Perfume Calligraphy Saffron

This fragrance is absolutely outstanding! I had just managed to track it down and was actually looking to test the popular Rose one in this calligraphy range but somebody had broken the tester bottle the day before, according to the SA. So I thought I'd try the saffron considering it's one of my favourite notes and I had recently revisited Jo Malone's saffron which is very good. Calligraphy saffron is a tale of two halves.. Horrendous opening. Majestic drydown. When I say 'horrendous' I mean strong, sharp, earthy but sweet and even boozy. I found it smelled strongly of the marigold and styrax and when combined with a very real, fiercely strong saffron comes over a little like honey. Actually more accurately beeswax and amber and I thought....'oh no! It's MFK pour le soir like.' Then as it settles the saffron and styrax get more creamy, more opulent, less earthy but still with balance and luckily this process is fairly quick. This being said the transition is long going from good to great on my skin. Some may not like the soft skin like scent it becomes after that powerhouse opening but I'm glad of it. Projection is subtle but longevity is very good. I can't convey how much I loved the drydown, it's incredible...saffron is just magic.

Perfume Calligraphy Saffron is what falls into a category that I've created: the crepuscular fragrance. It is the olfactory metaphor for a caliginous sky, mysterious and somewhat cabalistic. The opening curiously has a saturated herbal facet that reminds of the top notes in Aromatics Elixir. I agree with LuluSaintly that there is the impression of chamomile throughout, perhaps imparted by the marriage between the marigold and lavender. The saffron seems more so to play a supporting role rather than the lead; it is certainly evident, but being that saffron tends to be a bold personality when not dosed judiciously, it seems that the perfumer took care for it not to bury all other components. It is actually refreshing to have it appear for once somewhere where it isn't playing second fiddle to oud. The rose is a cameo that ties together all else like an accent. The dry down is all about the interplay between styrax and tonka, dusky, plaintive yet warm and enveloping into the night. Its puzzling why mediocre releases prevail and unheralded treasures such as this are discontinued so abruptly not long after their release. Such are the whims of the perfume industry.

@sam Idh, Yes I would agree with your comments that Estee Lauder instead of altering the notes which might of cheapened the line they discontinued it. I am also of the mind that if there isn't enough of profit it would not make good business sense to continue losing money. If Estee Lauder raised the price slightly more to offset the cost in producing this line we would all be able to buy this amazing juice. Now about this phenomenon juice, I ordered another bottle for back up. When I spray this juice on my skin, the aroma of saffron mixed with floral notes and tonka beans and styrax giving this juice depth with a warm sweet creamy aroma. There's a smig of woodsy notes perfectly balancing the overall aroma. Personally,I enjoy using this juice during the fall and winter months. Longevity and Silage is superb lasting well past 8hrs Finally thoughts, Whether Estee Lauder discontinued the Calligraphy collections due to not enough profit or they didn't want produce quantity vs quality..we'll never really know. One thing is for certain we all lost an AMAZING fragrance

I want to drink this and pour it over my head at the same time. Both the Saffron and the Rose were blind buys and both are so beautiful (and neither smell like fruitchouli or cake) and unique (to my Western cupcake-infested nose), they stop me in my tracks. This may sound like a stupid question, but why would Estee Lauder bring out such a beautiful line and then so quickly discontinue it? Or is this normal behavior for corporations of this size? I knew nothing about the Calligraphies until they were recently recommended to me by other Fragranticans. The Rose seems to be a bit easier to find; the Saffron I had to order from Canada. I am grateful to have been able to get them before they disappear completely. Thank you all for your very helpful reviews.

This is an amazing perfume! I kinda wish it was a person so that I could speak to it, I know that sounds wierd but that's how much i love it. It's a friend, it's a confidant. I want to bathe in it, drink it in and wear it all at the same time. The initial spray was very "alcohol" smelling but within seconds that dissipates and gives way to a woody, armatic and full bodied Saffron. After about an hour it seems to lift off the body and float in a cloud around you where you only really smell it if a little breeze hits you or you pass an open doorway. But if you've been wearing it and you leave a room, you will know you were wearing it when you walk back in. It's not an overpowering knowing, just a tickle of hello I've been here...

The sticky sweetness of this reminds me of eating raw honey. I know it’s not listed, but that’s all I can smell! A chunk of honeycomb or a cup of chamomile tea that was very generously sweetened. It’s yummy, sticky, sweet florals with a more chill, spicy drydown. The strong strong honey note in the beginning slowly wears down to something really warm, still sweet but less overwhelming, and spicy. The same gorgeous blending of saffron and rose that Calligraphy Rose does, but a touch different and less floral. I worried that I’d be overwhelming anyone near me with the strength of that initial honey bonanza, but then it dries down so beautifully that it eased my fears completely. Could easily be worn by any gender!

