Poison Esprit de Parfum

(Bottle c. 1996) Today I'm going to wander through a forbidden forest to visit the Evil Queen. She's going to try to feed me a poisoned red apple, and I'm going to take it enthusiastically. Dior was on a roll from the 50s through the mid 90s. Forty years is a hell of a run, and in that long period they made some of my all-time favorite perfumes. Whereas Chanel presented prim and proper French chic, Dior presented the other side of the French archetypical personality: a love for things a bit lascivious, rude and irreverant. Smell some of the old Roudnitskas, Dioressence, Jules, and Dune, and tell me I'm wrong. Robert purposely made Dioressence smell like sh*t and fruit for god's sake! - and, you know what, it was brilliant! One of the best perfumes of modern times. Poison, and then Dune, are the final two chapters in this epic. I'm not going to make any comments about the next book, the sequel. In the chapter of Poison, the Esprit is my favorite of the three formats (which is the same for me with Dune), and Dior's penchant for ill-behavior is apparent right from the start. The opening immediately greets you with deep and dark blue fruits, but something is wrong. There are notes of black pepper, and some seed spices, that give this impression that the fruit is closed-off and inaccessable; something is wrong with the fruit, and this very brooding and haunted feeling overcomes me. It's poisoned! It's a very good way to set the stage for what comes next, which is a claws-out, energetic, and malevolent tuberose. This tuberose is angry. There is, of course, plenty of the "pretty" floral rose notes to it, but what is most attention-grabbing is the fatty and very animalic creaminess. It is strident, dense, complex, and not at all friendly. Safe for the office, this is not. The trick to this angry animal is more spices and some beeswax, but they are very cleverly veiled behind the tuberose to make sure you don't immediately notice that they are present unless you really go looking for them. The beeswax imparts a gentle sweetness adding to the feeling of density and complexity, while the spices give a woody, funky, and slightly sweaty feel to the tuberose that is the stridency and animalic feeling. Then comes the woody amber base, a seemless transition, pulling down the creaminess, sweetness, and woodiness from the heart without much of the challenging aspects. If you want to understand Poison through your ears rather than your nose, you should listen to Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 in C Minor. Poison is just like it. Baroque should be a genre of perfume too; Beethoven would've loved Poison. Beethoven was very controversial in his day because he "did things wrong" - his music was loud, could be startlingly angry, lascivious and rude, and didn't follow any of the norms or rules. Sound familiar? It was also incredibly grand, full of complex emotion, and Symphony No. 5 in particular chaotically cycles between foreboding anger and elation. That's Poison. It's a difficult beast to handle but it's also a masterpiece.

Quintessentially Poison! The richness, the darkness, the plummy liquor one finds in the vintage edt, here it is amplified by the animalic castoreum or civet, or both, to new heights. This is in perfume form (pardon my language) the best f**k you’ll get, leaving you wanting more and more. I always thought that the edt was enough, and god knows I have enough vintage bottles of it to last me until 2967, but an unexpected surprise came in the form of a cute little 15 ml Esprit and soon I was buying the only 50 ml Esprit that I could find on evilbay. Man this is a stunner. My only fear is running out, or worse, thinking the edt is not good enough. Dumb fears I know, but once you get the thick taste of it, everything else seems inferior. Luckily, the sillage is out of this world potent even when dabbed so I hope it will last long enough to probably outlive me. If the edt takes the plummiest and booziest tuberose to new heights, the Esprit introduces the heliotrope, which now sings clearly, the ambery resins that stick to skin like molasses, the fiery redhead bestie of Poison, miss carnation, and their pets, most likely a castor named Hulk and a civet named Priscila. If you thought the edt was suffocating enough, which I happen to love, the Esprit is the heavyweight champ. But the main difference is the 4K definition of notes. Every wearing is different but Poison takes its time to introduce every note to you, sometimes all at once and sometimes one by one. Here you can see the complexity and smell it, see how every note plays out to something greater that the sum, all the while with incredible finesse. Brutal strength, but elegance. I really feel the Esprit is the one every Poison worshipper should own, and at the same time the one that can really show what Poison is all about to anyone interested in this 1985 beauty. The spices never let the tuberose completely take over, while the honey and plums engulf it like the finest Bordeaux. For all it’s detractors, it’s overuse or abuse in the 80’s, there’s a person that adores her, and there’s no denying that there aren’t beauties like this made today. The quality is obvious in the fact that 30 years later, well cared bottles smell absolutely gorgeous, there are scents directly inspired by Poison (Loretta is one, Tubereuse Animale 3 is another) and even today it elicits strong feelings in people, even if said people are mostly perfumistas. Regular folks have left her behind, along the other beauties of the decade, closing the door to excess and welcoming minimalism. In this context, Poison wouldn’t make it, there’s too much in that deep purple-almost-black bottle that most would feel uncomfortable. I don’t believe in signature scents, but Poison Esprit is me. And if I’m ever remembered for my scent, I want to be the guy that reeked of Poison, and absolutely rocked it!

