Philtre d'Amour (2000)
by Guerlain

Guerlain Philtre d'Amour seems like a modern classic. It`s one that shows how Guerlain master the chypre family wisdomly. Philtre d`Amour is an exercise of balance between the citrus aromas and the chypre base. The interaction of both produces a fresh, crispy aroma surrounded by mossy notes that seems to shine on a soft light. The flowers of the heart are not always evident, but sometimes you get a dose of green, citric and white flowers. I`ll miss a lot this one once my edt finishes. Have tried both edt and edp, and i think that they're very similar.

21st December, 2010.

Philtre d'Amour is a fragrance that I have tried off and on for a while. I have only smelled the EDP. Had I not been told that it was being discontinued, I may not have bothered purchasing a bottle. It had always struck me as a bit on the feminine side of the "unisex" category. Having purchased a bottle and therefore having had the chance to give this perfume several full wearings I must admit that it has captivated me. I would classify Philtre d'Amour as a Citrus/Floral. I have heard some people describe this fragrance as a chyphre, but I do not get any sense of the chyphre accord whatsoever. It is truly a brilliantly executed citrus/floral fragrance that is rather unique. I do understand the comparisons to Eau du Soir, however Philtre d'Amour has none of the ambery qualities in the dry-down of Eau du Soir. They are definitely related, but different.

The top note of Philtre d'Amour is a very generous and opulent lemon/lemon-verbena. The floral mid-notes peak out through the top giving the impression of lemon blossoms. The jasmine, neroli, petitgrain make for a delightful green floral middle with a few aldehydic notes which give this perfume much roundness, presence, and moderate projection. The bottom part of the middle note brings us a lovely myrtle tone which bridges the fragrance into a very transparent patchouli/white musk base which never seems to completely let go of the citrus or the florals. The citrus lasts a very long time, which is quite a virtuosic feat. I suppose I understand why this is classified as a citrus fragrance, but it contains such a lovely floral component, so don't expect a typical eau de cologne type experience.

20th January, 2010.

Guerlain Philtre D'Amour

I've always liked Eau de Guerlain but I'm not the biggest fan of it. It's certainly not a five-star scent in my rankngs. I always wanted a little more bite to it and a little more depth. Little did I know that all I had to do was work my way down the Guerlain catalog to "P". There I would find the 1999 release by Jean-Paul Guerlain, Philtre D'Amour. Philtre D'Amour works better for my sensibilities as I like sharper edges around my citrus and the feel of Philtre D'Amour is like something worn in the nighttime versus Eau de Guerlain's happy daytime brightness. Just like Eau de Guerlain, Philtre D'Amour begins with lemon but it is paired with a lovely green verbena which hones the edges of the lemon. Both scents use jasmine in the heart but again I prefer the use of petitgrain and myrtle in Philtre D'Amour as it takes this scent in a much more green direction and, for me, keeps the jasmine in better balance. The green accords remain as Philtre D'Amour progresses into the base and they are joined by musk and patchouli. Overall Philtre D'Amour is a much greener scent than Eau de Guerlain and I prefer it for that reason. Philtre D'Amour is a typical Guerlain with good longevity and good sillage. It is funny that Philtre D'Amour is considered a feminine scent because in many ways I think it is more masculine than Eau de Guerlain. Both scents have their time and place but if I'm picking one give me Philtre D'Amour.

19th September, 2009.

Philtre d'Amour is the ultimate in the pure-citrus genre, and if you're seeking a distinct, bright citrus fragrance with longevity and sillage you need look no further. I can't think of any other citrus that lasts even half as long!

PdA starts with an exceptionally bright melange of citrus notes - lemon, cedrat, neroli, and probably others. The citrus *never* fades, an amazing feat of perfumery - and from application to the last fleeting sniff citrus is ever-present. The citrus topnotes are soon joined by a subtle floral heart and distinct petitgrain, which eventually give way to a subtle patchouli base. Throughout the composition there is a light muskiness to PdA which serves to prevent the citrus from becoming too sharp.

Unlike typical citrus fragrances PdA lasts for many hours (5-6) with normal application. This longevity is particularly outstanding in the complete and total absence of any chypre structure (no oakmoss fixative) and no woody base such as those found in a typical 'eau de cologne'. The patchouli base is not at all what you think of as used in a traditional patchouli-centric, but rather it presents as a tangy woodiness that balances the bright citrus superbly.

The re-issued Les Parisiennes version is an EdP whereas the original, limited-edition release was an EdT. I've had the opportunity to sample the EdT and it's very similar, with less musk, slightly brighter citrus, but shorter longevity.

5th August, 2009.

There is no shortage of citrus fragrances, and even within Guerlain there are a plethora of citrus options. Philtre d'Amour is, in my humble opinion, the greatest of all citrus fragrances for many reasons. The first and foremost reason is that unlike most citruses (and especially the Guerlain Eaux) the bright, sunny citrus lasts for hours, persisting well into the drydown. Imperiale and Du Coq are nice but the sunshine fades within 30 minutes!

The opening is a sharp and bracing citrus blend of lemon and verbena. I'm not particularly great at picking out florals, but jasmine, which itself has a very bright and almost citrus-like quality, is clearly underpinning the citrus and provides the bridge to the heart accord of citrus and florals, accompanied by a slight powderiness. After a couple hours of citrus/florals there is a slow meandering transition to a very subtle but very real patchouli. It's nothing like a patchouli-based fragrance type of patchouli note, but rather a note of depth and texture that can only be patchouli. A similar patchouli note can be found in the heart notes of Guerlain's recent Chypre Fatale (and is sadly absent in La Petit Robe Noir where it would work well). Even in the base the citrus is still present.

I haven't tested PdA against Plus Que Jamais, a fragrance of which I fortunately own a nice decant, but they are in some ways mirrors of each other. PQJ is a floral unpinned by citrus and PdA the other way around. Both are great.

Overall Philtre d'Amour is just as sunny and 'summertime' as a fragrance can be. Yes, those Les Parisiennes are tricky to acquire and pricey - and there are many more 'well known' offerings in the line, but if you have the opportunity to sample and/or buy PdA definitely grab it. One last note, the original PdA from 2000 (in the cylindrical 30ml bottle) is very, very similar but even brighter in the topnotes but not as long lasting. I'm not sure if the original was also an EdP as the current version is.

26th April, 2009.

Nerver heard of this stuff until I tried it on paper at the guerlain «institute»...how snobish. I wasn't overwhelmed with the first few whifs I gave it, but on the way home, I smelled a few (of the many) paper strips I kept in my handbook. Philtre d'amour realy shows it't true sensuality only after the fresh citrus top fades away. You see i'm quite new to the world of fragrances and I kinna get mixed up trying to figure out the notes in perfumes. By example, I tend to see patchouli where their is apparently none... But gees, the only thing I figured out of Pd'A was the citrus top, something something, and a VERY seductive patchouli. Trying not to get influenced by the name of the perfume, I think that the patcouli note (and the whole fragrance for that matter) is extremely sensual and perhaps romantic like some people said.
two thumps up, well made... and smells appealing to me ;)

8th August, 2008.