Chrisone

First of all: I am a big fan of fragrances from Christian Dior, especially the Priveé line. However, that should not influence my opinion, as I do not like everything in that range.
F. Demachy created this fragrance in honor of the city where C. Dior was born: Granville. A small town with 13,000 inhabitants in the heart of Normandy. When you read the history of the town, you understand the fragrance much better, as this spring-green liquid is meant to reflect not only the beauty of nature but also what has happened there over the last centuries. The town was a significant hub during the times of monarchy and empire, and unfortunately also during World War II. And from the very beginning, it reminded me a bit of pain that needs to be healed through this (as Chypienne aptly described) therapeutic essence.

There are only a few fragrances that transport me to other times. I have not lived in the times when the town of Granville played a significant role; few of us have. And yet I feel as if I were there. A contested town, a focal point in France, thank goodness not only marked by sorrow and suffering but also by joy and cheerfulness.

The opening of Granville is difficult to categorize; it does not fit at all into the picture I have of the other Priveé fragrances. Fresh and fruity are definitely not the right adjectives to describe the top note. The beginning strongly reminded me of head cheese. Yes, exactly, that packaged pork from the supermarket next door for 2€, which is often enjoyed here with fried potatoes and remoulade. But I advise everyone not to throw in the towel at this point, as this beginning has nothing to do with what follows!

In the heart, thyme and pine are very clearly perceptible, and this remains almost until the end. For me, pine predominates, and I really like that. Since I am a fan of fragrances that have a certain closeness to nature and remind me of forests and meadows, Granville definitely made a significant step into my collection at this point, as I have not come across any spring/summer fragrance that goes in this direction. Here is also the point that made me think about Dior's hometown in his honor. What kind of life did he lead? Granville, what kind of town is this? Do the fox and the hare say "Good night" here, or is there a serious situation? The fragrance leaves this question open and offers room for interpretation. Thus, I find myself contemplating a new image of this town every second. With its good longevity, one experiences a journey here; at least, it feels that way.

The peppery finish is not primarily noticeable after several hours of wear. The fragrance fades slightly; definitely not a grand exit, but it doesn’t have to be! Granville is, for me, a subtle fragrance that prefers to stay in the background while others try to stand out. It is a quiet listener, a pleasant companion with an elegant character. A gentleman enjoys in silence, and that is exactly what he does, and I do with him. Definitely not a fragrance to attract a lot of attention, but rather to lie comfortably in the meadow in spring and reflect on one's life. Whether it will truly make it into my collection, I do not know yet. The scent is quite extravagant, and I am not sure if I would be able to handle it in the long run, especially since there are so many other Priveé fragrances. The future will tell!

I was so excited when I found the package in my mailbox this morning, which contained a sample of L´Humaniste. Many thanks to Digitoxyn for this!

I must agree with Goodsmeller right away: I feel exactly as he does. The opening of L´Humaniste is very citrusy, and it immediately reminded me of Allure Homme Edition Blanche by Chanel. The pepper is also quite noticeable here, overall a nice start that makes one hope for more beautiful minutes and hours. But just at this moment, far less pleasant scent notes join in, which, as Goodsmeller has already mentioned, remind me of fried foods. "A cheeseburger, some fries, and a lemonade please." A lunch snack, so to speak, as if one wanted to have a proper meal but doesn't have the necessary money at the moment and has to resort to fast food. What I mean to say is that Frapin may have created a decent all-rounder here, which comes off relatively cheap compared to many other niche brands, but that's really all it is. It’s not a bad fragrance, but in my opinion, one shouldn't have too high expectations. Personally, I won't want to wear it; it's just too unspectacular and doesn't demand much from the wearer or their surroundings. It has no edges or corners, and simply offers me nothing. A fragrance should have something to reveal, but as so often, I find this summer scent to be average. Unfortunately, it's also too monotonous in the dry down.

Please don't stone me! I don't want to say too much about "A taste of Heaven," as much has already been said. I'm actually quite open to lavender in fragrances and usually find it very pleasant, but since "A taste of Heaven" consists almost exclusively of lavender in my opinion, I had to wash it off.

