Sample pass: Weil Then and Now - Page 2

Hi! I’m back! I have to admit that I had cold feet with starting this sniff! There are just so many treasures and rarities, it was a bit overwhelming at first, and I am such a newbie at this. I am so honored to have the opportunity to sniff these and be allowed to play!

I decided to start with the new Aroli productions so I could warm up so to speak, stop worrying, and wait for my confidence to catch up (hopefully!) BTW, the box still smells so heavenly! The Mollie Parnis smells different on the box than from what I experienced in the fruity sample pass, but it is so delightful and YUMMY! I wrote up my impressions on these first two (tried to be brief, but had so much fun complaining, lol) I have notes on a few more, and I am continuing with the sniffing, of course! I hope to pick up the pace a bit more this week so I can send these on their merry way.

Secret de Weil opens up very woody, with a bit of amber sweetness and perhaps some peachy fruit. It quickly becomes warm, spicy and peppery. After about 10 minutes, it is surprisingly very light on my skin. There is a bit of cumin. It continues in this vein, with the wood note most prominently. At some point after 20-30 minutes, the persistent woodiness wafted up from my wrist and it was so overwhelming. It finally dawned on me that it was so very much like the ISO E Super laden Terre d’Hermes. The woodiness almost subsumed a light floral musk that popped up. After about 40 minutes, the woods faded a bit and it became creamier. They drydown was a lightly spicy, creamy wood, but it was that very synthetic wood! Overall, I actually liked this one quite a bit in the very beginning. However, the interesting spicy, peachy notes were so fleeting and the woodiness was so linear and boring thereafter. It was utterly gone in about an hour. (I was shocked to read that jujy found this to be rosy! I wish I could smell the rose… or any other flowers for that matter! Lol)

Rêve de Weil: After being blown away by the initial alcohol blast, the fragrance became a very synthetic grapefruit/pineapple. It turned watery, and vaguely melon like, still very synthetic. The citrus remained, but it was green and tart, and not in a pleasing way. After about 10 minutes, the only thing I could think was “YUK!” I was very uninterested in the fragrance at that point, but I continued and tried to be more qualitative instead of scrubbing. The scent faded a bit (thankfully) and became a bit more floral, but it was still so synthetic, it reminded me of a cheap air freshener. After some time, perhaps 30-40 minutes, it settled and just smelled like something that should be called “fakeberry” and used in an overpriced, poor quality hand soap from one of the mall stores. The drydown had something musty, but it smelled off, not interesting. Overall, the perfume was so synthetic and the notes so cacophonous, that it comes across as a cheap, generic dime store body spray at best. (Again, shocked to compare notes from the other thread! Did not smell at all like Champs Elysées to me! I love a nice lilac... maybe their lilac was what smelled like air freshener to me?)

I hope I don't sound too negative or dismissive! I don't think these were very popular so far with anyone else either!

Here are impressions on a few more:

Secret de Venus (newer) This scent came across as very fruity, sweet, and caramelized at first. It had some spicy notes, and some nondescript florals, perhaps with rose and jasmine. It had a peachy note, but it was rather fake, and more akin to an air freshener than a good perfume. It actually grew fruitier, but also mellowed so the fakeness was not overwhelming. There was a white flower note, like gardenia or something heavy and sweet. After about 20 minutes, it had a bit of resin, plus amber and musk. After about 30 minutes, it became much more pleasant than the beginning, and was a sweet, fruity vanilla mush with amber and a little earthiness of patchouli. The drydown was the best part, but it was still not very compelling. This has had the longest lasting power of all of the more recent creations that I have tried thus far.


Padisha: Upon application, this perfume created a little bubble of lovely bourbon vanilla and spice. It had a bit of sweet tobacco or coumarin for a few seconds, and then reminded me of Habanita’s drydown for a very short time. There was a slight coolness, such as with menthol plus a lot of sweet amber. It remained fairly simple after about 15 minutes. It was basically just a sweet, vanillic amber. The drydown became a little more powdery. I enjoyed it quite a bit although it was simple. All throughout my testing, it reminded me of something, A LOT, and I could not place it. I liked Padisha enough to entertain looking for a bottle on evilbay, until I realized that it was so very similar to a chunk of solid vanilla amber resin that I bought at a hippie shop near the beach. I still have that resin chunk, and it lasts a long time on skin, so I think that is all I shall need if I crave a sweet, pleasant, 60’s style amber.

Bambou: This sample may have turned a little bit, as I sensed a whiff of varnish in the beginning. It was just the tiniest bit, but I wonder if it has lost some of the notes too. It was still very enjoyable, as a light, green floral. It had a mild white flower opening, with perhaps jasmine, gardenia and tuberose. In some ways, it reminded me of a very light White Shoulders. It was not overly floral however, with a nice bit of galbanum or some soapy musk perhaps. There was a touch of spiciness with the florals. At some point there was also a bit of bad chemical odor, reminding me of permanent solution for hair. The drydown was a faint but nice soapy, clean galbanum.

Chunga: It is an old style, aldehydic floral with some spice, and maybe some leather. It had a nice warmth provided by vanilla and sweetness from peach or other stone fruit. After about 10-15 minutes, it became more soapy and a little bit green or earthy, perhaps from vetiver. It had a bit more of an herbal feel, though I could not identify specific herbs. The drydown was enjoyable and old school, however it was very, very light. Chunga immediately smelled like it would fit nicely in my wardrobe… I definitely agree with the comparisons to Miss Dior and My Sin, however, I wish it had the strength and longevity of both. There was little left after 2 hours and I went for a dip in the pool. I was so pleasantly surprised by the re-blooming of the scent when water hit it. This time, I caught a lovely herbal, chamomile-like note. I happen to have chamomile growing near the pool, so I even had the chance to do a quick comparison! Interestingly, I did read of chamomile in Antilope, so I wonder if that is one of the shared notes.

