Gauloise by Molyneux, 1980

I find it interesting that a fragrance with this name and style of packaging turns out to be a feminine. The Perfume Intelligence database describes Gauloise as a "fresh green mossy woods powdery-floral aldehyde", and that agrees very much with what I smell. Gauloise is a popular brand of strong cigarettes produced in France since 1910. The styling of the flacon in the photo (an open cigarette packet), leaves little doubt that this fragrance pays homage to its namesake tobacco sticks. As such, I was initially surprised that Gauloise (the perfume) had no discernible tobacco note - but if it was targeted at smokers, I guess there'd be no need. This fragrance may have been designed to compliment (and probably freshen) the ashtray odours of the person wearing it. The strangeness (to my eyes at least) of this fragrance's marketing highlights the decline of smoking culture worldwide, which is no bad thing. But it's a shame that Molyneux's Gauloise is also fading into the past, because it really is a delicate, beautiful scent (if rather fleeting, at least in EDT form). If you love fresh aldehydic florals and come across a bottle of this almost-forgotten treasure, I urge you to give it a try.