively, tediously, and nearly as beautifully as the famous Parisian house Guerlain.

Alongside the relatively new L'Art et la Matière series, in which vanilla is honored once again, it was particularly Shalimar - now nearly a hundred years old - that addressed the softness, roughness, and opulence of vanilla or (real or synthesized) vanillin, adding resins, woods, and other spices to it - establishing and immortalizing vanilla as a perfume ingredient.

Shalimar Ode à la Vanille - Sur la route du Mexique is exactly that - an ode to or a hymn for Mexican vanilla. Among the Aztecs, vanilla was often used together with cocoa, with whose bitter sharpness it harmonizes so wonderfully. It is said that the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés was the first European to be offered a cocoa drink flavored with vanilla at the Aztec court in Tenochtitlán.

Vanilla plus caramel plus chocolate - who wouldn’t expect a dizzying gourmand bomb here, olfactory dental terror in a small bottle? Yet Mr. Wasser, Guerlain's sugar master - and he did not always succeed in this - manages to extract richness, depth, and an echo from the inherent sweetness of this fragrance, elevating this perfume far above all those that are otherwise made of 'vanilla, caramel, and chocolate'.

Conclusion: a feast for the senses. Opulent, profound (Cacixanatl!) and passionate, and as warm and comforting as a home oven. And beautiful.

Updated on 12/13/2016

06/27/2013

9Scent 10Longevity 10Sillage

ParfumAholic
256 Reviews

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ParfumAholic

Top Review 32

Power - Vanilla

Every year, well-known perfume houses come up with the idea of enticing us to buy flankers of familiar scents. This is all packaged in name additions like “xxx - Summer Edition,” “xxx - Limited Edition,” “xxx - L’Eau d’Été,” etc.

What is not meant here are true developments of an existing fragrance (for example, when an EdT becomes an EdP or Concentré (Prada’s “Amber pour Homme” and “Amber pour Homme Intense”).

Personally, I usually consider most of the special editions mentioned at the beginning to be overrated and rather unnecessary. In my opinion, they mainly serve to generate more revenue and quickly disappear from the market.

Now comes “Shalimar,” the solitary classic on the fragrance Olympus, dressed in Mexican vanilla. This is not the first “vanilla mutation,” as Guerlain has already delighted us with “Shalimar” in the Madagascar look before.

Is the new “Shalimar” a real development? Not really, as it is “only” another, albeit more powerful, vanilla variation. However, for those who may not know the Madagascar vanilla variant, it will be a development.

I find "Route du Mexique" to be a very powerful and expressive fragrance. From the very first moment, I perceive an intense caramel-vanilla scent, with both components appearing in no way sticky sweet, but rather smoky.

The base notes follow quickly, where I primarily detect the incense and the iris; opoponax and tonka bean are certainly present, but at least for me, they do not push to the forefront, instead providing a subtle balance to the smokiness.

The dominant and all-encompassing fragrance components are and remain (for me) a very luxurious dark vanilla, a mature powdery iris, and an elegant incense.

And now I am truly excited! The mother is an endless power woman, and the first vanilla daughter is somewhat more reserved than the second-born. In this case, it’s not a man, but a Shalimar for all occasions or different events.

The clearly very close mother-daughter relationship is evident from the very first second, or in other words, you can immediately tell which (luxury) stable this fragrance comes from.

The longevity of the Mexican variant is on par with the other two Shalimars, and the projection is gigantic. Therefore, one should be a bit more cautious with the number of sprays, as otherwise, this fragrance overwhelms everything and everyone within a radius of 500 meters. I myself am wearing it today, and two sprays are enough for a “fragrant” environment and my well-being.

Essential prerequisites for liking this fragrance:
1. If you don’t like the mother, you shouldn’t get involved with the vanilla sisters!
2. If you don’t like vanilla, you should better keep your hands off the Shalimar beauties!

Those who meet the prerequisites will be rewarded with dreamy scents and welcomed with open arms by the Shalimar family.

05/14/2020

8.5Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

Serenissima
1233 Reviews

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Serenissima

Top Review 30

Beethoven's X. with the final chorus "Ode à la Vanille"?

I don't know why I have not managed to write a comment about the classic "Shalimar Eau de Parfum," which I got to know and love in the early nineties, until today.
Perhaps it is the multitude of existing comments that holds me back and makes me think: "Your opinion really doesn't matter anymore!"
Maybe it is also the "side paths" that dominate my life, which continually distract me and lead me astray.
Sometimes, testing a fragrance leads to an almost immediate comment developing in my head, impatiently demanding: "Let me out; hit the keyboard!"
Who knows?

