Les Exclusifs de Chanel No 18

OK I've had this perfume for so long now I feel that I've finally "got it". This is my experience of it when I douse myself in it. My advice is Not to wear any sweet perfume with it, no. 18 can smell screechy sour and herbal like Valerian root in comparison to the other The opening is a tart blast of a peppery, Carrot-like vegetal iris with a bit of Musty, dusky rose. There is a smooth boozy, alcoholic vibe, presumably the ambrette. It actually smells like a gin cocktail with citrus sweetened with a dollop of lychee syrup. The lychee with its aqueous, fresh, delicate, rosy, sweet taste is mouth watering. Delicious and refreshing concoction ! Alongside the hint of powder it has a dark, vintage smell. Truly one a kind smell at this stage. Wish that could last. If only... As the top notes fade, the fragrance lightens considerably and gets progressively dryer and dryer. Ambiguous dry/drying fruits appear. Raisins, stone fruit (Apricot? Plum?) . It also warms up with a spiced brandy like smell. Dry fruits soaked in brandy. I swear I also get a physical sweaty sensation. Maybe cumin to accentuate the musky, animalic nature of the ambrette. The perfume is anchored by soapy aldehydes. Out of all the notes, it is the heaviest, like luxury triple milled French bar soap. There is a cyclical effect like breaking out beads of sweat (kind of unnerving) to cool clean, freshly bathed skin. And so your skin is left with a gorgeous sheen In the dry down, it gets so dry, it's completely dessicated. Imagine the traditional Asian"sweet" of super dried plums, leathery skin, pit and all. Here it's ground into a condiment. It's a dry, peppery, dusky, musky, grey admixture of old spices alongside the dry bar soap. A very peculiar, distinctly aged smell. Lived in, dishevelled. A musky, wrinkled white shirt with traces of tobacco. Cardboard? Old books? Evocative of things like that. Going with the oriental theme, I wonder if there is osmanthus in it. A floral that has a natural peachy, smell to it. I've only smelled it in dry form as tea. It might be there. It's said that there is a leathery facet to the natural blooms as well. Sometimes there is a clash between warm and Cool... The cold iris soap against the intense dryness l smell mothballs. I also think there is a lot of ISO E super ("white amber" in the given schematic) which makes the perfume very light and the like a perfume yet not a perfume quality. It's known to have a vague, flat, cedar smell. When I spray a lot on l think of peppery cardboard. It's used heavily in male perfumery. For that reason I skew the scent as a little more masculine as a dry, tart, aromatic,fruity fougere perfume. The reformulation of this basically includes two ingredients: coumarin and benzyl salicylate. They serve to artificially sweeten the perfume and lend more "body" or presence. Vanilla + iso e super forms a woody white amber accord. The official website classifies this as a fruity oriental perfume. In this version l find that the gin concoction now resembles the "Aviator" with a dose of sweet Japanese ume plum cordial: umeshu. Sigh. If the are going to make an oriental perfume, I'd rather they go all the way. I'm thinking a hybrid with la pausa, cuir de Russie and Coromandel. Leather, lychee, iris, rose, plum, osmanthus, mandarin, patchouli, ambrette, soap, sandalwood, spices, incense. It would be heavy, dark, rich and very, very expensive. One can dream. In sum I just think of this as a unique, thoroughly modern perfume that straddles both old world and modern perfumery in a very intriguing manner. I think the notes are citrus, iris, rose geranium, lychee, iris, fruity notes, dry woods, ambrette, aldehydes

Chanel, au naturel This fragrance if you stop to think about it, is probably the most natural smelling in the line, which is antithetical to what they usually offer, ie no.5 and no.22 with aldehydes and other synthetics. I admit I can't stand by that statement completely as I can't recall the smell of real rose bushes as we haven't grown any in the garden for years... The floral opening is bewitching in an old world way. Rose and iris simultaneously reminds me of old powder and lipstick as they would be scented just like this where the silver screen sirens yore residein my imagination. The soft powdery iris is cold, a metallic sheen. How fitting! fine jewelry on a woman adds only more glamour and allure. The roses aren't particularly fresh... I can only describe as dusky/dusty. it's old, almost to the point of decay. I picture a shaded rose bush, petals drying and shrivel ling at the edges replete with somewhat browned woody stems. Or simply a sachet of potpourri.a very expensive one. And musty. musty is how I smell the entire time I wear this.I attribute this to the ambrette. always in the foreground, it's green in a vegetal, musky slightly sour-sweet manner. Fruit eventually appears to play up the sweet facet of the ambrette. I can't make out what it is, but it's delectable! At this point on after the sweet fruit and rose die off it's a soft lingering skin musk that simply endures.when you think it's not there, it's there. even the next day, or imperceptibly so. The woody note is barely detectable, as not to steal the show and to prolong longevity of the frag. A quiet, quintessential, delicate, almost precious scent... Despite the must y quality itremains a bright warm sheer scent like a flickering lit candle. the cold iris doesn't last very long, it's mostly rose that makes a statement. Wear it and be prepared for an aura of lit within glow at dusk. I agree with a previous poster thar the best jewel this scent represents is pearl. I am a proud owner of a string of iridescent peachy pink pearls. The weight if it sitting on my neck may be cold at first but my body heat warms it up.and I can never stop admiring the beautiful glowing burnished hue I've never smelled anything like it that's why I got the giant full bottle. True, it isn't a strong smelling perfume y thing you'd expect from a chanel and price point. but if you appreciate at what the fragrance tries to achieve, as a showcase of real, not to mention rare ambrette seed, it's worth% it. Ps. I have a deluxe 4 ml screw top mini of this housed in a white chanel pamphlet box featuring a preface in a dozen languages! I'm looking for a trade it in for a niche or luxury scent.sycamore would be nice.any takers?