Holy Moly!! This is amazing juice!! First spray was not what I had expected-I could smell that non-descript perfumey smell which I do not like. Then just minutes later....heaven!! Its very warm and spicy and the saffron is just delicious. The rose is soft and smooth and not the pushy broad she can be in so many other perfumes. The dry down is spectacular with warm spices and tonka. I do get a "Thanksgiving/Christmas" vibe from this but not in a cheap, cheesy, holiday in a bottle kind of way. I don't think I am doing this perfume any justice with my review but if you enjoy saffron and soft spices and have the chance to sample this jump on it! Silage and longevity are very good as well.

Surprised not one person has compared this to vintage Calvin Klein Obsession for men!? Not sure why Amber isn't in the notes Pyramid? The Aramis has a more subtle opening but really not much difference between the two. Put them on at the same time and while there are some subtle differences, there isn't enough for me to like one more than the other. Pretty sure this has been discontinued, but I don't feel anyone is missing out on this one. I'd pick Vintage CK Obsession for men over this, but if you can get the Aramis for a reasonable price then it is worth the buy granted you don't already have Obsession. Happy smells to you!

FYI...Estee Lauder has discontinued the Calligraphy line. If you want any of the Calligraphy collections and you live in the US, there's a programme called Gone but Not Forgotten. You can order up to six pieces (each) of a product that has been discontinued within the last 36 months. Call 1 (800) 216-7173. UPDATE; I had ordered a bottle from Estee Lauder's GONE but Not Forgotten programme. I just received an email that it's no longer available. Lucky I easily found both Calligraphy and Rose on EBay. I now received them both and abousotley love wearing them. Hope you do as well

A surprisingly bracing oriental, with a fairly medicinal note floating above sweetness of the styrax and Tonka bean. There's an interesting animalic note deep in the base that reminds me a bit of oud, although I don't see any listed. This is also a surprisingly dry oriental, reminding me of resinous but dusty plants in a near desert. A great, complex oriental for people who tend to find orientals a bit overwhelming. Solidly unisex, interesting without being over-the-top, another winner from the Aramis's sadly defunct Perfume Calligraphy line. Grab it while you can!

at first this is dry and a bit musty, i think it's marigold and styrax but am ultimately unsure. it's warm, dry, dusty and a bit sweet. the tonka is quite dominant in this on me and becomes more so over time. then it just becomes a cloud of tonka with saffron. so warm and comforting, perfect for the cold winter months.

Just did a blind buy of this and am really glad I took a chance on this one. For me it was reminiscent of Amber Mystique, particularly in the beginning, which is interesting given that it's big advertised note is saffron and not amber. Either way, I love it (as I do Amber Mystique) and would happily recommend.

Very very similar to calligraphy Rose but much better I believe. Same heavy beast mode middle eastern feel w a wonderful rose. Calligraphy Rose has a note in it that smells bad to me. Saffron is calligraphy Rose without that bad note. Wonderful !!!! Discontinued so buy one before it’s too late

This wonderfully pleasant stuff has been discontinued for how long now ? And yet is still available at reasonable prices ? Hard to guess how long that will continue to be the case. I began with a decant, and then bought a full bottle. Well worth looking into if you enjoy saffron fragrances.

Discontinued, and supplies at the discounter sites, where it used to be common and reasonably priced, seem to have all but dried up. Wonderfully comforting stuff, so if you've been sitting on the fence about making a purchase, you may want to grab it while you can.

Man this is some good stuff. The opening had me a little worried but the middle and that dry down is pure bliss. Some say it's not that wearable but I think it is. 9/10 - easy

I got this for a really great price. First let me say I love it. I will be wearing this in the winter! Since I work from home I will test this out around the house.

Don’t mean to over post but the dry down has a striking vibe / resemblance to Dior Homme parfum

This is nice. Spicy warm rich raspy. Excellent for fall and winter.

I was at Harrods and had the idea that I wanted a very saffron-forward fragrance. The sales person suggested this fragrance. However, this isn't really primarily a saffron scent. There is a blast of marigold in the opening, which might make you think this scent is rather feminine. Bear with the fragrance, however, and things eventually move back to being very much unisex. This process begins as bergamot cuts through the marigolds. Later, some lavender appears along with a rich iteration of saffron. There is also a lovely rose that is neither too sweet not bone dry. Oddly, the rose is one of the masculine elements in this fragrance. Aramis Calligraphy Saffron is a fragrance that was targeted principally at the Middle-Eastern market (although it did turn up at a couple of stores in London, Bergdorf Goodman and some Neiman Marcus stores) & in Middle-Eastern perfumery, rose is often used in men's fragrances. The basenotes add vanillic tonka bean and stryax, with its frankincense odor. These basenotes anchor the scent rather firmly in the Middle-Eastern realm, but it is not a challenging scent for Western noses. Of course, even though saffron isn't the star here, I bought a bottle. I love the way the saffron and rose weave together here. Usually, there is oud interacting with this combination of notes, but here, the absence of oud serves to highlight how grandly saffron works with rose. This fragrance is right down the middle of the road unisex when considered in its totality. Projection is considerable and longevity is extended. The bottle, with its Arabic script and golden color is attractive and the atomizer is of high quality. Recommended.