Iris Empire

Ok so this is usually compared to DHI, and it being my favorite fragrance i had to try it. I was considering this fragrance for my wedding day, i thought it would be a more complex and rich DHI. I have to say i'm a bit disappointed. This is by no means a bad fragrance. In fact, it is amazing to be fair. BUT This is sweeter than DHI, it is less deep and even feels a bit more artificial (bearing in mind we are comparing high tier fragrances and none of them smell artificial). Since it lacks the depth of the DHI leather it is much more femenine. To me DHI is a "leans masculine" fragrance, while this is completely unisex, you do feel a soft chocolate background like you would feel in the likes of "Sacred" by Louis Cardin. This is more gourmand than DHI. The opening of Iris Empire is a bit spicier than DHI. They are not so similar when smelled side by side, they could be considered as in the same family, like Dior Homme Original, but this is farther to DHI than the likes of VUI, Gentleman EDP and even Bleu Noir Parfum. This could be a hybrid of the opening of YSL La Nuit De L'Homme, and the mid and drydown of Dior Homme Original, Louis Cardin and a little bit of DHI. Sad to say, this didn't meet my expectations, DHI still reigns supreme. (And my favorite of the CH Private Line is still Mystery Tobacco)

Spoiler alert - I love this! As someone who isn't the biggest fan of either iris or leather, Iris Empire was the fragrance from the confidential line that I was least interested in and therefore, the last one I got. In the opening, I get a very strong leather, iris and something bitter, it's almost like a punch in the nose and my least favorite part. But a few minutes after it's been on my skin, the leather and iris recedes into a more supporting role and the chocolate comes to the forefront - it is the most mouth watering chocolate note! I get hints of cinnamon too and in the dry down, it reminds me of a freshly baked chocolate croissant. I feel like I am at a patisserie enveloped by the the smell of chocolate croissants baking all around me. On me, this one leans gourmand with chocolate being the star of the show. Performance is good with about 6hrs longevity, moderate to good sillage and projection. Iris empire definitely took me by surprise and I am delighted I decided to take the risk by getting a bottle. It is one of my top favorites from the line and I highly recommend getting your nose on this! PS: I have Dior Homme Intense which is another iris/leather that I love and while the two share some notes, I think, IE and DHI are very different!

This is freaking incredible. It's the second best iris dominant scent I've ever smelled. Dior Homme Intense is still #1 for me. IMO, it's almost as if they took Nightfall Patchouli, toned down the patchouli and cinnamon, added heavy doses of iris & dark chocolate and a bit of leather. It smells incredibly classy & elegant. Definitely more of a nice date night or party/event fragrance than an everyday. Smells nothing like Dior Homme Intense and Valentino Uomo Intense. It does have similarities to Armani Privē Cuir Zerzura. The iris & leather combo with underlying sweetness is prominent in both. PSA - In the USA, the retail price of these EDPs is around $265. You will see some discounters charging more than retail. Don't overpay from a discounter.

I was expecting Dior lipstick iris, but that is not here. It smells nothing like Dior Homme, but it still has some dryness to it. The iris is buttery and creamy, supported by violet, benzoin and olibanum producing sweetness. I was surprised how sweet this fragrance is, there is a lollipop that reminds me of this. In the dry down there is a fleeting resinous and almost dry like incense to it. This is an easy unisex, but unique fragrance to wear and people will like it. I enjoy the combination of notes I listed, but I want it to be more masculine with leather and a bit more incense. Finally there is something about the iris which is the main focal point of this fragrance, combining with the violet that lets the quality of the fragrance down.

I absolutely love this frag, but it leans a little feminine and I cannot justify buying a full bottle. I own a decant of this, and wear it around the house, or to bed as I find it to be very relaxing and comforting to wear. I would have a hard time picking an occasion to wear something like this... perhaps date night. This is a very well blended and complex fragrance, that is just beautiful in all stages of the life of this frag. The performance is amazing, as it should be for the price they're asking for it. I have many Iris frags, but they tend to be more masculine than this one. I would highly encourage anyone looking at this frag to sample it first before dropping $200 on it. Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (9/10)

I don't find this similar to Cuir Zerzura from Armani Prive, that one is heavy on the violet and leather, a bit choky even. This one is a true lipstick-y iris, smells like a vintage lipstick to my nose. I don't get the cinnamon, maybe a slight cacao-ish patchouli in the base, but mainly makeup iris. It's different from most of irises I tried, refined and smooth. Definitely smells niche. I wore it to work and nobody could smell me, so I wouldn't say the projection is great. Lasted 4-5 hrs on my skin until I couldn't smell it anymore. Way overpriced, but still got a bottle.

