Unsung Treasures

They might be former one-hit wonders, forgotten discontinued beauties, treasures from smaller, more obscure houses, quality scents that never got their due press and fizzled quickly,or even stuff that wasn't considered elegant in its time...

What are the really excellent "secret" scents you have in your collection know about that never get discussed here on basenotes?

A few of my right-now underrated fabulosities are:

Bogner Woman - First of all, the whole Bogner line was superb (If you actually see one, BUY it!), a sort of smaller Jil Sander. Woman is a perfectly smooth rose chypre with depth and subtlety both. It's the more refined, more reserved sister of Jil Sander 4.

Bogner Deep Woods - Gentlemen, this is just so excellent it hurts! A truly refreshing green fougere that is as sophisticated as it could be. Suitable for both sexes. I recommend investing in this if you are seeking a discontinued marvel for your collection.

Capucci Capucci - Perhaps this is my favorite 'eighties' scent. Fitting in somewhere between EL Beautiful and Ungaro Diva, Cappuci Cappuci is a perfectly-conjured, seamless, deep-honeyed chypre with a heated, spiced drydown that lasts and evolves and lasts and evolves. You'll ask "who's Natori?" Perfumey in the best possible sense of the word. Diva devotees might think twice! And it's still widely available and affordable (though it is discontinued.)

Marina Picasso Chapeau Bleu - A very niche-like single offering from Picassos "other" daughter, Marina. A really cool fruity wood scent that is refreshing and sensual. And the bottle is freaking amazing.

Nino Cerruti Pour Femme - WOW, this was an eighties scent to die for! Left in the shadow of La Nuit, a really potent, remarkably-dark leather scent. Very sexy, and in a funky bottle.

Pierre Cardin Original Pour Homme - This is discontinued now, a very pleasing basic, men's chypre with a warm powdery drydown.

Gabriela Sabatini by Gabriela Sabatini (Who was she, again?) - I kind of adore this subtle, sweet, warm floral. No one will know you are wearing an eighties scent! It's mature, cozy, and very silky.

Gala by Loewe - I think this is what Rumba was supposed to be. A soapy, powerhouse, spicy Oriental with a brash dose of aldehydes and a zesty, heated drydown. This one really does scream voluptuous Latina in low cut black satin. And it's awfully well done. Right on the money, this one. Oh, and Loewe is a great house to look into as well.



Looking forward to hearing about your under-lauded favorites, too!

Zibeline, I love Cialenga, too. It's my 'other' Rive Gauche . I am glad you mentioned Weil Weil because I have wanted to try it so badly! Now I will.

Knit at nite, OMG that sounds incredible! DROOLING!! Is it smoky like Chergui, too?

Also glad you mentioned Priscilla Presley because I also adore her Moments and Indian Summer! (Adding those now)-


Moments is a really heady rose leather chypre that is closest to Knowing but sweeter and more leathery. Not a bad scent at all, but loud as hell; a drop will do ya! Indian Summer is a light, gentle very sophisticated fresh scent with a feminine "clean" drydown that lasts.A more refined., more modern 5th Avenue.

Oh, and speaking of Jacomo! I'd like to add Silences Purple and Anthracite. Anthracite is a plummy chypre with loads of galbanum an green that dries down fougere-like, It'd suit men VERY well. It's excellent and I see lots of it on ebay not too much.,
Silences Purple is a little too sweety-pie at first but dries down quickly to a very sexy tonka-sweet, ambered Oriental in the modern style that is really rather expensive-smelling.

I am so glad to see so many other greats being brought up here! YEAH! And so many I am dying to try!

I was trying to keep Soprani 2 under wraps, bookshop, as I only have found one for sale on earth and I am saving for it. It's the best thing ever, a perfected CK Obsession (the older version of that is quite under-appreciated too.) A bright soap-bar aldehyde over sexy tobacco and musk...Except Soprani 2 wears like an Amouage, pure elegance.

Narcisse by Chloe is divine, Duc! I have always admired its sillage, and still it captivates me from afar.

Diamondflame, I like ST Dupont generally; I am so eager to try the men's!
Evangeline agreed on Privilege! It's cheap, too! As well as the others.

Evangleline, you are so right; Fragonard is also nice and forgotten, may I add Rendez-Vous to the list? I don't even think it's in the database.

Oh, and Evangeline, may I also recommend Crown Perfumery's Malabar, since you are such a fan of Gucci 1 ? It's available for really good prices.

Adding the great Moschino Moschino (original one with the Italian flag ribbon) - what a dynamite impeccable chypre. It's bone dry, salty, not at all sweet, and another that dries down fougere-like. I'd think men would be re-visiting this one like crazy, as a green galbanum aromatic chype with whiz bang sillage. Especially since it's widely available. SO, guys, try out the original women's Moschino.


The original men's Moschino (Does this get any press on the men's forum?) I also have, and it's one of the truly best, too. Not too loud, youthful and natural-smelling.

Wonderful, I know you'll love it! I'll stand behind my recommendation, too, Kevin. If you hate it, I'll buy it off you. I am wagering it's going to disappear with the new regulations,if it has not already been axed.

Oh, NLS I am glad too that you enjoyed Goldleaf. It's so lovely! And as Leesee points out under-appreciated; I imagine it would be raved about if it weren't the product of a more-or-less "gift shop" line.

Mysticknot, Escada was very unique and I loved it, too! But it was also badly reformulated some years before its discontinuation. A scent that smells much like it used to is Gianfranco Ferre's Essence de Eau (okay, there's another one.).

Lilybelle, Provocative Woman sounds interesting, I want to smell it! Was Waterford like the crystal brand? And they made scents? I'd love to smell those too. But especially the Yardley. Those are hard to find!

Everyone on this thread is a bad influence, I am torking with my paypal now and hunting down Oro!

I think yes Touch is a great unsung treasure. It's a bit of a latecomer to the big loudies, considering it arrived in the mid-nineties...it has such a syrupy, indolic tuberose note, ala Gigli, but it also combines interesting fresh-linen-y, aldehydic top bit and dries down skin-salty-sweaty -- almost coconutty. I am in love with it, actually, but it's not for the meek. The good news is it's like 10 USD a pop these days.

As for Escada, I do not know how one might detect the pre-washed-out version, as the packaging stayed the same. (Color, perhaps?) That was why I mentioned Essence de Eau, too, as it can still be found, and it's a fabulous alternate.

The men's Touch is very soapy and "clean". The women's version has a "touch" of that aspect, too -- the Rainbath. But it's more intensely floral, for sure.

That's such a unique warm scent, Terracotta! Wonderful one. I have seen it for really low prices, too.


Another no one ever mentions is Fath de Fath, a classic Oriental that I find very beautiful and sophisticated.

Also Eau de Campagne, the bitter green chypre from Ellena. A more evolved, more timeless, less citric Cristalle. Stunning. And it has not been reformulated.

Okay I am adding another I just discovered due to a VERY generous, lovely basenoter. I did not even know this floral chypre existed, and it is PERFECTION. I haven't been this excited about a new thing since I discovered Amouage Jubilation, I kid you not. And I NEVER see it mentioned here; in fact it only has three reviews. It's so complex, so enticing, so plush, and very elegant. SIGH!

Sabi by Henry Dunay

Oh, Leesee and Haunani, I am so glad you concur. Sabi has more than risen to the top of my list -- in just one evening -- I am feeling that this is "the one" as the night wears on; it's developed into something that is so sumptuous, luxuriant, and unmistakable, it just might displace Dia as my best scent.. My HG? Perhaps! Of course it costs as much as an Amouage! Now I just need to figure out what to SELL....