I’m late to the party. I finally got my hands on a 200mL bottle of the Les Exclusifs No. 18 EdT some time ago, a blind buy but being absolutely certain I wanted it because, one, of how much I love the EdP rerelease, and, two, because my experience thus far with the Les Exclusifs EdT originals is that they are always better than the rereleases. This is a different story. Aside from the name, and having orris in the starring role, the EdT and the EdP have nothing to do with each other. These are two very different perfumes. The EdP opens with a massive dose of oily and musky ambrette seed that casts a warming glow into your eyes, and a watery fruit salad accord of all colors of the rainbow. The EdT does not. Yes, there is ambrette but it’s not oily and it doesn’t glow, but it is quite musky; the fruits are there too, but it’s not a fruit salad, it’s a fine mist of fruit infused water. The result is something that smells of a botanical vodka - a dirty and dangerous vodka known and favored only by old Russian alcoholics. It moves quite quickly to the heart layer where a bit of pink rose sits over the top of a parched but oily orris. The oiliness is a trick of some musks at the base reaching up a bit high into the perfume, but the rooty, starchy, and vegetal qualities of the orris keep the musks from being too oily and the rose from being too pink and powdery. The balance and weightlessness is superb. The final dry down to the skin scent is a musky sandalwood and the orris has gone a touch leathery-suede-like thanks to the musks having more volume by contrast. It keeps to the theme of the heart layer with the same excellent balance and weightlessness. This was definitely not what I expected given that my experience with No. 18 has worked in reverse of its timeline. The Les Exclusifs EdT has more in common with Misia than it does No. 18 EdP - and, in fact, now that I’ve got that thought in my head, I wonder if that was intentional...? Was No. 18 too “in the middle” of what Chanel thought the market wanted from an orris perfume? Was the EdP sent down its path of kaleidoscopic fruits, ambrette, and florals, and Misia its path of lipstick and strident and parched leatheriness, because its at the extremes of orris where the money starts flowing? I don’t know, nor do I actually care but only insomuch as it means that we no longer have this gem with us in any shape or form.

I am so glad there are so many new converts to this eau! This perfume is truly unique and mysterious so difficult to define and vague. that's the one reason I bought this over the gorgeous Sycamore. I own the original completely non sweet mammoth of a bottle (2007 vintage) I can attest to the musky body odor association. A very lived in, undone, musty masculine odor bordering on skank made more civilized with a soapy aldehyde. This is why I don't wear it liberally in public on summer days .high temperatures, body heat, generous application, natural sweat all exaggerate the effect. My mother even told me I needed to shower after I doused myself in it recently! So yep, it can be "offensive". mine doubly so because it offended quite a few internet writers and was quickly reformulated. I suspect it was very first one, actually. So many complaints. The reviewers couldn't make it past the opening which I find strange and regretful because it is the very best stage of it alluring and compelling. But fuck that. I'm not necessarily girly girly all the time. Privately at night I can be a smoking, drinking, disheveled, unpretty reveler too kate moss style! :D but still very glamorous don't ya think? This naturally unsweetened gem is so versatile as a layering perfume over anything I find too sweet and/or loud. It imparts a musky, plush, ripe, boozy overlay though the effect doesn't last long. All Thanks to this magical ambrette essence. No wonder mr polge was so taken with this complex and compelling perfumery material! the prettier, devastatingly fleeting floral aspects only seem to "bloom" at their best in cool temps. that's when I go all out and get trigger happy in winter. I have to admit it though, the current reformulated version is a lot easier to wear. And I still regret not getting the early edition of sycamore. still this stuff is marvelous if you can appreciate the beauty in all all its strangeness. the jean claude ellena of the entire line. Cheers to revelry and libations!

The most underrated (and possibly misunderstood) Chanel. So say I, a Chanel 'liker', but not always a Chanel lover. THIS (not very Chanel-like) Chanel...I love. I found it impossible not to love her. I tried to pretend it was just like. Save myself a few coins. I've failed in my efforts to keep this relationship casual. No.18 is tender, and completely disarming. I've been charmed. I've been enchanted. I've been unwillingly, but inevitably it seems, lured into her palm. No.18 is so free in feel, that I didn't recognize the risk. Now that it is too late, I know I should have recognized the signs. Like wearing a small spritz on my wrist even as I wore another fragrance, checking the Chanel website, searching through Fragrantica for mention of it. *sigh* Too late. I don't actually find No.18 overly floral or fruity, despite the category label and the slightly flirty quality, not uncommon in floral/fruities. Don't get me wrong, you will experience both floral and fruit notes in this composition, but ambrette (musk mallow) is the star. It has never been more lovely than in this creation. It has never been more rounded and soft, which is saying something because it'a always both. I find neither the floral nor fruit notes easy to separate and distinguish. They inhabit supportive roles, a choir all dressed in the same sweet, flowery robes. Indistinguishable. They are tempered... filtered by the thread of emotion I feel when wearing 18. Despite the free and natural spirit here, there is a thread of melancholy. Just enough to make you pensive. Think solitude on a beautiful rainy day and you may have No.18 OR you may just have my personal relationship with it. Noteworthy Notes --Ambrette, normally a bridesmaid, the beautiful bride here. --Soft, distant wood notes --Soft, even more distant water notes --Floral/fruit choir Projection personal Longevity Long enough to inspire my senses Chanel sometimes gets it exactly right, for ME.