I’m wearing this today... and I absolutely ADORE it! When I first received I wasn’t sure what I felt about it, but it becomes immediately addictive! The leather exudes class and the Iris is so beautiful and shockingly lasting... all the CH that I have from the Confidential Collection are top-of-the-line blends... simply beautiful, I have nothing that smells like this! Oh and these bottles are not only beautiful but they’ve of ‘weapon weight’ with a magnet so strong it would find the bottle from a mile away! 💞

@lapharme You say "this is nice but not $350+ nice." Do you ever price this stuff through online retailers, or do you normally just pay full retail? This stuff retails (according to Jomashop) for $310 (not $350) and the 4 bottles I grabbed of it were $179/each shipped at the time I purchased them. Jomashop sold testers as well (with cap) for $163/each shipped. You just need to take the 3 minutes to Google competitive pricing and to take advantage of any promo/discount codes that are available.

This is a 10/10 fragrance. The scent is great. The sillage and scent trail are intoxicating. The longevity is amazing. If I were to describe it would be like a marriage between Dior Homme Intense and Tom Ford Black Orchid Parfum. Its so alluring and beautiful. Very suitable for evening during colder months. I would definitely have bought it, however the price is high at 200$ for the tester and 300$ for the full package. I have to wait for sometime until the price comes down.

Oh yeah! Not even that big a fan of Iris, but this is magic! If you do like Iris, this is probably the pinnacle of Iris perfumes. It literally doesn't get better than this with the possible exception of Dior Parfum, but this one doesn't smell like a makeup bag. The sweetness and chocolatiness (is that a word?) led me to buy a full bottle. Quality is on another level. Was drunk and forgot what I put on, started thinking Jesus what is this sorcery, remembered....yeah. 😂

At the top I got some whiffs of spice, but mostly it's a sweet floral. Really well done. Beginning is slightly similar to Amouage Black Iris, but then it goes more Xerjoff Elle. This does not go Leathery, or lipsticky. It's more creamy floral with Morris butter or something. Was happy to score a bottle of this "middle east exclusive." Well worth the money with the discounter price combined with a discount code.

Oh my goodness, this is the best Iris gourmand fragrance in the market, the iris, violet, chocolate and a slight touch of leather in the background, so yummy and sexy, sometimes I layer it with Carlisle in the cold weather, absolutely gorgeous Iris Empire is 10/10 My backup bottle just arrived today, 03/10/2024, love it so much, just breathtakingly beautiful Iris scent

This is hands down the best smelling iris fragrance I’ve smelled! I’ve owned all the iris forward Prada, Dior, givenchy & Valentino & this is the best! The bottle is also a work of art in hand. It’s a mix between Valentino uomo intense & Prada lhomme intense but niche & more unisex. Also more versatile for cool & warm weather.

The smell of this is so gorgeous. Wispy and thick at the same time, powdery, creamy, chocolatey. Drop dead fucking gorgeous. Imagine the most gorgeous woman you’ve ever seen. Now put this on. You become her. She’s you. You become That Bitch. Congratulations. You’re now eternal beauty.

Absolutely gorgeous iris and suede fragrance. When I move I can get the slightest whiff of semi-sweet chocolate, but this is by no stretch of the imagination a gourmand scent. I questioned my sanity for paying this much, but it is bringing me a great deal of joy today.

Just got it after almost 9 months hunting. And this is the most beautiful iris I ever had. It reminds me nothing, it is completly new. It is very oriental, but in the smart way, it suggest only the olfactory direction. Feels like new fragrance dimention.

