Coriolan by Guerlain, 1998

This one despite has not been able to step on the stage of fame as well as the great Guerlains did, deserves anyway admiration and attention. Coriolan is an herbal-leathery chypre with an hidden floral vibe and a melancholy soul. These features remind me a bit Sud Est Romeo Gigli which also owns a citrus-herbal initial accord and a melancholy and resinous woody-floral soul. The citrusy-herbal starting is strong and traditional but very natural. It's like touching with your hands the elements and inhaling the aroma. This natural accord, while retaining in the time its feel although a bit tamed, slides towards a tasty spicy heart mastered by the floral and sensual whiff from ylang-ylang, the starring note of the fragrance in my opinion, on the side of the absinthe. The latter is linked with woodsy elements in order to provide a touch of aromatic sort of anisic smell that plays an important role in order to sweeten and soften the fragrance till the boundaries of the oriental olfactory territories. The notable aroma of ylang-ylang is finally smoothed and sweetened by woods and leather. Some woodsy resins, a notable patchouli  and floral notes complete the transition towards the accomplisced olfactory masterwork. The final outcome is a sort of leathery and resinous smell of ylang-ylang and anise with a boise vibe because of the influence from juniper and oakmoss. A great peace of art.

A beautiful, sharp, bittersweet cyphre with a fantastic theme and beautiful ingredients. The fresh citrus opening is foiled by the extreme green bitterness of the middle notes: ginger, absinthe, and juniper. The sillage is quite strong and herbal and it reminds me very much being lost in the woods. Juniper is a beautiful note, and with the ginger, it really brings out a strong bitter quality that you can almost taste. It is almost like the real citrus retires for an abstract interpretation of the idea of citrus - The acidic ginger, the bitter-crisp juniper, and the sweet ylang-ylang are both one accord and separate notes throughout the evolution. The base and the middle notes seem to be at war, and the tide of the battle shifts continuously, the mossy, resinous base winning (just barely) in the end. Just when I decide if it's sweet or bitter, medicinal or fresh, mossy or bright, I change my mind. I think this is what puts a lot of hardcore Guerlain fans off. It isn't straightforward or delicious, not comforting or warm. It's vaguely unsettling and inhuman - like curious metal structures amongst deciduous trees in winter, both beautiful and unfamiliar. I think this unfamiliar quality was a deliberate effort on the part of JPG - just look at how many unique, foreign ingredients he used in the creation of this perfume. Truly, this perfume is art of the highest quality, difficult to interpret though it is.

Elegant, evocative, enigmatic, eccentric - Coriolan seems to be one of those Guerlain fragrances that really divides opinion. Personally, I love it dearly - an alchemy of ingredients that almost defies description in terms of conventional fragrance categories and yet somehow achieves its own sort of odd perfection. Imagine a soiree in the Faubourg Saint Germain. In one corner, the Baron de Charlus sniffs his wrist appreciatively. In another corner, the ever-ailing Marcel, propped on a chaise longue, does the same. Both are wearing Coriolan. "It seems that forever," murmurs the Baron, "I have been seeking such an overture: this rich depth of plum-coloured velvet riddled with the aristocratic sharpness of watered silk, both companiably wedded to a sour-sweet, brackish sophistication and a heroic roughness!" "The overture," murmurs Marcel, "is pleasant enough. But the true glory of this scent is in the last, lingering moments of its basenotes. They have been present there like a phantom, from the beginning, but now, at last, they achieve their apotheosis, leading me into an underworld of disappearing echoes, lost lives, lost loves, full of pride, swagger, gratitude and regret. True poetry of the perfumier's art!"

I love when fragrances remind me of something distinct. Yatagan makes me think of roasting meat in a dry forest. Silver Factory makes me think of a hot chainsaw. And Guerlain Coriolan makes me think of an airplane. Yes, an airplane. After a strong citrusy-spicy opening, I clearly get that smell that hits you when you first step in the door of an airplane and start walking down the aisle looking for your seat, particularly on hot days. It's the smell of clean airplane seats, filtered airplane air, and hints of tarmac and jet fuel. You get to your seat, and your sexy seatmate is sipping a martini and wearing a great spicy floral cyphre. I suppose in reality this impression comes from the medicinal bitterness of the absinthe note and some of the spices in the heart, but in combination with the other notes present, the overall effect is: airplane. For me, this is a good association. I like traveling. The smell evokes a feeling of embarking on a modern voyage. Nobody else has mentioned this strange airplane connection, so maybe it's just me, but I have to mention it; it's so very distinct for me. Sillage is medium and longevity is high.Coriolan is a fun scent to wear.