Lance Carson
Shalimar is a perfume by Guerlain, created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925. It was inspired by the love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal. The perfume contains notes of bergamot, lemon, iris, jasmine, rose, patchouli, vetiver, opopanax, tonka bean, frankincense, sandalwood, musk, civet, ambergris, leather, and vanilla. Shalimar is considered an Oriental perfume and is known for its sensual and feminine scent.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Creator | Jacques Guerlain |
| Year | 1925 |
| Inspiration | The love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal |
| Top notes | Bergamot, lemon, flowers |
| Heart notes | Jasmine, iris, rose |
| Base notes | Amber, vanilla, leather, tonka bean, sandalwood, styrax resin |
| Bottle design | Raymond Guerlain |
| Bottle design inspiration | The basins of the Shalimar gardens |
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What You'll Learn
- Shalimar's top notes including bergamot, lemon, and flowers
- Heart notes including jasmine, iris, and rose
- Base notes including vanilla, amber, and leather
- Shalimar's inspiration from the love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal
- Shalimar's cultural references in movies and TV shows
Shalimar's top notes including bergamot, lemon, and flowers
Shalimar, created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925, is a timeless symbol of eternal love. The perfume is named after the Gardens of Shalimar, built by the last Mogul of India, to honour his love. Shalimar is an iconic, classic, and captivating fragrance, with top notes of bergamot, lemon, and flowers.
Bergamot, a type of fragrant citrus fruit, is native to Mediterranean regions, particularly the Ionian Sea coastal areas of the province of Reggio di Calabria in Italy. Bergamot oil is commonly used in perfumes, cosmetics, and food due to its aromatic properties. In Shalimar, bergamot is the dominant note, originally comprising over 30% of the formula. This gives the perfume a bitter, sharp, and rindy character upon the first few minutes of application, which then transforms into something drier and smokier.
Lemon, another top note in Shalimar, is a citrus fruit that is believed to have originated in northwest India. Lemons have been widely cultivated in the Mediterranean region and were introduced to Persia, Iraq, and Egypt around 700 AD. With a high citric acid content, lemons have a sour taste and are valued for their aromatic properties.
The opening notes of Shalimar feature a prominent floral accord, with the freshness of bergamot and lemon, followed by a heart of jasmine, iris, and rose. The fragrance then develops into a warm and luxurious base of amber, vanilla, and leather. Shalimar's composition is a complex and seductive symphony of scents, evoking a romantic and mysterious world.
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Heart notes including jasmine, iris, and rose
Shalimar Eau de Parfum by Guerlain is an iconic, classic, and captivating scent. The perfume was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925 as a tribute to the legendary love story between Emperor Shahjahan and his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. The heart notes of this intensely sensual masterpiece include jasmine, iris, and rose.
Jasmine is a heart note in natural perfumery, with an intensely rich fragrance and floral notes. It has hints of sweetness and tea-like undertones. Its scent is addictive and it is a key part of many perfumes, including Shalimar. It is believed to have originated in India, but it is also native to China, the Middle East, and some parts of western Asia. The two main types of jasmine used in perfumery are Jasmine Grandiflorum, which is fruitier, and Jasmine Sambac, which is slightly more rich and is a night-flowering jasmine.
Iris is a luxurious, woody, powdery, warm, enveloping, and feminine scent. It is very versatile and can be paired with a wide range of other notes, making it suitable for both masculine and feminine fragrances. In some perfumes, iris is a top note, providing a fresh and luminous burst of florals. In others, it is a base note, acting as a fixative and holding the rest of the fragrance close to the skin.
Rose is a common floral heart note, often referred to as the 'queen of flowers'. It offers a sweet and rich floral scent and is a foundation for many perfume compositions. It can be combined with other notes such as carnation, which adds a peppery, clove-like aroma, creating a warm and inviting heart note combination.
The combination of jasmine, iris, and rose in the heart notes of Shalimar creates a harmonious and complex scent profile that is both romantic and mysterious.
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Base notes including vanilla, amber, and leather
Shalimar by Guerlain is a timeless symbol of eternal love, with a sweet vanilla scent mingling with floral and amber notes. It is the first ambery perfume in history, with its name meaning "temple of love" in Sanskrit. Shalimar's base notes include vanilla, amber, and leather, offering a luxurious and captivating finish. Vanilla is the key note found within Shalimar’s legendary fragrance, and dear to the Guerlain house. It imbues skin with gourmand, woody, leathery, and spicy aromas. Vanilla is also one of the two most significant ingredients across all decades and concentrations of Shalimar, the other being bergamot. The vanilla in Shalimar is described as "sweet" and "luminous," providing a warm and captivating finish to the fragrance.
