Hello Posse! Mitsouko is the most talked about fragrance currently on the scentbloggosphere. 100 years is a real feat in the 21st century where so much is about new and so little is about history. You probably know the history. Matvey Yodov gives a lovely synopsis on Fragrantica. First created in 1919 by Jacques Guerlain.It was the peachy and vanillin additives that stood Mitsouko apart from the Chypres of its day, and many since.
Mitsouko 100 Years
I have a little Mitsouko stash here. Eau de Cologne, Eau de Toilette, Eau de Parfum and Extrait. Most of them are a bit older but my EdP is 21st century. If you were to ask me I’d tell you Shalimar is my favourite but I seem to have nearly three times the amount of bottles of Mitsi.
Here’s a small selection from the hoard.
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses, jasmine, bergamot, rose
Heart: Lilac, peach, jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose
Base: Spices, amber, cinnamon, vetiver, oakmoss
I’m not going to do a review here. To me it is itself and that only. Nowadays I just follow the ride and ignore the pieces. I love to give myself a huge overspritz and lie down for an hour. There is something wonderful about the first hour of Mitsouko that will send you on a journey. Try it. This is a promise that you’ll smell the story in a whole new way.
Maybe you never tried it? Get yourself down to your nearest large department store and spritz yourself lavishly. YOU will always be able to say, “I first tried Mitsouko on its 100th Birthday!” Excellent start to a discussion.
Surrender To Chance has samples from $2.75/ml
Today I’d like you to share a memory of your own. Give us a Mitsouko memory from your life. Maybe it took you a while to understand her (Ann took a while). It could be that someone you know wears or wore it. Any titbit that you’d like to share. We’d love to read it.
Go to it,
Portia xx
Portia also writes for Australian Perfume Junkies
Mitsouko was the first fragrance I bought for myself as an adult: I got it in EDT form at a department store around 2003/4 (I’m pretty sure there’s still oakmoss in my version). The sales lady told me I looked like a Shalimar girl, promptly sprayed me with that and Mitsouko, and in the next half hour, I fell in love with the latter. For some reason, it reminds me of rainy overcast days and sad poetry: it’s a fragrance that seems both pensive and passionate (so I’m not surprised at all that it’s inspired by a tragic love story). I’m thinking of trying some other formulations now, but not sure which to get…any advice would be awesome (I tend to prefer the mossy spicy bits rather than the peach skin…)
I’m pretty sure Mitsouko was the fragrance choice of a wonderful woman I knew when I was a child. I cannot even adequately described the flood of memories that come up when I smell this beguiling fragrance, especially in its dry down. A sunny kitchen with fabulous 50’s pink cabinetry, a formal livingroom with fancy furniture, unfailing kindness and true class … Mrs. Emily Sak, I didn’t realize what a treasure you were when I was younger, because I was too stupid and restless to be aware of your awesomeness! I hope you somehow know that I’m thinking about you now a lot, especially when I wear Mitsouko…
Angelface, Mitsouko got me through an actual tornado! Seriously. Short story: found myself in the middle of the road, in 75mph winds, with sheet lightning and all the rain, etc, making visibility impossible – yet I couldn’t stay in the middle of the road. I couldn’t pull over, either, because somewhere along that high stretch of road is a ravine and with all the strobing I couldn’t even begin to see it.
I was in a panic – but I had a little vial of vintage Mitsy in my bag – I pulled it out, dumped some of it on my wrist and ooched up that road, flashers on and my guts in a knot, sniffing my wrist like a junkie!
She gave me strength and calmed my psycho self right the hell down!
xoxoxo
Good story Musette!
We had just such weather here in Parramatta yesterday. Lightning has exploded trees from near the base, enormous branches have flown into and through rooves, walking the dogs has become an obstacle course.
Portia xx
I started wearing Shalimar perfume in 1970. I was in my last years of high school. I quickly fell in love and decided to try other Guerlains as well. Bought Samsara, l’Heure Bleue,Mitsouko all in perfume or extract format. I also had Chamade and Jardins de Bagatelle but can’t recall the format. I thought they were all magnificent but, honestly they just didn’t sit right on me (too young, maybe?).
Shalimar worked though. Both then and now. Chamade did as well although I haven’t worn it since.
So, now I’m left wondering, being that I am older, actually much older ?, should I at least try perhaps Mitsouko and l’Heure Bleue again?
Hmmm. Maybe.
100% Get them on your skin and in your nose Marcella,
Nothing to lose.
Portia xx
Guerlain, when it was owned by Guerlain, is my favorite perfume house ever. I tried vintage Mitsouko early on in my becoming a “perfumista”. It was strange to me and I didn’t know whether I liked it or not. I forgot I had it on until I started smelling something wonderful around me. Mitsouko, you sneaky imp.