As reticent as I am to say this, I've got to confess that - despite its representation of so much that I love in perfumery and respect as "the good ol' days" - POISON just doesn't quite work for me. And that makes me a wee melancholy. Having known it since its conception - an unmistakable presence - I was delighted to be gifted an Esprit de Parfum mini by someone who preferred to relegate its unabashed opulent big-haired glamourous overtness to the distant memory of themselves inhabiting the same mode of those heady bygone days. And so I became the lucky recipient of a bottle which had languished in a dark boudoir corner for a couple decades & several years. Naturally I was thrilled to revisit POISON in all its narcotic glory and feared I'd be unable to resist using up such a precious amount all too quickly. But, surprisingly enough, after a year - it remains nearly full. POISON is big & bold to the point of obnoxious (and I absolutely ascribe to that) - an operatic perfume. Bravo! But all this everyone already knows. I love balsamics. I adore tuberose. I worship resins & incense. Woods & spices & white flowers galore, yes, please - and more! And yet... there is one member of this exuberant orgy of lushness which I've reluctantly had to conclude really rather ruins it all for me: that tutti-fruity grape-juicy scented felt tip marker dripping all over in saccharine saturated glee. For fleeting moments this culprit recedes, leaving an aria of intoxicating sophistication to seduce with gothic tinged, sexy maturity... only to inevitably return, rendering an elevating seance of the senses gimmicky at worst - or at best, quickly returning the sensuality back down to earth. And therein lies my conundrum with POISON - a lamb in wolfs' clothing it turns out I can't take too seriously. No one is more shocked, confused, & saddened by this than me. But as a reference, I'm grateful to have it to hand all the same. Perhaps some cold, cold windy winter's eve the purple soda pop won't bother me? We shall see. Excellent longevity & silage, of course. Magnificent presentation, bottle, packaging... what's not to love? A bunch of sweet grapes, it seems - else it would be five stars from me. I envy those of you who can indulge in this with abandon. Enjoy! ★★★★☆

