1969 Parfum de Révolte
by Histoire de Parfums

1969, to me, is not a gourmand. I honestly think it's far from what many would consider an oriental gourmand. I consider it as more of a fruity floral-rose affair laid over white musk with a few gourmand notes.

The initial blast was sweet, fruity, sharp, cloying and VERY synthetic-smelling. Synthetic isn't always a bad thing, but I don't enjoy the messy indiscernible peach jam wall of smell -- almost a scrubber. This impression slowly wears off and in comes a pleasant white musk woven with rose. (with notes of vanillic chocolate, coffee and spice that 'try' to warm things up, but is still muted by the peach-rose-musk trio) At the final stages stages, the white musk wins.

The problem: Throughout the scent's application, the fruity sweetness never really fades. It just smells less and less like peach with each passing hour. Kinda like a peach fading into the horizon. All in all, the sharp sweetness was too much from me. (This coming from an Arabie fan)

A cloying opening, a decent heart, a disappointing exit, a piercing sweetness. What's there to like?

18th October, 2011.

1969 introduces itself with one of the best perfume's names so far: Parfum De Rivolte. 1969 was the year of a generational revolution leading to the female sexual emancipation. Wether this name appeals to you or not, this fragrance has a remarkable erotic vibe made of a well balanced opulence and some luxurious sweetness.

It opens with a spectacular effect ("someone" says is one of the best opening in modern perfumery) with creamy and fruity rose that's simply magnific. During its evolution rose blends together with vanilla and spices turning a bit more conventional and chemical yet incredibly refined and never affected. Overall 1969 is not my type of fragrance, nothing I would really like to wear but I'd definitely appreciate on someone seating next to me.

Good Stuff!

16th August, 2011.

I purchased this in the wrong season after doing a full testing of the Histoires line, and have kept it hiddent away through the European Fall and Winter. With the Spring, it has emerged and it is exactly what I would imagine it to be in this new climate:

Hippy-Sweet Sunshine in a bottle. Only the initial fruit-bomb of synthetic peach kind of makes me question what is to come, but it blends nicely within 5 minutes. I hope it will not be cloying and overly-synthetic after an hour or so of wear when the humidity really kicks in - ironically the same warm, sticky weather that it so perfectly tries to capture in its beachy sexiness. But still good if you dare to venture into sweet, summery territory with a margarita or caipirinha in hand. Unlike a review I read of this in the LT/TS guide... I find the fruit and vanilla opening to last forever, with the awaited base of softer coffee, white musc, and patchouli to be barely perceptible. No need to "replay" this opening... it lasts and lasts.

Probably a good candidate for a summer scent in high rotation in 2011, alongside Noir Patchouli from the same house (which is not nearly as Noir as its name suggests, and all the better for it). I'm traveling a lot in the coming months, so adobting the backpacker vibe, and open to all things trashy and festive, will put me in the spirit of warmer things to come.

22nd April, 2011.

Like it! But - the top notes do not match the heart- and basenotes to well. There's some kind of disharmony. The freshness feels - just for a second - synthetic. Then at a sudden the smell broadens into a sensual vibe of lush components in chorus. Patchouli, white chocolate, coffee, may be cardboard, the fragrance is true to its "notes". To my nose it sweetens during drydown, and as every scent has to, simplifies. Not so far as that could distract the pleasure of it. Alas, that's not so common.

<edit> After a row of enthusiastic wearings...</edit>

btw: I don't feel to impressed by the offending (?) name. A revolt that made it into perfume must for sure have been quite "teeny" (as far as my dictionary holds). If You are after a realistic smell of that revolt - don't wash ... it won't kill You.

<edit>Even when serverly overapplied ...</edit>

last edit: just try, a great finding

24th March, 2011. (Last Edited: 14th May, 2011.)

I wanted so much to like this (1969 being my year of birth); alas I can barely stand it. The opening is pretty intense, warm and sweet. The more time goes by the more sure I get that this much praised offering from Histoires de Parfums is not for me. We are promised chocolate and coffee at the base and indeed it is getting there but to me it feels more like intense vanilla. Overall I agree that 1969 is a very well made "gourmand" the kind I could possibly appreciate on others but wouldn’t like to wear myself. Maybe I should try 1969 again in winter time!

14th July, 2010.

It does not happen too often that one single note spoils a fragrance for me, but here by spoiling I mean TOTALLY! It's not that I did not try hard. I gave this 3 full wearings from my sample, but my aversion got greater and greater. Well, that note is CHOCOLATE here! To me, this is a very creamy and rich white chocolate... YUK! There is a lot to like here and I dithered about a neutral or thumbs down. Call it anger - my conclusion is this is goofed up by one single overboarding note and about as disgusting as it could possibly ever come.

22nd June, 2010.