Reviews of Nocturnes (1981)
by Caron

This review is for the older (probably late 1980's) EDT. From all that I'd read, Nocturnes had been described as an aldehydic floral and when I first applied it, it did initially evoke a floral in the vein of Chanel No. 5. However, as the scent dried down I picked up on more green notes which made my mind shift to Chanel No. 19. A little later I got Guerlain's Chamade which is the way it pretty much stayed until the far drydown. If you're a Chamade fan, you'll like Nocturnes. In the end I would say that Noctures is pretty much what you'd get if you mixed the 3 scents I mentioned above, and as others have mentioned, it's the least "Caron" of all the Caron's.

Although the name suggests it to be a night-invoking perfume, I find it extremely summer-like and full of light.
It starts off with a citrus splash of bergamot and tangerine, backed up with a feminine floral notes of jasmine, and a more masculine eau-de-cologne like notes of orange blossoms and a hint of musk, that adds sensuality to that blast of freshness.
As the top notes start to fade, they reveal a luscious fruity note of peach supported by vanilla, which gradually pushes away the dominant orange-blossom and tangerine accord.
The dry down gradually enters with an interesting and surprising accord dominated by a fresh, woody and masculine vetiver notes, accompanied by green notes, orange blossom (softer and more subtle now), and a very modest hint of vanilla and rose!
This perfume is full of surprises, I love the way the stages fade into each other! The overall impression is of freshness and vivacity.