I own a 1986 EDT formulation and a demonstration flacon of the esprit de parfum used to promote the fragrance in the 90s I believe (a 100ml flacon might I add! 100ml of this incredibly glorious juice! Blessed!!!) There isn’t anything I can add to the spectacular reviews of this big, bada$$y, bombastic 80’s powerhouse fragrance. Albeit all those 3 mentioned, Poison by Dior in my opinion; is classic and sophisticated when used in the right doses. Like marmite, you either love it or hate it. A “kitchen sink” fragrance—a term I use to describe a perfume with a plethora of bewildering notes that just work. Tuberose has my heart and within this composition, perfumeur Edouard Fléchier showcases this white floral beauty with honey, incense, opoponax, plum 😚🤌 amongst other exquisite notes and accords which in turn makes her somewhat dark, tenacious, smoky, alluring, drenched in liquor-like plum syrup which has a purple grape edge (delicious). What’s to be said about this perfume has already been said—and the reviews here have been a pleasure to read. Comparing the EDT to the esprit, there are just subtle differences between the two—the esprit pulls more incense forward on my skin whereas the EDT feels lusher and a little more syrupy. I absolutely adore both. I was wearing the esprit one day and my sister-in-law commented asking which oud I had on and that it smells beautiful. That’s how woody and incensey the esprit can get. I feel like Poison is a staple in anyone’s perfume collection and dare I say it, a fragrance that a beginner could build around in their collection. I would always say if you can find a bottle of 30 Avenue Hoche vintage or 33 Avenue Hoche 90s batches at a reasonable price then you’re onto a winner. I use in any weather because I don’t care muahahahaha but beware in warmer weather. A stunning spicy, resinous, drunken tuberose which may challenge and borderline suckerpunch you into a daze and leave you a bit shooketh for the first 5-10 minutes. But wait. Poison chooses you. And if that happens, so does a little magic.

In the late 80's, (1986-87?) Dior and a few other houses opted for a new market with a new product: the Eau or Esprit de parfum. They considered the pure parfum too expensive for most, and wanted to create something more affordable. At that time however, Poison Esprit de Parfum was launced for 150 USD/50 ml, according to an article in NY Times from -88. So I'm not sure how much more affordable it was ;): I bought mine, a 50 ml, unopened vintage Esprit de Parfum some years ago for about the same price and it is a heavenly blend, or perhaps better described as a devilish brew? If you have smelt vintage Poison edt, you will find that the edp smells very close apart from that it is a little less blatant, overtly sexual than the former. Instead the sillage is a bit softer but it is deeper, more woody and far more carnal than it's predecessor. The opening is sweet from plum cinnamon, honey and tubereuse. It's quite gourmand in a way, like a ripe booze-soaked fruitcake. The sillage is quite substantial in the opening and also the sweetness, but only after a short time it becomes a little softer. The splash bottle suggests that is meant to be dabbed, perhaps in order to control it better. It's very hard to describe it's carnal quality, but it must derive from the heart of the tubereuse as I have smelt it before in other tubereuse fragrances, only now it's embedded in honeyed sweetness, spices and some woody elements which makes it even more sinful. And it dries down in this way, getting less sweet and more carnal by the hours. The longevity is immense, it has almost a nuclear halflife, so don't think you can wear the same scarf or clothes the next day without beeing surrounded by a cloud of Poison Esprit de parfum ;). Well, it's probably much more to say about this beauty, but I'm going to stop here and let you try it out on your own.

I am in love with vintage edt I have a wonderful splash bottle, today i got the esprit de parfum and am wearing a little on my arm , for my untrained nose the main thing is there both very similar however the espirit has a lot more incense than the edt, yes the incense is first thing I feel is amped up . Espirit is somehow tamer than edt more regal feeling, and I love vintage edt so I don't say that lightly. The edt has slightly more of the medicinal Vicks vibe which I love but that is there ,but ,toned down in the espirit. The espirit has a rich parfum feel , with any rough edges that the brasher edt may have removed. I adore the plummy berry edt in espirit the berries are softer less in your face well maybe a little , in fairness the differences are hard to explain as both are like being lamped by a hammer or an Ice pick and there's probably not that much difference on impact ! If the vintage edt is amazing (and I absolutely feel it is ) esprit takes this fragrance a step or two closer to perfection using more amber and incense Less sweetness compared to the honey sweet edt but not less sweet by much. Iif you love poison as I do it's nice to own every version and this smoother version is tops for anybody that feels edt is too brash this beautiful version will change your mind, Personally I love them both ! Basically vintage edt is a sexy vampy rock chick who wears purple lipstick and leather and is the sister that puts out , but espirit is the sister that wears more muted colours in silk ,and is still beautiful and sexy in her softer way but values her feminine side which makes her even more desirable ! 10/10 in every way !

