Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan by Roméa d'Améor

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Einer meiner aktuellen Lieblingsdüfte, so zart und fein (by Gandix)

Les Impératrices Japonaises
The Great Empresses of Japan
Roméa d'Améor 2009

7.6 / 10 166 Ratings

A popular perfume by Roméa d'Améor for women, released in 2009. The scent is powdery-floral. It is still in production.
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Main accords

Powdery

Floral

Sweet

Woody

Spicy

Fragrance Pyramid

Top Notes

Freesia

Ylang-ylang Melon

Melon

Heart Notes

Orris root Iris

Iris

Heliotrope

Lily of the valley Peony

Peony

Rose

Violet

Base Notes

Teakwood

Tonka bean

Sandalwood Vetiver

Vetiver

Perfumer

Pierre Bourdon

Ratings

Scent

7.6166 Ratings

Longevity

7.1127 Ratings

Sillage

6.1116 Ratings

Bottle

7.5102 Ratings

Submitted by DeGe53 · last update on 10/27/2025.

Source-backed & verified

Smells similar

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Reviews

10 in-depth fragrance descriptions

07/06/2015

10Scent 10Longevity 8Sillage

Seerose
775 Reviews

Seerose

Helpful Review

More Bitter than Sweet

"Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan" is one of my favorite perfumes. From the first smell which reached my nose and my the sense of smell in my brain I was excited by it. But that is a sensory perception I already had by a lot of perfumes. But later, when I tested them again or even bought them, the excitement was dimished or even vanished. Only a "few" scents are staying to be my favorites, the love seems so be lasting for ever and those perfumes I want to own. Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan" belongs to my scents of desire.
Out of that "Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan" is belonging to the very rare scents which other poeple seem to perceive on me and for which I get compliments: "What a wonderful fragrance is scenting around here! Are you using this extraordinary scent?"
First I'm smelling an aromatical and bitter wood, combined with orris roots of an exellent quality, poudry but tangy. And it remembers me partly on "Bois Farine" by L'Artisan. And yes, there are appearing some flowers, heliotrope, Ylang-Ylang with it's sweet and thrilling notes, roses as listet. They are giving "Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan" an intriguing creamy yet bitter almond and even a slightly marzipan note. I know that marzipan is made from sweet an bitter almonds and if it's high quality a few drops of genuine oil of roses are added.
But the scent of heliotrop and tonka beans as well is causing this almond-marzipany note - if there are added genuine extracts which seem to be in "Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan" But fortunately this composition is not turning out to become a gourmand scent. There must be added more sorts of blossoms than listet. The bitter wood and the soft percolating blossom mixture is staying all over the very good longevity. And yet there is as well a faint dark-green note, a whiff of smoke which is annoucing a special vetiver which I can almost only imagine.
OK, now I had tried to explain and to describe exactly "Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan". But in fact if I'm smelling it percolating from my skin it's tremendous joyfully and exciting for me. I just love the sillage around me I love to smell like "the" "Les Impératrices Japonaises / The Great Empresses of Japan".

10/09/2013

10Scent 7.5Longevity 7.5Sillage

ParfumAholic
256 Reviews

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ParfumAholic

Top Review 28

Moments of Perfection

Due to a "sample backlog," I decided to take all the samples with me on my vacation and test those whose "first test" hadn't been sufficient for me to form a final opinion about each fragrance.

And so, a considerably filled little pouch made its way into my suitcase. I was somewhat skeptical whether the scents would behave and develop differently in the Mediterranean climate than they do here at home, but I wanted to give it a try.

And I must say, this was a very good idea!

Testing fragrances is definitely much easier when you can dedicate yourself to them more or less undistracted.

My journey took me to Ibiza (and before anyone gets the wrong idea - no, it wasn't a party vacation), where there are wonderful and absolutely quiet coves where you can truly indulge in your thoughts without interruption.

One late afternoon, we passed by a nearly forgotten cove (Cap de Falco), from where you can watch a wonderful sunset. Unlike the famous "Café del Mar," it is not overcrowded and loud here.

There is a small eatery, subtle music, and bed-sized white loungers invite you to linger and enjoy.

Still in the car, I had sprayed "Les Impératrices Japonaises" on my wrist.

After we found our spot and made ourselves comfortable, a wonderfully beautiful iris scent suddenly wafted up to me. Wow, I wasn't sure, but iris in the top note? I could remember that. I knew that many flowers and blossoms were listed in the fragrance pyramid, but I could hardly perceive any of them, maybe just a bit of rose and a hint of ylang-ylang.

