Eau de Shalimar by Guerlain

If I had to pick one signature, it’s Guerlain. Today I’m wearing Eau de Shalimar, perfect for this cold day, though I have it in the spring collection for those fresher moments. I stumbled upon it in my favourite perfumeria, without much hope, and there was the hidden gem. Instant love, a fine and elegant scent; it reminds me of Habit Rouge but fresher, and of the Shalimar EDT but more spring-like. Notes of lime, bergamot, orange, jasmine, rose, vanilla, resin and iris. On skin, what I notice most is the vanilla with resin and iris; on opening, the citrus dominates. The trail is wide and lasts about five hours. For an ‘Eau’, it’s good. A 10 for Guerlain, as always.

Ideal if you want to wear Shalimar but dislike the smoky vanilla tone of the dry down. If you prefer powdery or mossy tones, this is your alternative to take the edge off using the original. It keeps that burst of citrus and resinous candy, but more interesting thanks to a sharp, cool lime that flirts with the soapy side without falling into vulgarity. The development maintains that citrus, gourmand and medicinal air of the first spray. Then vanilla and iris enter: it’s not artificial; it’s velvety with a powdery aftertaste and hints of amber and heather. At some point, it reminds me of Goutal’s Ambre Fetiche. It seems like a mix of Shalimar, a light Ambre Fetiche and Versace Baby Blue Jeans, but without the disinfectant look of the latter. They share lime, tangerine, bergamot, vanilla and iris. They are cousins, but this one is more sparkling and resinous, with better quality. Versace lately is an aromatised weed-killer that’s hard to use. Between flutes and whistles, a nice updated flanker, classic but not old-fashioned, unisex, with body and luminosity. It deceives the ‘Eau’ label, because there’s little water in it. Info says the bottle without the base wins because it’s a different formula. Longevity and trail are good.