Guerlain Les Voyages Olfactifs (2009): Paris-Moscou-Tokyo-New York

July 4, 7:12 AMNY Fragrance ExaminerSali Oguri

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Sorry for the long hiatus, but like many of you, I've been feeling gutted since Michael Jackson's passing, and only today have I really had my schnoz back.  First of all, Happy July 4th!  I'm pleased to announce I've discovered some exciting new fragrances, all of them from the legendary House of Guerlain.  I'm going to briefly review each fragrance in the Guerlain Les Voyages Olfactifs (2009) line; these are 3 new scents dedicated to three olfactive voyages, beginning in Paris and landing in destinations Moscow, Tokyo and New York.  Close your eyes and imagine taking off on a vacation of a lifetime...

Guerlain Les Voyages Olfactifs Paris-Moscou: This one is a Floral Woody, an increasingly popular fragrance genre with the emergence of incensey woods as the trend-du-jour.  At first sniff, it's a profoundly beautiful floral, cool and crisp, like an armful of roses and carnations (although the composition is actually more jasmine-based) with a candied anise note.  A modernized floral composition, it's lightened up with fresh citrus notes, and made sensual with juicy plum.  As the woody, musky, vanillic base notes surface, I imagine Italy more so than Russia; perhaps, this is due to its resemblance to Giorgio Armani Armani Code, another jasmine-themed woody floral with citrus and anise.  I'd say Armani Code is sharper, and a richer, busier, slightly more aggressive blend; Paris-Moscou might be sweeter, drying down warm with a signature Guerlain stamp of elegance and subtlety.  It is on the transparent side, and may not be as strong in terms of power and sillage as some would prefer, but it's a luminous, ultrafeminine scent, one that makes a dramatic lady-in-red statement.

Guerlain Les Voyages Olfactifs Paris-Tokyo: Mmm...this one is so pretty!  If you love orange blossoms, you will surely love this.  The principal notes are violet, jasmine and green tea, and I do feel the delicate, clean Green Floral blend fits the general aesthetic of Japan.  It's crisp but not sharp, simple and understated but clear, bright, a sunny and optimistic scent.  To my nose, the jasmine in this fragrance is similar to the white floral accords I smell in Love by Kilian, Marc Jacobs Blush, Le Labo Jasmin 17, Chanel Les Exclusifs Eau de Cologne, Annick Goutal Neroli and classic 4711.  Innocent and romantic, I can easily imagine a summer bride wearing it; it really is that lovely.  If Paris-Moscou is the diva among the three, Paris-Tokyo is the princess.  In dreamy, fairytale fashion it floats, like an evanescent veil, a soft-faced moon in the sky or chrysanthemums in a swirly, mellow pond. 

Guerlain Les Voyages Olfactifs Paris-New York: I was most curious about this one because it's dedicated to my beloved city, and I'm impressed with it.  At first, I thought it was completely unoriginal.  The notes were described as being centered around cardamom, so I'd expected a spicy scent, but no.  It starts as an intensely perfumey, dry Chypre.  I should have known it would be a Chypre because Parfums de Nicolaï New York (1989, created by Patricia de Nicolaï, master perfumer and Guerlain descendant) smells a lot like it.  If you like very bold, leathery-mossy scents like Caron Alpona (1939), or classic Chypre accords as found in Sisley Eau de Soir, Clinique Aromatics Elixir, Paloma Picasso or Estée Lauder Knowing, you need to try it.  Then, surprise: The best part of this voyage is that in the dry down stage, this scent turns into a cool, minty wintergreen scent with hints of pine, at which point I finally understand the reference to New York at Christmastime.  Peppermint candy cane meets Chypre?  I love it, except I long only for the dry down stage. 

I personally don't associate Chypre with New York, but I could see how a fragrance family that isn't one of the more popular ones would be considered niche, or rebellious enough to fit the sophisticated, cutting edge character of NY.  Paris-New York wears a tweed pantsuit sporting a leather briefcase in retro New York City, like a way more upscale Revlon Charlie or Norell.  Save it for autumn in New York or later - it's veddy strong, as tough and individualistic as one of us.  (Image: JFK airport, www.sxc.hu)

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