Aromatics Elixir (1971)
by Clinique

I have smelled this before many times… I just never knew what I was smelling. Oh, yes, this has often made an impression on me and I suppose I never asked, “What perfume are you wearing?” Aromatic Elixir is herbaceous green and white floral with a model chypre drydown. It presents a determinedly aromatic herbaceous green opening with an accent of verbena presence (It had me at verbena): so sensual and sophisticated. The sensuality comes from the floral center, where, unlike several other reviewers, I don’t get rose but I do get an assertively represented jasmine and tuberose, and you know where those lead to… indoles! The combination of the aromatic greens with the white florals with a hit of verbena is stunning. This top / middle accord has some serious longevity, and then dries down to a super lasting patchouli / floral accord with enough oakmoss and vetiver green to make it a definite chypre. To my nose Aromatic Elixir could be the paradigm for the sensual, sophisticated chypre. As a fragrance it is potent and should be used with discretion: I must admit that I have at times been turned off by this scent when it was obviously over applied.

Truth in advertising: Aromatics Elixir starts out green and floral with a bracing dose of aromatics adding their rasping accent to the principal accord. Aromatics Elixir grows steadily more floral as it develops, but the green and aromatic notes persist as counterpoint behind the flowers.

The whole composition remains crisp and dry, with a clean yet earthy “outdoors” quality that reminds me of freshly cut hay. A sharp, almost peppery woody accord in the foundation adds depth without threatening the balance with excessive sweetness. Nice stuff, and no wonder that its managed to survive for decades.

This is one of the few fragrances I have found work with my body chemistry.
I have been wanting to try this for about 15 yrs now, since catching it's scent on one of my clients.
Somehow I thought it might just be too much like Cinnabar to bother.
It wasn't.

The most surprising thing I have found about AE is that even tho I am NOT fond of the smell of roses at all....the opening notes of rose are very powdery and don't stay long before morphing to a more clean, yet seductive aura. Mmmmm... I do like it on me ...and so does my hubby.

I do very well with Cinnabar, Obsession, Allure Sensuelle, Black Cashmere, and now Aromatics Elixir.

Thanks, to all of you that take a few moments to review and share your thoughts about fragrances. It sure helps.



I

My late mother's favorite. On her it was alluring, on me it smells exactly like Black Flag.

Be prepared for a shock if you like the fruity-floral cleaness of Clinique's usual offerings (see Happy et al.). In fact, the startling thing about Aromatics Elixir is that it's sold by Clinique at all. This doesn't make sense to me as AE smells like the antithesis of "Clinique" - all those squeaky clean shop assistants in their white lab coats brandishing their three-step skin prescriptions. Even the packaging for AE isn't very Clinique-esque.... and the perfume itself is even one more step removed. AE is a sweet, woody, chypre with a heady dose of patchouli. It's a very well structure fragrance with no rough edges, but as a Clinique product it's surprisingly dirty: a potent, earthy, herbal brew with terrific sillage and longevity.

I can't help myself, I love this fragrance! I do admit that it took some time & some play with application, but now it's love. Aromatics Elixir is one of the worst smells if applied with a heavy hand but a light spray in the air that's allowed to just lightly settle on the skin and you're talking a whole different animal. A super light touch of this perfume & it's a beautiful, classic chypre. It's amazing how so very little it takes. Subtle is the word. Super light applications also mean your bottle will last you a good long time which is a good thing when you realize how "pretty" this scent can be.