Chanel N°19

Hate it or love it, here is my Chanel no 19 rant, talking about vintages and new versions Vintage no 19 edt: Spring Joy Soft greenery, the galbanum and spring florals are gentle and playful compared to the extrait. radiant fresh flower petals, iris, abstract jasmine, lily of the valley, feel refreshing, not soapy, not very powdery but a comforting mustiness, like an old starched shirt. maybe even some hot-iron steam. Then, a warmth manufactured in greens and woods like vetiver and oakmoss invite you in, close and intimate. Perfectly unisex. At once both formal and relaxed. It’s like no 19 was made solely for the wearer’s pleasure. It has this austere side, but only on the surface, it never bores the wearer even when it can be mistaken for being just clean and cool (but still extremely classy nevertheless) for people around and those not willing to spend time with it. I imagine fairies and elves dressed up in formal attire as if trying to hide their playful nature, but only for so long. This perfume lets you dream and get lost in spring fantasies. It invites you into an early spring garden party amongst magical beings hiding in between the flowers and the grasses! 9/10 Vintage no.19 extrait: Dancing greens, gemstone hues and the lightest powders Dazzling verdant light shot through a prism, splitting in all kinds of green tones: Emerald. Peridot. Tsavorite. Chartreuse. It opens with an intense saturated green: Galbanum and tulip stems. Very vegetal, fresh, cool, a bit oily and challenging, freshly cut. Earthy but without any notes of soil. Then the scent softens and lights up with a glowing spring green tone. The most delicate powder, a floral, woody, dry, starchy Iris + Orris note starts diffusing it’s magic powder and is «dusting» you in the finest texture imaginable, ultra-fine grain, light and pure white powder, so refreshing! By refreshing I mean in the same way as dextrose can feel invigorating and cooling almost in those energy tablets you buy at the kiosk. :) No oily or make-up like iris here. It’s just dreamy. The freshness of the powder radiates with hedione and light Lily of the valley notes. Transitioning from this powder to the base, a soft oakmoss dims the green lights down to a darker and more mysterious glow, with hints of leather and woods, super well blended, clean, with nothing ever out of place. I was really lucky to buy an unopened 28 ml bottle pure parfum from the early days of this fragrance, most likely containing that infamous Iranian Galbanum quality. So scared of evaporation, which I have actually noticed. I do my best to preserve it and still enjoy the scent by wearing it. It’s too magical not to wear it. Especially magical on those spring days where the weather is nice, the breeze is mild and gentle, spring flowers have started blooming and the last melting snow in the forest or in the streets and parks of the city, create that significant freshness in the air. For best results, be newly showered and wear completely clean clothes so nothing disturbs your perfumed moment of sheer beauty. 10/10 Modern no 19 edt and edp: Clean, green-ish, soapy (pre 2023 edition) The modern no 19 EDT can’t live up to it’s vintage version. The modern has a greenish opening with a thin galbanum replacer followed by a very vague and perfume-y profile. The older versions were anything but vague, they were assertive, complex, classy and singular. You feel the lack of presence of the treasures those raw materials used in the past were. It just is not the same product any longer. The edp has a few nice moments of a pretty and luminous rose and lily of the valley. I can see the familiarity to my beloved vintages, but they are so far apart. I can imagine the modern formulation being suitable for a really nice shower gel or a linen spray. This is not about complaining, I understand the market, the need to modernize and re-formulate, for me there is nothing left of interest in the modern versions to talk about, they died a while ago. If you enjoy the current versions, try to get hold of a vintage sample! Wether if you like it or not, you will notice a huge difference, and it is just interesting to study. Of course I mourn the old ones, but I still have quite a bit left in my collection. 3/10 for the EDP and 6/10 EDP

