Habit Rouge (1965)
by Guerlain

I have the EDC version. Lemon, lemon, who's got the lemon. I don't know if it's me or what, but it opens exactly like Chanel PM Concentree to me. Great lemony/vanilla/vetiver scent.......and that's about it.

No other notes have transpired in the wearing, so I guess I will sell it since I already have the Chanel and the Concentree doesn't seem to be as linear as this is on me.

I have tried the EDC version only. The first sampling did not go well. The animalic floral qualities were overwhelming and I washed it off within the hour. However, I was fortunate to get a nearly full bottle in a swap, so I took advantage of the offer, knowing that I could then re-swap it off again. Instead of wearing it again, I opened the top and smelled it every few days, before sampling it again. Doing this must have desensitized my dislike for the animalic florals, because when I sampled it again, over a month after the first sampling, I could handle the first several minutes. After that, it seemed to settle into a great spicy fragrance, with great "balance" amongst the different notes. I don't get strong vanilla at any point. Sillage is good but longevity could be better, though since it's an EDC I probably shouldn't complain about it. I enjoy spicy fragrances and this is not like the others, so I think it's got a permanent role in my rotation.

There are several fragrance masterpieces which I can appreciate, but don't enjoy wearing (Kouros being one of them). Yet Habit Rouge is masterpiece which is highly wearable in all it's phases of development. This is one of my all-time favorite scents. I'd want it packed in my bags if I were on the proverbial desert island. This should be required sniffing for every young man to teach him what a balanced fragrance smells like. From its citrus blast opening through its floral woody heart all the way down to the sensual vanilla, resinous and slightly animalic base, Habit Rouge is seamless. It is a testament to divine artistry in perfume, and best of all, it smells divine!

Designed for a rebels & mavericks. Very red, especially during the mid-notes. Also goes well with a red convertible on the streets of L.A. The drydown gets a bit greener, but remains smooth and pleasant. A macho scent, for sure.

I'm afraid I can't understand the support for this one.
While I can see how it can be interpreted as a "classic" and "gentlemanly" fragrance, I almost vomited when applying it.
It has a stomach-turning spicy opening, settling into an overpowering mixture of spice and vanilla.
Perhaps it is a personal aversion to spice, or just an old bottle which is "on the turn" I honestly do not know.

The opening is very classical with bergamot and lemon; just a bit spicy. Then comes cloves (not fresh cut carnations but edible kitchen type cloves) and cinnamon very strong. These two have a smell that you cannot play little.
The citrus leaves their place to a nice woody note but it is not imposible to enjoy woods as clovers cinamon buddies go loud and shrill.
Also the vanilla moss base is spoiled with clamorous spices.
Yes i hate these clovers. But i cannot imagine a person standing in the kitchen smelling the deep wet aroma of boiling dried cloves and thinks "yes, that's the way i should smell..." Cloves and cinanamon is ever a bad idea.