I own a vintage mini of this. I also owned the EDT, purchased in 2021. The two are related, in the way one might be a Queen and the other might be a long-lost relative by marriage twice removed. The formulation of EDT I purchased wasn’t terrible, but it was rather “screechy” and gave me acute allergies (which is a rare occurrence). It was like a song having too many high notes. I ended up having to return it. But not this. This is glorious. It smells like luxury and decadence. When I first described this perfume to my BFF, I said it smells like a Russian secret spy from the 30s, like wine, caviar, and cigarettes. She took this to mean it must smell like a babushka. That is not accurate, my friend. Poison Espirit makes me think of a European femme fatale from the 30s or 40s dressed in a long, form-fitting, revealing brocade gown and a long fur coat, holding a cigarette in one of those cigarette holders while staring haughtily down at her throng of male admirers. She only eats caviar (beluga, the only kind, naturally), oysters, and champagne. It’s like that. When I smell it I get grapes, dark fruits, smoke, cloves, incense. When my friend finally smelled it on me, she understood. This has also satisfactorily passed the Man Test. Perhaps this holiday season I can splurge on a full size bottle of the Extrait, which Is what is now available on Dior’s website. I know it’s not the same fragrance, but maaaaybe it’s just as magical.

Poison Esprit de Parfum is to the vintage EDT that others told you the vintage EDT is to the modern EDT. There is no comparison and one is just better: Esprit de Parfum. Where the vintage EDT was every bit of opulence that you could want, every corner was smoothed out and it could pack a punch... the Esprit de Parfum whacks it out of the ball park. I've owned the Eau de Cologne, vintage EDT, modern EDT & parfum... nothing comes close. There are, however, two seperate moods that could be felt when wearing this. One is that of coolness, calm, while still feeling fierce and ready for anything. Poison gives a person confidence, that's impossible to deny. The second mood is one where the wearer, towards the 10 hour mark, may begin to feel as though it's 'too much' when it hasn't really dried away yet. After 4 hours, it actually gets a lot spicier and arguably stronger. At 6 hours you're in full swing. At 10, you're tired and a bit weary. By the time you wake up the next morning and it's still there, if it projects strongly throughout those 20 hours, you're ready to shower and get into something new. I'm not monogamous with my fragrances, but Poison Esprit de Parfum is that friend I see once every few months. Any more than that and I may grow tired of them. That isn't to say I don't love them, but they're exhausting.

Before getting my own piece of this unicorn, I always thought it'd be a forceful version of the long lost edt. But there and then, it was tamed and discreet. Maybe because of being used to the edt’s stormy opening: that winey blast in red, the copious amount of pimiento and its somewhat cologney backbone with vestiges of its violet sap, that I immediately dismissed it as almost a copy of the edt. But no, upon another sniff, layers unfolded as if it was another page in her diary: her eventual detachment as compared to her more lively narrations. With that being said, the pimiento here is turned down, only much of the musk and a winelike quality I find with Lutensian fruits are prominent, it feels like every abundance from the edt has been ordered into moderation. Also I have to note that it takes quite a while for it to develop into the drydown where the edt smells alike. The difference worth splurging for was that oud-like animalic finish found in its mid-phase which I found fascinating. I wish it lasted longer along with the tangy fruit syrup in its opening. Worthy of its fame, I know a lot of women hate it because of its unbridled power. But only few can only control so much.

