1826 (2001)
by Histoire de Parfums

Sweet and fruity from the very start, 1826 maintains a sunny olfactory optimism right through its development. Rose and jasmine, cinnamon and ginger join the bright fruit in the central movement, which remains perfectly poised between fruity-sweet and spicy-dry. The overall impression is somewhere between a fruity fougère and a floral oriental, offering the freshness of the former and the sensuousness of the latter while miraculously avoiding the clichés that burden both of these overworked fragrance genres.

1826 is plenty potent and projects well off of the skin, but a certain inherent clarity of texture keeps it from cloying or overwhelming the nostrils. This is a happy, easygoing scent that should appeal to men and women alike. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys fruity scents but has tired of the trite, crass fruity florals and fresh fougères that crowd cosmetic counters these days.

The opening of 1826 is a sweetened Bergamot which after the first few seconds is joined by patchouli. There is a nice spiciness to the heart notes that tames the florals and patchouli but that is so well integrated into the fragrance that it doesn't smell spicy. The amber and incense start poking through at about 20 minutes but like the spices in the heart notes these notes are integrated to work with the other notes to give them depth and character. After about 2 hours is when I get the most amber, a slightly dirty amber that doesn't seem too vanillic or sweet. On my skin it fades from existence after about 4 or 5 hours leaving only the slightest hint of perfume on the skin. This sticks fairly close to the skin and has very little sillage. I think this is more unisex in character than feminine as and such is worth checking out if you are into patchouli or amber frags.

I seriously can't fathom how a perfume that smells like My Little Ponies and cheap sandalwood fans has got anything to do with an obscure 19th century empress. Marketers need to get a grip.

A plastic peach-strawberry opening gives way to sandalwood and a bit of incense, and that's it. This is a scent for delusional socially-awkward types who still dream of turning into Disney Princess swans.

The notes I have for 1826 are somewhat different than those posted in the review, below. These are the notes on the new bottle (pardon my bad French):

Top: Bergamot, Mandarin
Mid: White Flowers, Violette, 'Gingerbre', 'Cannelle'
Base: Patchouli, Amber, Incense, 'Bois Blondes', White Musk, Vanilla

As I've worked my way through the Histoires line, I've come to realize that the published notes are only indicative of what you'll actually experience, and they do not represent the actual order in which you will smell them. The Noir Patchouli should really be called 'Noir Rose' because the patchouli topnotes are fleeting and it's all about the rose. People should not think these are historical recreations - rather, this line has chosen historical figures as catchy associations with their fragrances (the way Etat Libre has done with sexual innuendos).

1826 would have been more appropriate to have patchouli in the name, because although it's a published basenote, it's a primary note to the fragrance structure and is apparent from top to base. The top is a pretty - but not delicate - citrus tempered with rose and other florals. Patchouli makes an entrance fairly quickly after the opening and becomes more prominent as the fragrance progresses. Patchouli is joined by what I believe to be violet (or other slightly pungent florals) in the heart. I like the composition's balance - it is never too sweet, too floral, or too citrusy, yet there is a brightness that highlights all of these aspects.

Unfortunately, by the time the base establishes itself (3 hours), the fragrance has run out of steam. There is a musky patchouli, rose, and some mild woody notes poking through, but it fades quickly from this point. I get none of the amber, incense, or vanilla per the published notes, though perhaps they are simply part of the composition and not distinct. The longevity is surprisingly short compared to 1969 Parfum de Revolte and 1740 Marquis de Sade, which both lasted 12 hours or more on my skin.

Even with the average longevity 1826 is a fun fragrance - if I had to categorize I'd say it's a 'patchouli/citrus/floral'. Good stuff.

Not a bad fragrance, merely not what I would associate with historical recreations. It is strawberry and coconut on a woody base, pleasant enough, but I associate that with the synthetic strawberries that were all the rage in the 1970s.

On the website of Histoire de Parfums they write about the notes of 1826: "Encompassing fruity nuances with a tropical twist, this eau de parfum opens with notes of corsican Peach, strawberry and Tahitian coconut. The middle notes are an harmonious blend of a beautiful white flower bouquet, tinged with orange blossom, Egyptian jasmine, and Bulgarian rose. Finally, Balsam and Wood notes round out the feeling with incense, vanilla, cacao and benzoin blended with patchouli, cedar and sandalwood."

I smell mostly the white flower bouquet with a strong spicy noto on a woody base. Not being a big fan of flowery fragrances I like this one because it's not overly sweet and the flower notes are nicely balanced by the spices and the wood.