Loved it from first try, so got it and I’m so happy, reminded me of my first bottle of Dior Homme (+ a sweet and luxury note added) back when it launched in 2000s, great great perfume!

I really like this one. Lipstick iris and it smells to me a lot like Dior Homme Parfum 2011 maybe with more creamy note? I don't know. I suck at describing. Smells good to me!

This is masterpiece. One of the best iris fragrances in the market that's hidden. Lovely scent, strong & mature. 9.8 of 10

love this way more than dhi it has a similar opening but dries down to a leathery smoky chocolate iris smell

I’m just glad that I have a backup bottle one of the best Iris scents of all time

Rich, deep and warm. Has gourmand vibes without being one. Really beautiful.

First impressions: AMAZING! This is oh so good. It does remind me a lot of DHI but it’s not the same. This is warmer and more feminine and more “sticky sweet” but in a good way, like honey. It doesn’t have that coolness that DHI has and for that reason I would say it’s certainly not a dupe (nor would it be purchased as one anyway seeing the very hefty price tag, pretty sure DHI is still cheaper). It’s got that gorgeous lipsticky iris scent but this one is less powdery and instead warmed up by resins and sweetly, richly animalic honey and leather. It reminds me strongly of something else-not identical, but sharing that sticky honey sweet resinous and animalic accord, but I can't for the life of me figure out which. I'll update if I do. It also shares some resinous sticky sweet facets with the original Miss Dior Le Parfum (the one from the early 2010s), though I don’t believe that is the scent I’m thinking of. Unfortunately this is nothing like my insanely expensive and hard to find discontinued HG sweet iris, Guerlain Iris Ganache. If you’re looking for a replacement for that, this is not it. However, if you loved that then you will probably love this as well in its own right. The honeyed and resinous notes almost make this like a blend between DHI, SL Chergui, and Miss Dior Le Parfum but there’s definitely a facet of something else that is driving me crazy that I can’t think of it. Anyway, is this worth the $300+ price tag? Personally I’d say if you have the money to spare, yes. It’s not an ultimate HG to me and it’s not the first iris perfume I’d buy, and I’d suggest getting a decant for sure before committing to a bottle. But it’s definitely something I’d like to purchase a full bottle of down the line. It performs VERY well, strong with great sillage. The bottle is gorgeous. While it reminds me of several other perfumes, it itself is unique in that I can’t think of anything just like it. From my first wear I’d call this a love. I’ll update after a few weeks of wear when I get to know this perfume better. Edit: OH MY GOD it just hit me what this reminds me so much of, and I can’t believe it, and I’m laughing 😂. La Vie Est Belle! This totally reminds me of LVEB, particularly the dry down. This is still really nice but the longer I wear it the less I think I’d buy a full bottle for the asking price. I’d rather just get DHI or better yet, save up for my all time fave Iris Ganache. This is nice but not $350+ nice. Update: I’ve worn this several more times since my last update, I’ve actually found myself reaching for it or wishing I was wearing it quite a lot! The more I wear it, the more I love it. It is actually so good, and it’s one of those fragrances that grows on you with time after impressing you but not quite knocking your socks off and/or challenging you. Yes, I still totally do smell some LVEB in this, but overall this is NOT LVEB, this is WAY better and different. It just has the core facet of LVEB that makes it GOOD, before it’s ruined by the overly sweet sugary gourmand-chouli of the 2010s. And I’ve always wished for a scent that had that beautiful chocolatey iris core of LVEB without the sugarchouli/patchsugar ruining it for me (sorry patchouli, I really shouldn’t put the blame on you-I love you. It’s the SUGAR that is the problem but when you’re drowned in way too much sugar the combo can be quite nauseating to me). No praline here, hallelujah! Just a dark, rich chocolatiness that’s more like rich patchouli that’s so good it creates the impression of chocolate than actual chocolate, think TF Black Orchid, Chanel Coromandel, Mugler Angel. And the iris and leather is soooo good. It’s so expertly blended you don’t know where the iris ends and the leather begins, or if it’s leathery iris or subtly sweet powdery leather, rather than both. Then it has that touch of lipstick smell that I absolutely LOVE, and it’s so perfect here where it’s just a touch-enough to be recognizably lipstick but it’s not enough to be “red/pink lipstick scent” if you understand what I’m saying, like Guerlain French Kiss or FM Lipstick Rose or even Guerlain Insolence. This has lipstick the way L’heure Bleue has face powder (and maybe even a touch of lipstick as well! Though certainly less recognizably so than in here), but it’s not A “lipstick perfume”, not really anyway. Just has facets of one. These are all the primarily accords I’m getting right now. The tonka in this is really nice too. It takes a backseat to some of the other notes such as the aforementioned ones because it’s just so expertly blended that you won’t be able to pick it apart at first, but it’s *definitely* there, and as you wear and smell it more, you start to become able to pick out the tonka individually better and really just how present and integral to the composition it really is! It’s like a spine/blackbone. You don’t see it directly on the surface, but it’s what’s holding the whole thing up and giving it its shape. And the fact that I can say so much about this and that it evokes so many feeling and smells and impressions in itself speaks to how great this perfume is! It’s like an olfactory symphony, it truly stimulates your senses, and I hate to say this because it sounds so pretentious but it’s an intellectually stimulating scent too, in that it makes you think about it and its notes and really analyze and enjoy it. It keeps you interested and intrigued, forget about having other peoples attention-this will have YOUR attention all day as you wear it. I keep sniffing my wrists and wanting to dab on more even though I already am wearing plenty, I want to drench myself in this stuff. As you can probably tell, I’ve changed my mind about this not being full bottle worthy for me. It DEFINITELY is. And yes, it’s even worth the price, even though that price does make me wince. I will almost certainly be purchasing a full bottle of this when I can, unless I lose interest, but the way things are going I highly doubt that’ll happen!