HA! I love that story Maya.
Sneaky Imp indeed.
Portia xx
My bottles of Mitsouko and L’Heure Bleu are of the same vintage as Brigette’s. My Mom wore L’Heure Bleu when I was young but I never wore it until after she died. As for Mitsouko, I heard so much about it on blogs mostly from people who loved it or hated it or found it too over the top. I could not understand this, because to me Mitsouko wasn’t anything strange nor hard to wear.
We are the lucky few Filomena,
Mitsouko smells like us.
Portia xx
Mitsouko has my whole heart! It’s my absolute favorite — brooding and lovely and mysterious. I have a few different vintages — I think the oldest is from the ’60s. I love the story of Diaghilev spraying the stage curtains of the Ballets Russes with it! I’ve tried Roja Dove’s homage to that moment, Diaghilev — it smells like Mitsouko plus dusty velvet and sweaty bodies — gorgeous, but I’ll make do with my sample because $1K is a bit much for a FB!
HA! 1k for a bottle of perfume? That’s enough to fly me return to Paris! BLOODY HELL!
Portia xx
I had never heard of Mitsouko until I read Perfume The Guide back in 2008. Then I was desperate to get my hands on some! I bought a bottle of edt and having been wearing it every fall since. To me, it just goes perfectly with fall, crisp air, dead leaves, and dark evenings. Also, I have sampled the parfum which is even more amazing.
Hey there DinaC,
Year, it has the burnished glamour of falling leaves and autumn colours. I can totally see it being a perfect autumnal choice.
Portia xx
Mitsouko, I love the history and story but not the perfume (I’ve always preferred Shalimar and L’Heure Bleu). Although, I only have the current re-formulated exp bottle which I know smells nothing like the original or subsequent reformations over the years. I wish I had purchased it years ago but always went for the other Guerlains.
Hey Kathleen,
Our heart and noses want what they want. Who are we to gainsay them?
Portia xx
Back when I started my perfume journey I ordered that darling tiny jewel bottle that comes in the beautiful red and gold box. I couldn’t believe my good fortune to own such exquisite elegance. But I could not dive into wearing it, although I appreciated it very much – a tiny dab was about right. About two years ago I got it out for an annual re-sniffing and the little bottle slipped out of my fingers and broke on the tile floor of the bathroom. It smelled great in there for a while. The other part to my Mitsouko story is that I gave a bottle to my mother-in-law and she ADORED it. I was so pleased. But older woman… diminishing sense of smell.. she doused herself in it. In heavy doses it smelled to me like cat pee and it’s been an effort to overcome that association.
Oh Sarah!
Two lovely but heartbreaking stories. Thanks for sharing.
Portia xx
Long,long ago in the 60’s a very glamorous lady used to come in to where I worked. She always smelled divine. I asked her which perfume she always wore….Mitsouko. That’s when I fell in love with it.
Great story Matty,
I asked a woman down at the Sydney opera House one day what that unbelievable fragrance she was wearing was. Mitsouko! It smelled so much more on her than I ever smelled it before. Some people just have the skin.
Portia xx
I do NOT have ‘the skin’ – but I can replicate it by wearing Amouage Jube 25 body crème under vintage Mitsouko (which I am doing today, in honor of your fabbo post). That combo has entranced more people, sweatergawd! Mits alone is nice – but not as powerfully fabulous as that combo!
xoxoxo
O M G! You are a fragrant whirlwind Musette!
Love it.
Portia xx
Wow! you have the extrait!!!
I bought Mitsouko along with L’Heure Bleue some time in the mid 2000s…I enjoyed and wore both but preferred L’Heure. When a co-worker went gaga over the Mitsouko I gave her my half full bottle because this is what I do…share my perfumes. I had the opportunity to revisit Mitsouko when I received and Australian Perfume Junkies draw win sampler. It was beautiful. And I thunked it 🙂
I can see why it gets a lot of love.
Hey there Brigitte,
Yeah, there are a few of the extracts over the years around here. My favourite bottle ofd the cigarette lighter extract spray, almost every one I see I buy.
Portia x
I remember way back when, Guerlain did some kind of Mitsouko flanker that didn’t seem to last long. I am kind of surprised that Guerlain didn’t try again. I know that they made L’Heure de Nuit in honor of L’Heure Bleue. I tried Mitsouko early in my perfume journey and knew I liked it but couldn’t understand why. Then I tried Diorling and figured out why. It was the balance that I enjoyed not the peach so much. I have 9 bottles of Mitsouko and 7 of them are vintage. The vintage is awesome, all that oakmoss and not tree moss.
Hey there Eldarwen22,
YAY! Another Mitsouko lover, especially the vintage. It’s SO GOOD!
Portia xx