As a side note, I have always noticed that many scents disappear on my skin very quickly, and I tend to re-spray a lot especially with florals. I’m really not getting the floral notes in these, despite what notes online say!

A little envious that your skin preserves a bit the evanescent Chunga. Curious of how long it'll keep Antelope vintage.

cacio

Eh, really nothing to be green over... it was pretty light even with my wrist up to my nose! Maybe with a heavier hand it would be stronger, but I do wonder. The chamomile herb-y note was was the nicest surprise, though I wish it was apparent without pool water!


Anyway, so sorry for being a little slow with these! (No big surprise to my BN friends, I am sure! lol..) But really, life is being life again! I had a lot going on in the past week, both good and bad… then this weekend was totally consumed by an unexpected marathon of cleaning, cooking and entertaining for an impromptu party thrown for a visiting pal who materialized from across the globe. I really want to devote proper attention to the lovely rarities, Antilope and Zibeline, but I promise I will finish up shortly and send everything along very soon in another day or two. The Kipling sample arrived last Thursday or Friday, so that is included in the mix now as well! Thank you again, Jujy!

Weil de Weil
Very much like No. 19 EDT from the start. It opens green and boozy like only a vintage perfume can. I sensed a classic rose-jasmine combo with some buttery flower, perhaps ylang –ylang or some other exotic bloom with thick, waxy petals. The green, sharp galbanum is warmed by the flowers. It is beautiful, serene and garden like. The galbanum softens more with some powdery, sweet note, perhaps mimosa and amber. A tiny bit of leather and earth keeps it from being too pretty and provides some structure. The green wilts a bit more, and now reminds me very much of the leafy citrus scent of cut lemon balm in the sun. Sadly, the scent fades rather quickly from my skin. It remains a delicious soapy, green and the drydown is also a little spicy. The longevity (or lack thereof) was really disappointing; I got about an hour and a half from it, and after that it was very, very light. This may have also been due to a rather scant application; Jujy generously sent a very large sample, but I couldn’t bear to use a full, big spray from her bottle. It is a very beautiful creation, and the lack of longevity (and discontinuation, for those whose skin holds it better) would be particularly heartbreaking if it were not so similar to the more readily available and possibly longer lasting No. 19. It is really wonderful though and was a delight to test!

Antilope pour Elle (the new Aroli production) immediately seems like it will live life as a spicy floral. There is a bit of leather to give some interest, but mostly it is vaguely floral with some sweet spiciness, perhaps cinnamon and amber. It is inoffensive and pleasant enough, though the decent first impression is not long lasting. It quickly becomes synthetic and boring. There is something modern, cheap and common about it. The heart is a generic, slightly woody, clean floral. It gained a powdery note that was the only exciting development after the first minutes. At that point, it somehow made me think of Chantilly, although I have not smelled that perfume in a decade or more, and I’m sure my memory of it is mostly a figment of some sort. The drydown was very much like an innocuous, inexpensive men’s cologne or deodorant.

Thank you Jujy, for your generosity and encouragement! I will relish a good spray from the Weil de Weil and report back again. I am still wrapping up with the Zibelines, and writing up the older vintage Antilope samples. Thanks for the other link—I enjoyed reading it! I do sense the lotion-like element to differing degrees. The older Antilopes were definitely much more complex and interesting than the others so far, with the exception of the more recent 90’s EDC. Here is a bit on the latter, and I will post more in a bit.

Antilope EDC from the 90’s
This was not even in the same category as the older Antilopes. It was pleasant and enjoyable but I really did not see much connection. It opened with a bright, sweet floral. It did remind me of Ma Griffe a bit, which is really sweet on my skin. I suppose that is the link to the past! It was a soapy, lotion like scent, perhaps with the usual suspects of rose, jasmine, LOTV and maybe carnation. There was also a bright lemony note. It reminded me very much of the light drydown of Maitresse. A bit of green galbanum kept the scent from being too sweet or boring, but it was fairly subtle. After another 10 minutes, there was a caramelized odor, and the florals reminded me of L’Air du Temps a bit. The citrus and green galbanum continued and the scent remained very linear and just faded as time passed without much change or evolution. It was pleasant, but very simple. I did not sense any civet or leather. Overall , there was little weight, strength or longevity to this fragrance. Although it is an EDC, I still hoped for more.

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Anyway, I hope to mail out tomorrow! Thanks for being so patient! BTW, Jujy, I am going to wrap the vial caps with parafilm, that stretchy waxy tape, to help keep them tight. Would you like me to include some in the package for others to use as the samples travel around? The vial for one of them (maybe it was one from Civet Lady—I have to check again) already had a tiny bit of stain on the label from leaking perfume. I am concerned about them leaking, even a little bit, as that really adds up over time. I can also put them into little baggies in the box, as that may contain them more safely. What do you think?

Hi again! Just doing a quick post of my observations on the older Antilopes… I hope I fixed all of the typos!

The samples are out and on their merry way to Whitefluffy, and I added an envelope of parafilm cut to size for everything. There should be more than enough, and hopefully it will help with any small leakage issues and keep all of the caps tightly in place. Jujy, I have to add that the very pretty wrapping around the box is still intact and nearly perfect, thanks to Cacio’s careful handling. Everything about this pass is soooooo adorable! The box looked like a little treasure chest filled with vials, bottles and all of the cute minis. You really did a fantastic job on the presentation. I wish I took a picture to commemorate the cuteness!!!

