Opium (1977)
by Yves Saint Laurent

When I smell for the first time in my country from my friend. She got from tourist opium sample and use it. I smell it and I want this perfume. I ask her which perfume do you ware?! "Opium". When a tourist ask me What you like to buy for you. I said I want perfume "Opium" and I got it. Yes......! I was happy and now I can buy it with my own salari Yeah....!
I love love love love this perfume.

I have to admit that my Opium substance abuse is pretty limited to the “Opium Lite” of the summer versions, Fleur de Shanghai being one of my all-time favourite perfumes.
Opium in its parfum form (which is what I am reviewing here) can be likened to a smoldering smoke of incense and spices and a thick chai tea. It opens with clove buds stuck in the peel of dried orange, familiar like a pomander and intensely so. Pimento berries also add a more complex aspect to the mostly-eugenolic character of the opening; pepper suggests dryness and cinnamon adds sweetness.

The heart notes are floral, most notably orange blossom and carnation. But to say the heart feels floral would be an exaggeration. Although jasmine, rose and ylang ylang are present, they are hidden behind plenty of carnation and more cloves; the floral notes in this oriental in particular have the role of smoothing things out without sticking out or showing their true colours.

The underlying resins are what make Opium stand apart from Tabu and Youth Dew though; if Tabu concentrated on the patchouli and vetiver and Youth Dew is all about indole and eugenol (even more civet than in Tabu) – Opium returns to the cradle of perfume civilization by using a large proportion of opoponax with its powdery, animalic and resinous-sweet qualities, backed up by the dry and sweet bitterness of myrrh and the woody-dry qualities of patchouli. There is a touch of sweetness that is never overly done originated in vanilla and benzoin resin. Both notes serve to accentuate the hint of sweetness present in opoponaz and myrrh. There is no animalic element here that I’m aware of. The pairing of eugenol and resins creates a deep reaction, perhaps connected to the history of incense and Chinese herbal medicine which is quite appropriate with the name borrowing from one of the most ancient and potent drugs used in human history (it was used as far back as in the Sumerian civilization, which is also the oldest civilization to have used incense).

I don't have much to say about this fragrance since I am speaking from early childhood memory
We all remeber the smell of our mother when we were children right?
well I remember this smell and have asked to my mother lately what she was wearing when I was around 5 years old
-opium by ysl she said, offered my by father (who are a conouiseur in the domain ;)
The only thing I could put my finger on from these faded memories are the suble soooooo soft`n'subtle musky-powdery-sandalwood smell lingering around my momy's neck
AAAhh good old childhood olfactive memories
there are these smell that just hit you in the heart, so disarming, no resistance possible, that just bring out something engraved in the deepest inconscient part of your brain
there are many notes and fragrance that has these on me:
natural bergamote, lavender :) benjoin (papier d'arménie), fahrenheit by dior (big time, don't know why, weird so pleasent mesmerizing effect), basil, paco rabanne ph and of course Opium by YSL
ok this is getting a little bit to personal
but I'm sure all of you smell addicts understand what I mean

This perfume is so sexy and exotic. When I close my eyes I can almost imagine myself in the romantic world as described by Pearl Buck and so many others. This fragrance is spicy and oozes unashamed sensuality. Definitely a scent for a special night.

This review is under revision.

I wanted to say something fresh, uncommon and informative about Opium. I wanted to sound omniscient and, even, clever. But like most consumers who share their opinions on Basenotes, my writing is droll and useless drivel containing minimal information. And then you read a review like that of Opium parfum by "MarksCarltonLane" (below).

We're all talented at something. But this person is truly gifted. I couldn't have said it better if I'd had 50 tutors and parfumeurs advising me.

Opium parfum deserves "MarksCarltonLane's" incomparable review.

WOW!