Katrina Rosales
Shalimar, the first ambery perfume in history, is a legendary fragrance with a unique scent that combines vanilla, bergamot, iris, jasmine, rose, and musk. It has been described as rich, smoky, resinous, dry, and smooth, with a warm and sensual character. The perfume has a complex and intriguing aroma that evokes a sense of vintage glamour and mystery. With its intense and jarring opening notes, Shalimar is an acquired taste, but it has gained a reputation as a fascinating and enriching fragrance, beloved by many.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Overall scent | Smoky, resinous, dry, smooth, warm, rich, oriental, vintage, intense, sweet, spicy, rubbery, woody, leathery, powdery, floral, citrusy, zesty, green, salty, sharp, boozy, thick, heavy, deep, seductive, mysterious, elegant, soft, feminine, sexy, comforting, ultra-sexual, familiar, sensual |
| Top notes | Bergamot, citrus, lemon, vanilla, spices, incense, leather, smoke, sandalwood, vetiver, old paper |
| Heart notes | Iris, jasmine, rose, flowers, vanilla, powder, tonka bean |
| Base notes | Vanilla, musk, civet, baby powder, tonka, almond, amber, civet, castoreum, ambergris, deermusk, animalics, leather, incense, sandalwood |
| Bottle design | Jewel-like, arabesque designs, fan-shaped stopper, sapphire transparency |
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What You'll Learn
Shalimar's vanilla notes
Shalimar is a legendary fragrance by Guerlain, and vanilla is a key note in its composition. Vanilla is also the central note in Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia, a variation of the original Shalimar fragrance.
Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia is a gorgeous, complex vanilla fragrance. It is a spicy vanilla that dries down to a tonka chocolate vanilla with hints of spice. The vanilla is described as "dreamy" and "oomphed-up". The perfume is said to be reminiscent of salted, smoky vanilla caramels. It is less sweet and dense than the modern Eau de Parfum (EDP) version of Shalimar.
The vanilla in Shalimar is described as "the weirdest vanilla of all time" by one fragrance reviewer, who noted that it was woody, rubbery, and cool. Another reviewer described the vanilla as "luscious", with the perfume as a whole being "toothsome, almost savoury".
Vanilla is overdosed in Shalimar and paired with iris, creating a sparkling opening to the scent. The perfume is said to have a soft and sensual base, with vanilla and powdery notes. The vanilla is also described as airy and powdery, with a touch of citrus.
The vanilla in Shalimar is said to be very different from the vanilla in Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia. One reviewer noted that the vanilla in the original Shalimar is merely a "delivery vehicle" for the powerful musk notes, while another noted that the vanilla in Shalimar Millésime Vanilla Planifolia is more prominent and enjoyable.
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Bergamot and citrus
Bergamot is a popular ingredient in perfumery, known for its complex, citrusy scent profile. Bergamot oil is derived from the bergamot fruit, a small, pear-shaped citrus fruit that grows on small trees called bergamots. The fruit is believed to be a cross between a pear lemon and a Seville orange or grapefruit, and its oil has a subtle, complex aroma that is both bitter and fruity, with a mild spicy tone.
When used in perfumes, bergamot can add a bright, fresh, and elegant touch to the fragrance. It is often combined with other citrus notes, such as lemon, cassis, and magnolia, or contrasted with warmer base notes like amber, sandalwood, and musk. For example, Pharmacia's 'Bergamote Bisous', purchased from Anthropologie, combines bergamot with these citrus and warmer base notes to create a bright fragrance with a warm undertone.
Bergamot is also commonly paired with aromatic fresh notes, as in the classic Eau Sauvage by Dior, where it blends with aromatic elements to create a fresh and elegant scent. Another example is the fragrance Bergamote by The Different Company, where bergamot is sublimed alongside orange blossom and white musk.
Some perfumes featuring bergamot showcase its versatility by combining it with unexpected notes. For instance, Laboratorio Olfativo's Bergamotte is a citrus fragrance with a strong zingy bergamot note and a cozy spicy base. Zara's Stunningly Venice, from their Jo Malone Cities collaboration, also offers a juicy bergamot scent with a cozy spicy base.
Bergamot is also a key ingredient in many niche and indie perfumes. Le Labo offers Bergamote 22, a unisex fragrance with a close-to-the-skin silage that combines bergamot with nectarine and tangerine. Firebird, an indie perfume brand, has Vanilla Bergamot, a black tea scent with a slice of lemon and vanilla.
