Description

I'm providing below a formula I've come up with. It's made in an effort to emulate the classic Chanel style, but it also incorporates some modern characteristics of the Chanel fragrances. It's complex and dense in its aroma but has excellent performance and an amazing dry down. It's obviously not at all IFRA compliant, but was my attempt to make something that feels like it could have been a 'lost' Chanel formula. It's a fun exercise I've tried for a few houses and I may post more of these type of formulae in future. In this case, I think it really does create the impression that it has come from the Chanel lineage (I promise it hasn't)! Perhaps it will be instructive, or will be a thought-provoking exercise, and maybe some of you will be crazy enough to try and prepare it yourself. It certainly benefits from a nice amount of maceration, and I would recommend blending it at below 30%, perhaps closer to 20%. I'm at risk of 'tooting my own horn' here, but just to describe the effect this creates, I will give my impressions. On a strip, it opens very fresh, bright, citrussy, with a balance of amber and green aspects 'gilded' by the florals, very much in the classic style. Spices and wood add a touch of oriental flair. A few minutes in, the classic jasmine-muguet-rose accord takes centre stage with a big hit of very traditional-style greenness, which adds some shimmer and lift. The amber accord combines fondly with the sandalwood to give it some refinement and body. Spices come through after this, with the animalics, which add a bit of 'grit'. It takes on a rather rasping and unmistakable Chanel aspect once these come into play and the citrus fades away. The muscenone backbone, combined with the greens, florals and woods, is quite clean, at once classic and modern, and rather mouthwatering. After a few weeks on the strip, it leaves a sweet, inviting and feminine aroma, laden with musk, a hint of moss, floral and fruit, which creates the impression of a nod to the chypre style but with an musky amber envelope. Very more-ish. Overall, I'm really quite happy with it, and hopefully it has some utility to you in one form or another. L'Imposteur - AmbrinolfortheChildren