This is another one I’ve been wearing for over a decade — mostly the EdT, then the Parfum Extrait. The EdP... not as much. This EdT concentration feels so special... How do I even put words to it...? It doesn’t declare “I’m clean” the way lavender or sage might. Instead, bluebell softens the sharpness of galbanum, creating a kind of freshness that feels unspoken, self-evident. The iris here doesn’t sparkle like silver or dazzle like diamonds. It carries the quiet beauty of pearls — austere, modest, yet deeply cultivated and nuanced. There is bitterness, yes — but not the sharp, confrontational kind that patchouli often brings to green compositions. Instead, jasmine and ylang-ylang keep their distance, while the dry cedarwood holds the line — not rudely, but with the most refined, elegant, and sophisticated grace. The sandalwood offers only a whisper of sweetness — but never at the heart of the message. You might earn that sweetness if you agree to meet it on its terms. Even then, it lingers beneath a sheer layer of mossy grey, courtesy of the oakmoss. ⸻ My first encounter with this No.19 EdT feels like forever ago... “I don’t think the green juice smells good... I like the pink one on you,” David, my then-fiancé, said. That was 21-year-old me, standing at the counter with him. In the end, we went home with Coco Mademoiselle. That’s how he liked me to be — smelling pretty. And that’s why, at 21, I couldn’t possibly understand No.19. I was fine letting a man decide how I should smell. The next time I encountered that “green juice” was years later — and I didn’t expect to meet it like that. I was about to end my immature marriage — married young, recklessly, without much understanding of what it really meant for either of us. Who gets divorced in their mid-twenties? Well... me. I had been sent to speak with David’s attorney. My very good friend Yvette handed me the green juice: “Wear this. Freshen up.” I wasn’t in my right mind — but whatever. A few spritzes on, and I was on my way to the conversation. At first, it didn’t even smell like perfume. Just... something strange, distant. But as I walked, it began to shift on my skin — the bitterness and the clean freshness weaving in and out, rising to meet me in the air between my wrist and my nose. Puzzling. And yet, irresistibly attractive. That day, I was reintroduced to No.19. On that day, it didn’t help me smell pretty for anyone. It gave me space. Composure. Distance between myself and the chaos. ⸻ At some point after that day, I added No.19 to my tray of staples — and went through bottles. I had married my career, pouring myself into it completely. I was no longer the girl who wanted to smell pretty for her husband. I had become independent and tough. Between 2016 and 2020, a special stage in my career, No.19 became my go-to scent. I was leading complex transformation programs as a program director, where a lot of moderating conversations needed to happen. Stakeholders misaligned. People in chaos. Fingers pointing. Office politics simmering. And there I was — appointed to make sure things got delivered. I’d step in, wearing this green juice. And it delivered the nuance for me. It said: Let me be here. Let me listen to your frustrations, your conflicting interests. I will make sure you are heard — but I will not promise to obey. We have results to deliver and tasks that need to be completed. I will appreciate your perspectives, even if they go against mine. But I will not absorb your opinions of me as a person into my own emotional weight. I know what I am doing.

EDT Review No. 19 is a strange one... A lot of people label this as a cold, heartless, "ice queen/boardroom bitch", kind of fragrance. I don't get that at all. To me it smells like a bunch of freshly cut morning spring flowers being newly placed in a vase. I find this to be very soft, slightly powdery, and sensual. I don't find it "unemotional" or whatever. To me I think Chanel Cristalle fulfills all of those previous labels, that is one that I see as more masculine (and one which as a man I happily wear). No. 19 EDT opens a little like the Cristalle EDT does (hyacinch and bergamot) but the galbanum really gives it an amazing quality (warm and sensual). The powdery iris is really beautiful here. It's clean and fresh and sexy at the same time. I do get Oakmoss and Vetiver and I think the earthiness of the Iris (orris root) and the dryness of the Vetiver compliment each other beautifully. It's true that this fragrance is the opposite of "girly", as it definitely gives off a grown up vibe, but I wouldn't say it's a "cold-hearted bitch" kind of perfume. To me it's quite alive and soft. The kind of person I would see wearing this would be an intellectual, kind hearted young woman, the kind of girl who is really attractive with a sweater and glasses who always has her head in a book, but doesn't know just how beautiful she is kind of thing. Alternatively any woman who wears a suit to work or academic but deep down is still really kind and loving to those around her. With reference to the unisex quality often attributed to this, I find Chanel Cristalle (also by Henri Robert) more masculine than this, but something like "Dior Homme" (also an iris leathery fragrance) more feminine than this, it being sweeter and more gourmand than No. 19. Coincidentally... I know that my grandfather sometimes wears on occasion so I think it certainly wouldn't be out of place being worn on a man. As mentioned before, this was Gabrielle Chanel's signature scent. It was originally private and exclusive to her, before being released publicly just before she died. However, that being said... I'm now starting to get a pattern in late Chanel perfumer, Henri Robert's creations: Chanel Pour Monsieur (1955) is a green Chypre, No. 19 (1971) is a green floral, and Cristalle (1974) is floral Chypre. All have Citrus notes, all have Oakmoss, and all have Vetiver. But what sets No. 19 apart is the beautiful, sublime Iris note. Powdery, soft, warm and somehow elegantly clean... it undoubtedly makes No. 19 the plushest, most sensual, and most feminine of the trio. It really is a masterfully blended perfume. I don't see Chanel No. 19 as a cold, "unemotional" fragrance, to me (a man's opinion) it's like meeting a very attractive yet quiet, shy, intellectual type of girl with a kind, warm, loving heart who you just want to cuddle up with on the sofa by the fire. This is just one gorgeously grown-up, well- balanced fragrance!