The amber notes in Shalimar are also notable, with the perfume described as having "amber-y" and "ambery" scents. The perfume contains both amber and ambergris, a rare and valuable substance derived from the digestive system of sperm whales. The combination of amber and vanilla notes in Shalimar creates a warm, sweet, and seductive fragrance.
The leather notes in Shalimar add a unique dimension to the perfume. The leather accord in Shalimar is believed to be created using styrax resin, particularly in the earlier decades of the parfum. The leather note in Shalimar provides a warm, animalic, and sensual aroma that complements the vanilla and amber notes.
The combination of vanilla, amber, and leather base notes in Shalimar by Guerlain creates a luxurious, warm, and captivating fragrance that has become a timeless symbol of eternal love.
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Shalimar's inspiration from the love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal
Shalimar perfume was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925 as a tribute to the legendary love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal. The perfume is named after the Gardens of Shalimar, which was built by the last Mogul of India to honour his love for Mumtaz Mahal.
Mumtaz Mahal was born Arjumand Banu in 1593 in Agra, India. Her father, Abu'l-Hasan Asaf Khan, was a wealthy Persian noble who held a high office in the Mughal Empire. In 1607, Arjumand was betrothed to Prince Khurram, who would later become Emperor Shah Jahan. The pair finally married in 1612, on a date chosen by court astrologers. After their wedding, the couple was inseparable, with Mumtaz often accompanying Shah Jahan during his military campaigns. She gave birth to 14 children, seven of whom survived to adulthood.
Mumtaz Mahal was more than just a wife and mother, however. As empress, she wielded immense power and influence. She was consulted by her husband in state matters, attended the council, and was responsible for the imperial seal, allowing her to review official documents. Shah Jahan also gave her the right to issue her own orders and make appointments.
In 1631, Mumtaz Mahal died at the young age of 38 while giving birth to their 14th child. Her death devastated Shah Jahan, and he commissioned the Taj Mahal to be built as a mausoleum for his beloved wife. The monument is seen as an embodiment of their undying love and marital devotion, with the beauty of the structure representing Mumtaz Mahal's beauty.
The Shalimar perfume is a symbol of this eternal love, with its sweet vanilla, floral, and amber notes. The bottle's curves and fan-shaped stopper were inspired by the basins and water jets of the Shalimar Gardens, further connecting the fragrance to the love story that inspired it.
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Shalimar's cultural references in movies and TV shows
Shalimar, a perfume created by Jacques Guerlain in 1921, has been referenced in various movies and TV shows.
In the 1988 movie *Working Girl*, Katharine asks Tess to get her a bottle of Shalimar. In season 3, episode 26 of *The Nanny*, Mr Sheffield is leaving the house to fly to Paris. When Fran tells him "Shalimar", he corrects her by saying "Au revoir", thinking she was saying goodbye and not knowing she was asking him to buy Guerlain's Shalimar duty-free. Shalimar is also referenced in season 1, episode 6 of *Orange Is the New Black* and season 3, episode 10 of *Love*.
In addition to these TV show references, Shalimar is also referenced in the 1978 bilingual Indian film of the same name, written and directed by Krishna Shah. The film starred Dharmendra, Zeenat Aman, Sir Rex Harrison, Shammi Kapoor, John Saxon and Sylvia Miles. Harrison's character in the film is a retired but paranoid master thief living on an island with many tribal slaves. The plot is inspired by the novel *The Vulture is a Patient Bird* by James Hadley Chase. The film's script was novelized by Manohar Malagaonkar. Shalimar is the most expensive movie ever made in India.
Shalimar has also been referenced in other films such as *War Cry* by Wilbur Smith and David Churchill, and *Angel of Baker Street* by Catherine Bell.
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Frequently asked questions
Shalimar is a perfume by Guerlain. It was created by Jacques Guerlain in 1925 and was inspired by the love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and Princess Mumtaz Mahal.
Shalimar is a vanilla-based fragrance with floral and amber notes. It also contains bergamot, jasmine, iris, rose, leather, and tonka bean.
The Shalimar bottle's curves were inspired by the basins of the famous Shalimar Gardens. The fan-shaped stopper represents the eternal beauty of the garden's water jets.
The Shalimar ritual involves enveloping the body in the fragrance's sensuality through a range of bath and body products.