I finally found something that goes well with my original first issue No. 18 EDT that has frustrated me to no end, because the jus is weak and transparent. This miracle worker is Voluspa's "Yoshioka Gardenia" candle. When l first bought it, it had an amazing, beautiful strong Gardenia scent that l would sneak some and apply to my skin like a solid perfume (it's that good!). Effectually l burnt the wick down and the scent changed because it now that burnt candle smell along with it. But strangely this new effect kind of smelled like Frankincense. I was wrong. Turns out l have been smelling burnt Tuberose and clove... Undaunted, l still want to make use of this "turned scent". I slathered some on and sprayed No 18 and l was in instant heaven. It was love; No more cursing the company for making a stronger version of it leaving me short changed for an inferior product. This combo smells a bit like Feminite du Bois by Shiseido. I'm not joking. The plum fruit and the cedar wood. So much more depth and warmth is introduced. The ambrette musk is dialed way up, with its warm sweetness and the glorious tobacco and Brandy impression. A hint of spice. Ambiguous creamy floralcy but l can still make out earthy, cold, powdery iris. There is waxy aldehydic frankincense candle effect eventually turns rubbery. Hmm...

I am obsessed with this cold , clean , fresh aromatic chanel . N18 is heavy on ambarette seeds which is like a metallic clean musky smell. It takes a little getting use to as it’s quite a particular scent. But it grows on you and then becomes addictive! I can’t compare it to the Edt but the Edt is no longer here so it doesn’t matter at this point. I am happy they all got upgraded to Edp which are generally higher in oil content so therefor longer lasting and smoother. I am happy they did that as they are expensive and should be Edps ! Back to N18 , it’s clean , aldehydic , metallic and somewhat salty and ozonic. I smell violets salt and metal ,it’s vey much an ambarette seed dominant scent. It has a cold , clean and soapy quality but turns a little warmer and slightly skanky in the drydown. I need a big bottle next time. I wished I would have gotten the large bottle . It makes a great daytime , casual scent. However it can also smell sophisticated and classy at the same time. Very versatile. Definitely signature worthy ! It’s dans tes bras FM distant relativ , at least to my nose. Update , it also has a casual baby scent quality to it. A newborn and his mother feel. .... So beautiful!

Oh, Chanel 18!! While reading the reviews of just about every Chanel fragrance ever (ever!!) made I was very intrigued indeed by Chanel #18. I took notes: ok someone said it smelled of doctors tools, someone said it's cold, austere, strange, fruity, unique. I can agree with all of that. To me it starts with this strange fruity-ness but completely different than anything else out there. It's VERY bubbly, effervescent, mineral almost. Powdery. Without ever becoming very sweet. It's fruit notes remind me of a seltzer wine cooler beverage (although I don't drink anymore) or a fizzy, club soda drink with a delicate fruity note. Club soda or fizzy water, seltzer is typically ALL I drink. This is my water for the day, every day. I absolutely love sparkly, fizzy, bubbly, effervescent scents. Chanel #18 is the number 1 for me in that. I will not be wrong if I say it is my absolute #1 perfume ever created. I have a bottle on the way as of today. Can't wait for it arrive. My next purchase will be 1932. I think my favorite frags are: Chanel #22, Chanel 1932, Chanel #18, Chanel #5 L'Eau and Allure pure parfum along with Allure Sensuelle.

This is the most perfect summer ambrette. It's fizzy & airy/clean yet musky, in the mid-section there are light hints of rose but zero sweetness, the overall effect is fun & pretty but unisex. It makes me think of cycling down country lanes past hedgerows full of flowering dog rose after summer rain, or cool, dewy summer mornings after staying up all night at black tie events. The aldehydes in the topnotes give it a beautiful lift but don't dominate (as in Chanel No 5, for e.g.). I struggle with most musks, either because I'm anosmic to them or because they remind me of overstrong laundry detergent; the ambrette/musk mallow in No 18 edt is something else entirely, it has a grappa feel but somehow also a pillowy non-sweet marshmallow effect. The edt isn't as mellow or boozy as the edp verison, which is also lovely but sweeter & cosier, & therefore less suited to hot weather. The only downside is that the edt has relatively poor longevity - I get max 4-5 hours and perfumes usually last forever on my skin.

No. 18 EDT is a crisp and sparkling musky fragrance with a very noticeable ambrette note that gives it a cold and bitter quality, which I love so much! No. 18 EDT is my favorite musk fragrance because it smells clean without smelling soapy and there is no strong woody presence or pencil shaving notes like in other musky/ambrette fragrances. The florals in No. 18 EDT are soft and in the background while the ambrette is front and center the entire wear. For comparison, the new EDP has stronger floral notes (mostly rose) and the florals blur the sparkle of the ambrette. To me, the EDP smells like they took the EDT and added more of the Chanel signature floral aldehydes, which removed the EDT's cold, bitter, and crystalline quality. The EDP smells like a rosy, warm and fuzzy version of its predecessor. I much prefer the cold, bitter sparkle of the EDT, which more accurately embodies the inspiration of the fragrance, which is supposed to "conjure the image of precious gems".