This week, I acquired a 100 ml tester bottle of Chanel 19 for the reasonable amount of 0.50 € per ml. At first spray, I immediately had a this-is-familiar moment. When I get these flashback moments, I usually think that I must have smelled this decades ago on some lady, who I have met in my years at school or some other educational establishment. Back in those days, which were the 90s, people actually still wore fragrances where I live and I remember many distinctive scents on various people. These days, this habit has fallen into desuetude, either because the significant impoverishment of large groups of people, due to a more pragmatic, no-frills approach to life, where wearing fragrances may be seen as redundant luxury or maybe because the type of people who wear fragrances don’t mingle with the hoi polloi, keeping to their chauffeured vehicles and invitation-only clubs, only occasionally venturing onto the sidewalks. But to go back to the issue at hand, which is the fragrance itself. Chanel 19 is a green, sparkling, very fresh fragrance with moderate performance. All the green notes are prominent, whether it’s the king of greens galbanum, the iris, hyacinth, narcissus, obligatory vetiver or lily of the valley. The impression of the composition is very cool and sparkling, like a glass of champagne. This isn’t a powerhouse, it’s rather similar to the Pour Monsieur fragrance launched just two decades prior, except it is supposed to be “devastatingly feminine”, as some vintage ads would have you believe. I for one, see this as being with one step in masculine territory, which isn’t surprising, given that most women’s fragrances from the period can easily pass for a masculine fragrance today, whereas most feminine fragrances being launched in our times would be regarded as good for children or girls, being as silly and immature as they are. (And we are supposed to have advanced on women’s rights, treating women not as women, but as children.) This fragrance is meant to be worn on a daily basis, as it’s very versatile and casual. More special occasions may call for a more daring and special fragrance. Then again, it all depends on the mood of wearer and the impression they want to make. Back in the days of carefully thought, modestly numbered releases, fashion houses had a specific set of customers or a clientele, if you want, who paid a premium for their own capacity for discernment. Nowadays, there is the market and consumers, who will buy any junk you care to shove down their throat and will give you their money for it.

It took me almost a year to be able to grasp the beauty of N°19. While my vintage, early 70’s bottle was a wonderful discovery, and a wonderful experience every time it hit my skin, the golden liquid never unveiled its secrets to me. Yes, I could see the beauty of it, I could smell the marvel inside, but it didn’t resonate. I decided to give it some time. After all, galbanum galore! And all of a sudden, a month ago, I could finally understand. This is N°19 in all of its glorious beauty. In the beginning, I could smell the green splendor inside, the leather wrapping the iris..but now there’s a revelation. The star of the show, shines fiercely. There’s an intense verdancy that grabs me by the head and spins me around. The galbanum is simply stunning; piquant, spicy, herbal. Mesmerizing on its own, and stellar when surrounded by the hyacinth, the lilly of the valley and the warm narcissus. It’s a green bouquet with the flowers doing second act. The vetiver and the oakmoss serve as the forest canopy, the leather provides, along with the musk (nitromusks?), the animalic growl that warms this fantasy dreamland. There’s also a freshness all along; the neroli/bergamot duo feel as if a gentle mist, hovering above the skin until the late drydown, when a beautifully rich sandalwood engulfs my skin in creamy softness. It’s an edt, rich like an extrait, and made at a time when quality meant something. Unveiling its beauty, I’m transported back to the early 70’s with all of its dreams, big ideas and hazy beauty, ready to grab the world by the balls. N°19 has always been considered a ‘cold’ fragrance. I find it to be quite the opposite. Warm, radiant, pulsating from the skin, all while keeping a distance. It’s strong willed, stubborn, and yet serene. Perhaps the association with Coco influences our perception, and while I could never picture her wearing something like N°5, the image I have of her persona is absolutely N°19. And while I can’t comment on her as a person, this and the latter Coco give me an idea of what her personality might have been. N°19 belongs in the pantheon of lost beauties. My vintage bottle with all of its glorious Iranian galbanum, animal musks and rich absolutes, comes alive on skin like very few. The current, even in extrait, is a diluted watercolor painting that can only dream of such vivid green tapestry. Sillage is moderate, but longevity is from morning to evening. Absolutely and resolutely for every man and woman that loves green and chypre fragrances.