I’ll finish writing up my observations on the Zibelines, vintage Secret de Venus and Kipling this weekend.

Antilope
EDT from 1950-1960’s
This very vintage perfume opens with distinctly old-timey, dense aldehydes and a touch of naphthalene. The floral notes include thick, creamy rose and indolic jasmine, and maybe some sweet orange blossom. I sense some LOTV and something green and sweet, like violet leaf. There is a light, fresh zing of citrus. However, after several minutes it becomes musty and dusty, like dried, leafy tobacco. The florals remain but become spicier, perhaps due to some clove or maybe carnation. The naphthalene is still apparent, but overall it is still sweetly floral and creamy. After 10-15 minutes, the civet shows up, and blends nicely with clean, soapy galbanum. The florals smell more indolic, and there is also a woodiness, perhaps sandalwood. After 20-30 minutes, “Oma” pops into my head and I am a child again! It is so similar to the traces of her lingering perfume- like a soft leather glove infused with an ambery, spicy, civet laden perfume, with some bright floral aldehydes peeping out like sun in the dappled shade of the woods, radiant above a bit of earthy mustiness. At 40 minutes, there is a smoky, resinous note, like charred conifer wood. There are some herbal notes as well, which actually become more noticeable as time passes and it moves into the drydown. It takes on an anise like note, along with some powdery almond vanilla, perhaps of heliotrope. The herbal smell becomes cool, dry and a little bitter, like sage and artemisia. A bit of civet remains in the end. It was very faint after an hour and a half or two, and in desperation, I misted my wrist with a fine spray of water to see if it would re-bloom for me. It successfully forced a secondary bloom, and the perfume revealed a beautiful, creamy but spicy civet. I felt strangely jubilant, as if suddenly graced by an exotic hothouse flower! This extra bloom lasted about another 45 minutes or so, though it was very light and my wrist had to be right under my nose to smell it. This perfume was really beautiful, and I loved that it transported me to my grandmother’s home. (I now wonder if she wore this!) Despite the grandmother association for me, it was an undeniably lush perfume, full of sensual charm. It lasted maybe 2.5-3 hours including my water misting experiment, and was very, very light in the end. I wish it lasted longer and evolved slower on my skin so I could have enjoyed it more.

Antilope
PDT from 70-80’s
This opened much lighter in feel than the older EDT. It was more floral and the aldehydes had more sparkle. It had a floral mixture of carnation or spicy rose, with LOTV or some waxy white flower. The aldehydes also had a bit of a fizzy, nostril curling effect. The feel was a bit more chemical, though not unpleasant at all. The leather was a sweeter, fruitier version than the older EDT. It had an almost plummy feel. The brighter florals continued for another 10 minutes or so, and some indolic jasmine and sweet orange flower met with the soapy galbanum. Sometime later, the soapy feel of the galbanum was oddly offset by a cheesy and indolic fecal note, which may have been a funky civet that was rather different from that of the older version. After about 20-30 minutes, an interesting cola like or herbal note became apparent. It had a cool feel as well, and perhaps had some of the anise or tarragon that Jujy sensed. This was still juxtaposed against a gamey, cheesy scent. After about 45 minutes, it became sweeter and perhaps had some amber and more waxy, oily floral, like gardenia. At this point, it did remind me of Ma Griffe a bit. The sweetness subsided and a hint of naphthalene popped up and there was also a dry herbal element. The herbs were dusty, again like grey leaved salvias or other Mediterranean herbs. I sensed something salty as well, like seaweed, but it may have been my own salt, as it has been hot here, and I do eat a lot of seaweed! Lol! There was also a clearer civet note. The civet finally smelled more like the variety in the older version and in other vintage perfumes, having lost the cheesy overtones. As it faded and was consumed by my seemingly greedy skin, I did the water spray trick again, and was greeted by a lovely lotion like scent! It was sweeter, with plump roses and maybe LOTV, and had a warm sweet base of musk and maybe amber.

It was a really yummy aroma, and I wished it was stronger and longer lasting at this stage. This was really delicious and I felt sad that my skin would not maintain such beauty and apparently burned through it. I hope it is at least partly the weather, as I am starting to wonder if my skin seriously eats things!!!! Anyway, I can absolutely understand the adoration and addiction! I could sniff this for hours and be happy!

I will be delighted!!!

Howdy, again! Well, what can I say? I got sick of my own blathering, and I still haven’t tackled the Zibeline write ups yet! I will get to them soon. They were delightful, although I was allergic to them! Lol… More on that later. Here are my observations on Kipling, and Secret de Venus vintage perfume from Civet Lady, plus part II of Weil de Weil. ( I know, as if I don't go on and on already!) lol!


Kipling Cologne
This one was so immediately familiar. It opened with a citrusy-bergamot and dry herbal accord. Although I could not identify individual herbs, it had the same cool, dry Weil feel, so perhaps it was a mixture of sage and artemisia, as in Antilope. It also seemed to have some vetiver, leather and earthy patchouli after about five minutes. In another ten minutes or so, the leather became stronger and the citrus was light but sweetened, like a candied rind for baking. The green earthiness led to a more woody scent. The woodiness increased over time and became a very clear cedarwood note. I realized it was familiar because it reminded me very much of Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur, if perhaps less woody. The patchouli continued as a lovely earthy base and there were additional notes that I could not identify, but made me think of the iris in Dior Homme and something vanillic, though I doubt it was iris or vanilla. After about 20 minutes, it was a warm spicy woody fragrance. The patchouli grounded the woods, spicy clove and cinnamon notes and the vanillic something warmed it up a bit. It was pleasant and smelled good throughout, but I would think the readily available and dirt cheap Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur would be a fine substitute if someone really liked the scent. I always try to sniff blind for less bias and more educational benefit, but I like to check notes that are listed online afterwards. A quick comparison of the two shows:

Kipling: Launched in 1986.
Top notes of bergamot, lemon, lavender, artemisia, juniper
Middle notes of carnation, basil, pine, jasmine, geranium
Base notes of cedarwood, musk, leather, patchouli and moss.