At first sniff of this I was intrigued. It's very distinctive. It wasn't sweet. It felt unisex at first. But when I smelled it again and again, and was transported to a different era, illustrated on the silver screen, the starlet languishing at her boudoir. Rouge [lipstick rose], powder [iris], sensuous musk, a cigarette smoldering in the ash tray. Deceptively glamourous and sensual. And not at all fruity. I guess it could be there to lighten the composition but I can't make it out. Apple? Quite a stunner. I would like a bottle in EdP or extrait. Apparently the SA's favourite, and he's a man. I am drawn to this musk because it is completely natural, and cruelty free. I hate the manufactured white musk that is used everywhere--ever present in laundry detergent. I don't need a perfume that smells like my laundry, if you know what I mean.

The ambrette-dominated fragrance by perfumers Jacques Polge and Christopher Sheldrake is supposed to envision the smell of Chanel's jewelry line of diamonds. Clean, perfect, haughty, priceless, elegant. This, at first, happens to be the most un-Chanel of the Les Exclusifs line. This fragrance has a "cold" feel or demeanor. Aloof, icy, evanescent -- but at the same time tinge with a hint of longing, even sadness. It is the smell of ambrette musk over dark rose. This is almost a skin scent with low sillage and projection. Mannered and prim, this fragrance is not for people of bombast. Unisex, and together with 28 La Pausa -- most consider this the most cerebral of the Les Exclusifs line (which I agree with). Difficult to like at first, but repeated use will get you hooked. Apply liberally. Highly recommended!

Fragrance that evokes sophisticated atmospheres of the early 1900s, despite being Les Exclusifs de Chanel No 18 by Chanel a fragrance by the great master Jacques Polge created in 1997. It recalls lost time, an elegant boudoir of a gentlewoman from the 1920s who used to preserve her own precious lingerie inside scented chests of drawers filled with small velvet bags containing highly scented ambrette seeds; dominated by wonderful Lalique crystal vases, studded with long sinuous and elegant stems of imperious and fragrant Irises, all surrounded by enveloping and warm woody scents of rare beauty. Fragrance that allows sweet, non-gourmand fruity accords of charismatic impact to emerge in its heart. Chanel's artistic perfumery needs no further introduction, it just needs to be experienced.

I was indeed captivated by this from the start. Iris gorgeousness and enchanting woods. In fact, as soon as I sprayed it on, I felt I need to wear this EXCLUSIVELY in order to fully appreciate it. Big fan. I'm kicking myself for sleeping on the Exclusifs as long as I have. Damn I'm a snob... ***EDIT*** Tried this one again, and it might very well be love. Very likely, infact... There's a gorgeous sweetness in this, The iris in this is done right, it's shaped and contoured to work around the woods and the ambrette. This is a work of art, really it is... All that remains now is to pair it off alongside Misia and possible La Pausa, and see if there is any similarity / redundancy, and go from there. But I think it's VERY likely...

Chanel 18 wasn’t love at first sniff, but it was definitely intrigue at first sniff. Initially, I dismissed No. 18 as cold fruity-floral that seemed somewhat mature. Why was my nose glued to my wrist? Mature fruity-florals are typically not my thing—and was I smelling rose? Then it became a mystery and I was the obsessive detective, completely fascinated and ready to neglect my family and even kill if I had to. I kept spraying and snorting, spraying and snorting. WHAT IS THIS? Acid. Olive. Rose. Shakespearean musk. Powdery, yet green and tart. Retro, yet strangely accessible. Familiar, yet perplexing. I could wear this. This could be my formal perfume, my big girl perfume. 5/5, but really 4/5 because of poor performance

For women? Why not, but this ode to ambrette sure works on a guy. The ambrette tames the iris, fruit and floral scents and announces that the wearer knows and appreciates beautiful things and can make them his own. Warm, powerful, sexy as hell- this sits next to the kouros, antaeus and yatagan in my wardrobe. On a lady? I'd definitely not do anything to piss her off. Looking at the other reviews- ambrette must be quite the odd note; Chanel 18 perfectly tames ("flattens" in the negative language of another commenter) the floral and fruit perfectly- a brilliant success at what I'm always trying to acheive with a little dose of mimosa layered onto a gourmand or floral thats a little too much for a guy to wear.

This has been my favourite fragrance since I purchased it 6 years ago, there’s still a bit left in the bottle. So far, I haven’t worn any fragrance more than this one, it was love at first sniff 😍 I can’t detect the fruity notes listed above, but I definitely notice ambrette, woody notes and a bit of Iris (not much though) there are some very-shy flower notes here, however, totally unidentifiable. Overall it’s a fragrance that makes me feel good and classy. I love it ♥️

No. 18 is effortless and unassuming. There`s something very clear and sober in it too. I love how un-dramatic it is. Its very here and now, and not about some distant excitement or the dramatic journey there. Take it or leave it, seems to be the attitude here. I think its totally unisex-smelling since the flowers are very abstract and de-constructed, and the musk is very prominent. Alot of `greenness` going on.