**DISCLAIMER** - I own DHI, DHP and Prada L'Homme Intense To my nose, this was ALL iris on paper and at the top. However, it did dry down to an iris/chocolate on the skin (probably the patchouli adding to the chocolate note). As with others from this line, smells high quality and is a nice fragrance. It is much more complex to me than Prada. Also, while it is heavy on the iris, it is slightly different than DHI or DHP to me. The chocolate/patchouli differentiates it to me from those 2. In the end, it is a great fragrance. I won't be buying it while I own the 3 above, but it certainly would be a candidate to replace one of them if I ever run out.

this starts with iris and leather along with something fruity, that smells like plum. i get the chocolate after being on the skin a minute. i get something boozy here too. i think perhaps the sweetness is from a sweet patchouli note. i don't seem to get any violet or olibanum. i don't know if it's my skin chemistry, but this is a boozy and chocolate plummy-patchouli with an iris background. much sweeter than expected. if i hadn't seen the notes, i would guess they were plum, iris, patchouli and rum. the leather doesn't last long on me. unisex but quite sweet and modern niche smelling. i like it, but it's not a love personally.

Creamy, white-chocolately, vanillic iris with moderate sillage and projection. I also don't get the leather. For me, it is rich yet fairly tame. It's nice and similar to others like Iris Porcelana, but most days I prefer a fresher iris and I like some others from this line even more. I prefer Guerlain Iris Torrefie or Dior Homme Intense for creamy iris.

A surprisingly faithful dry powdery Iris with a little bit of fruitiness & dark chocolate. Not nearly as leathery as the main course of Cuir Zerzura, not "lipsticky" like Dior Homme Intense, and lacks the effervescent Champaign note of L'Attesa, but well crafted with elements of their own Nightfall Patchouli in the drydown.

I have a full bottle for trade or sale. pm me for questions or offers :)

This is much sweeter and more powdery than I would have assumed. Very Long lasting. Ok projection; I can catch whiffs as I move around all day. Unfortunately, this doesn’t come across unisex to me, it’s very feminine. I wouldn’t mind smelling this on someone else, but it’s just not for me. The most immediate thing this reminds me of is 80s halloween/drug store lipstick on an old leather bomber jacket. Yeah, there are other notes you can pick out, but it’s mostly window dressing. Doesn’t hold a candle to DHI, doesn’t really remind me of Valentino Uomo Intense either. It really is doing its own thing here. Again, it is by no means bad, it just isn’t for me.