Then I checked the notes for Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur and found this:

Launched in 1972.
Top notes of bergamot, lemon, orange, lavender, basil
Middle notes of carnation, leather, sandalwood, patchouli , orris, geranium
Base notes of tonka bean, amber, benzoin, oakmoss and vanilla.

No wonder they smelled similar to me! They are like long lost brothers and the family resemblance shows in the notes. Although, I guess a lot of men’s colognes would share these notes!



Secret de Venus Vintage Perfume
This perfume initially opens with an aldehyde rush and bright citrusy bergamot. As it settles the florals become stronger. It seems like the favored Weil blend of rose, jasmine, LOTV and perhaps carnation plus some fresh, green flowers. The “carnation” may actually be clove layering into the rose , but it has a nice spicy, floral effect whatever it is. There seems to be something vanillic, plus some delicious leather of the fruity, plush sweet variety. As time passes, the scent develops a creamy, lotion effect, while retaining the soapy, fresh green floral elements. Perhaps there is also some honeysuckle or lily. It is all very well blended and I am not good at deciphering these smooth, seamless scents. After 20 minutes or so on my skin, it grows a bit herbal, and dry. There is a spicy element, as well as sweet, hay-like coumarin. The herbs could be sage, lavender and artemisia, some of my favorite scents, particularly when mixed together and growing in a garden throwing the scent of the whole bush into the air—dry leaves, wood, and new growth all together. As the scent quickly moves into a drydown stage on me, it becomes more masculine and has a woody, vetiver feel. Overall, this did not last very long, maybe an hour and a half.


Addendum to Weil de Weil, after second wearing of a full spray:

It definitely had a much bigger, boozier feel in the opening. It had a more noticeable lemony-citrus aspect, whereas before, that was only apparent to me as a lemonbalm aroma, or a citrusy, green herbal accord. The creamy, thick, balmy aspect was also more amplified and it was rosier. Although I enjoyed it a great deal the first time, this was possibly more delicious, as it was richer. This time around, I do sense more warmth than in No. 19, though I absolutely do not agree with or relate to the cold, cruel associations some draw from No. 19. I think of “warmer” as in perhaps more Mediterranean plant aromas, as opposed to plants from temperate climes! I don’t know if that even makes sense, but given my penchant for plants, that is what my brain comes up with. Lol! I do love how our experience of perfumes is so subjective, so I hope no one takes offense to my personal characterizations or differences in opinion, say with No. 19. I am always so pleased to read about all of the variations in experience and opinion.

Oh, CN, I knew I loved you for a good reason!!! Thank you so much for defending N 19. I get so frazzled when someone calls it cold and cruel, if I could only corner these people in some dark corner!!! I am usually not that violent, but it truly, truly bothers me!

N 19 is so soulful, melancholic, and romantic, how anyone can call it cold and cruel?

My deepest apologies to Jujy, for my side rant not related to Weils.

Yes, exactly! It reminds me of a wonderful late afternoon in a garden, with sun warmed blooms, herbs and some cool, mossy earthiness rising from the soil. Glorious. And the iris in the EDP is practically edible, it is so good. Anyway, IMHO, I find No. 19 is totally related to Weil de Weil, like they share familial blood somewhere. I really look forward to your impressions on Weil de Weil!

I can't wait for Weil de Weil and I will make side by side comparison. I don't have EDP anymore, though I wore it for years. I have vintage extrait and I think it has more Iris than EDP. It also smoother, quieter, and more refined, but the impact it creates is much deeper.

Oh, I should have done a side-by-side! What was I thinking???? (answer: I wasn't, that's the problem! lol!) Your vintage extrait sounds amazing! I have only recently been able to identify and distinguish irises-- what a lovely aroma!


You are such a sweetheart, Jujy!!! Thank you for being so supportive! I always appreciate that you wade through my walls of text, lol! I saw your chord/accord progression thread-- that was great and thought provoking! I'll have to find that one again, I had some fumey ideas too! As for this particular set of three you mention: I *do* sense similarities between My Sin (I have the same version) and Antilope. The older vintage Antilope definitely had that same characteristic, old civet and herbal mustiness underlying the florals. I agree that My Sin is more civet-y. However, I also felt that the "newer" vintage Antilope shared that Ma Griffe- gardenia and waxy floral scent with My Sin. Unfortunately, I only have the new version of Magie Noir, and it is really just aldehydes and woody spiciness on me. I don't get much relation to the older versions. In fact, MN can take on a bit of an insecticide note sometimes, so I have to be in a mood to wear it!

Oh, and yes, by naphthalene, I mean mothball! I got it strongly in the older Antilope.

I tested My Sin, and Magie Noire, these past two nights [ MS last night, and MN the night before] and I definitely right off the bat get the relationship to Antilope, though Magie Noire seems to have more sweetness, and a honeyed feeling at parts, Magie Noire is like Antilope's seductive older sister. My Sin is interesting, but I think it's REALLY close to Antilope that it's hard to tell them apart side by side.