Slowly, the sun sank like a glowing ball into the sea. Heavenly! The harmony that was now spreading was almost tangible. This natural spectacle touches me deeply every time, makes me feel "small" (in a positive way) and grounds me in a certain way.

And the darker it became around us, the more radiant LIJ seemed to become. Carried by the woods and a subtle sweetness of vanilla, this iris outshone even the darkness.
Bright, clear, pure, and powdery in perfection. The "metallic effect" present in other iris fragrances is completely absent here. I have rarely, if ever, smelled such an iris in other fragrances.

From the nearby tavern, the song "Hero" by Family of the Year drifted to my ears. Although it is a brand new title, it has an "old-fashioned" charm that completely enchants me.

And so I found myself unexpectedly in the perfect moments of this day, where everything was right and I was completely at peace with myself: the sun nearly set, a great song, and a fragrance that makes me smile blissfully (shine!) and envelops me gently.

**

After we were back home, I naturally had to order it. Initially, I had some quiet doubts whether the memories of the scent and the special moments might have distorted my perception, but today I can only say: No, "Les Impératrices Japonaises" works just as well at home - and how!

Because my happy smile returns here and now with every wear :-)

08/08/2018

10Scent 10Longevity 7Sillage

Duftsucht
137 Reviews

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Duftsucht

Top Review 22

Chest out, stomach in - and sit up straight!

No lie: Never before has a fragrance triggered such a change in behavior for me as “Les Impératrices Japonaises.”
The moment I spray it, as the first wave reaches my nose, I immediately straighten my posture, try to fix my hair that has been tousled by my bicycle helmet, and wish I were freshly showered with perfect hair (- perhaps classically styled up again?), dressed in an elegant, simple summer dress, and maybe even wearing a bit of jewelry.
Wow!! What an incredible scent! I can’t think of any other word but impressive. A truly imperial iris requests an audience. And there I stand, in summer jeans, sneakers, and a T-shirt, sweaty from cycling home in 37 degrees!
So folks, this scent really doesn’t allow for that! It demands posture, personality, respect, but is in no way arrogant, difficult, or even snappy. Rather, it is a scent empress.
You can tell, the fragrance has overwhelmed me - and I actually immediately jumped into the shower, fixed my hair, and consciously took some time for this fragrance phenomenon. “Imperatrice” truly deserves it. From the very first second, my nose is thrilled by an iris that I have never smelled before. I recognize it distinctly, but it is not dusty; rather, it is delicately powdery, simultaneously strong and bitter with an elegant hint of bitterness, lush yet restrained all at once. A not sweet vanilla note (just like the pod smells when you cut it open) and something floral, from which I can’t identify a single note, prevent the fragrance from being too intellectual. Just like a hint of fruit acidity prevents the empress from being dominated by the beautiful woody base. A perfectly balanced interplay, so complete for my nose, which is somewhat overwhelmed by the many different components, that I’m not even sure in which category I would place it. Here it is classified under powdery-floral; I believe a new category needs to be invented: Whispered Iris or something.
For me, this is a fragrance for very special occasions, and by that, I don’t mean balls or opera, but occasions that hold deep personal significance for me. This fragrance would accompany me, envelop me, and with its great elegance, would forever be a part of my memory. The bottle, which I purchased rather spontaneously (a thousand thanks for that!!!), I will use very wisely and carefully - and appreciate and enjoy every single drop!

For iris lovers, not just a test recommendation, but rather a: “Until you have smelled this fragrance, you have not smelled iris!”

12/27/2012

10Scent 7.5Longevity 5Sillage

Escada1970
18 Reviews

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Escada1970

Top Review 18

The 33rd Empress of Japan... Iris scent redefined!

Asuka 594, the former capital of Japan, Empress Suiko in her role as the 33rd Teno of the country had little time for her beloved gardens.
She was said to possess elegance, dignity, intelligence, and a sense of justice. She was also wise and introduced Buddhism to the country.

As a businesswoman, time was slowly but surely running out for her… Her beloved gardens were just a memory for her.
She employed many perfumers to capture her cherished gardens in flacons.
Many failed to meet the high demands of the empress, but one succeeded in making her happy.
The expression of her gardens should evoke a memory of sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and herbaceous, such was her impression of the gardens.

Edit: What has been created with this fragrance is a parable, a geometry, an incredibility.