I just love No. 19 EdT. The galbanum has such a beautiful green bitterness and the base notes' blend of oak moss, vetiver, musky, animalic leather and sandalwood is among the best blends in all of perfume. "A women's perfume, for a CIS-HET guy like you?" you well may ask. Well, first of all, I don't let marketing and the gender designations on Fragrantica determine which scents I choose to wear. Second, look at the notes pyramid. If this isn't a unisex fragrance, nothing is. Third, and last, I have never, ever, even once been asked if, or heard anyone suggest that, I was wearing a feminine fragrance or tell me I "smelled like a girl". This fact remains even though from time to time I wear this fragrance, No. 5 EdT, Shalimar EdP, Mitsuko EdT, Une Rose (Fr. Malle) and other so called feminine fragrances. So in answer to the "woman's perfume" question, I say "absolutely!" I never cease to be struck by how fresh No. 19 EdT smells, even though it has none of the currently trendy fresh notes (apart from a brief pop of citrus in the very early opening). This is a great scent for sunny spring and fall days and it also works for warm, breezy summer nights. I don't tend to reach for it in cold weather as I have other fragrances I prefer for winter time. But there is nothing intrinsic to No. 19 that makes it ill-suited to cold days. No. 19 can get cloying in very hot weather or if over sprayed. The EdT thrives on humid conditions, in which it will display both extended longevity and projection. In low humidity settings, the longevity is poor and the projection never more than moderate. Dry days will require resprays if you want 8 hours out of this scent. The EdP and, particularly, the extrait last considerably longer than the EdT, but have been updated in reformulation and are less bitter and animalic than the EdT. The EdT also has a brighter opening than the others. At the risk of repeating myself: this stuff becomes border line toxic if heavily oversprayed. Use judiciously until you see what works for you. No. 19 is another of those great scents that need to be at least sampled by fragrance lovers of all sorts. Don't let your gender, fears of being "caught" in a mis-gendered fragrance (there is REALLY is no such thing as a gendered scent) or the counter where this scent is displayed stop you from experiencing this remarkable fragrance. And when you do smell it, be prepared to love it! Recommended.

If I was to sing an accolade in the most angelic voice! Even that would not give this the credit it deserves! Words can’t describe its beauty! It is slightly complicated yet also elegant if that is at all possible! This grounds me energises me and refreshes me! I always come back to this even though I sometimes tire of it! Mossy, earthy, tranquil, assertive, green, awakening and unique. Reminds me of when I was younger and Dad took me fishing for trout in the most pristine beautiful clean Snowy River in the early hours where the mornings were fresh and the air was misty and moist rolling in off the mountains. And the valley was quiet with only the sounds of rushing water, the birds chirping and the crumpling earth beneath our feet! Everything was beginning afresh for this new day! I would sit on the shady bank in silence watching my Dad fish with such intent and passion, casting a line myself the cool air against my cheeks and inhaling the smell of pure life itself! The alpine flowing water was so clean and clear I use to watch the pink willow roots dancing in the flow of the currants in the shallow waters edge! Maybe there was a mossy smell that subconsciously takes me there or galbanum plants?or maybe it’s just simply the freshness or coolness of No 19 that reminds me! It was relaxing, and invigorating drinking in the beauty this place freely gave! Oh the love the tranquility, peace and vibrancy of this place and time! If only I could bottle these memories! Albeit the closest tangible thing would be this! I wonder what Coco Chanel thought of this creation! I like that this was made for her! The Vetiver and moss and galbanum really earth this and the rose hyacinth and Iris add a vital touch of sweet and powder! I owned the vintage which I adored and now have the latest in the toilette! I prefer the vintage it is rounder deeper more powdery and generally better somehow! But this is also lovely. I would love to know the story as to why they chose the notes they did in this creation in dedication to Coco Chanel! I think it’s fitting as I feel strength, life, beauty and confidence in this that is edgy and visionary! Like Coco Chanel herself A creative genius! Please forgive me for such a long review my dear Fragrantica friends<3