This is just a quick one to let everyone know that I got the package and everything arrived safely. Except that I think in my eagerness I broke of side piece of the wooden lid . I will do my best to glue it back together. I don't think I will be testing tonight as my brain already scrambled with the beginning of new semester and my nose overwhelmed by Coze from this morning and Rose 31 from this afternoon. Thank you so much, Jujy for this wonderful treasures, I can't wait to start! Here are the pictures:

Good Morning! Definitely feel better and ready for some good sniffing. I forgot to thank Civet Lady for her generous contributions, how rude of me. Thank you so much!!! As anyone could have guessed from my earlier rant I went straight to Weil de Weil and side by side comparison with Chanel 19.

Weil de Weil – There are similarities between the too, but not too much. I think the similarities are mostly attributed to the green sharpness of galbanum; and I agree with CN that Weil de Weil come across warmer than Chanel 19. It does feel sunnier, happier, less melancholic than N 19, and I can definitely relate to “smell of swamp in Paradise.” Maybe, it is due to presence of citrus and herbs in Weil de Weil? On the dry down I picked up bitter honey; if nothing else, I believe Weil de Weil shares more familial blood with vintage Cristalle EDT than vintage Chanel 19 EDP or parfum. Now I had both for an hour on my skin they are very little alike: Weil de Weil is a leisurely evening in a Mediterranean (again, agree with CN); the air is infused with flowers, herbs and heat radiating from stone terrace. Chanel 19 – is a chilly, foggy morning in countryside, the meadows are covered with wildflowers and dew. Someone threw a rose bouquet on a road and it got crushed on a cold wet stones…

Thank you, Jujy, you are too kind. But I do like myself a smell of "wet stones" . All my loves have it including Iris Pallida.

I must say that I like Weil de Weil more and more, I am very impressed with elegance and quality. Will definitely go on my Ebay search and watch list. I hope I won't be bidding against cacio one of these days

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Secret de Venus – Jujy’s mini from 90s. Me likey very much! It’s a bit sweet, but not overwhelmingly so. I do get Gucci Accenti like vibe – floral fruity, slightly chypre. I think there is peach in there and as CN I am picking up white flowers. But to my nose it smells like orange blossom with a bit of jasmine sprinkled in. It wasn’t very strong on me either and disappeared before Weil de Weil which is still detectable after 6 hours. Secret de Venus is not super sophisticated, but it is very approachable and fun. Despite being on a flirty side it still retains class. I would wear something like this.

Secret of Venus Perfume Vintage. Oh my goodness, this stuff is potent! I just used tiny, tiny little dab and I can feel the cooling camphor like sensation on my whole arm. Very spicy, dark, and cool – cinnamon, clove definitely. It does smell very old school, and invokes some of the smells I remember from my childhood. But I can’t honestly imagine wearing something like this as it reminds me vaguely of the medicine cabinet. Not necessarily very sexy - comforting, but not attractive. Also, it disappeared rather rapidly from the skin.

Secret of Venus – Zibeline – Vintage Bath Oil – I like this one better. There are still spices there, but its wears more like a perfume on me. Please forgive my ignorance, I have never used bath oil before, is it supposed to sit on a skin as a parfum? It has some of the similar spices to SdV vintage perfume, but much more seductive. All I can think of is apple-cinnamon pie, but with some skin scent thrown in, it’s quite enticing actually. If it wasn’t so super rare I wouldn’t mind to own a little bit of this.

Padisha – so far my favorite from the bunch: it has very well done flower-vanilla blend where they complement each other; I also sense just a bit of incense. It lasts, but does not project very well. It’s beautiful and sexy. I think there is similarity in the base between Padisha and Secret de Venus mini, though Padisha is more grown up.

Jujy, I definitely agree about similarities in the base and 'sexy lady' associations for Padisha. However, it didn't make me think of cookies.

Bambou - mossy, green, slightly aldehydic. I also sense some flowers and musk. It is pretty, bit old fashioned in a good, very feminine way.

Chunga - very tricky on me. Opens with nose tickling aldehydes, then settles in mossy drydown. It is chypre-ish and reminiscent of Vol de Nuit. The strangest thing about Chunga is that I get very brief (about 5 minutes), but distinctive sweet amber stage. I thought I imagined it and reapplied Chunga again next day - still got 5 min leather/amber stage. Chunga also doesn't last on me very long: I can relate to cacio's pains.

Zibeline vintage - definitely very animalic. On my skin all I get is fur and incense, nothing else. I think if I wanted to scent my firs (not that I have any, I used to) I would prefer to do it with Shalimar or vintage Chanel N 5. But Zibeline is a beautiful thing.

Interesting tidbit of information - Zibeline is for sable. I believe most of us spending much time on Basenotes will start to understand more and more French. It happened to me the other day when I saw a name of the song and knew exactly what it meant.

I really liked Zibeline and can see how it would be made by someone familiar with furs. There was one company I worked for long time ago, and they had quite a few fur coats for sale, including sable. Zibeline definitely makes sense! What a fascinating experience, thank you for sharing!

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Today I am trying all modern samples.

Zibeline – it struck me as something they tried to keep in the 90’s style of Secret de Venus and Padisha. It’s a white floral with cheap gardenia/tuberose note reminiscent of Giorgio Beverly Hills. Not impressed.

Reve – all I could smell and think of in the beginning is a bubblegum: cheap, girly, immature. Very fleeting too.

Antilope – I agree with spicy floral with some animalics description given by CN. I really am lucky to go after her as I have now very impressive cheat sheet . I thought it was the most interesting and noteworthy from the modern collection and I can’t wait to try vintage Antilopes.

