Ispahan (1982)
by Yves Rocher

I grabbed a bottle of this with high hopes - the exotic name and dark blue packaging looked so enticing! Maybe I got a dud, but this (EDT) has such a subtle aroma, it's taken me many tries just to form an opinion. This has gotta be the lite-est oriental out there! I can definitely smell a certain spice/resin note that's also in Opium, and the rest is a soft, powdery mimosa. Ylang-ylang and vanilla are listed as official notes, but they don't stand out for me at all. As the previous reviewer noted, this would be safe for the office - or any occasion where you'd rather be wearing Opium but need to tone things right down.

7th October, 2011.

Yes, it does resemble Opium/Cinnabar. Like other Yves Rocher scents I've sampled, there's not much in the way of top notes or basenotes..it's all straight up what you get right out of the bottle. This is a pleasant spicy mix. But it doesn't have overly much in the way of personality. It does lie close to the skin as mentioned, making it safe for the office.

17th June, 2010. (Last Edited: 17th August, 2010.)

2008/2009 re-édition
Ispahan was a fragrance I perceived as a slimmed-down version of Opium in the old days. For me it used to be a variant of the famous YSL smell of the past (now victim of reformulation in 2010!). Smelling the re-edition of Ispahan again today, I have to confess that it is very rich and woody - aficionados have treated it as a treasure long after its disappearnce from the market and are happy to have it back.
It can be characterized as a floriental scent with the accents on spices and herbs, not so much on flowers. It seems a trifle fresher than in the past, but the essence of the old Ispahan is still there. A charming scent, an alternative to Opium (and much cheaper, too).

23rd March, 2010.

This review is for the EDT: A beautiful and spicy oriental that's a cross between Salvador Dali and Opium. Not quit as complex as Opium, but gorgeous, creamy and smooth in it's own way. The drydown is spicy/woody and lays close to the skin. I can see wht some reviews I've read for it call it a "comfort scent". This is relatively inexpensive and worth trying, if you can find it.

13rd December, 2008.

Fascinating female scent, almost suitable for a man. Oriental essence in bottle of sober, subtle simplicity almost reminding of Drakkar- both the bottle and the content. I would certainly like to see a woman wear it.

23rd January, 2006.

Not so expensive, not so exklusive, and yet a very nice fragans, a bit oriental. Well worth the price!

15th January, 2006.