I have the N°19 edt splash. I do like this fragrance very much. It's not a sweet little girlie fragrance, it's sophisticated and mature. Younger women can easily wear but sadly, I don't think many would be mature enough to appreciate. No disrespect intended, it's an acquired taste, like mushrooms or calamari. I was fortunate enough to babysit for a neighbor's daughter, Anne (mom) wore many Chanel perfumes and let me sample them back in the 70's when I was a teenager. I didn't quite get this one until I was older and it popped into my head and I bought my splash and loved it! I'm not great at picking out notes. I can usually pick out Cedar, which I love! The same lady I babysat for, they had a large cedar closet for storage cashmere, wool, ect. because it's moth proof. This was in Houston, don't wear lots of wool but nice to have if you're able. There is a note in opening that reminds me of play dough, not unpleasant and is fleeting 15 minutes. It's definitely green and could be unisex. The dry down is lovely with the oakmoss, cedar, and vetiver. Those 3 are nice basenotes. Even if I could read the notes, this is pretty complicated with many things mixing around in it. I have a signature "Fracas" that I wear the most but for some reason I love to wear this when I'm alone at home. From what I've read, sounds like Chanel might be trying to phase this one out, discontinued the splash but still have the edp and edt sprays. If anyone knows what the "play dough" smelling note is, please enlighten me. I can Google as well. To anyone who has this and loves it like I do, please introduce to younger generations so maybe they'll acquire an affinity for it. I'd really hate to see this beauty be a thing of the past. Like many of ya'll, I have a decent collection I keep in a closet out of the light. Lately I've been trying to acquire some of the older classics from the 40's and 50's. The creator of my beloved "Fracas", Germaine Cellier was a genius! I just ordered a vintage Jolie Madame by Pierre Balmain that she created. Can't wait to try it. I've never been that impressed with celebrity scents or even Estee Lauder, Lancome, Dolce Gabbana, especially not Clinique. Great makeup and beauty but not a fan of the fragrances.

I just purchased a vintage, unopened bottle of No. 19 EDT on Ebay for a great price, even more so because it included a .25 vintage spray No. 5 extrait, used, but about half full. I have recently developed a fondness for green fragrances and added a few to my collection. I wanted this in a vintage form, because let's face it - the IFRA regulations have hit Chanel particularly hard, and they have become a shadow of their former greatness. It's a quasi-blind buy. I remember trying No. 19 back in the 80s, and at the time I was unable to appreciate it. I can not wait to receive this as I am anxious to properly test it. My gut tells me that I will finally be able to appreciate the beauty of this legendary fragrance. I will be updating this post once I receive it. EDIT - I received my bottle and decanted some into a spray bottle. I have no way of determining the era of this vintage but I am certain it is prior to to the IFRA regs. This is REAL oak moss. These are my impressions. Wow - the galbanum and oakmoss are strong!! I am certain that this is the reason I thought I hated No. 19 in my youth, before I understood how fragrances develop. Now I enjoy the bitter greenness and inky moss. Jacomo Silences comes to mind, as does the opening of my vintage Vol du Nuit extrait. About a half hour in, and the bitterness is receding, as the iris begins to emerge, lending a powdery feel without being too "lipsticky". I am catching whiffs of leather as well, a note that I can rarely pick up on. A little later now, and the florals are peeking through, along with a woody quality I am attributing to the hyacinth. Where have you been all my life! Starting to fall in love. Far from the cold bitchiness others have attributed to this fragrance, I am getting a sense of sunshine parting through the chilly mists of the morning. Is it the vetiver? Maybe the orange blossom? Hard to tell, as things are blended so well. Heading into the dry down now. Not much of a change from the mid notes. Mostly just an overall cohesion as it becomes one distinct scent - unmistakably Chanel No. 19. This will always have a place in my collection.

As a lover of green scents, Chanel No. 19 is a top-tier scent for me. A 1970s time capsule, it is austere - slightly bitter, almost metallic at times, given a restrained feminine edge by its powdery florals. The verdant galbanum delivers vintage-style greenery in spades. I didn't like No. 19 as a teenager when I first tried it (not being a sweet, unchallenging scent with mass appeal), but I have grown to love it in the interim. It is an acquired taste from a different era, and is a thing of true beauty. I have a vintage miniature EDT from the 1980s, which is what I'm reviewing. No. 19 opens with hazy green galbanum, paving the way for the other green notes throughout. Tart bergamot adds a little zest, while some heady hyacinth, a note I love, gets the floral accord off to a great start. As it develops, more florals emerge. A fresh, green lily-of-the-valley note is the perfect addition, while powdery iris, bolstered by orris root, takes centre stage, in perfect keeping with the Chanel fragrance DNA. It is a beautiful example of an iris accord - soft and powdery, somehow petal-like and melancholy. Whispers of other floral notes round out the bouquet, such as rose and clean jasmine, but the narcissus adds a green, polleny, hay-like edge, complementing the greenness to perfection. As it dries down, the chypre base emerges, and it is rich and beautiful in the manner of vintage chypres. Oakmoss and dry, woody vetiver round out the thinner green notes from the earlier stages, adding earthy goodness. It is a little bit leathery, a little bit animalic - a perfect, cohesive development from the austere opening. Sillage and longevity are both moderate - the performance of this vintage EDT surpasses the modern EDP. In a nutshell, No. 19 is a 1970s green scent that delivers cold, clean ladylike elegance. It also smells great on a man. An excellent office scent, it is inoffensive and fresh, yet masterfully composed. No. 19 is a prim and proper lady by day, and a 70s diva by night. Understated power in a bottle. One of my favourite Chanels. 5/5.

