Chipre
by Madini

I'm a classic chypre lover - my faves are Ma Griffe, Madame Rochas, YSL "Y", Mitsouko, Magie Noir, Shiseido Zen Classic, etc., all vintage versions if you please. Madini Chipre starts out with a well integrated bergamot wrapped inside an accord of indistinguishable florals and a peanut-buttery benzoin. Then in drying down further it moves into oakmoss territory, a very powdery, perfumery oakmoss + amber accord that is pretty but slightly more oriental than chypre; this drydown reminds me a little of that of Toujours Moi. I was not a fan of the beginning...but I can admit that the drydown is very pretty in a deeply powdery way. This does not smell of a chypre to me, more like a powdery oriental.

7th January, 2011. (Last Edited: 27th February, 2011.)

There doesn't seem to be a consensus on what this smells like. It goes on with a soapy floral green note (not great to me) and relaxes to sweet honeyed floral powder (better, but not magical). I am not drawn into it. It seems like it may be trying to smother me. I'm not feeling chypre at all, but powder.

3rd September, 2010.

What a pleasant fragrance! Lively, refreshing, dry, and woody: But not woody in the traditional sense, it’s a sparkling, fresh, version of light wood. It’s drydown is a rich, discreet, primarily woody, low sillage accord that has excellent longevity. For being a Madini, it’s quite unique and trendy… unique and trendy in the very best sense. I was unsure about the chypre designation until Chipre was into its drydown: That’s when it showed its chypre essence, and that’s where it became a gotta-have for me. Though Chipre is difficult to describe and categorize, it is totally enjoyable; and it’s something that should be on the to-test list of every chypre lover.

28th August, 2008. (Last Edited: 4th December, 2010.)

Don't you love the differences in body chemistry!! On me (78 year old - slightly dry skin, living at the beach) this beauty is honeyed vanilla and white flowers with only a whisper of green. Very round and elegant, like the classic French ones. Sits close to the skin but has great sillage.

14th April, 2007.

One of the unusual, exotic, un-sweet fragrances in the Madini line. This one comes out of the bottle dark green-black in color. It is sharp, tangy, clean, dry, warm, very earthy, and somewhat green. To me, it smells nothing like its description as a woody, musky, floral; rather more like green twigs and spruce needles and benefits from time to develop on the skin.

23rd March, 2007.