Secret – spicy, woodsy and incense-y. It made me think of CDG’s Kyoto, though not as well executed.

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Zibeline - vintage parfum. Mmmm...Furrrr, makes me want to purrrr...One word - Magnificent! There are similarities with Jujy's vintage Zibeline PdT but perfume is richer, softer, more seductive.

I see a woman in a black fur coat, under which is curve hugging dress made from pale gold brocade. She is laughing incessantly, flushing perfect teeth and just as perfect diamonds. The glass of champagne is effervescing festively in her hand while her sight passes swiftly over plate of caviar and fixes on her next unsuspecting victim. Her current date fails to notice any other woman in the room, and feels hopelessly undeserving of her luminous presence.

Many thanks to Civet Lady for sharing this treasure! Unforgettable, irreplaceable, truly special.

I think it's a wonderful idea! I am not sure if there was a thread done before, but with so many perfumes and so many great stories, it is doubtful that all were covered.

Oh, I would love to hear how these do when used as they were intended!!!! That is a whole 'nother dimension!


This is a perfect description!!!! I can see it exactly. I love how you put such great images to scents! It is magical. And I love the smell of wet stones, too!


Yes! Great idea-- so creative! And I can't wait to read more of WF's descriptions there!

I had started up a BN blog a little while ago with the intention of informally playing around with all things books+perfume but kind of let it go. Jujy and Whitfluffy and everyone's enthusiasm inspired me to start the blog back up here. Someone starting a thread for keeping a running list would be great fun though. Should it be in off-topic, general talk, women's or ... where?

As for trying the perfumes on furs, I hope I don't offend anyone anti-fur, as I too would not buy new fur, but being in the vintage fashion biz on the side, I have several vintage furs for reference that I don't wear. Once the Weils come my way, I'll try them out on fur, just as Jujy plans to do.

Today Antilopes: I can see now why Jujy would treasure them so much.

Antilope Vintage EdT 50s. Gorgeous...just gorgeous. It's an animalic, slightly aldehydic floral. It has the same smooth, luxurious, seductive animalic note that reminds me both of vintage Chanel N 5 extrait from the 40s and modern Une Fleur de Cassie by Frederic Malle. I will be looking out for this one on Ebay and will fight tooth and nail for it. Mr. WF came home for lunch and asked me what it was, he liked it quite a bit. He despises Chanel N 5, maybe because it's so heavy on aldehydes, but Antilope doesn't possess that powerful aldehydic bite and I love it. I have a feeling that PerfumedLady will take kindly to this one.

It makes me think of light passing through brandy in the intricately cut crystal glass, a hug from dressed up and glowing with quiet happiness mom, snow falling silently from the night sky, and if for the moment, all is right with the world...

Antilope Vintage PdT 70s - it still a relation to previous Antilope but it reminded me more of Zibeline and that distinctive fur smell, though much more transparent. Also a beaut, but not very long lived one. I wish I knew how it would be when sprayed generously...

Antilope EDC 2006 For something so modern it still holds on to its classic roots. It is a bit soapy and powdery but much better than many of the creations released in the same year. Definitely would take this over Britney Spears or Jessica Simpson. I would also agree with L'Air du Temps associations.

Kipling - beautiful masculine. Old school: green and bitter, herbal and dry, leathery and cold. One word: classic. I was really taken with it and would have to check out Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur. But Kipling is so sophisticated and complex, it brought on some truly powerful emotional associations for me which I am not sure I quite ready to share. I think it's another one I would have to hunt down on Ebay...

- - - Updated - - -

I think I went through all of them and it will take me some time to make sure that everything is packed securely. My deepest gratitude to Jujy who put this pass together and Civet Lady for also sharing her vintage treasures. I was truly honored to be part of the Weil pass, what incredible heritage! And Jujy, I can assure you, you are not vintage snob. After seeing/smelling the timeline it really hits home of what is going on with the world of modern perfumery. It is truly, heartbreakingly sad...Thank goodness there are niche houses that are trying to bring some of the glory back and great hoses like Chanel and Guerlain trying so hard to hold on to their own heritage...We can only hope that true greatness will persevere.

Yes, great job, Whitefluffy! You really get to the feeling of a scent, which you know I love. In fact your posts combined with the excellent impressions of cacio and cn now have me terrified to go next! You all have provided me with some wonderful reading.

WOW!!

Beautiful description White Fluffy! I must be an old soul, or maybe just OLD LOL!
But I really could wear Vintage Zibeline EVERYDAY & not tire of it.
Yes, there is a little camphor in the top notes, but they fade quickly & I am left with a long beautiful middle/dry down of subtle sweetness & not so subtle spicey herbal like sable.
Now I will think of the Great Gatsby when I wear these scents.

Wow, thank you everyone for your kind words, it means a lot! I was truly scared and worried that Jujy and Civet Lady wasted their vintage treasures on me. I just put the package in the mail, sorry it took me so long. It took me a while to figure out how to use parafin strips and one of the requirements was to apply warm hands. Mine are so cold that my husband asks me to hold his beer to cool it down, so it was a bit problematic...

I am looking forward to PerfumedLady's elegant and thoughtful writing and her impressions. Zibelines and Antilopes really did blow me away, very curious to see what PerfumedLady thinks about them.

quick check in

First & foremost- gee Whitefluffy! How you can turn a phrase, dear lady! Are you a writer IRL??? Just fantastic descriptions.

Second: I recently succumbed to a bottle of Antilope EDT (I believe it is the non-respected version) Great scent- dry as desert dust- just so faint on me. Dang now, I'll need to find one of those rare vintages.