First spray and I smell... olives, not from the tree, from a freshly open vase of the most delicious delicatessen olives. Very culinary . Very fast it settles down to a unique, perfectly balanced, skin scent. And then I want to spray some more. I don't really get it, the idea behind the scent but I know I love it. It is only the third time I wear it, in a very hot weather, I can't smell any fruits or flowers.

When I put this one on I didn't know what was going on. Its very green, and very aquatic. This fragrance changed into this beautiful "just after a rain" mist-like spell on me. A silage a little stronger than Bvlgari's white tea love-child (Eau Blanc) but smelling it off the bottle can turn you off from it at first. I love all the Chanel Exclusives, but this one would be my favorite.. it is quite a gem.

Syrup flower in its opening but then goes to dry the way white wines are. It's a gentle woody floral but very Chanel, desexualized, prim, gated, pearled. I still prefer their other offerings. This one is timid, like a white deer galloping, hidden at any moment's notice. Cousin to the sylvan and original Eau de Givenchy. Both coy in their watery openings but quickly desiccates.

This one grows on me. It becomes my most favorite from Les exclusive line along with Coromandel. A sparkling, sweet salty metallic skin scent with a hint of iris works perfectly on my skin in cold weather especially when I pare it with La Pausa or Fleur de peau it is more addictive. Longevity is 10-12 hours in the winter.

Beautiful stuff. I get a soapy ambrette here, not much more. Undeniably Chanel, #18 is straight unisex. I love it as a man. Freshly washed skin. No fragrance in the soap freshly washed skin. 10/10, closest thing to it for me is Fleur de peau.

I get a grappa alcohol note in the opening (which I like) and then its an addicting skin scent. Male here and I find it perfect for hot weather.

No. 18 Edt was such a gem of the collection. The Edp is not an improvement and I wish they'd bring this one back.

dewy rose and regal iris, lots of ambrette give it a nutty edge...lighthearted and optimistic scent...so nice...

Gentle, even vulnerable. Heartbreaking on a man. Wear for true blue apologies and seduction from good motives.

The smell of doctor's tools, hospital, clinic, pharmacy. Wonderfull

Sparkling champagne and sparkling diamonds. Not for the suburbs.

Chanel No 18 EDP opens with a strong projection of sweet, fruity, and floral musky notes. The opening is delicious, projecting, fresh, and well-balanced. The fruity and flowers are opening notes, the fruity note is more noticeable, its delectable and sweet accord makes the fragrance feel inviting, this note is evocative of sweet dried fruits. Among the flowers is the ambrette, it starts slow but in just a moment, it develops very quickly to take the lead of the fragrance. The ambrite in this fragrance is very sweet, fruity, dense floral, and musky. The musk is a projecting and enhancing note, but inoffensive. As the fragrance moves towards its dry down, the powdery floral accord of the iris becomes noticeable, seating side by side with the ambrette and fruity notes. A little behind is the woody notes, the support accord, providing a calm, fresh wood touch that does not interfere with the featured notes. The fragrance has a subtle but noticeable opening to dry down change, the opening favors the sweet, fruity, and ambrette, then and toward the dry down, the iris gives the fragrance a mild powdery accord, the musk of the ambrette intensifies and the woody notes become a bit more noticeable. The final change is the projection which steps down from strong to moderate to low. Once Chanel No 18 EDP has reached its full dry down, it can be summarized as a moderate to low projection, very sweet, ambrette, fruity, iris, and woody fragrance. The fragrance feels casual, comforting, cozy, delectable, delicate, delicious, elegant, exotic, exquisite, slightly more feminine than masculine, fine, floral, fresh, sweetly fruity, gentle, intimate, inviting, light, mild, moderate-quality, modern, musky, playful, mildly powdery, refreshing, romantic, seductive, short-lived, sugary, sweet, versatile, young, and very pleasant. BATCH REVIEWED: 2020. WOW RATING: 8/10. A delicious mostly ambrette, and fruity fragrance. DISLIKE RATING: 1/10. The fragrance is slightly musky but inoffensive. UNIQUENESS: 6/10. The ambrette gives a unique touch to this fragrance but does not feel unique. MASS APPEAL: 10/10. This is a fragrance that most people will enjoy. PROJECTION: 2/10. Low, about 2 feet around the wearer, a more intimate fragrance. SILLAGE: 3/10. Moderate to low, about 3 feet behind the wearer. APPLICATION: 6-8 atomizations. LONGEVITY: 3/10. Moderate to low, about 3 hours, it projects for about 1 hour. SEASONS: Spring, summer, daytime, and climate-controlled environments. OCCASIONS: Formal events, outdoor gatherings, gym, office, business, casual, holidays, vacations, romantic, dating. This is an office-friendly fragrance. VERSATILITY: 6/10. A good fragrance for mild or hot weather. GENDER: Feminine. The ambrette creates a deep and dense floral accord with the fruity undertone. This note isn’t as prominent as roses or the white floral jasmine, but it is noticeable leaning the fragrance slightly to the feminine side. The fragrance could be worn as unisex. AGES: Any. RECOMMENDATION: Chanel No 18 EDP can be purchase retail for $200 (2.5oz). Its price tag does not match its performance (projection, sillage, and longevity). It is ideal for those looking for an intimate ambrette fragrance. It is a nice-to-have but not a must-have. BLIND-BUY: No, sample it first (performance). SIMILAR: These are examples of fragrances in the same genre. Chanel Les Exclusifs De Chanel Jersey EDP is an aromatic, floral, fresh spicy, vanilla, and musky fragrance; Tom Ford Neroli Portofino is a good, mild, white floral, and musk fragrance; Ferrari Bright Neroli Men EDT is a soft but pleasant slightly sweet, citrus and white floral fragrance; Chancel Chance Eau Fraiche EDT is a good, mild, powdery, white musk, slightly sweet, amber, and white floral fragrance; Chanel No 18 EDP has reached its full dry down, it can be summarized as a moderate projection, very sweet, ambrette, fruity, iris, and woody fragrance. SUMMARY: A moderate projection to low, very sweet, ambrette, fruity, iris, and woody fragrance. The fragrance feels casual, comforting, cozy, delectable, delicate, delicious, elegant, exotic, exquisite, slightly more feminine than masculine, fine, floral, fresh, sweetly fruity, gentle, intimate, inviting, light, mild, moderate-quality, modern, musky, playful, mildly powdery, refreshing, romantic, seductive, short-lived, sugary, sweet, versatile, young, and very pleasant.