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Oriental scent
Oriental fragrances are a popular choice for evening wear and winter months, and are usually a little richer than other scents. Oriental fragrances are typically warm, sweet, and spicy, and can be further classified into floral and woody fragrances.
Floral oriental fragrances are usually lighter, with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, orris, jasmine, orchid, and orange blossom. A wonderful example of a floral oriental perfume is Donna by Valentino, which combines Italian bergamot, Bulgarian rose, and iris with a base of patchouli, leather, and vanilla.
Woody oriental fragrances, on the other hand, add depth with an earthy and warm base. Joop! Homme, a cult classic, is a great example of this. It combines orange blossom, bergamot, jasmine, cinnamon, sandalwood, and vanilla.
Shalimar, a legendary fragrance by Guerlain, is a heavy oriental scent. It is the first ambery perfume in history and features bergamot, iris, and vanilla notes. The vanilla in Shalimar is described as "the weirdest vanilla of all time," woody, and rubbery. The perfume also has a distinctive powdery base that smells like clean diapers or baby powder. Over time, the scent evolves into a more vanilla-heavy oriental scent, retaining some of the sharper notes from the beginning.
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Leather and incense
For a bold and exotic fragrance, Yves Saint Laurent's Opium stands out for its rich and spicy character. Issey Miyake's Nuit d’Issey is another option, offering a unique blend of aquatic and citrus notes with a touch of incense and leather. For a more unisex option, AllSaints' Leather Skies Eau de Parfum combines warm and soft leather with rich woody notes and a touch of sweetness from vanilla.
If you're looking for something a little more niche, Comme des Garcons Black is a strong, smoky fragrance with a pleasant resinous scent and a hint of spice. As the fragrance evolves, it introduces darker notes like licorice and leather, followed by woody notes for a bold and powerful finish. For something a little more classic, Knize Ten is a Spanish leather-type fragrance with a cult following. It offers an animalic fascination that has sustained its popularity even through changing fashion trends.
For those seeking a more floral leather fragrance, Kelly Calèche by Hermès is a great introductory option. Inspired by the scent of cured leathers, it surprisingly leans more floral than one might expect. D.S. & Durga offers another modern take on leather with their unique fragrance described as "a modern transparent leather." This blend combines smooth leather with soft florals, patchouli, and incense for a cruelty-free take on the classic leather scent.
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$13.99 $16.42
Powdery dry-down
The powdery dry-down of Shalimar is a key part of its unique appeal. The perfume has a rich and fascinating development on the skin, with a powerful and intense opening, and a dry-down that is soft, warm, and sensual.
The dry-down is where the perfume's vanilla note is most detectable, and it is this note that brings a powdery, soft, and warm character to the scent. The vanilla is not a sweet, cheap, or fake vanilla, but a deep and seductive vanilla. It is this vanilla that gives the perfume a vintage feel, with some reviewers likening it to old books, antique shops, and even baby powder.
The vanilla is paired with iris, and together they bring a sparkling, fresh, and zesty opening to the scent. The dry-down is where the vanilla and iris really come to the fore, and the overall impression is of an airy, powdery vanilla with a hint of citrus. The citrus is a soft lemon that lingers quietly in the background.
The powdery dry-down is a beautiful and intriguing contrast to the sharp, intense, and citrussy opening. The perfume has a complex development, with a fascinating interplay of notes, and it is this evolution that makes Shalimar a legendary and iconic fragrance.
The dry-down is also where the leather and incense notes become more subtle and warm, adding to the overall sensuality of the scent. The leather is like old leather bags, and the incense like old boxes filled with smoke. The overall impression is of a warm, vintage, and slightly melancholic fragrance.
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Frequently asked questions
Shalimar is a complex fragrance with a rich history. It is a heavy oriental scent with an intense citrus opening and a heavy dose of smoky vanilla. It also has notes of bergamot, iris, jasmine, rose, leather, and musk.
Chypre Palatin, which has vanilla and animalic notes, Fate Woman, which has bergamot and powder notes, and Bulgari Black, which has vanilla, rubber, and smoke notes, all echo Shalimar.
Shalimar, which means "temple of love" in Sanskrit, was inspired by the love story between an emperor and an Indian princess. The bottle design, with its curves and fan-shaped stopper, evokes the basins and eternally gushing water of the Shalimar gardens. The fragrance was first created in 1925 by Jacques Guerlain.