Third: Weil Eau de Fraicheur- NO NO and again NO. Intense lemon cleaning solution. I have been using my bottle to deodorize my shoes.

Thank you so much for your kind words, knit at nite, I am thoroughly blushing. No, no relation to literary world, only cold business one...hence infatuation with Chanel N 19 .

The box is here! This is so lovely; you really know how to do it up, jujy! Was glad to see the bird again; am a huge fan of his bass playing!

CivetLady, thank you for your wonderful contributions! I'm super excited and will begin today!

Jujy, one side of the lid on your box has broken off, I suppose during shipping. I think it may hot glue back together well; will attempt a repair if you'd like.

Back soon, assuming I don't get lost under all these decants and bottles!


EDIT
Have emptied out the box, just a bit more damage to report: Padisha has leaked badly, don't know how full it was but we do still have half the mini left. Think I will wrap that sucker tight with bandage tape when I ship, maybe a bit more force is needed with that cap.

Also, the delicate little heart has broken off the Secret de Venus mini; I'm sorry, I don't know a good way to repair this.

Oh, no! I feel so horrible! I thought I glued the side of the lid well, guess not. Padisha was a tricky one, the cap had issues. I thought I put enough parafilm on it, guess not... I apologize!!! If there is something I can do to redeem myself?

Whitefluffy, you need no redeeming, you did nothing wrong! I'm sorry, I should have made clear that Padisha leaked in spite of your secure parafilm. Believe it or not, that parafilm was still clinging tightly to the cap, in spite of the moisture. Jujy is right, the cap is the problem. Yes, I can decant this, no problem!

Yes, I can smell MP quite distinctly! The ambience of our beautiful box is intact, Padisha's baggie caught most of the liquid. Quite happily, too-have been looking forward to sniffing this box!

OMG! How I wish this could arrive at me!

Alvus. Where are you in the world? I have three Weils, Antelope, Weil and Zibeline in the fawn bottles with the writing on, plus a few Antelope minis and a Zibeline parfum de toilette in the grey and white box with the gold wreath. I could make a mini package up if you like.



Unless you guys feel this would make a muddle of course. Any thoughts of the age of these?

We often have posts from sniffers outside the "official" sampling group, mumsy, I don't think it would confuse things at all! That's so kind of you. Don' t worry Alvus, we'll get you in on a pass someday soon, I'm sure!

Been having a great time so far! Was talking with Whitefluffy yesterday about how I can't imagine what to say about these after the absolutely stellar posts from you first three sniffers. Now I'm just excited to talk about them, whether I add much or not!

Chunga- really like this and see why cacio did, too. Too bad that wonderful, balsamic citrus and floral blend can't stick around longer, though it did last a good 30-40 minutes on me before heading into the drydown of sweet, resinous amber and tonka. Drydown is long lasting for me and enjoyable in its own right. But I love me some oily florals and these were such a fantastic blend that it was truly sad to see them go!

Bambou- an apple orchard on a damp but sunny and crisp autumn day. Started off liking it, by the time I had to shower, I was loving it. The apple note mimics perfectly the arrival of fall- starts off crunchy and full of juice then deepens and ripens, becoming spicier. Interestingly maintains a watery (but not typically "aquatic") aspect throughout. Well-behaved white florals, l-o-v, ylang and jasmine. Chyprish drydown leaning more woody than mossy on me. A great green for anytime of year but I really love it for autumn.

This one also recalled for me a conversation I had with our Mr. cacio about the early pioneer ancestors of the modern day fruity florals. Ivoire with its raspberry note, Nahema's peachy rose and one he introduced me to- King Kong de Kenzo. Most hilarious use of a banana note possible! Bambou, with its green apple, fits right into this group, I think.

Secret de Venus (modern, from the mini)- nope, can't add anything here. Indistinguishable fruits and flowers over an equally indistinct sweet base. Yes, indeed, a typical modern floral fruity! Still, can think of far worse in this category.

Moving along to vintage SdV- see you soon!

perfumedlady:

good point about early fruity florals - now that you point out, I can see the similarities. We're talking about perfumes with a solid, traditional structure overlaid with well done fruity notes. Not the berry syrups poured over peonies and freesias we smell today.

cacio

Truly poetic, I could definitely see it! I thought that you might like Bambou

Lol, even bold-faced type won't allow me to emphasize this enough! These early fruities were groundbreaking in their day- now, whether or not one likes the way that ground has been developed is another matter!

Thank you jujy and Whitefluffy! You were right again, W., I do like Bambou very much! Whitefluffy and I are very accurate at guessing one another's thoughts on perfumes. She even realized that she does in fact like Shalimar, after I insisted it seemed so right for her!

Secret de Venus (Vintage)- And sometimes Whitefluffy and I think nearly the same, like with this one. Agree it's all camphor and clove for a good part of its life on skin. Very well blended spices and florals. Yes, could call to mind a medicine cabinet or spice rack, as orientals sometimes do. But then the twist- rather than a sweet (vanilla) or resinous (amber) drydown, it goes in a very animalic direction. Warm kitty fur! The drydown reminded me of one departed pet specifically, he always had a slightly sweet but clean scent. A bit like condensed milk. This was a pleasure to sample and that plush, realistically animal drydown was a wonderful surprise!

Kipling- a really nice masculine, though far woodier than I like to sniff on a man. But this one is elegant. I do love the herbs; lavender and artemisia in particular. Good carnation note. This was not terribly leathery for me. If it did lean heavier on leather rather than woods, this would be a love.

