Chanel: 31 rue Cambon

By DiamondFlame


Even blindfolded, I'm sure many would have guessed this fragrance to be a Chanel. Despite its more modern interpretation of the floral chypre, it retains an aura which is classic yet sophisticated - unmistakably 'Chanel'. Aldehydes, bergamot, pepper, iris, vetiver and cistus labdanum combined beautifully under Polge's craft to create this charmingly wearable fragrance. It does smell like a luxury boutique!

On a woman, 31 RUE CAMBON's very lack of ostentations may put it in the shade of its more illustrious predecessors. But on a sharply-dressed man, I honestly believe this would be fantastic.

Chanel: Coromandel

By DiamondFlame


I vaguely recall someone referring to COROMANDEL as a patchouli oriental. Now that I've spent a day with this Chanel Les Exclusif, I think he's right on the money. To my mind Coromandel shares a DNA structure similar to Sheldrake's sensational Sycomore with an oriental cloak wrapped around a patchouli frame instead of vetiver. It serves a patchouli embellished with a generous helping of vanilla, cinnamon, benzoin and what smells to me like chocolate, projecting a deliciously rich, sweet yet airy sillage that might have scored higher had it not remind me rather strongly of Guerlain's oriental legend, Shalimar. So, low scores for originality but top marks for execution.