I was lucky enough to find a half-full mini of Poison Esprit de Parfum on eBay for about $5. At first I didn't realize that it was a different version of the original Poison, until I received the bottle and read the tiny print under the name. I was thrilled to try this lesser known fragrance. Poison Esprit de Parfum is honeyed rich plum and incense, on my skin. The perfume even comes out oily when I dab it on. It is strong and has presence, enveloping me in the cold winter air, surrounding me in smoky sweetness. It's incredible outdoors in winter weather. But although the scent itself has the same almost cloying aspect of the original Poison, I find this one warmer and thus more bearable. Tuberose is definitely still here, but it is softer, sweeter, honey and plum taking center stage. The combination is not actually honey, plum, and incense, but an accord of deeply honeyed plum that is also rising into your senses with fine sweet cinnamony smoke. Poison is perfection. And who says Poison is not appreciated by the modern audience? My previous roommate of 2 years, who has been my friend for over 6 years now, never once complimented me on a perfume - except for this one :)

Okay, I can't believe I managed to find an unopened 10ml of the purse spray. When I tell you this is one of the most divine creations I have ever smelled, I am serious. I have a bottle of the recent formulation of the eau de Toilette and I liked it, but knowing this is where the scent had originated makes me not like the newer one. This is a strong Tuberose with sweet honey and ripened plums, deep in the dry down you'll get the woody and incense tones to it which takes this fragrance to the next level. It takes a while to get to the deep dry down as this thing is a BEAST and was clinging to me well after the 24 hour period. I loved every minute. The NEW formulation is a disappointment. It's weakened and everything is synthetic—there isn't a HINT of the original. The white florals are dialed back so much they might as well be non-existent, but if you do smell them, they smell synthetic and harsh. There's no sweet honey or ripened plums. It's just a sad little bottle of spray. There is nothing like this on the market and I am so thankful to have the small 10ml. I will treasure this as long as this will last me ♥️ I may not even use it outside of special events.

I found a mini of this being sold on Etsy at a pretty good price (considering that Etsy has a reputation for scalping people in the hundreds). While waiting for it to be delivered, I decided to give the modern Poison another sniff (the last time I smelt it was maybe in the mid-2010s) and did not like it. The modern formulation left a strange acrid, sour note that oddly reminded me of ketchup at times. I began to worry about what I've just bought online. The mini that I'd ordered finally arrived and the vintage Esprit de Parfum is nothing short of incredible. I now understand how it was notorious and exalted at the same time. Deep, potent, and complex, a single drop from the dabber could fill up a room - a larger bottle could probably last me an entire lifetime. This is floral and fruity in ways that I wished other floral and fruity fragrances were - rich, dark and alluring. It's so intoxicating! Maybe it's due to its age but it smells like a liqueur in the best way. Oh how I wish this was still the quality that was being produced!!

So... she's more or less empty, and all I can do is sniff it to remember. I can honestly say that while I'll miss the fullness, the complexity and the all round "Poison-ness" of Esprit de Parfum, I won't miss the stress of applying it each time knowing that it could be the last. I have the current EdT. Is it the same? Not really, no. Is the idea, the overall scent profile, and mood of Esprit there? Yes. I've owned the vintage EdT, and enjoyed it but honestly preferred spraying to the splash bottle. I've owned the Eau de Cologne, which I liked but it just didn't feel as full as even the current EdT does. I didn't purchase this, it was a gift. A lovely one. I don't think I'll be purchasing it. The sad, but understandable fact that this is just too darned expensive for me to buy outright at the asking price. Especially when I'd be afraid to use it. If we were talking Tendre Poison... that's something else. Anyhoo... farewell, darling. Edit: Oh my gosh, was it really almost 5 years? Time flies...

Poison esprit de parfum è un capolavoro. Tutto il potere magico di Poison qui è dosato come una nuvola soffice. Non ci sono spigoli,non ci sono graffi. E' caldo, avvolgente,sensuale e sinuoso,una nebuolsità notturna che avvolge come un serpente e non ti abbandona. Una volta che lo indosso,non riesco piu a smettere. Anche se è un profumo difficile perchè il primo impatto risulta sempre teatrale. Ogni singola nota si sviluppa in modo che tu la possa sentire ben nitida,sale in superficie come una bolla e poi sprofonda nel magma,e al suo posto ne sale un'altra. Non ci sono punti morti,non ci sono zone trascurate,è un susseguirsi di odori che sembrano interminabili,la sua durata è data dalla grande quantità di elementi che lo compongono, che si sviluppano a strati,lentamente,fino alla fine. Poison evoca l'oscurità,la notte. Non ha strane atrocità,ma calma e profondità. I gloriosi anni 80...

