Eau Sauvage (1966)
by Christian Dior

There isn't much point in going into detail here..this fantastic scent has been reviewed and screwtanised to death ..all I will say is that to me it represents a piece of history, very much like adp colonia and chanel pour monsier and many more. With regards to its performance. ..if this fragrance was a beast or projected like a lunatic it would change the whole dynamic , and for me part of its charm is its lightness and airyness. I read somewhere that John lennon enjoyed this scent , Wether that's true or not isn't proven, but it's funny to think of him wearing this in bed with yoko in Amsterdam for a week. Generally speaking I see this scent as a piece of timeless sophistication that feels fresh and thankfully light.

I blind bought a big bottle of this stuff based on the positive reviews all over the web, and the iconic status.

I'm giving it a neutral because of its iconic status, but I really don't like it. I don't "hate it", exactly, but I hardly ever use it. It has some sort of sickly-sweet, sugary thing going on in the opening notes that I dislike. I don't see many reviews mentioning this aspect, but I find it overpowering. After 30 minutes or so that mellows out and it improves, but not entirely. It continues to have a sort of candied sweet note all the way through to dry-down.

Other aspects of it are nice - the citrus, complexity, etc., but I can't get past that "too much Splenda" type vibe.

Iconic in its stature and been around for ages. I have a vintage version before the Oak Moss was stripped out. ES is soft, warm and inviting. Classic Eau du Cologne structure with more emphasis on the herbs (Rosemary and Basil) than most. Like most EdC’s, it doesn’t last (about 3 hours). I find the base a bit lacking but perhaps that comes with the EdC territory. There’s better EdC’s out there, namely Acqua di Parma’s Colonia & Assoluta but ES is still worthy of attention.

7/10

Another review of Eau Sauvage because… At some point the scent needs to be evaluated for what it is, in comparison to other available fragrances, rather than in comparison with the memories (or aging bottles) of a vintage formulation. I would also underscore that the version of Eau Sauvage I’m reviewing is François Demachy’s post 2011ish reformulation (lighter colour, magnetic cap), which in fact had much better longevity than a NIB bottle of the 2009 formulation (oakmoss listed on the box, but weaker, flatter & shorter-lived) picked up at Sephora last year.

There’s not really any point in listing the notes: educate your nose and you can detect everything listed in an extended pyramid (the one BN lists plus things like iris, caraway, etc.), enjoying the lucid note separation while you’re at it. What’s key is not the notes but the blending… Following the initial citric burn, the balance is smooth and dynamic, with an elegant, trailing drydown. The great features of this composition that are part of its legend (a vivifying citrus, a watery freshness, a second-skin ‘sweat’ accord athwart the expected classical balance) are all there, as translated from old school reviews to what’s right under your nose. There are synthetics here, but unlike some fragrances that whine, buzz or rasp recklessly, the texture overall is graceful, and a little shabby in the most elegant possible way. Speaking of elegance, the 3.4 ounce bottle is a piece of Platonic pleasure that fits well in your hand, the metal label, like a nameplate outside an apartment in a very good neighborhood still presents Dior’s Christian name (sorry for the pun), and the atomizer is generous and efficient.

Final notes: Complaints about longevity should be read with some skepticism as the possible products of past history and knee-jerk repetition. I’ve only been into this hobby for a few years, but most things I’ve tried act just like this, if I am lucky: 1-2 hours of good projection on post-shower skin, followed by a drydown that lasts 4-6 hours on skin and 6-8 hours on the collar of my shirt. Eau Sauvage reactivates crisply with body heat and smells affectingly natural lining the skin at the end of a working day. It reapplies very effectively at the cocktail hour and will last the rest of the night if you decide to take it into the evening. Observations based on several bottles? This macerates (ages) better than most of what I’ve tried, new or vintage: my bottles have firmed up beautifully in just about six months, gaining a bit more punch in terms of both strength and longevity; if it feels too fleeting, shelve it for a season or two and try again.

Why all the fuss? If you are looking for compliments, they’re there to be had, but this is also one of the best educations in fragrance composition your designer-level dollars can buy. As a meeting point of art and entertainment, beauty, versatility and reliability, it holds its place in the present as both signature and statement.

Initial citrus blast, somewhat synthetic in aspect, but still pleasant. This was followed with ten minutes or so by a woodsy note that almost smelled like rosewood to me. I really enjoyed this addition. I should say the woodsy rosewood smell "joined", not followed, because the citrus didn't leave. It was still there as well, and they worked well together to produce a very nice combination of notes that was very enjoyable. After three hours or so, Eau Sauvage started to develop a soapy smell which became the dominant note, but the citrus and wood also persisted. It was a nice "clean", "fresh" soapy note, not overpowering or headache inducing in any way. It struck me as a nice "Dove" soap smell. I'm now at twelve and a half hours post application, it's a nice skin scent and I'm still picking up the citrus, wood, and soap aspects. This is the first Dior product that I've cared for of the ones I've tried. A very enjoyable fragrance and Eau Sauvage is definitely a permanent addition to my wardrobe. It's amazing that this fragrance was created in 1966! A testament to great perfuming!