Paris – Édimbourg

Paris - Edimbourg has often been regarded as the best of the Eaux de Chanel line and personally, I can see why. It's a fantastically aromatic scent in a more fresh execution - especially in direct comparison to Sycomore, which is an obvious point of reference, seeing how both are very green-aromatic perfumes by Chanel. Paris - Edimbourg starts off with bright citric notes that Fragrantica for some reason lacks in the perfume pyramid (even if they are listed on the Chanel website). The citrics help the fragrance to a very uplifting opening, especially since the aromatics immediately shine through and without the citrus notes, the opening would be much more muted. This way, however, Paris - Edimbourg remains fresh and awake throughout its opening and that influences my perception of it a lot. To keep up with the comparison with Sycomore: Where Sycomore starts green-woody-earthy-aromatic, Paris-Edimbourg starts citric-fresh-green-aromatic and it makes all the difference. From here on out, the perfume quickly finds its front-and-center aromatics. The Juniper is the main, dominant expression and brings with it a typical aromatic sweetness. The cypress note accompanies it and stops the perfume from going into a berry-like heaviness. Instead, what I found in Paris - Edimbourg was the impression of an evergreen hedge in a mild and refreshing spring rain. As if you picked a twig, broke it off and rubbed the evergreen "leaves" (if they are called that way) between your fingers. Behind the aromatic-citric freshness and the juniper-sweetness lies a raspy, slightly peppery cedar accord, which gives some depth without ever making the fragrance heavy. There is no earthiness here, even when the citrics fade an hour or a little more in. Even in moments where the wood takes over, it's still a very light interpretation of aromatics and it at no point develops a "Terre d'Hermes"-like bitterness - something I personally very much approve of. From about four to five hours in, Paris - Edimbourg develops some medicinal qualities, which I attribute to the Juniper more than anything else. At times, this note can develop into a direction like that and the same happened to me with Sycomore. In fact, in the late drydown, Paris - Edimbourg and Sycomore were much more aligned than during the first three to four hours, where the former is much fresher than the latter. Overall though, where I wouldn't wear Sycomore in Summer, I think Paris - Edimbourg is very much a spring and summer scent. Its freshness and aromatic-uplifting style is excellent in all but the highest of heats and humidities and I think it's a fantastic scent for outside and inside in warmer weather. It's all-around lovely and even if it is a little fleeting, I think it's one of the best and easiest to wear green fragrances I have tested so far. Lacking Terre d'Hermes bitterness, Sycomores earthyness and without a hint of soapyness, I can absolutely recommend it for warmer days. In fact, I might just want to own this for myself. Edit: I did, in fact, get it, and do not regret it one bit. Such a lovely scent. Such delicious aromatic citricness. I am absolutely in love. If you have so far slept on the Les Eaux line, I thoroughly implore you to try at least this one if you can. It is fantastic and I essentially never recommend something as blanket as I recommend Paris - Edimbourgh. With Perfume being as subjective as it is, P-E stands out as an all-time great aromatic freshie for me. I keep being amazed.

On first spritz, and for the next 5 minutes, you're blasted with a refreshing gust of juniper and cypress. The cypress in this opening phase is best described as verdant. This, in combination with the juniper, reminds me of an early, misty yet bright morning camping in an evergreen forest. Once the first 5 mins have past you start to get a peek of the middle/heart notes poking through reinforcing the previous memory which start to more fully develop at about the 15 minute mark after first application. Moving on to the 30-45 min mark we get the base notes where the musk has that distinctive Chanel je ne sais quoi and the vanilla is not very sweet but almost like a jar that once upon a time had some vanilla pods stored in it and now the smell is just a memory... The combination of head and heart notes is almost certainly what I associate with Scotland more generally, green-aromatic-woods, both overcast and beams of sunshine poking through. The lavender is almost completely aromatic to my nose, which suits me down to the ground. I am not a big fan of vetiver, something in my fragrance history ruined it for me by being outrageously smoky yielding an almost noxious quality to the fragrance but I'll be damned if can I remember it. However, the vetiver here is beautiful, a deft touch complementing the aromatic quality of the head and heart. I am not usually a fan of Chanel mens (disclosure: I am a man) but this was so unique and beautifully balanced I purchased it the day after taking home a sample on paper. This is marketed as a unisex fragrance and I feel like it is quite close to achieving that, although I would say the dry down does remind me of something in Chanel's mens line-up. Emphasis on remind, it isn't completely masculine and if I had never smelled most of Chanel's mens offerings I would not have that association. This is quite a dry fragrance, possibly what makes people suggest it is masculine leaning but it has it's own sweetness coming from the vanilla that supports the entire structure of the notes above it. This is a masterpiece, shame it is quite short lived. It will project readily with gusto for the first hour, the second is more intimate and by hour 3-4 it is still going as a skin scent. Beyond that it will require a top up or layering. This is something I would spray on 5 mins before entering the office and top up post lunch. When I bought this it had only been released a month or so and retailed at £112 for 125ml. I have used it at least once per week since then and have used maybe 1/10th or less of the bottle. It came with a perfectly bottle sized Chanel soft carry pouch which is a nice touch for travelling with. TLDR: Refreshing sense of being in the cool shade of evergreen woods on a warm day. Value: 3/5. A little more than average considering the short-lived nature of it but the large bottle size and proximity to release date. Smell: 5/5. This is fantastic. It is fresh, unique and perfectly balanced. Performance: 2.5/5. It lasts about 3-4 hours on me and I'm quite warm blooded. Use cases: Office or casual day out. I think it works in warmer Spring/Autumn weather (15-18C) but on colder days I think the balance will be thrown off but I will edit once the appropriate weather comes.

