Chantilly by Dana, 1941

I wish there was a rating between thumbs up & neutral for my mini of the old Chantilly....I do like it, but the heady combination of floral, ORANGE! & spice & leather make it more than I would wear in public on most occasions. I used to dress up in "Pointer Sisters" full Glam & it certainly would have been lovely for that... The (possibly) tarragon & lemon highlights of Quelques Fleurs work better for me nowadays. I am glad I have the pleasure of a dab from this mini occasionally. I wouldn't wear the modern Chantilly at all (even though I once owned a giant vat of it by accident) unless I was in a mosquito infested jungle & it repelled mosquitos (like citronella). This theory has not been tested. I'm going to cheat here & put in a major plug for BISTRO which I don't find on the list. It is an inexpensive EDT that is difficult to find & connected with "Chantilly" & "Dana" & Parfums Parquet". It is light years away from the offensive qualities of the mass produced modern Chantilly, however. It is uniquely fresh, herbal..with a hint of carnation...something that suggests the artemesia family of herbs or vermouth...brisker than the hint of tarragon in Quelques Fleurs, with no cloying quality at all, like a bouquet in spring rain. All this in an inexpensive EDT in a 50's suggestive powder pink bottle with black lid....

Chantilly is a warm and beautiful oriental amber with a soft and abstract spicy floral base (rose, jasmine, carnation). It's a style without drama or sharp edges... and I am sure that the popularity of this style of perfumery will one day be restored to its rightful place in the pantheon of scent!

Whenever I smell Chantilly I suspect that Houbigant was taking pointers from Emeraude, Shalimar and No. 5. These fragrances really have a lot more in common with each other than with most floral, fresh, or fruity fragrances released at that time... or now, of course.

As is true with many fragrances, both vintage and modern, it seems the older and 'stronger' versions of Chantilly are really the one most worth tracking down.

The eau de parfum versions by Houbigant are awesome if you can find them, and many of the older eau de toilette by Houbigant and 'New Dana' are deep and delightful. Sadly, the Dana products are not as complex as the older parfum or EdT. But like a grainy photograph, they still give you some idea of the 'real thing'.

As the years go by, Chantilly remains one of my greatest favorites. Wouldn't it be something if the original formula was recreated? I won't hold my breath, but I can still hope... Big thumbs up!

Revised from the review of 19 December 2009