Azurée (1969)
by Estée Lauder

I have just found this Fragrance after 20 years of searching, as i recall it was taken off the market in the 1980's and I was devastated as it was the one fragrance that everyone I came into contact with commented on, and said how nice I smelt, it obviously suited my skin, I have never found a purfume like it since, and have now managed to get some, and I am liking it even more!!!!. I cannot believe that it is not more popular, it has a very distinctive smell, and very addictive. It will be interesting to find the reaction I get wearing it now I am in my 50's !
I love it, love it, love it.

"I've just met Yatagan's mother!" I thought, the first time I found myself enveloped in the agressive top notes of Azuree. A quick moment of carroty, anisic notes gives way to strong, almost urinous leather, rounded out by Coca-Cola aldehydes and something earthy (like the skin of an unwashed potato). Although it begins agressively, Azuree dries down to a soft and comfortable, but still bitter, leather-chypre accord. Apply spareingly to best appriciate it's complex, dark character. Try not to be put off by first impressions. This is a fragrance that grows on you with continued use. One of those old-school "women's" fragrances that, these days, may work better on a man.

Azurée is a very dry aldehydic floral composition built atop an earthy, bitter chypre foundation. The aldehydes in Azurée are of the harsh, burning candle sort, and their extreme dominance no doubt contributes to the sharp, bitter impression that this fragrance makes after its first few minutes on the skin. I believe Michael Edwards classes Azurée as a “dry woods” (i.e. leather) scent in his Fragrances of the World compendium, so perhaps there’s some birch tar analogue or isoquinolone content to that bitterness as well. Once Azurée assembles its hard-edged green chypre core it stays running in place for several hours. It eventually mellows into a mossy leather and clean musk drydown, but nowhere in the progression does it become sweet.

Having worn it, I can see why Azurée never attained the popularity of White Linen, Pleasures, or even Alliage. With its persistent bitter edge and its dryness Azurée is not an easy fragrance to love. In concert with a heavy aldehyde content, Azurée’s austerity places it on a thin line between smelling like your grandmother and smelling like something a man ought to be wearing. No wonder nobody seems to know what to do with it. All that aside, I think Azurée is an interesting scent, and one with a unique character. I recommend anyone, male or female, who eschews sweetness in their fragrances or enjoys classic leather chypres to give Azurée a try.

When Estee Lauder used to give this away as part of their "gifts with purchase" back when the fragrance was launched, I hated it. What did I know? I was 9. The perfume made no sense to me. Azuree was garish, made my throat swell, and smelled like Pine Sol. This is the El Greco of the Estee Lauder range--way ahead of its time, and for sillage and staying power, is nearly without equal. The olfactory half-life of this stuff is somewhere in the plutonium range. The fragrance begins sharp, green, medicinal and pungent and evolves to an odd, oxymoronic cold, clean leather. When I received my miniature a few days ago, it was loathing at first whiff. But Azuree, like most brilliant compositions, brainwashes you until you find yourself loving what you hate. This is a complex, demanding scent. Wear this to the gym, and you will never feel the claustrophobic crush of company in your vicinity. This one is a room-clearer, and I mean that in the best way. If this were simply an impolite fragrance masquerading as something wearable, I'd be appalled. But Azuree wants to be offensive, does so unapologetically, and for this reason is brilliant and addictive.

Azuree starts out with a sparkling bang that's pretty distinct and interesting, but by the middle it starts to smell like a combination of the new reformulation Rochas Femme and vintage Jolie Madame. For me it loses steam by the late drydown. For this type of scent I'd rather stick with Jolie Madame or Cabochard.

I always loved it, but have been told that by others that it smells to them like cat urine. Each to their own.