Edimburg was a blind buy for me, full price. I must have been crazy, but since my collection is way too big, I kind of stopped buying for a while. And then the desire hit me, and here I go. My previous purchase was Ani, which I adore, also a blind buy. I was encouraged by the success of that, and tried my luck again. Well, Edimburg smells like nothing else I own, and I have at least 400 bottles. It is an edt, ( it says so on the box) in a very simple bottle, with a simple box. The scent it muted, very natural smelling, I guess more of an ambiance smell than a perfume. The liquid is green and so is the scent. The opening comes with a gin/juniper flavour, mixed with tiny amount of ginger. The ginger disappears and then something resembling Chanel Eau Verde comes. That transforms into a fresh lumber scent, mixed with conifers and strangely enough, quite a lot of cold incense. To give you a very accurate visual, imagine yourself walking in a coniferous forest, damp, fresh cool air early in the morning, with a nearby Christian Orthodox Church ringing the bells and calling people to the liturgy, while their typical incense envelopes the air and the evergreen trees nearby. Anyone who has visited the monasteries in Easter Europe will know what I am talking about. It's spiritual and pure, like godly hymn. I can see why some people say it's masculine, simply because it has no feminine facet, although I think a better word would be asexual. I use this word instead of unisex because truly I cannot assign a sexual preference to a scent that smells like pine trees, lumber, fresh air, antique church walls, and incense. It is very beautiful, with a sombre elegance. If prayer had a scent, it would probably be Edimburg. I am a lady who has been on a vanilla ride for a long time now, and who also enjoys floral and gourmands. This is totally out of my comfort zone, yet I love it. By the way, I don't smell any lavender, vanilla, musk or sweetness here. I have no idea where I will wear this, other than at church. The silage is minimal, unfortunately. Lasting power not fabulous either. But the scent is so unusual, so photorealistic and evocative, albeit sad, I can't help but admire its artistry and love it quietly. This one will never get mass appeal, it'll just be for collectors.

Les Eaux isn't my favorite of the Chanel product lines. I liked Deauville, was ambivalent about Venise and Riviera and, while I thought Barritz was OK, I opted not to buy a bottle because I did not see myself getting any use out of it. For this reason, I approached Édimbourg with reduced expectations. Well, when I got my nose on it, I was very pleasantly surprised. This scent, while not like any of the other Chanel compositions I know, is nonetheless excellent. The juniper in the opening is almost herbal but also citrusy. This note will remind those who know it of the non-alcoholic elements of Tanqueray Ten gin. This opening is vanishingly fleeting and is soon replaced by a woody, almost minty vetiver. Additionally, something in the heart notes introduces a camphorous note that continues to crop up for the duration of this fragrance. It may be that the lavender and evergreen notes are creating this almost eucalyptus accord, but wherever it comes from, it is delightful. As the heart notes continue, a slight resinous, smokey note shows itself and it, too, is wonderful. The base is a vanillic musk that is the only part of this scent that shows any Chanel DNA. It bears more than a passing similarly to the bases of several of Les Exclusifs. This fragrance really does conjure up the image of an afternoon drinks party on a terrace overlooking a beautiful Scottish landscape replete with evergreens, old-growth hardwoods, heather and even a bit of peatmoss. This unisex fragrance is highly evocative, elegant and strikingly composed from a palate not expected from Chanel. The quality is impressive as is the way this fragrance is seamlessly blended. Longevity seems better on my skin than the previous Les Eaux. Projection is moderate. I don't love the bottle design, it is not among the house's best, but it is nice enough and the atomizer is great. I am sure many Chanel fans will not appreciate Édimbourg and I am just as certain that lots of folks who don't enjoy most of what the house does will love it. Therefore, sample first, with an open mind, and prepare to be impressed or, perhaps, disappointed. For me, this is a love. Recommended.

It's extremely easy to be seduced by the many interesting and exotic niche fragrances on the market and forget all about high-quality designer fragrances. I know I've fallen into that trap over the last few years, probably to my detriment. I've seen quite a few negative comments on Fragrantica about Chanel, so when a fellow member suggested I try Paris – Édimbourg, I was sceptical. As a bit of backstory, the suggestion came after I'd written a review in which I said that I was always hoping to find a fragrance like Dior's original Eau Sauvage that lasted longer, and how much I loved scents that give off a gin 'n' tonic vibe. In the hope of finding that combination, and on the strength of the recommendation, I tentatively purchased a full bottle. My hopes of finding such a combination were dashed as soon as I sprayed Paris – Édimbourg. To my nose, it lacked the citrus sparkle of Eau Sauvage, and although I could detect the juniper berries, they were blended so seamlessly into the composition that I found little in the way of a gin 'n' tonic vibe. All of that sounds rather negative, but it isn't, because although it wasn't what I was expecting, it turned out to be a fantastic fragrance in an altogether different way. It opens with a menthol-like freshness, yet somehow manages to feel smooth, rounded, warm and comforting at the same time. I often find menthol to be sharp and medicinal, but not here. As it develops, the cedar and cypress notes begin to shine, creating the impression of walking through an aromatic mountain woodland. The vetiver is evident without ever overpowering the woody notes. It is quite glorious and perfect for the hottest of hot days. Of course, the danger with any fresh fragrance is that it will soon dissipate in high heat. Not so with Paris – Édimbourg; it continues to perform well on my skin after more than eight hours. This is "designer fragrance" at its best. Tested: 30ml full decant Seasons / occasions: Perfect for baking hot summer days and cooller evenings. Key thoughts: Fresh as a mountain woodland. Excellent. Overall rating: 9/10 Buy full bottle: Already did and would again.