Yendi (1974)
by Roberto Capucci

To my nose another of the non-scents.

It has a musty herbal opening, reminiscent of decaying flowers, then nothing.

None of Barbara Herman's reactions fit here: "Fizzy citrus, bright florals, musky dry down."

So light and inconsequential, it evaporates as you are trying to smell it.

Genre: Green

I liked Yendi right from the start, but every time I put it on I got this nagging feeling I’d smelled its fruity-green floral accord somewhere before. On the third or fourth wearing it finally hit me: it smells an awful lot like Globe, an extinct masculine that Jean-Claude Elléna did for Rochas in the 1990s. I sampled the two side-by-side to check my sanity, and am happy to report that it’s not just my imagination. In its top notes and much of its heart Yendi is very close to Globe indeed! The two share a brilliantly balanced palette of sweetened green floral notes, bergamot, berries, and soft woods that paints a glowing spring landscape for the nostrils. While Globe sets its green floral accord over a fougère foundation, Yendi rests on a brisk, powdery floral chypre underpinning. The result is a happy green floral fragrance with all of the sophistication of Cristalle or Chanel No. 19, but none of the chilly hauteur.

Yendi’s sillage and projection are both generous, an its lasting power is more than adequate. There are no seams, lumps, or rough spots anywhere in Yendi’s progression. Instead, it has a natural, inevitable quality about it I’ve found only among the most balanced and well-blended of fragrances. Were it offered today as a niche scent or part of an “exclusive” designer line, I’d wager Yendi would win converts among perfume lovers, but in 1974 it was perhaps not merely prescient, but ahead of its time. Eminently worth seeking out.

Laquer!! Yendi is laquer in a bottle! And that's what makes it different from the others green floral of this N 19 Chanel era. For all fragrances fans, the experience is worth a try.

To me, Yendi is a better, more subtle and refined version of Estée by Estee Lauder. I see it as a typical fragrance of the 70's. I miss it...

Love at first sniff! This is the softest, warmest green fragrance that I can imagine. The florals seem fresh, buoyed by a touch of citrus & peach. The florals seem new, blended with honey & amber. The sandalwood is beautiful, more beautiful than that of the current Chanels. This perfume qualifies as a chypre, with it's bergamot beginning and it's oakmoss finish, but it is as soft as old flannel. It wears close to the skin and it is perfect for any season or any occasion. Thank you once again, Basenoters. I would never have tried this one without your comments. It is a beauty and it is very special.