This is more orris than 'iris'. Makeup bag and rooty. Not like DHI. Opens with a nice orris & touch of cinnamon. After a few mins, it transitions to the dry down; which is mostly chocolatey patchouli. Light orris + chocolate + patchouli - that's what you mostly get. Performance wise - it sits close to the skin and lasts about 6-7hrs for me. Not a great performer. I like Iris, so I like it....Its borderline gourmand. That said - I probably wouldn't buy this unless it was less than $80 for 100mls. Considering its $400 - its a definite pass for me.

I was hoping and waiting for that chocolatey-Iris-leather combo everyone else seems to be getting. Unfortunately with me, I got a cinnamon, patchouli and myrrh bomb. Nice but where’s the leather? Iris? Chocolate? A let down

Leather, leather, leather and iris with some warm, classy green notes. Very elegant, like a 7*hotel for the wealthiest leather lovers out there. I enjoy the composition but I don’t see myself wearing it too often globally.

Bought this three years ago because I had a sample of it that I loved... Never really wore it after my purchase because I could never find the right occasion to wear such a beast of a perfume... Fast forward to now and I have moved away from the Northern states to the Southern states and omg, this isn’t a fragrance I can wear in hot and humid weather!!! Absolutely wrong and terrible on my skin!!! I wish I could appreciate Iris Empire but this is heavy, musty and so difficult to wear that I could barely see straight while wearing it. That patchouli paired with orris root felt like a mistake gone wrong on my skin 😂 no chocolate note to speak of but then again, that patchouli note overwhelms everything... As for its longevity, it’s eternal. The only good thing about this fragrance, truly. 12+ hours of torture I wish never to experience again 😑 Anyway, this is definitely a try first kind of fragrance! And again, for the record, my comment from 3 years ago was from a sample. Not a full bottle...Could it be that the sample was mistakenly labeled wrong? I’ll never know...

To me, Iris Empire is sexy, a little bit naughty, but still, classy and even regal. I love how the leather is subtle, and though the patchouli is earthy, it isn’t dirty at all. It elevates the fragrance and plays nicely with the other notes. I like that the chocolate and the cinnamon aren’t sweet, they have more of a “dusty/powdery” aspect which goes along perfectly with the iris. It’s wonderfully done and I love it so much! (((o(*゚▽゚*)o)))♡ Perhaps more appropriate for cold weather but to each their own. Longevity is decent and it’s pure bliss to wear this beauty ✨✨✨✨✨ Trying to hunt down a full bottle...💜🖤💜

I just don't like this lipstick-iris style of fragrance, but admittedly, I think this is better than DHI. 3.5/10 imo

To be completely honest im pretty disappointed 😞 I bought a bottle right around Christmas because I had been dreaming of owning for awhile,the note pyramid looked so promising I wish I had made it a point to go smell in person first, and this is the second very expensive fragrance thats caused me to feel this, im definitely going to do that next time. By all mean I should love this fragrance iris,violet, chocolate and cinnamon with patchouli? Like yes. However the reality is the olibanum completely over powers and drowns out everything else. When I first spray i can get the faintest sniff of chocolate and iris, but after a few minutes in its all benzoin amd olibanum for me. I have a pretty much full bottle im trying to sell in hopes of getting some of my money back, maybe it will wear differently on you than it does me, for some reason ambery notes seem to love me, grand sior did the exact same thing. if interested in buying lmk in the comments (also selling a pretty full bottle of grand sior lol only wore both a few times)

The black Empire of the Middle East . Iris Empire was launched in 2020 as an exclusive product for the Middle East region. The nose behind this fragrance is Nelly Hachem-Ruiz. . It’s not a unique combination as you may find this type of Iris and violet powdery lipstick-like style in many other fragrances. But still, it’s adorable because of its lush, gorgeous, shiny and superb combination. . Iris Empire starts up with a touch of cinnamon spicy vibe. Then you fall in love with the strong Iris and Violet combo. It’s like a deep sniff on your leathery makeup purse. And it gets more addictive with the bitter sweet chocolate gourmand facet. Finally, it all settles down to a resinous, amber-vanilla bed in the base while patchouli slightly evokes underneath. Iris Empire is one of the best fragrances in CH’s confidential line for sure. An amazing leather powdery fragrance specially for women. . By wearing this black gem, you can be a star at the night party. I Love you baby!