This perfume is ICONIC !! Can't say enough to describe it. The green bitter opening is stunning, and this are the notes that i like the most. I would like that this notes last longer, but everything beautiful doesn't last long. Than there are two fact; the first if you spray it on fabrics, it doesn't develope completely so it can remind on a sort of hair spray. It is not a bad fact, it depends if you like this smell. The second option is to spray it on the skin and here comes the magic. The smell of clean, soft, the smell of good, a very fine soap. Totally genderless and delicate. It is the sort of smell you can notice in the intimacy of a hug. The sillage is not very strong so it is really a personal choice and pleasure. The opening is of course sharp, like opening a bottle of syrup, medicinal and vegetal-alcoholic. Personally i can't descibe how i like and admire this opening. It is life literally. Than the powdery, earthy and dry notes are just divine. So this are the traits of this perfume in my modest opinion. Last but not least are the feelings and the fantasies that this perfume evokes to me. Yes, it can smell dated, classy and mature but this is not enough. In this notes lie the creativity and originality of this perfume. So don't expect nothing sweet and sugary nor the fresh-watery sweet kind of 'perfume' that nowdays is fashionable. With this perfume i can fantasize of an era that it is gone, which doesn't exist anymore, but on the other hand evocative of good memories and a tender melancholy. It is really an other world. As a smell it also has a sort of aristocratic and intellectual recall. It is so evocative to me, but i really don't want to sound pretentious. At the same time it reminds me of a grey rainy day, but in spring so with this rain the grass, flowers and trees can explode with their beauty and greatness. To me it is a 'particular' perfume for 'particular' persons.

This is the fragrance that made me realize galbanum is the green note that I really love. This fragrance smells like the forest on a dry, sunny, day. It is grassy, earthy with dry woodiness and a soft powdery dry down. The florals balance the bitterness of the galbanum, while still letting it shine. This is a classy, elegant fragrance that isn't stuffy. It is perfectly suited to casual everyday wear. It could even be office friendly if worn lightly. I ignored this fragrance for a long time. Falling in love with No.19 Poudre pushed me into finally trying the original. I assumed this would be mature and dated. When I finally tried it, I didn't find that at all. It's classically beautiful and timeless smelling. I bought it immediately. I have only tried the current formulation which accoring to quite a few reviews is a shell of it's former self. I find the current EDT beautiful, I can only imagine the magic of the original. The performace is a bit disappointing. It's not terrible, but it only lasts around four hours with a light projection. The projection is a bit stronger for the first hour, but then it softens a lot and is a little more than a skin scent. I have sprayed a little heavier and it does help the projection but the longevity stays about the same. It doesn't even seem to stick to clothes very well. I assume this is one of the aspects that was hurt in the reformulations. The outdoorsy, nature vibes I get from No.19 makes this fairly unisex to me. A sunny walk in nature can suit everyone. I wear this most in the spring but it is easy to wear all year. I really don't like the bottle. It's plain with a really ugly plastic cap/atomizer combo. At least the atomizer works well. It gives a nice fine, moderately generous mist. I don't understand why Chanel puts so many of their EDT's in these ugly bottles when their other bottles are so beautiful.

N°19 is a special fragrance due to the fact that it was the last released, legitimately, under Chanel's name. Fragrances came after, of course, but very few reached the same level. Those released afterwards had plenty of warmth, class and elegance but none were as cold and intentionally distant. I am one of those people for whom the modern EDT does not last. Many of the modern (post 2010, say) Chanel eau de toilette concentrations fail in longevity. No, for fragrances like N°5, N°19, and Coco, one must venture into the past and attempt to acquire a vintage. The EDP versions all do reasonably well and the parfum concentrations sort of stagger along, trying to keep up with the EDP. The vintage eau de toilette is sheer, cool and mossy. It doesn't really smell like anything completely natural - it is a scent of its own, like the majority of fragrances released by the house. The powdery quality from the iris creates a make-up scent that one would come to expect. Galbanum is a note that I love and expected to be much more prominent but, alas, it wasn't the case. Imagine being in the lounging area of a wealthy relative's rather large house, windows open to the rather large garden and you hear the birds tweeting and singing away in the soft Winter sunshine. The air is crisp, and this is what you smell. Only not *quite*. It's inches away from nature, and I think that's what makes it so remarkable for me. I get roughly 10+ hours on the vintage EDT. Projects reasonably well, you might be noticed from upwards of 3-4ft. If that interests you. So, yes. Get the vintage if you can. If not, the modern smells reasonably close to the vintage ... just less. Edit: Galbanum has been used in a great deal of fragrances to create coolness / cold textures which create a scent of austerity. 'Cold' is a perfectly acceptable term to describe this scent, please and thank you.