About the scent: This bitter note of iris, both radiant and strict, no bergamot, no neroli to bring cheerfulness as in Prada Iris.
A note of bitter marzipan… High summer, here lavender and catnip waft from stone walls, this bitter, spicy scent… lavender in fire, the same note… bittersweet
So what is an empress who cannot visit her gardens due to lack of time and cannot brush her fingers against the lavender, crush it… not smelling her peonies, let alone snagging a simple
lily of the valley… what a poor being who cannot enjoy simple things, my personal sympathy for the Teno.

Paragraph: I love iris scents, almost idiotically as I embark on my search. I have the Prada Iris in variations… created and based on radiant neroli, wonderfully fresh, but over time it will bore me. Hermes… already more exciting because the ambrette for me is not a carrot, but embodies radiant cleanliness and brilliance. A class of its own.

The Teno is something entirely different, nothing compares. She is incomprehensible in her bitter beauty, flawless, pure, immortal, strict yet at the same time elfin.
For me, as an iris novice, it is the absolute; I even retrieved a bulb from my sandbank (surplus stock) and sliced it open… bitter, astringent, so many components, bitter, earthy, and the sharp spice of the bulb.
I know what will come when it blooms, and it will not be the sweetness of the flowers but bitterness, yet thanks to its radiance and the flawlessness of the flowers, it makes one forget the earthiness.

Les Imperatrices is a statement, always elegant and graceful. This scent does not play with you; it is present, and the reward after about an hour is an almost intoxicating purity, never experienced, not even hoped for… to claim that it requires humility would be hmmm how should I put it… appropriate!

03/01/2013

9Scent

Bertel
236 Reviews

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Bertel

Top Review 14

Elegance, Attitude, and Beauty in Perfection

This is gentle iris-infused powderiness in perfection.

"Les Impératrices Japonaises" is one of the most perfect iris-ylang powder fragrances I know - its exact placement in the Lutens-Villoresi-Chanel universe is still to be examined, but with such an incredibly wonderful, masterful opening, such floral abundance, such homogeneity, and simply opulent beauty, experiencing it is a pure joy. Perfectly balanced and rounded, unbelievably elegant and elite, yet not aloof or exaggerated but rather with noble restraint, seclusion, and through its dryness, a touch of sadness, at least seriousness and severity - simply grandiose!!

What else can I say, Escada1970 (thank you!!!) has already hit the nail on the head. An unbelievably elegant, strict fragrance that shows backbone and attitude, offering elegance and grace while appreciating humility - a truly great achievement.

More reviews

Statements

28 short views on the fragrance

Nushka

2 years ago

9Scent 9Longevity 7Sillage

3

A cool (cold) creamy-powdery iris-centric frag. Clean, collected, above reproach. Definitely feminine. Not unique but excellent. Thumbs up!

SchatzSucher

5 years ago

8Scent 7Longevity 6Sillage

15

10

Beautiful floral scent with a delicate powdery note, gentle spice, and a light paper note that gives the fragrance a refined touch.

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UntermWert

4 years ago

7.5Scent

13

10

Cozy-elegant, creamy-powdery floral scent - perfect for the white angora sweater
herb-respectful iris, surrounded by white blooms
+ almonds

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Medusa00

2 months ago

8.5Scent 9Longevity 9Sillage

12

10

Puschelmuschel, come to the floral cream paper house calls the velvety Geisha and adorns the Samurai with iris roots. Lovely Freesia-San.

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Violett

5 years ago

9

7

Freshly bathed, powdered, and creamed, the Japanese Empress sits in the flower garden, nibbling on almonds. Very feminine, softly warm, delightful.

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Pollita

5 years ago

7Scent 7Sillage

10

4

After a promising start with delicate powdery notes, I only smell opulent white flowers. Perfect for a grand entrance.

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Kajsa5

8 years ago

8Scent 8Longevity 8Sillage

10

beautiful, finally a Japanese scent just as I imagined it. Gentle, noble, aloof yet soft and feminine - a candidate for purchase!

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Susan

4 years ago

7.5Scent

9

Much sweeter than expected.....I miss the cool nobility and distinction of the iris.....I really miss the iris......almondy

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Jumi

8 years ago

9Scent 6Longevity 5Sillage

9

6

Lilac-colored flower organza scarf, carried by the wind, caught in the green spring branch, fluttering in time with the tones of lily of the valley. Whisper-WOW

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