Fleurs de Bulgarie (new) (1980)
by Creed

There’s an off, sharp green note in the opening that almost pushes the fragrance too much. At that point the fragrance borders on cloying, but these excesses have completely disappeared in a few minutes. Fleurs de Bulgarie’s initial heaviness is necessary in order to build up the energy necessary to release such a beautiful and lasting rose accord. This is one of the most flawless rose fragrances I’ve encountered. The rose note is clear and natural, beguiling and emotive. It is backed up by a light—very light—touch of ambergris and musk, but, for all practical purposes, it is a pure rose scent. Fluers de Bulgarie is quite elegantly feminine, has excellent longevity, is linear, and is incredibly refined. No seeker of the perfect rose scent should miss this one—it is definitely a contender.

Originally submitted 2007/05/24

7th June, 2011.

I don't think I care for this -my nose (prior to reading any notes ) is getting ----Bubblegum and rose soap.Maaaybe a hint of cinnamon.Weird.
The drydown seems to be getting more rosey-but still "bubblegum".
Oh well.Nice try.

7th February, 2011.

I decided to test Fleurs de Bulgarie primarily out of historical curiosity. Even though this isn't the original formulation, I wondered what a fragrance from the Victorian age--indeed, one created for Victoria herself--would smell like. I had some preconceived notions, but it was not as I had expected. So much the better.

My first impression was that of a deep rose, not the usual over-cultivated hybrid tea rose so common in gardens today but rather one of its somewhat more robust ancestors. I say "robust," and surely this isn't a delicate rose, yet it isn't bombastic or in-your-face like any of the modern rose fragrances most of us love to hate. There is something slightly dirty though not exactly skanky in the opening, but it quickly settles down into a rich and pleasant soliflore.

I very rarely wear rose fragrances, although I occasionally use Stella McCartney Rose Absolute as I rather like its spicy quality. Perhaps my rose avoidance stems from the first thing that comes into my mind whenever I smell a lovely (not cheap) rose fragrance; namely, the woman for whom I was named and from whom I spent so many years attempting to differentiate myself--in other words, my mother. (It is not from lack of love; rather, it is necessary that a woman become her own person rather than her mother's clone.) And she was the first thought in my mind upon smelling FdB, as I was transported back to a memory of a box she kept in her dresser that once contained some exquisite rose soaps and retained the fragrance long after they were gone.

Like the aroma from that old box, Fleurs de Bulgarie lingers long, retaining its dry-down scent for as long as twelve hours or more. Although strong, it stays close to the skin and shouldn't disturb anyone in one's immediate environment; indeed, it is not a disturbing scent.

Now, given all this, I am sure that some would immediately slap the hateful "old lady" stigma to Fleurs de Bulgarie, just as they do to anything more mature than the celeb frag du jour. And indeed, the image most people in the 21st century have of Queen Victoria--if they think of her at all or even know who she was--is that of a repressed and repressive octogenarian. But Victoria wasn't always an unpleasant elderly woman; in 1845, when James Creed created FdB for her, she was a rather pretty twenty-six year old monarch, the "people's princess" of her day turned queen.

While FdB isn't exactly what I'd call sexy, it does have an attractive appeal to it, such that I imagine I could find it alluring on the right woman. Still, in the back of my mind, there is that other woman. In the words of Kate Bush, "Mother Stands for Comfort." (Well, sometimes.) FdB has become my favorite scent for applying to my wrists at bedtime. I find it comforting.

It's not an "old lady" scent. It's just old. And that, in and of itself, is not necessarily a bad thing.

22nd August, 2010.

Oh I don't know, this is not one of my favorite Creeds though it is of quality . It's an old fashioned ,airy -lightish in character- rose type fragrance IMHO- not that 'old fashioned' is bad - it's just not me. A very long lasting rose note on my skin ,somewhat cleanish ,sweet and soapy, alittle musky after some time- nothing unusual .

29th June, 2010.

Another nice rose, great for daytime wear for a female.

20th May, 2010.

A fresh, clean (rose/bergamot) fragrance with a certain ambergris/musk soapiness. Very pretty (feminine), with a European flavor and mystique.

9th May, 2010.