Gourmandish floral perfumes normally don’t do it for me, with a couple of exceptions like Lostmarc’h’s Lann-Ael. One recently just captivated me into swooning. MUA has been chatting this one up for a few weeks, so I had to try it.
Carla Fracci Giselle has notes of ylang-ylang, cinnamon, freesia, jasmine, tuberose, vanilla, coconut, caramel, musk and white honey. It opens on this weird ylang-cinnamon combination. It’s not totally ylang, it has a spiciness to it that’s really charming. The middle floral notes have about the right touch, warming it up and sweetening it a little. It’s shocking that the freesia doesn’t make it too sweet, but it’s balanced well with the more earthy jasmine.
Wafting through all of this is the honeyed warmth of the gourmand notes. It’s never too sweet, it always feels more like a floral, but those gourmand notes just make this smooth as silk and snuggly and warm and completely enchanting. The drydown just makes it better, more vanillic, like a softly warm bakery.
I truly adore this, it is great from start to finish. There’s a rumor around that this may be or is discontinued, which would significantly suck now that I’ve found it. Anyone know on this?
So what has been your biggest perfume love that hit the discontinued pile?
Beautiful, nutty, milky Annam. I’m hoarding my last bottle as if it were made of chocolate-covered platinum
Yeah, good luck finding any more of THAT.
Vacances. Damn.
Vacances. Damn
wait. I already said that. Sorry:-(
xo>-)
i’ve just checked ebay and found a 2.5 oz. vacances for 550.00 usd, omg!!!
I’m with Olfacta. May as well consider my formerly beloved Calèche and Vent Vert to be discontinued.
For literal discontinuation, I still mourn Norman Norell Red, which was around in the early 70’s. I can’t find any reference to it online, and neither could TS when I mentioned it to her. She and LT hadn’t ever heard of it. I thought it was wonderful. It really smelled red to me. Sweet, not too sweet, maybe rose, maybe aldehyde, a little spicy. I can smell it 30 plus years later in my mind’s nose, but I have no idea how to describe it.
I just can’t get over Venezia by Laura Biagiotti 🙁
I’m even considering buying a dupe (forgot the name of the brand that makes it). It just had something that I can’t seem to find in other perfumes.
So many beauties are being discountinued and I’m starting to back up everything I love. You never know who’s next, no?
Nobody’s ever heard of it, and I almost don’t believe it existed myself (except that you can find the occasional reference to it), but Dieci by Pierre Lorain. One of only two scents that I’ve ever gone through an entire bottle of (the other being Krizia Uomo). I dream about it, but even though I located a miniature on Ebay France, I didn’t pursue it because I was sure it would disappoint me by having gone skunky or otherwise not living up to my memory of it. Launched in 1975, long discontinued, pure magic, a very soft and subtle chypre. I didn’t even realize it was a women’s scent until many years later when I discovered that there was also a Dieci pour Homme.
I also have fond memories of Anne Klein II, my first oriental. Irma Shorell has a duplicate but I have my doubts. I don’t miss that one quite so much because I have so many other oriental and amber scents.
Hmm, I normally don’t like coconut in my fragrances, but for such a low price, I will definitely take your word for it. And anything with tuberose and jasmine deserves a fair chance.
As for discontinued scents? If I listed all of them, I would become depressed and spend the rest of the day hiding in bed, spritzing vintage ‘fumes under the covers. Some of the usual suspects include Doblis, Guerlain Fleur de Feu etc. Among the more modern breeds, I lament the loss of L’Artisan Orchidee Blanc. My bottle is hidden so well that even I forget where it is sometimes.
I am also amassing bottles of a few of the entirely underrated discontinued Ferres. Specifically, the older Ferre by Ferre (“classic”) in the round grenade shaped bottle, a modern floral aldehyde. And Ferre 20, a floral with a rich, woody-vanillic base. The latter has become crazy expensive, if you can find it at all.
Coty Chypre. Don’t mean to get all preachy, but I think lots of scents which are still available have actually been discontinued, as their new form resembles the original one in little to no way. So many examples!…and, of course, it’s going to get worse.
So bloody many of the perfumes I fall in love with are discontinued that I may eventually be reduced to wearing vanilla behind my ears like my no-perfumista pal, Susan (actually, perish that thought)!
Where do I begin…Orris by Andy Tauer. I Adore This Perfume. It is everything I love in a darker scent: leathery, incensy, mysterious, unlike anything else. I actually emailed him and begged him to reconsider making this I love it so damned much (he did send me a very sweet note explaining the problems with sourcing the ingredients). Next, Gobin-Daude Nuit au Desert and Sous le Buis. When, oh when, is someone going to step up and help the fabulous Victoire get back on her feet? A small tragedy.
Then there is the much-missed MH/MW Williamson Incense, Burberry Brit Red (my favourite office-friendly number, nicely quirky but low-key), Scandal and Cherigan Fleurs de Tabac, the deliciously naughty Le Galion Jasmin…and i have recently heard that my beloved Caron Alpona is on the chopping block.
I fear for all those limited editions/one vendor specials out there as well and really, for the sake of my mental and olfactory health, should just stop sampling them. Miller Harris Rose en Noir, Le Labo Poivre 23, various CB’s…
Sigh.
I adore Le Galion Snob, both the fragrance and the name. Always wanted to try LG Jasmin. You’ve enticed me into going on an ebay hunt.
I’ve wondered what Snob is like. Can you describe it?
Rose and jasmine with some aldehydes in the top notes. A little like Joy, but I find it lighter and airier. I would be happy to send you some if we could find a way to exchange emails.
awwww…that is so sweet of you. I am on MUA as Mariekel. Are you there as well?
I don’t have more than a drop of the Le Galion Jasmin, but I do have a small bottle of Coty Jasmin de Corse coming my way next week…also have some Lucien Lelong parfums.
I think I may take the plunge and order this one unsniffed-it’s all over the etailers for very little moolah.
I have many favorite d/ceds-most recent is AA Anisia Bella, inspired by March’s column this week. I ordered it online that morning, it arrived the next afternoon, and I find it just lovely for spring. I missed it the first go around, am happy to have it now 🙂
I saw all the talk on MUA and ordered a sample from ebay a while back (FBs are still easy to find there and decently priced). Am still not sure it’s a scent I’m enough in sync w/ to need more of, but I do find I keep resampling it because it really is extremely lovely.
My biggest d/ced love is San Red and it’s literally impossible to find since it was out for such a short time and it was an expensive oil in a small bottle, which always decreases the chances people will sell it on ebay. I will never forgive myself for not stockpiling it.
This sounds incredible! I hope I can find it!
That sounds lovely!
Right now, my biggest discontinued perfume love is For Ever Patou EdP. I was searching for a fragrance with a perfect pineapple note, meaning it could not be muddled by coconut or too fruity or syrupy sweet. This one gets it just right! And the sillage is lovely, too.
Hugs!
Love this scent! Pure deliciousness – always makes me happier when I wear it.