Les Exclusifs de Chanel Eau de Cologne

I approached Chanel's Eau de Cologne for the first time in much the same frame of mind as many others here: eau de Cologne is eau de Cologne, so Chanel's version can't be that exceptional, surely. I tested it one summer's day a while ago; I thought it rather nice; I made a mental note to try it again sometime. I sampled many other eaux de Cologne, and even nearly bought a few. But the Chanel kept calling, quietly but persistently, and I realised that without me even knowing, it had made a profound impression on my olfactory memory. Earlier this year I was lucky enough to be given a sample of it from a Chanel counter, and so I was able to revisit it at my leisure. Having managed to get my hands on such a rarity as a Chanel sample, somewhat paradoxically I knew after only one day's wearing that a full bottle was in my near future. Chanel's Cologne is truly wonderful stuff. As one would expect, Chanel's Eau de Cologne opens with citrus. It's a bright, tangy cloud of fruit, with no single variety dominating – it's an elegantly revolving waltz of lime, lemon, bergamot and orange, and the overall effect is tart but not too tart, sweet but not too sweet. After these initial notes have begun to settle there are still elements of the other fruits' juice and zest remaining, but to me the heart of the fragrance is all about the orange, and not just néroli and petitgrain: there is the actual greenness of the leaves, the bitterness of the peel, the succulence of the flesh and the sweetness of the juice, still moving in complete harmony. As Cologne dries down to its base, a beautiful, orange-tinged musk starts to soar above the composition, rich and lush, definitely fresh, noticeably starchy. It's as if somebody has sprayed a shirt with sweet orange water and then steam-ironed it. However, laundry-clean the shirt is not: the blend of sophisticated musks and subtle spices suggests it has been gently worn even if it is still perfectly presentable. The delectable drydown persists unusually well especially for this genre, and in fact this fragrance's longevity and sillage are far better than one would expect. Whenever I wear Cologne it is always still noticeable the next morning, and the bright musk persists even after showering. So returning to the question of what makes Chanel's particular Eau de Cologne so special, I think it's a combination of two things. Firstly there is synergy: this juice is made from top-quality ingredients, but even so it is considerably greater than the sum of its parts – such a beautiful harmony is created that it starts to resonate from within and take on a life of its own. Secondly there is exquisite balance: Cologne inhabits the Goldilocks zone between refreshingly sharp and mouth-wateringly sweet, and between the crisply fresh and the comfortingly human; and remarkably it manages this from beginning to end. This fragrance moves me, it delights me, it makes me happier than just a smell ought to be able to. It is cologne perfection, a stunningly gorgeous and original example of this seemingly exhausted genre.

Chanel's take on the classic "Eau de Cologne" smell rivals Creed Pure White Cologne, what I previously believed to be the best on the market. Whereas Pure White Cologne is very bright, Chanel Eau de Cologne is not excessively bright at the opening, but more balanced, arguably. Some might reasonably see this as a downside---after all, the EDC scents aren't long-lasting, so shouldn't they be as top-heavy as possible? I'd argue that there's some value in enjoying an EDC scent like Chanel's that is mild and reserved throughout its rather limited lifespan. It consists of a bergamot-dominated citrus mix at the top, with a very slight use of tonka to sweeten it at the bottom. There's hardly any neroli soapiness here despite it being a listed note--I mainly get the bergamusk mix. Unsurprisingly an ill performer, Eau de Cologne does not project for very long and is more or less a skin scent within an hour of wearing, but this is almost to be expected. Even the Atelier "Pure Perfume" colognes certainly do not last as much as their high concentration might lead one to believe. Now Creed's is one of expensive EDCs out there, at $745 for 250ml in its large Royal Exclusives atomizer size (and this price is soon to increase to over $1,000 for 250ml), or (at the Creed Boutique only) $250 for 30ml. Unsurprisingly, many like myself opt for a split of the Creed, but to Chanel's credit, theirs is priced more reasonably at the standard Les Exclusifs pricing of $160 for 75ml or 200ml for $280, and one might actually consider the larger size given that the juice is a lot weaker than, say, Coromandel or Cuir de Russie, and that's the downside: Chanel has still created a weak EDC and priced it in the same class as excellent-performing scents, so one might still find it difficult to stomach the purchase. After all, Dior has a very agreeable Dior Homme Eau De Cologne out there, and there are endless other options like 4711, Guerlain Imperial, etc. that similarly do the job. I'd suggest at least trying this in case it becomes an instant favorite, and maybe you'll see fit to splurge for it. It's an excellent scent but I'd need to give it more wearings before I determine if it's bottle-worthy. 8 out of 10