Brilliant pear shaped diamonds, rooty orris and musky ambrette. N18 sure is unique, and in a good way for once, I must say! As soon as N18 hits my skin I sense a very intriguing note. I have clearly never smelled this element in any other perfume before, and I'm guessing it's the mystery note ambrette. It almost smells minty.. What hits me just as potently though is a hefty cloud of iris. This is an iris with a big I! It's the most carrot like one I have smelled up to this point. At the moment, N18 smells like 28 La Pausa on steroids and it's flippin' gorgeous! This combination of notes up front makes N18 smell like mint flavoured toothpaste and pure carrot juice, (ambrette+wood+iris)? Smells MUCH nicer than what I just made it sound like, but this is what I get! It's beautifully soft and tender though. Not harsh or overpowering at all. The softness works very well in this particular perfume. As the drydown furthens, the fruity notes emerge little by little. The most pronounced fruit note to my nose is that of a green pear. A dry pear note however, not a sickeningly sweet or juicy one, which pear has such a tendency to become. This pear right here is soft and dry. Infact, it makes me think of musky, pear scented powder. If I were to give the scent a color at this point, it would be the softest shade of pastel green. The floral notes quikly follow, and I mainly pick up the scent of dewy, pink roses. Finally, I must mention that the most gorgeous, soft wood note is present all the way through. This is so, so beautiful.. N18 is at once mysterious and romantic. For some reason N18 mangages not to smell like a perfume at all! It's not at all "perfumey" in the traditional sense. No, N18 is too abstract, like the smell of a hidden memory, place or time. In my mind this is It the month of May encapsulated in a bottle! I would almost describe this as a floral woody musk rather than a fruity floral. When I think fruity floral, I picture something like Dior's Dolce Vita, not so much N18 to be honest. I do get the jewel part of N18, but instead of real jewels, hard, lifeless however bright, N18 is soft, lively and blurred in its lines. This is like standing outside in the most beautiful rose garden one hazy morning, leaning yourself towards the trunk of an old tree. As the sun rises above the horizon, you watch all those little dewdrops turn into sparkling stones more beautiful than any diamond you have ever seen. One of the greatest and certainly most original achievements in Chanel's Les Exclusifs line. In particular from the modern collection post 2007. Exquisite.

The fruits play a protagonist role along with the floral and wood notes, at least at the opening. Then the musky and iris notes are clearly detectable. The initial opening is a bit confusing, notes sparkle giving the fragrance some fruity vibe, but also floral and also woody. A few minutes the initial disequilibrium stabilizes, and the musk notes become to dominate, the floral and fruit notes move to the back supporting the fragrance to make it delectable and aromatic. After 5 minutes of application, the projection drops very quickly, the projection fades away and the fragrance becomes unisex balancing floral, woods, musk, and fruity notes. The fragrance is pleasant yet somehow confusing, the notes while together don’t seem to mix well, yet there they are. The fragrance is versatile, discrete, refreshing, modern. No 18 does not have that old school vibe that Jersey or Coromandel have, it feels more in tune with modern days, therefore, appealing to a broader audience, the lack of uniqueness and projection makes it fall under the designer realm of fragrances rather than niche. Category: Woody aromatic. Batch reviewed: 2020 Wow Rating: 5/10. Pleasant but common. Dislike Rating: 0/10. All tones are in general well accepted. Uniqueness: 1/10: The market is full of fruity/floral/musky fragrances, the blend isn’t special. Mass Appeal: 9/10. This is a crowd-pleaser. Projection: 2/10. Very low, possibly 2 feet around the wearer. Sillage: 2/10. Very low, possibly 2 feed behind the wearer. Application: Get multiple applications to compensate for its lack of performance. Longevity: 4/10. Four hours or less. Seasons: Summer, spring, fall, daytime. Poor performance fragrances are not good candidates for winter or cold nights. Occasions: Any, the nature of the fragrance makes it very versatile. Versatility: High, fruits, flowers, a bit of musk, they fit everywhere. Gender: Unisex. Ages: Any. Recommendation: A niche fragrance with basic designer tones that performs poorly. Do not buy it. Blind-Buy: No, because of poor performance. Similar: That would be a long list, the market is full of fragrances that feature flowers, fruits, and musk. Parfums De Marly Leyton features these and other notes but the result is of a much higher quality. Summary: Niche yet simple and basic tones that don’t create a niche masterpiece but rather a designer-level fragrance.