Part 2 of my adventures with No 19. Modern EDT Opening Notes. I thought as much! I thought - within seconds of spraying my pre-reformulation 4ml sample - I recognise this. A quick phone call confirmed that my mother wore it in the 70s. To recap, the opening of my older version is fresh flowers, but not green, with a soft powdery sometimes leathery Lily of the Valley dry down. I've just come back from Debenhams in town where I drenched 2 cards with the EDT and EDP. Now I understand all the talk of sharp green notes. It is truly awful and I can describe accurately what it smells like: not cut grass or spring flowers but the 'reflex bleeding' as it is called, of a Ladybird beetle. The yellowy orange stuff it secretes when under threat. The only 'flower' I smell at this opening stage is the oozing severed stem of a Dandelion. The strip is incubating its drydown in my coat pocket which is beginning to reveal the dry sweetness of the older formula now: 3 hours later. But my God, however lovely the drydown, one would have to apply the stuff the night before in order for it to be safe to venture outside. Honestly, even if that opener is your thing you'd be hard pressed to put up with it for that long. This is only step 2 and I suspect that I will continue to fall in love with No19 as I did with No5; I remember having a similar reaction to a blast of the classic in Boots, just couldn't understand what all the fuss was about until I discovered the forgotten about card in a pocket! HazelMae's review is spot on and I am looking forward to my deepening relationship with No 19.

I've worn the EDT since the mid-80s, on and off. I have some bottles left over from earlier days with some perfume still in them, and a few vintage bottles I've picked up here and there. This is useful because I can compare with what is on the market now. The current formulation disappoints me. I don't want to sound like one one of those ranty vintage obsessives, but I really do smell a difference. The opening notes are not much different but I find that the galbanum sticks around much longer than it ever did. It overpowers the iris, which used to spread a delicate powdery sheen over the fragrance. The galbanum now is extra sharp, almost sour and acidy. Vetiver is also more prominent. The iris struggles to get a look in. I first noticed all this about 2 years ago when I bought a bottle from an online discounter. Wondering if I'd ended up with a bad batch, I bought a bottle from a Chanel counter. Nope. Still don't like it as much. Sillage and longevity remained unchanged, ie moderate. Chanel No 19 EDT was never a heavy-hitter. It's not a disaster. With everything going on in the world right now it would be ridiculous to whinge because I smell less iris in my favourite perfume. All the same, the balance of the fragrance has altered. People who wear the same fragrance over many years really do get to know it well and I just don't love the current juice. I will wear out my bottles of vintage stuff - may as well - and hope in the meantime that No 19 EDT may magically revert to how it was. Hope springs eternal!

I already own both the EDP, and one of my all time favorites, Poudre. I've wanted to own the EDT for a while now, but it's difficult to track down the vintage version, especially through Ebay. Well, I just took a big risk and purchased a 3/4 vintage bottle that comes with the silver cannister they used to sell it in as far back as the 80s as far as I remember. My concern stems from the fact that I purchased it through a Russian vendor. This the second time I have done this, the first being a large decant of Ex Nihilo Fleur Narcotique; it was legit. Everything about the pictures and description makes me feel like I may have scored a bottle at a very reasonable price. The presence of the silver cannister reassures me as well, and the very high seller reviews provide something. I can always get a refund too. But I have to admit, the fact that Chanel is one of the most counterfeited brands in the world, combined with it coming from Russia, has left me feeling somewhat apprehensive. Yes - I know this isn't a review yet - my memories of trying the vintage EDT remain though, and I am really looking forward to experiencing the cool iris and bitter galbanum again. I've been building my vintage Chanel collection and I've had quite a bit of success, particularly through my new favorite site, Mercari! Ebay is a little more dicey though, so wish me luck, though I don't expect to receive it for at least 6 weeks! I will give a proper review at that time.