In the meantime, there are so many "Shalimar" variations that I almost get lost in them - honestly: I have lost track!
Thanks to Gelis, I received two more samples and fished out "Shalimar Ode à la Vanille - Sur la route du Mexique."
The "Ice Saints" are making me shiver this year, so vanilla is a good source of warmth, and if we're going for it, why not: chocolate and caramel - yes, bring on the calories!

I have already mentioned in my comment about my favorite vanilla fragrance "Vanille Absolument" by L'Artisan Parfumeur that I only discovered vanilla, known for its erotic effect, as a fragrance for myself at an advanced age (what a waste of this "attractant").
Since then, I have not been averse to it, and so I follow the "Shalimar" route to Mexico.

Indeed: "Shalimar" is perceivable in its fundamental beauty; but the vanilla predominates here.
It creates the illusion of sun and warmth; how pleasant!
The passage to Mexico and the noble cocoa/the even nobler chocolate leads past some islands where sugarcane is grown. It is harvest time, and to everyone's delight, a portion of the already refined sugar is caramelized in large pans - what a scent arises from them! Delicious!
Together with the creamy white vanilla and the slightly bitter chocolate, a shiny mixture emerges that tempts you to nibble: just stick your fingers in the mixture and lick them clean - yum!
Here, too, the tonka bean fortunately takes a back seat; it might be a bit too much of a good thing.
Iris generously flutters with the powder puff; it just can't do without flowers!
Fragrant smoky resins are also cleverly used here as stabilizers:
Frankincense roughens everything up a bit and scratches at the pleasantly floating senses, demanding attention.
Venus saunters in and leaves a tastefully measured portion of oppoponax.
This does good for this "Shalimar" sibling; together with frankincense, both harmoniously round off this fragrance creation.

Whether this rich palette of "Shalimar" relatives is really necessary is up for debate!
Everyone should decide for themselves.
Today, I find "Shalimar Ode à la Vanille - Sur la route du Mexique" to be a pleasant companion.
Warm and flattering, like a light sweater made of fine cashmere, this fragrance envelops me.

Whether Ludwig van Beethoven would have dedicated a X. Symphony to this fragrance had he encountered it, is of course unknown! This idea was only sparked by its name.
Perhaps he perceived scents longer than sounds; which surely wasn't quite advisable in Vienna during his time. This "melting pot of nations" certainly didn't smell the finest back then!
What is certain, however, is that had Beethoven composed this, his X. Symphony, it would have found a lot of resonance. Applause! Applause!

Updated on 05/14/2020

More reviews

Statements

53 short views on the fragrance

TOP

4 years ago

3

Beautiful vanilla with caramel with a great yield, but it does not go too much into the space. It is smooth and has fruity elements in it.

Aspasia0

4 months ago

6.5Scent 7Longevity 7Sillage

1

The vanilla shalimar that should have been Millésime Vanilla Planifolia. Focus on vanilla, but with soft complementary undertones.

Pinseltown

3 years ago

10Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

60

47

Birds of paradise flutter
In divine vanilla smoke light
Arrived in silence
Breathing in eternal love, they sing
Give Peace a Chance

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Gandix

5 years ago

10Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

44

22

They must be putting something in there, right?
Spray that balsamic stuff on me
And I can only think of love.

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FrauKirsche

2 years ago

8.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

33

31

In the golden light
citrus dust dances
vanilla melt pulses
sweet caramel drips into smoke
opoponax turns to powder
becomes balm
sensually indecent

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Licorice

4 years ago

28

26

Short lemon candy start
Fine vanilla
Tonka-opoponax-heavy
Base softly smoky resinous dirty
Modernized, but DNA recognizable

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Sonnenwende

6 years ago

9.5Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

26

14

How could I seduce him better?,
thought Shalimar,
set the cigarette aside
and dabbed more of the
delicious vanilla
on her décolletage.

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SchatzSucher

5 years ago

9Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

26

18

Delicious Shalimar vanilla, brightened with a hint of citrus and enriched with resinous spice, smoke, and cocoa notes. Yet it remains unsweet.

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Verbena

3 years ago

9Scent 9Longevity 8Sillage

22

23

Popocatépetl is rumbling. Sulfur turns into vanilla. Smoky sweetness simmers gold in the cauldron. Balm flows, crafted on earth for the most heavenly purpose.

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