I wrote a very long review of N18 earlier and honestly, this is a very peculiar perfume and easily the most singular and unique offering in the entire Les Exclusifs range, probably in the entire Chanel range for that matter. Because of this I find it almost impossible to gather the right words to describe N18! I'll still try though.. With N18 I'm not really able to pick out individual notes used in traditional perfumery, it smells more like a blend of different "things" and "elements" to me. Pencil shavings, dried rose petals, antique paper, wooden, mentholated toothpicks, worn leather, old wool, wet soil, prunes and even rocks. I smell all of this and more in N18.. It also reminds me of the scent that's in the air as a thunderstorm closes in. The only thing I recognize from traditional perfumery is a very strong note of musk which I'm assuming is the ambrette. However, even this note feels unsettingly different here, compared to the musk that I'm used to smell. So many perfumes are described as mysterious, but if theres one that's really earned that title, N18 has to be the one! A very abstract perfume, putting on N18 is a different experience each and every time. My only gripe with this would be weakness in projection and longevity. I feel like I need to spritz quite a few times to make it stick. In the end, I still adore this fascinating scent tremendously. A true "love it or hate it" perfume! I LOVE LOVE LOVE N18!

Chanel does Minimalistic here very well. A modern fragarance for a modern woman. Smells like rain, the sky, grass, liquor...a green hue. Dry down is slightly sweeter. Only complaint: silage is low. Would have to keep reapplying. Too bad there isn't a concentrated perfume formula. I don't know if I can justify the price tag for something that's so hard to smell. Maybe it would smell stronger if I sprayed it on my clothing, too. Update: I've had this on for a few hours now, and the scent still lingers. At first blush, silage seems low, but could it be that the composition is simply soft in general? I'm smelling a sweet, velvet, liquor aura upon my movements. It's still there....it's just either very quiet, or very tricky!

Number 18 took a while to grow on me...but I love it now and will purchase a bottle as I need it in my collection. I received a sample from the Chanel SA and at first spray, I didn't think it would suit me - that's because I was so enthralled by 1932 and Beige that I didn't think much of no.18. Now that it is cooler and I have given my sample some use, I am finding that it is a very lovely scent - very different to what I am used to wearing but I am glad that I persisted and gave it another chance. It is like a sparkling jewel, very refreshing and dries down to a musky skin scent....very enjoyable.

Wonderful fargrance! I feel,understand it better in the wintertime, when it's freezy enough outside - #18 smells like a clear,mountain lake or the bunch of the best diamonds in my palm. It's fresh and tenderly sweet, no fruits, no annoying musk notes. But when the air is getting warmer, the fargrance is growing sweeter, with distinct fruit trail (maybe it's apple or/and peach and pear). Pretty, but not so overwhelming as in winter.

edt on wrists this is a sparkling intense sweet fruity luxury shower scent. yummy and intense. clear, shimmering, radiating, the sun and the moon on their wedding...

Beautiful and elegant, cold and mysterious. I don't reach for this enough but it is a very intriguing scent!

Floral, woody, iris, a bit of tanginess. Bit sharp. Not sure why I'd want to smell like this. It's not terrible, but I just don't get what it's going for. Per Chanel it's high quality, natural, well blended, but I just don't click with this scent profile. Scent: 5 / Sillage: 6 / Longevity: 7

Pardon me, but inspiration is failing me to prize this frag. You say terrific, I say terrible! You say splendid, I say slender! You say artful, I say artificial ! You see a precious jewel , I see only a fake in it though It smells so synthetical, so medicinal from the head to the toes that I'm unable to distinguish any floral or fruity note whatsoever here-just sharp musky and metallic taste in my mouth that sets my teeth on grinding.... And it's so camphoric and farmaldehydic that it immediately casts my memory back to the surgery theatre and to the morque where I once studied the matter of life and death, and minded over matter then..repudiating and repudiated indeed. So if there is any flowers in this precious bouquet, it must be only a bunch of white lilies under snow on the grave stone. Ostentatious and cold, with a steely character- that is how I feel this perfume. Some like it hot..though. Update: Oh...there is some heat in the air-the aroma of welding is hitting me now. High Voltage! Beware! The only scent that knocked me off my feet in the same way was Lyra 3 by Alain Delon with its similar medicinal opening, the blast of pure ether that melts somehow into something abstractive and fruity, not totally unpleasant rather more humble and so more or less wearable at least. Chanel N18 stubbornly stands her own ground....no giving in to me. 10 out of 10 for your character, Lol!!!!

Before trying it on, it had promise. However I sprayed it on and at first sniff, it was much too sweet/fruity for my tastes (apple/pear?). Within a few minutes I started smelling the ambrette and started feeling more comfortable with where the fragrance was going. However, it instead became much cleaner/fresher (a no-no for me), concentrating on the fruity (add citrus) and introducing floral notes (rose?). On my skin, it slowly smelled stronger and stronger (argh!) while evolving into a slightly muskier version of something that reminds me of the fragrance of Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. As much as I wanted to like it, this perfume clearly does not suit me.

I have a similar experience with this perfume to being at a modern art exhibit: there *might* be something very interesting and revolutionary going on, but I just can't figure that out simply by looking at the paintings, or get myself to truly enjoy it. It's an aesthetic confusion to my classically-oriented senses. Maybe there is something revolutionary or high fashion about smelling like salty spicy fruit, and I bet Coco could pull it off, but I just ain't enough of a connoisseuse to appreciate it. If the loss is mine, I sure don't know it.