I initially disregarded this scent when I tried it for the first time at the start of the year. The current formulation is just much too weak and really has zero staying power. Zoom forward several months and my lovely friend sent me a 15mL recharge from her mother's vintage selection. As this was an heirloom of sorts, I've been very careful with it as it means a great deal to my friend - enough that she passed it on to someone who'd use it. Maybe it's the sentimentality talking, but I honestly think the vintage is the way to go. It's roughly above the strength of the current EDP and has much more complexity than any of the current formulas - and I love both the eau de parfum and parfum. It's very green, very powdery and VERY galbanum heavy. It's not in the same league as Chamade or Vol de Nuit, but the three are barely comparable to one another. This is cold, hard and straight to the point. The current eau de parfum I find to be very kind and loving, whereas this is a total b word. Not to be crossed, only for those who do the crossing. My nan wore something very similar as I was growing up - now she hates it. Go figure. A bit oakmossy, like Hermes' Un Jardin Sur Le Toit and leathery / powdery like a handbag that's seen a few years of make up abuse. Timeless, classy, exceptional, crystalline, effortless and undeniably Chanel. and no, my dear milennials, NOT just for the older generations. Eternity's great grandmother, in a way.

Heavenly Spring morning <3 this smells of spring in Norway to me , a cool breeze of chill still in the air but the sun is up and you know it will warm you up in a few hours . The dewy foog still in the grass make your new ballerina shoes a bit weet but who cares . The day will unfold and bring trilling new oportunitys of bright smiles , friendly giggles . The heart beats faster and spring love comes to mind. Thsi feals ike a tripp down memory lan to me . I dont think i knew anybody whearing this beauty. but the scent itself brings back so many beautiful memorys . Im lucky enough to get a vintage bottle of this juice so it has tons of oakmoss and crisp galbanum . To me i cant realy detect that much iris in this one . Its more about the green and leather then the powder i normaly get from Iris .but the iris and orris roots makes it earthy and green more then powdery in this perhaps. This beauty will shurly be one of my favorites this Spring , side by side with miss dior original and Estee Lauder privat collection. Spring scents and green cravings for shure. I will absolutly tell you that this is far better then the poudre version . infact i desided that the poudre version was a bit boring on me . So will rather go for this for the green crisp fix . And probebly the edp aswell , havent tested jet . but hopfully soon it will be mine aswell . If somebody wants the poudre and have the edp no 19 and look to swapp let me know :)

DH gifted this to me a few weeks ago. For years I have been sighing about how much I miss Chanel 19, which I used to love as a very young woman, decades ago, but haven't worn in many, many years. He didn't realize that the reason I hadn't re-purchased this is that I haven't been wowed by the current, weaker reformulations and I am not prepared to pay the steep price that they are asking for something that I do not absolutely love. Since I am not a vintage hunter, Chanel 19, as far as I was concerned, was a thing of the past. Therefore, when I opened his gift and found a tall bottle of the current EDT, I was surprised and also a bit dismayed. Two things however have since mitigated my dismay: I discovered that DH had gotten a very good deal on the bottle,and hadn't paid a totally astronomical price and the scent has grown on me. Something very odd happened actually. I found that after I had turned the bottle over to inspect the label (I was concerned about the possibility of it being a counterfeit)the notes were more discernible, smelling fresher and closer to the scent that I remembered. Since then I have noticed this consistently: when I remember to give the bottle a quick turn the scent smells better and I am quite enjoying it. I know that this controverts the conventional wisdom about how perfumes are blended but for me this is a thing.

Vintage No.19 Eau de Toilette smells (to me) like money, money that's passed through several hands, seen a few ups and downs, taken some wrong turns along the way and some right ones too. Perhaps Mme. Coco Chanel loved the smell of used money; I have to wonder what her "requirements" were for Henri Robert, how I would have liked to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Someone wrote that this is a scent that evokes "rich older lady" however I say it's the smell of power and success and most likely the scent of the interior of Coco Chanel's personal quilted leather 2.55 flap bag. So what does money smell like? Marc Vome Ende of Symrise who created the scent of "Tender" for artist Mike Bouchet said about the smell of money "Starting with base notes of cotton, soap and ink...the scent sweeps in odors derived from more than 100 volatile organic chemicals. It includes whiffs of leather from time spent in wallets and handbags, a metallic tang that evokes cash registers, salty human sweat and even bacterial and bathroom smells." Sounds like a good enough match to me. To be honest I have always loved the smell of not fresh money which is possibly why I love my vintage Refillable Atomiser so much. I recommend that everyone should smell this gender fluid scent and judge for themselves.