The bottle is exceptionally beautiful, just like every Kilian, and the greenish color adds to the name. But if heaven is supposed to taste like this, then I would prefer to go somewhere else. The opening is exceptionally nice. A superb lavender note that shows itself at times and then briefly hides again. A constant interplay. Every time the lavender note rises, I thought to myself, "The fragrance wants to show that it is permanently there." Essentially, it's like a friend who is always by your side and comes forward in those moments. (The calming effect of this plant species cannot be denied. In the evenings on the couch, I have dozed off a few times, which is absolutely uncharacteristic for me). After about 1 hour, I also notice something from the heart of this fragrance, but never particularly much. Either my olfactory nerves were already out of action at that point, or simply too much lavender was added. And so the fragrance turns out to be very one-sided, extremely linear. One must admit the Kilian-typical and exceptionally good longevity of the fragrance, but given my annoyance with the lavender, that was not a positive aspect for me. I would say it lasts about 10 hours.

All in all, a very demanding fragrance. I think "A taste of Heaven" will find some buyers, but for my nose, it's not something I can handle in the long run. I still give it 50% because I fundamentally like lavender, but here it is just "too much" for me.

For several days now, I have been a regular at Lafayette. I keep going back to that one stand and to the fragrance that I can’t seem to erase from my memory. It haunts me, it’s everywhere. Is it paranoia? Or am I the one who keeps chasing the scent over and over again?

There isn’t a clear answer to that question. I mean, I wasn’t even looking for the scent. I stand before this infinitely beautiful selection of exquisite beauties, and something told me to please test "Sacred Wood." No saleswoman, no one here from the forum, or any other guest in the perfume department. Am I crazy then? I’ll give it a try. Wow, a strong woody opening. The tree almost knocked me over! Which tree, actually? Who am I talking to, and above all, where am I right now? Oh right, I’m standing in the middle of a forest, just moments ago in Lafayette surrounded by thousands of people, and suddenly in pleasant silence, you can only hear the rustling of the treetops, a light wind, a bit cold. Could it be autumn? Colorful leaves, summer-dried tree bark with an intense woody scent. There it is again! But where does this sweet, warm milky note come from all of a sudden? I have no explanation. You don’t find something like that in a normal forest, but I’m not in a normal forest! I like this scent, no matter where it comes from. It constantly engages in a duel with the woody notes, but after several hours of battle, the enveloping sweet milk scent prevails, not completely, but enough to be pleasant. A hint of coconut, is that what I’m perceiving? And it’s over.. 3 notes, that’s all it takes for this grand composition.
Back in Lafayette, out of the beautiful dream. I estimate I was transported to another world for about 8-9 hours (longevity), where I felt really good!

An extraordinary scent in my opinion, the best from Kilian, and definitely in my collection this autumn. Quite simple, really only 2-3 different notes were used, but I like it! I could only perceive parallels to Wonderwood at the beginning; afterwards, both actually develop in quite different directions. I like both, wear them gladly, but I would never think of seriously comparing them.

.. but you are not close enough to me. This feeling has been with me for 2 years now with DHI. For 2 years I have been trying to get a few steps closer to the fragrance, but it keeps stepping back again. We are moving on a constant level, without highs and lows. I would love to learn to love it, but it doesn’t give me the feeling of being needed.

It’s incredible that I am writing my first review of one of the most popular fragrances here in the community. I don’t have a great talent for perfectly perceiving every accord in a fragrance. I know roughly what smells like what and when it starts to emerge, but describing it as wonderfully as some of you can is beyond me. Yesterday was a cold, wet day, a day that cried out to test the Dior classic once more. I find the opening of DHI incredibly beautiful, warm, sensual, a fragrance that envelops me and promises me security. It’s just a pity that only the beginning seems so interesting to me, because afterwards it becomes a play of emotions, a rise and fall, a tragedy. I find myself in an emotional chaos between two questions: “Do I like it?” or “Do I not like it?” Neither question prevails over time; everything seems balanced, and so I cannot fully connect with this creation. I wish it were different, I wish I could grab it right away and add it to my little collection, but I can’t. I can’t think of more words for this; I will keep trying and hope for the best, that this fragrance will eventually develop in a direction that seems clear to me.