Reviews of Baghari (1950)
by Robert Piguet

BAGHARI begins with a powdery orange icing sugar note which smells utterly delicious to me. But it rapidly drops this gourmandish facade to showcase a sophisticated blend of aldehydes, florals (orange blossom, rose, jasmine, iris), amber and vanilla. Like a refined interpretation of a 1920s classic, it is elegantly composed, rather unexpected from the nose behind Fracas and Bandit. An exceptionally classy, full bottle-worthy fragrance with no shortage of admirers even among diehard fans of Guerlain and Chanel.

I made a "blind" buy of this on Ebay last winter. At that time, Baghari smelled very much like bitter hay to me. But knowing the character of many chypres, I waited until warmer weather to try again. This fragrance starts as a beautiful, unusual orange chypre and drys to a lovely powdery floral. The tart opening is so refreshing and remains somewhat intact for the drydown which is (dare I say it?)...pretty. I admire Bandit; I understand Fracas; but I love Baghari! PS robertpiguetparfums.com carries the entire line of Piguet fragrances. Free shipping and generous free samples. I think I'm in heaven...

Foetidus has described this one to a tee! My only disappointment ~ it fades away too quickly!

what a joy and what a pleasure- one of another great perfumes by robert piguet is back!great job has been done !the opening of this orange chypre! is sensational-what an explosion-this is great symphony, a real masterpiece and the responsable of the restoration has done a perfect work-congratulations!It is a spicy, warm, sensual fruity and aldehydic perfume-to me it´s fresh chypre, becoming a dark warm and powdery scent but never losing it´s complexity specially the chypre fresh note-superb and perfect composition.It´s sophisticated , unique, elegant and a really hors concours- a true masterpiece- a jewel ! It reminds me of the grat guerlain perfumes-this is an example of great parfumery-and definitely outstanding!I am so glad that piguet is back and someone like A.Guichard is able to restore this masterpiece autentically.This is smething for connaisseurs!And try bandit-another restored masterpiece.......................

I completely agree with soirdelune. I'm getting this one. And, decided to try the other Piguet fragrances based solely on her review. If they have this much character and staying power, (and agree this well with me chemistry) I might become a huge fan of his.

Is there a single Piguet scent that I don't find utterly amazing? They're all so excitingly varied, and yet I'd wear each and every one, in a heartbeat. Baghari, for me, is a grandiose aldehyde, extravagantly flaunting that 'icing sugar' note so pronounced in this genre. At its heart is a riot of full-bodied flowers, at its base a haughty, resplendent musk. As with all Piguets, it cocks a ballsy snook at insipid 'feminines', introducing a characterful pungent accord (bitter almond?). Self-possessed, strong, but, resolutely, [I]never[/I] vulgar, Baghari is a curious, 'anti-feminine' feminine, that presents sweetness, light and flowers with citric acidity, powder and spice. As is so often lamented on these boards, they don't make 'em like this any more ...

Evidence that I am a wise woman with a poor nose:

For the first 20 minutes of wearing Baghari, I smell sour lead--yes, concentrated citric acid poured over a dirty, old bar of lead from my father's machine shop. Where others find orange blossoms and neroli, I suffer acetic stench. Gratefully, this passage ends in 20 minutes, and the faintest trail of powder scents the air, and that's the end of the performance.

So, you see, my nose is quite poor. However, I remain a citizen of Basenotes because the companionship here is the finest to be found, and I'd be a fool to leave the company of such exceptional souls.

Now, if you really want to know how Baghari smells, read on. Vibert is both more accurate and poetic than I.

Baghari is a beautiful, soft, powdery orange blossom aldehyde. It is very feminine and classy. A great fragrance for all occasions, but especially those that require a special lady-like touch. The dry down is soft and very pretty. This one should definintely be tested before purchase b/c when it doesn't work on someone, it's a real tragedy. (This review is for the new release version, not the classic.)

Weird, I tell you. Baghari announces itself with a blast of citrus, dry aromatic notes, and dusty animalic overtones that remind me somehow of – believe it or not – Yatagan. The impression is fleeting: Baghari’s opening is far brighter, with citrus where Yatagan has pine, and once past the thirty seconds it takes for Baghari’s soft, sweet floral accord and powdery aldehydes to establish themselves, it lives in an entirely different world. Too bad really, since the harsh, dangerous opening is fascinating in the same manner as venomous reptiles and carnivorous plants.

Startling gear change at the opening or not, Baghari is a good fragrance, and as its sweet, spicy base develops it moves from simply pretty to sultry and seductive. There’s plenty of sillage and the scent projects well, so you’ll always know you’re wearing it. It lasts well, too, darkening and softening all the while, until its nocturnal flowers slip away into a starless olfactory night.

It’s a total (and welcome) surprise for one who was expecting something in the nature of either Bandit or Fracas. Baghari is a soft, silky innocent - but - sophisticated fragrance. It has that built in innocent / sophisticated dualism, and this dualism is accomplished, I believe, by an ingenious use of the aldehydes of the opening. The light, clean, clear floral purity – bergamot, violet, neroli – is coupled to the very sophisticated aldehydes, creating an accord of clarity, sensuality, and elegance. Since the floral notes were so pure and innocent, the aldehydes addition creates an olfactory oxymoron… an innocent sophistication… a worldly-wise naiveté… It is a remarkable accomplishment and so warm and intellectually intriguing. This contradictory olfactory juxtapositioning of the opening notes is followed by the rich, abundantly floral heart that centers on a refined and luscious rose and jasmine accord… simply and beautifully classic. If it wasn’t a classic accord before it was created, it is classic now. The base is classic, too. It is powdery and musky and sweet and features iris, vanilla, amber, and musk. I get mostly musk and powder. The florals, musk, and powder make this a lovely soft feminine scent, and I’ve not smelled many as beautiful...

Soft elegant citrus lures you in, the rich rose blends very well with the jasmine. Next you sense the jasmine blending in with the orange blossom and vanilla. The lasting scent is that of rich rose blent with the jasmine and vanilla. The amber is so soft that it isn't noticed. Would recommend it for Daytime wear.

What a beautiful scent! I have two vintage bottles full and just cannot control my urge to savor the soft beauty of this work of art. I have not put it on my skin of course due to the age, however I am planning to buy the re-release of this fragrance before the new year. I understand it has had some revamping, but I have high hopes that it gives the same feeling of warmth.