Chevalier d'Orsay (1911)
by D'Orsay

Chevalier d'Orsay is an insanely complex fragrance, and that makes it really hard to describe what it smells like. I think Swanky's comparison to YSL our Homme is apt, except Chevalier has an overriding lemony smell, and it has stronger, longer lasting lavender. A huge pile of various herbs, citrus notes and woody notes contribute little sparkles of scent, popping in and out throughout its duration.

The drydown is the best part - dry, bitter and slightly powdery, sort of like bitter orange peel blended with talc and moss. I smell no pine in this whatsoever, and I have a hard time imagining pine fitting in with a sunny, lemony scent like this.

Chevalier d'Orsay has a reputation of being a "dandified" fragrance, but I don't quite look at it that way. Granted, it does have a little bit of a prim and proper smell to it, but it's not a sweet scent, it not overly powder, and it's not as stuffy or fussy smelling as some other dandy fragrances like Floris No. 89 or Jicky. I think this is a great scent to wear in hot weather, as it has a Mediterranean flair with its citrusy, herbal smell.

MY RATING: 8/10

30th January, 2012.

Beautiful opening composed of highly refined complex accords of citrus, berries, lavender, and herbs, with florals rising up from the middle. A very attractive beginning: full, balanced, sweet, and done with the artistic delicacy that is so typical of d’Orsay’s fragrances. As the citrus fades, the florals take more and more prominence, until the rather sweet floral / herbal heart is achieved. Again it is a beautifully delicate and refined accord that, I think, gets less masculine as the lavender disappears. I get a mixed floral with the Lily of the Valley taking precedence over a touch of both Neroli and Angelique. It’s not long before the base shows up with the pine, iris, and amber showing themselves with confidence. At this point, the iris and amber seem to seal the fragrance’s fate of living in the condition of borderline masculinity — Chevalier is truly unisex. This fragrance can work anywhere—quiet enough for the office and romantic enough for… romance—casual enough for jeans and refined enough for a tuxedo. It has acceptable longevity. An excellent fragrance: It is so solid in its beauty and delicacy — it is a scent that can be trusted.

Originally submitted 06 April 2007, Taiwan

7th December, 2010.

Chevalier begins with a quintessential citrus accord familiar from 4711 to YSL Pour Homme and Sanborn's. Then the lavender moves into place, and that's pretty much what I get from the next few hours. It's a nice, clean scent but not as special as I had hoped.

28th October, 2010.

Mixed feelings. I doused my shirt and two folded tissues with the whole mL+...the juice was in a non-resealable plastic blister-type sample (what a remarkably stupid way to package it!). Because of this, I'm writing a very stream-of-consciousness review because this is the only shot I get, and I suspect that I got fatigued to the scent in the process.

It's a light greenish citrus, with some subtle florals mixed in...they appear where it got on skin but not until later on fabric. It has that bright shiny golden feel contributed by certain sharp herbs, as in AdP Intensa, Burberry original, Dolce and Gabbana, or Platinum Egoiste. For a while, it seems to be getting sharper in its herbiness, approaching Villoresi Uomo, and the lemon peel really starts to stand out. It would almost be a perfectly natural lemon peel, but the herbs give it a disappointingly wilted mustiness that approaches Joy, or a similar lemon dishsoap. Soon, on cloth but not on the tissues, the mustiness of the lemon peel starts to clear up, leaving only the good parts. Eventually, it's down to a vague but classy floral lemon residue on cloth (even though I used 3-4 times my usual SOTD amount), and it reeks horrendously of fetid dishsoap on the tissues (too much lavender!).

As a frequent tissue-tester, I can safely say that this scent varies more between cloth and tissue than anything else I've ever tried, and I really don't appreciate that. (I know, I know, "it will only smell proper on skin, etc, etc...", spare me the dogma!) Still, what's intriguing is that, like AdP Intensa, it leaves on cloth a transparent but very persistent aura of refinement, which I can never assign to a particluar plant note, but simply smells expensive, albeit dull. A gentle cloud of golden fleece, perhaps?

13rd February, 2010.

Chevalier opens with a marvelous blend of citrus, herbs, and lavender that soon makes room for very airy floral notes. The persistent herbal accord keeps the flowers from getting either stuffy or too sweet, and as some subtle spice emerges Chevalier’s heart falls into perfect balance. The base of moss, amber, and wood is firm, yet light and clear, leaving the entire composition exquisitely poised and elegant. A cool, subtle pine note plays throughout, leaving an impression of aloof nobility.

True to its name, Chevalier is sophisticated and refined. It’s complex enough to hold interest, and confident enough that it never needs to shout. As foetidus points out, it’s also highly versatile, and would make a great scent for those who want to keep a limited wardrobe. The lasting power is quite reasonable, thanks to the lingering pine and amber in the base, and the moderate projection is just enough to be noticed but never offend – a truly well composed and well executed scent.

23rd December, 2009.

Hmm. This was definately a beautiful scent when it was introduced and for years after. But I think nowadays there is obviously a cheap synthetic copy of this scent in certain germicides that are used in public lavatories. What a pity! I think it is not wearable any longer.

30th May, 2009.