Chanel EDC is probably the only Eau de Cologne I have so far smelled which has made me genuinely excited about this staid and ancient genre of fragrance. Here I find all the enjoyment is to be found in the exquisite balance, the perfect poise and careful attention to detail. It would be rather supererogatory to describe in detail what it smells like as it smells like every genre-obeying EDC that came before or after it, but I have to remark that the neroli/petitgrain here is really quite breathtaking and of superior quality to most I've smelled elsewhere. After the short citrusy burst in the opening, Chanel EDC turns rather into a fresh-musky white floral, indeed something of a neroli soliflore, but it's just so cooling and easy breathing. To my mind it conjures the image of a great white moth, or perhaps just something large and white in general, and possesses a wonderfully cool-breezy quality that reminds me of stepping out into the night-time air after an otherwise hot day. The musks in the drydown are superbly well-judged, buttressing the neroli as best they can without compromising the overall effect. Here I find the musk much more pleasant than in Cologne du Parfumeur (Guerlain) which is probably the nearest relative to Chanel EDC. Likewise, I prefer the neroli here than in Cologne Indelibile, though I struggle to find the exact words to express why. Chanel EDC just smells so "right", as though every element is put perfectly and meticulously into place, as if every cologne was trying to work its way towards becoming this brilliantly gentle white behemoth. If a seamless white shirt was made from petals, it would smell something like this. Of course it's also a little ghostlike, as all colognes are, fleeting in performance (on me lasting about an hour or two) and rather muted in personality. But there's no greater respite from the chaos of the modern world than something simple, and here simplicity is sublimated into a true work of art. Unexpectedly, I find myself admitting that the huge asking price of this EDC is probably actually worth it - one is paying for the peerless skill of assembly in this case.

Right after spritzing, Chanel Eau de Cologne reminds me a lot of 7 Up or Sprite. It's all bubbly, effervescent lemon/lime, but rather than traditional clean, soap bubbles, these are more reminiscent of those found in carbonated drinks. Aldehydes? At any rate, it's really yummy and divine. As it begins to dry down, the "sparkle" subsides a bit revealing a slight creaminess, which gives the impression of putting a scoop of ice cream into the soda. The smell is also reminiscent of ice tea. A lemon flavored, green tea. It's a bit like Bel Respiro + citrus at this point, as Bel Respiro is very green tea like to me. The peaceful and happy images Eau de Cologne conjures in my mind is part of it's greatness. It takes me to smooth, seashore cliffs with the vast, "greenish" blue ocean as my only view. The entire day I'll be laying there basking in the golden sunshine, worshipping every single ray. As the sun sets in the horizon, the ocean turns into warm, yellow gold. I close my eyes, and all that's audible is the ocean waves hitting the rocks below, the cooling breeze and a choir of seagulls in the distance. All of my previous aches and pains is now nothing but a distant memory. When the rainy clouds once more threaten, Eau de Cologne will have the sun come out again, forcing the despair to leave, and when the weather is too hot and anything else would be nauseating, it picks me right up and leaves me feeling refreshed and cheerful. Summed up: Eau de Cologne Reminds me of Allure Homme Sport and Cologne Blache, although I must say, I HIGHLY preffer Les Exclusifs Eau de Cologne. By far the best summer option by the house of Chanel. A joyous and versatile, unisex cologne for all to wear any time, any place throughout the summer! Lemon/lime soda, ice tea and soft, sweet rays of sun. Not a terribly complex one, but the perfect all-rounder for me. Lasting power is absolutely decent for this type of scent, usually staying somewhere between 8-10 hours on me. It's sillage is fittingly intimate, it radiates mildly within an arms lenght. A flawless, lazy summer vacation in a bottle!

I have wondered, for a very long time, whether conscientious people are born that way or become it over time and how closely does conscientiousness tie into true intelligence. I have met countless self-proclaimed/assumed geniuses but the vast majority of them have been rude, self-serving, filthy, and all around oblivious to everything except the few things they're good at...it has always made me wonder. I also find conscientiousness incredibly attractive - the ability to recognize the needs of someone else across many situations, without being explicitly informed, is quite attractive and, I wholeheartedly believe, truly intelligent. That's just my take on it...Anyways, it is another warm day and I am being compelled to wear something I wouldn't have ever owned if it weren't for a dear friend sharing her collection - Chanel Les Exclusifs Eau De Cologne! This is probably the best Eau de Cologne I have tried - and it better be at this price point! One advantage this has over the other, cheaper EdC fumes is that it actually lasts 8+ hours on my skin without applying heavily to start! To open, this fume produces an absolutely gorgeous citric accord mixed with a very powerful and woody petitgrain note. The citruses are a bit on the sweet side and it does take time for the sugar to burn off, but once it does the fume transitions (slightly) to a slightly peppery neroli and petitgrain backed by by very soft and clean white musk. This is essentially the rest of the rude - the fume subtly shifts between the green floral aspects of neroli and petitgrain and the soft warmth of the white musk. Simple yet perfect for spring and summer outings...and it never hurts to inform people you are wearing Chanel! I hope all of you have a beautiful day and think about someone else for a bit - you might even enjoy it! Day 40 - Conscientiousness Listening to: Radiohead - Videotape