I'm in Padisha today, half of which is now housed in a 2 ml atomizer, the other half is contained in two 1ml vials. Turns out I had only one of those 2ml jobbies left, hence the additional vials. Will label all clearly and package them together to avoid confusion. Back soon with more ramblings!

PerfumedLady, I am so glad that you insisted with Shalimar, I would definitely be missing out big time! I wear it every other evening rotating it with Cuir. I am looking forward to see what you will think about vintage Antilope EdT (50s).

That's so funny, Whitefluffy! Those are two of my favorites for evening lately, too! Well, Shalimar always is part of that rotation, so comforting at bedtime.

Wow, jujy, I am impressed again by one of your loves! I see why these vintage Antilopes are go-tos for you. To me, a perfect floral aldehyde is one that is easy to wear, appropriate for any occasion or season and keeps me intrigued throughout its development. Very tall order, I know- but the older Antilopes deliver. They were as immediately comfortable to me as my own good old No.5.

Antilope EDT (1950's/60's)- my favorite formulation. Languid in development, I get hours of sparkle and balsamic rosy jasmine. Something a bit more herbal green here to my nose in comparison to 70's sample. Civet turns this drydown to cashmere, with the ambery florals still lilting about. Like the description of this type of drydown as "lotion-y", seems the best fitting word to me. It has a delicate nature that recalls the Johnson's baby lotion in the pink bottle (wonder if it still smells as good?), which probably did get its scent inspiration from fragrances like this and No.5. This is one of my favorite types of drydowns, too. Mr.PL loves this type of scent on me, one thing we agree on when it comes to fragrance. This could easily be part of my permanent rotation.

Antilope PDT (1970's)- still good but the thinning out was beginning to show. Even though the EDT is 20 years older and the parfum de toilette (a precursor to modern EDP) is a "stronger" concentration, this is far more fleeting on me. Not nearly as aldehydic as the earlier sample. Same spiced tea florals and warm, soft drydown; just not as long lasting or rounded in composition. Still beautiful. These two make me mourn not only what's been done to animalics but to florals like jasmine. I can live with the replacements for animalic notes if it prevents animal cruelty. But modern aromachemicals do a very poor job imitating jasmine IMO. There's just nothing like real jasmine.

Antilope pour Elle (EDP)- should have just called it something else. Not bad at all but this is much further into green floral chypre territory than the the original ambery floral aldehyde. Top and heart notes are a bit muddy, not much lift. Drydown is rather impressive, though- like lying on a feather bed in the middle of an aged forest, similar in feel to the drydown of Goutal's Heure Exquise.

Antilope EDC (2006)- didn't like and bears no relation to the original at all to my nose. Really just a synthetic woody rosy thing. Sad compared to the first two.

Secret de Weil- fruity floral again but would have liked this one if the quality was better. There is a nice juicy peach here- a more realistic peach than some of the niche offerings I've tried. Peppery spices and rose keep it from becoming a cobbler. But the whole thing is just ruined by the drydown of horribly synthetic woods.

Padisha- great, loud, spicy oriental vanilla that could have been a blockbuster in the 80's, if only it were more well-known. Very heavy on clove and other " pumpkin pie" spices, on top of sweet amber and vanilla. A simple idea that's easy to love. Makes me think of Christmas time especially. To wear while dressed as naughty Mrs. Santa and baking gingerbread. A really fun oriental!

Whew! And to think I've only just made a dent in this box! See you all again soon!

Yes, I'd bet a nostril there's sandalwood in Antilope. While the florals are quite similar to No. 5, I was actually thinking even more of vintage No.22 during the drydown, which is very heavy on incense-y sandalwood. What a grand trio, real civet, amber and sandalwood! Think maybe a bit of vetiver there in Antilope, too.

Just couldn't get away from your idea of Padisha as a sexy lady; that vibe is very definite to me! But you know, the same aunt has always made the snickerdoodles in my family and hers don't approach Padisha's spiciness. Maybe she makes a bland snickerdoodle!

Oh, you are too gloating- watch out, I only live about 4 hrs. from you! I know you don't want to tempt the perfume bandit. Seriously, you should be proud. After sampling more of your wardrobe than I should be allowed, I see that what you have is not just a bunch of gems- but a collection of carefully selected crown jewels. The Antilope EDT is truly stunning, feel so lucky to have tried it.

A few more:

Finished with the modern Aroli fruities; that I'm done is the nicest thing about them.
Reve de Weil- oh, I think it's trying to be a light, citrusy floral over amber but it's so watery and thin I'm honestly not sure. Faded quickly, a very pale fragrance.

Zibeline de Weil- the best of the moderns, I think. Still not saying much but at least it has some spicy kick.

Weil de Weil- well now, here we go! Dark, damp and so, so bitter! Very green all through its life on skin. Agree it's a bit like No.19 on opening due to galbanum but apart from that, I don't really find much in common with any of the Chanel greens. Made me think of so many greens I've worn but really a very individual swamp creature. I can't think of any that are smell-alikes to this, yet it was like Antilope, so familiar to me. Narcissus is true and clear and sticks around for the leathery, mossy drydown. Just blown away by these daffodils! Is civet here, too? Seems to have that natural, warm skin feel I associate with civet. A bit of that (again) soft cashmere. Belongs on my mental list of all-time great greenies.

Only have the Zibelines left! Looking like these will be on their way to Civetlady on Thursday.

EDIT: Meant to tell you, jujy that I think you'll find more than enough takers if you decide to pass around the Myurgia Maderas de Oriente. I think a LOT of BNers would love to try a rare and natural sandalwood. I'm sure you've seen it's an often lamented ingredient here!