To me, an odd green aquatic with a musk undertone. Opinions divide on this and I'm sorry to be on the "no" side; I really wanted to like it. This is the first Chanel where I've used up the sample in one day, firstly because it needs a good spray or two, and secondly because I don't want to wear it again. I thought "waterlily" in common with some others here; and if the ambrette is causing this weird taint, I don't like it, so that's an education. 2/10. Next, please.

Very medicinal sharp opening. Dry dry dry. Not sweet at all. I have the complete Les Exclusives discovery set and dislike No. 18 the most. More masculine. Dry down is much better then the opening. At certain moment reminded me a Body by Burberry which I also dislike. It does belongs to the collection, just not my thing. I am a Rue Gambon 31 fan. Conclusion: buy it if you are a guy or a girl looking for a chic office frag.

Had an interesting opening, with very light fruity notes, and a delicate undertone of citrus. The fragrance stays close to the skin, and develops into a gentle floral. Nice enough, but not full bottle worthy.

No. 18 is a slightly sour concoction of stinky citrus and chili powder.

I do get the fruits in this composition, however they tend to be layered with spices and pepper. Chanel No.18 veers away from the typical fruity florals on the market, choosing to portray something a little less shampoo-like or juicy. I rather like this fragrance, and that's a huge thing for me to say seeing that I quite often dislike fruity florals, and dread Summer for that same reason. No.18 is different, perhaps even a little bit metallic. I swear that there is an apple note in there somewhere, however it's very subtle. There may even be cinnamon too, which reminds me of the scent of a freshly baked apple pie. However, this fragrance is nowhere near being a gourmand. Like the sales assistant noted, it's difficult to classify this fragrance and to pick out the individual notes. When I really stick my nose to my wrist, I get lemon, apple, bergamot, pepper, rose, ambrette seed, cinnamon, olives, musk and herbs. Thankfully this fragrance is rather subtle in a fresh, dry and green kind of a way. The lasting power is pretty good, however it tends to vanish every now and then, brought back to life by breathing hot air onto the spot where you sprayed it. In conclusion, Chanel No.18 is not my cup of tea, however it's a lovely, sophisticated and refined interpretation of a fruity floral that does tend to be drier than most.

Chanel No 18 took me by surprise, first, because I ordered it along with a variety of other Chanel samples under the assumption that this was an old classic! Not so: No. 18 (at least the one in my possession!) is a brand new composition, launched in 2007, which is quasilinear and possesses none of the qualities of "classic" perfumes. That said, for a twenty-first century creation, No. 18 is likeable enough. The fragrance can perhaps best be compared to an oyster, as its primary appealing component is something akin to pulverized pearls or perhaps mother of pearl. This opalescent powdery or shimmering dusty texture--which is not, however at all sweet, as in ALLURE--I often find in leather fragrances (I'm thinking of KELLY CALECHE and JOLIE MADAME, both of which are quite flat to my nose). No. 18 apparently contains no leather, but it does contain some other note that flattens the scent. The other reason why No 18 reminds me of oyster is that there is a slightly sour aura to this fragrance, which grows stronger as time progresses. I do not find No. 18 fruity at all, or even very floral. No. 18 is definitely not my favorite Chanel. It is also rather short-lived--my 1.5 ml sample was quickly exhausted. Worth trying, but not FB-worthy, IMNSHO.

for a long time I wanted to compare it with ambrette 9 and finally I got myself a sample. They share something indeed, which is ambrette but overall the feeling is completely different. N.18 is very lemony and aromatic to me. There must be thyme in it or rosemary which stays for the whole life of the scent, and iris makes it quite buttery. Not unisex at all! I use very often perfumes that are on the edge of gender but this one to me goes very girly and rather avarage? strange because Chanel is not about that and comments here are against my feeling. I might change my mind with time but Ambrette 9 by le Labo has much more personality. that pear note in the opening is just fabulous! Very round and full-bodied! Le Labo is very priced and I wouldn't buy any of them despite ambrette 9. the cosiest fragrance together with Whispers in the library by Masion Margiela. So yes they are vaguely similar. Chanel is more floral and woddy where Le labo is fruity and aldehedic. Concerning sillage Chanel 18 is quite poor, super light. I dont know but I find it not very worth it, nice but forgettable I am sorry

I have big difficulty to write something about this fragrance. For sure this is very unusual and different perfume. Because I love strangers this is for me the wonderful experience. First of all No. 18 is elegant and very well done. Perfect for suits or dresses (whatever you like to wear). In my opinion there is nothing casual in this fragrance and I can’t imagine wearing it during vacations. However it is working very well during hot and even humid days when other fragrances are able to make nausea ;-) No. 18 is dry and I mean dry as characteristic we use for wine description because it is very juicy in the same time. No. 18 has also animalistic nuances that you can find in rose poivre by The Different Company. I’m sure there is a little rose present too but not too much. You can feel a bit of unripe fruits that create a little sour but very pleasant aura. At the base I found dry vetiver not harsh at all. No. 18 lasts on my skin at least 10 hours but it doesn’t have huge projection. After 4-5 hrs it is rather skin scent and I like it a lot. This is my new discovery for upcoming season.