Golden Chypre

Golden Chypre is named for autumn light on turning leaves, and the opening fits: bergamot and sweet orange glow first, with nutmeg and cardamom adding a warm, slightly peppery edge. It is bright and sunny, and several wearers find it spicier than the note list suggests. The heart is where the chypre structure is built. Geranium is the clear lead, green, peppery and herbal, with a soft, sheer rose and a little heliotrope beside it. Patchouli and vetiver stand in for the oakmoss that is missing, so the effect is of a mossy chypre without the moss itself. Some chypre lovers miss the real thing, and a few call it a reinterpretation rather than a classic. The base is woods, amber, labdanum and musk, dry and slightly furry, and it fades to a musky, earthy skin scent within a few hours. Reports on staying power are mixed: many wearers get a long day from it, while others find it quiet after the first hour. Projection is moderate, firm at first and then close to the skin. It is light enough for the office and works in spring and autumn, with enough warmth for evening. Several wearers hear the opening as a lighter cousin of Mitsouko, and men and women wear it equally. It is polished and well made rather than dramatic, and at a luxury price it is best tried on skin first.