@Eastport: I doubt there are any deals on this now at all. Ditto many others of the Confidential line since so many are being discontinued. I wish I had bought this, Burning Rose and Mystery Tobacco before "life" hit my family and I could afford them. I doubt all are winners but CH has done a great job with this line, and so much nicer than the 5678 variations on a stiletto. When I tried this one, I did get powder (sweet) from the iris and I got a chocolate note in the background that made this just sublime. Full bottle worthy for sure.

What an interesting scent! It's not what I expected! Honestly, this smells like you mixed Dior Homme Intense with Azzaro's The Most Wanted. It has that same sweet, warm spicy top end as TMW through the opening and even the middle, but it's still smoother than TMW. However, the dry-down begins to resemble closer to DHI with a hint of TMW. Opening is 75% TMW, 25% DHI. Dry-down is 25% TMW, 75% DHI. Now I just have to see if it's worth the price I can find at discounters.

Delicious but foody first on, with screamwood behind. Iris and cinnamon, a pastry note I don’t like. It’s loud somehow. The screamwood isnt’ marked, but it amps the cinnamon, and the iris is heavily powdery, my least favorite aspect of iris. Violet comes in and adds to the floral edge, making it even more perfume-y. It’s overall nice, but it’s too perfume-y for me in the end. And for an iris scent, it’s very bold and in your face.

Smells like smooth chocolate and Iris! Delicious; however I prefer a darker Iris and can’t really place this in my collection; to date I’ve worn it around the house to enjoy myself but cannot find any other use for it. Definitely unisex, perhaps leaning feminine. I have a 100ml bottle (approx 92ml left) in the UK up for grabs if anyone is interested. 10/10 fragrance if you can find the right occasion for it.

This one takes a while to understand. Upon first spray, to my nose, I’m greeted with something that smells almost like dirt. Then, about a half an hour in, this becomes a gorgeous, powdery, smooth, and slightly patchouli scent... It definitely leads feminine, and I am in love with it. I do not even like patchouli so this is saying a lot, for me. Powdery Iris Goodness, but yes, it’s extremely pricey.

Looking to purchase a bottle. Please pm me if you are selling or willing to ship to usa ***edit, i found one ***edit, perfume was confiscated by royal mail in england. Lost what i paid for it:( still looking for a bottle Final edit- found one on mercari!!! Yay!! Dark, rich iris, not fluffy, took a minute to understand her. Love it and super happy to have found one!!

Violet continuous.... This blend reminds me ALLOT of "L'Attesa" by Masque with its continuous Iris, Violet linear smell but in here it is with a touch of chocolate, sweet powdery cinnamon, and olibanum. It is quite an incredible blend for those who love to have a continuous iris, violet smell since it is well known that Iris is a easily fast vanishing note. Nice.

Iris Empire has a rich, oily texture that reminds me of TF Black Orchid parfum. The opening is iris and oudy amber, and drydown a sweet, buttery leather with a sprinkle of chocolate (more carob than cacao) and spices. It's stays like this and keeps projecting for 10+ hours. A like--but not FB worthy for me.

Spectacular blend of leather and iris with a bright, rich fruity accord of davana. This is more of a smooth fruity leather scent, rather than an overtly iris fragrance. On me it pulls rather sweet and for that reason I would say it's on the feminine side of the spectrum. Just beautiful!

Beautiful stunning elegant iris scent as with all Carolina Herrera niche blends, the bottles are stunning as is the performance stallion leather and mystery tobacco are equally brilliant!

Personally I did not like it not sure what people are smelling calling it a masterpiece or gorgeous smell! It is a pass for me not for my taste

On my skin, leather is the main player. I'd say this is a great mix of leather, iris and sweetness. Not extremely complex, but very great.

Am I the only one getting lipsticky soapish iris kinda vibe ?? Where's the chocolate and sweetness everybody is talking about 😶