Skip to main content

Iris Ganache by Guerlain

By

Different enough to intrigue ...

I like Iris ... I really do! Guerlain's Iris Ganache is definitely 'up there' in my estimation of fragrances based around this note. 

The Iris here is not of the root variety (Orris) ... at least to my nose. There is a luminosity present ... a 'silveriness' is probably the best way to describe it, which doesn't feature in Orris-bound fragrances, like Opus V by Amouage. Now, I'm not sure if Orris and Iris are the same thing. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the scent of Iris always comes from the roots ... so I may be wrong in my estimation here. Nevertheless, Iris Ganache displays a lovely lightness, at least for the first half hour of its skin life. Into the dry down, a rather moribund Patchouli settles in, saved only from imminent death by a sweet Van/Amber to give it a little CPR. I'm really not sure the Patch was necessary here ... but I suppose it does add to the longevity of this fragrance, which is reasonably substantial. I assume that White Chocolate was added to provide a sort of 'sweet milkiness', but It doesn't feature on my skin. Suffice it to say ... there is a smoothness in this one, a testament to good blending and the use of high quality raw materials.

I've seen Iris Ganache compared to 1889 Moulin Rouge by Histoires de Parfums. Yes ... I can see certain similarities ... they both contain hard hitting similarities as far as notes go. Patchouli, Cinnamon, Vanilla and Iris tend to be strong competitors when housed in the same bottle ... what Iris Ganache lacks imho, is the evocative nature of Moulin Rouge. 


While this fragrance is marketed at the fairer sex, I certainly wouldn't discount it as something the guys could successfully wear, as long as one enjoys fragrances that are on the sweeter side. This effort by Thierry Wasser stays well enough away from the 'saccharine' to be considered unisex.

Would I wear Iris Ganache? Definitely! Am I willing to sell an organ for it? No ... the ludicrous asking price for these Guerlain exclusives is tragic! I would, however, enjoy a small decant of this one :) ... that would be plenty! I understand that Iris Ganache is now officially discontinued ... best I track some down before it's all gone.

Rating: 7/10

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Newport by Caswell Massey

By
Bergamot, Mandarin, Lemon, Lavender, Geranium, Muguet, Rose, Ambergris, Cedar, Sandalwood, Vanilla, Musk. After wearing Newport by Caswell Massey a few times and then reading what others had to say about this recent formulation, I found some of the opinions harsh. I have no way to compare it to the heralded vintage formula, nor can I use memory as I've never tried the original. Enter the current version. I do agree with some reviews that this rendition does not bring about the sense of beach and salt, but there's a long line of fragrances that fail to represent their depictions. However, Newport isn't so far off the mark that it's a complete misrepresentation. I can imagine wearing Newport ( or something similar ) in a beach setting. It smells classic due to the way Citrus, Lavender and Geranium are implemented. It's assuredly retro, but it seems to have that intangible I like that keeps me sniffing. Newport, at least on my skin, is top heavy in the sens...
3 comments
Read more

Black Suede by Avon

By
Nutmeg, Clove, Amber, Musk, Moss, Wood Notes. Yes.........I am reviewing one of the Rodney Dangerfield's of fragrance. Black Suede has been gracing medicine cabinets, for better or worse, since 1980 my friends. If you're expecting me to inform you ( like others may have already ) that Black Suede is a nasty scrubber, you will be disappointed. On the other hand, if you're expecting a glowing review claiming it's a diamond in the rough, you won't hear that from me either. I will say though that Black Suede doesn't deserve the hate it's received and most of that is due to snobbery aimed at Avon products in general. I kid you not when I state that a close relative to this fragrance is Cacharel Pour L'Homme. The array of spice in both ensure comparison, but the "smoother" of the two is Black Suede due to its implementation of Amber. While wearing Black Suede, one can detect a hint of "drugstore". That quality doesn't manife...
1 comment
Read more

Lanvin L'Homme

By shamu1
Lord knows the world has enough fresh woody citrus fragrances.  It's a hackneyed genre of masculine perfume, having been done to death by countless designer firms cranking these things out since the 1990s, and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight.  Lanvin L'Homme, released in 1997, is one of the early woody citrus releases, but it (along with Essenza di Zegna) stands out because it's one of the best.  That may sound like it's not saying much, but Lanvin L'Homme really is excellent. I won't get into a long treatise about all of the notes contained in this and how they evolve.  Lanvin L'Homme is sparkling, spicy, woody, transparent and dry.  What I love about this scent is how brilliantly it uses vetiver - the vetiver gives Lanvin L'Homme a woody, dry and somewhat bitter smell, but it also manages to create an effect of sustaining the citrus top notes for several hours.  This results in a fragrance that smells fresh and cheerful from beginning ...
Post a Comment
Read more