Coriandre (1973)
by Jean Couturier

I bought my first bottle at Joseph Magnin's and fell in love. The sales clerk said it was so special .... "You won't find this at Nordstrom," she said, as if it was a cut above anything Chanel or Dior made. She may have been wrong about that, but I never wanted the bottle to end. Very bright, green, and piquant.

I has high hopes for "mossy" and "green", but there's something about Coriandre that just doesn't agree with me: I perceive it as "perfumey" in the worst possible way: musty, soapy and plasticky all at once. I think there must be quite a lot of aldehydes in it because I get that sharp, piercing, bright, powdery/soapy smell I associate with aldehydes. Apart from that, a vaguely fruity sweetness, fruity in a watery, insipid kind of way like a supermarket apple or pear. Underneath all that, perhaps some green and herbal notes. I get none of the notes listed, and no coriander, which is a pity because unlike many I do appreciate coriander. My girlfriend found it yummy when smelling it on a paper strip though, and I admit it's better on paper than on my skin, vaguely greener and less piercingly sharp and "white". I suppose I'll give my sample to her and hope it smells better on her...

I knew of Coriandre before but dismissed it- spice, kind of green/sharp. But recently I came across a mini of the parfum and tried it again. Wow! Light and spicy coriander is clean and transparent, with touches of delicate airy floral nuances, on top of mossy greens. It gets prettier as it dries down, the spice sweetens, and a vegetal musky base emerges. Lasting, too, traces cling to your bed sheets and scarves.

Love at first couple of dabs on the skin.Coriander of course...but much more.., Green and fresh...Just my sort of fragrance. It gets prettier as it goes to the drydown and I would be happy to have it in the air around me anytime. Smoothy creamy green with my beloved sandalwood in there too.

Just few words about Coriandre, my sister's fave perfume. It's incredible how this melts with her skin resulting as one of the most complete scent I ever smelled. Almost animalic, may it contain civet?

This fragrance could only be described as "Liquid Happiness". It is one of those rare fragrances which has touches of freshness, a healthy dose of spice, and a warm yet sparkling drydown. It is definitely one of those fragrances that is unique, and is hard to compare to another. It is the one that you could pick out of a crowd. I enjoy it most in the summer, when it contrasts nicely with the warmer air.