Can we PLEASE update the picture for this?? The bottle is actually GORGEOUS, easily the most beautiful version of the Poison bottle imo, but I swear y’all used the WORST picture you could possibly find. First off it’s a picture of the mini, not even the actual bottle, second off it’s a crappy condition scratched up dingy bottle, third off it’s blurry as hell, fourth it’s crooked and warped and not even level/angled correctly, and finally it’s way too small compared to other bottle icons and sticks out like a sore thumb on my shelf. First world problems to the max, I know, but seriously this is such a gorgeous perfume AND bottle and you’re doing both of them a deep injustice with that. The actual bottle looks like a literal gem, a deep purple star ruby cabochon or something like that. Please update with a better picture and of the CORRECT (full size, 30ml) bottle-thank you! (/^_^)/

The absolute best version of Poison for me. A bit denser and less loud at the start than the edt, more smoky incensed plum than grape bubble-gum, very very rich. I always found the edt to be the longest lasting by a bit - exactly the same experience I had with Opium at the time in comparing edt vs edp/esprit de parfum vs parfum/extrait. The edt has more range, too, on my skin - but is less deep a scent than the esprit. I'm happy to have all versions of Poison including Eau de Cologne but Esprit de Parfum would be The One if I had to choose. I could only afford a little when I was younger, because as Suzy has pointed out it was way, way expensive at the time. I have found it for much less in my later years from Estate Sellers and am thrilled to have several nice big bottles of it in my perfume closet.

I was born in the 1980s, coming of age in the late '90s and early '00s. So, when my eyes settle on that small apple-shaped Poison Esprit de Parfum, my mind goes to Missy Elliott, one of the great artists of my time. Specifically, the opening of her song "Pass That Dutch": HOOTIE HOO!!! Run for cover, m-----f-----!!! And as much as I snickered while typing the above paragraph, it pretty accurately describes the power of this bewitching potion. So dense and honeyed—those plums! that tuberose! the smoky incense! All boiled down into this concentrated brew. A poison, yes, but also a panacea! Most appropriate for night, I see this as the perfect companion for navigating a crowded bar. So excuse my Missy-isms, but... BEEP BEEP! Who got the keys to the Jeep? VROOM! I'm ready to get my freak on.

90s Era Espirit De Parfum review Got a few vintage testers. I can confirm all the previous reviewers. This is powerful, sweet and And dark and beautiful...and animalic. Its a very thick plum sweetened by honey and chased by Tuberose. You arent gonna prepared for how powerful it projects. It projects like Oud Satin Mood. The animalic portion likely comes from the honey and indolic tuberose. By animalic I mean it smells a little bit pissy. Just enough to notice it. I few Amouages for woman have similar thickness and pissy features. Jubilation 25 comes to mind. Yet this is so much better. I give this a solid 8/10. I'd wear this. In the air people notice it. Its gets compliments. I'll miss it.

Today is cold, and suits Poison, and in this case, the Esprit de Parfum version. Poison’s fame precedes it, but in this version he overcomes it. The complexity and depth of this aroma in this formulation multiplies and folds to form a charm, which involves not only those who use it, but also those who are at the mercy of its power. A deeply incense tuberose, not carnal or fruity, but dark. Nothing sweet, nothing open, nothing happy, nothing inviting... but mesmerizing. Poison dominates the senses of the occult, as well as the color purple, and the desires kept in silence... because even manifesting its power, its never reveals its intentions. A liquid jewel.

My all-time favorite - I have been wearing it since it came out years ago. I scour eBay regularly for bottles that aren't ridiculously priced (larger bottles only - most of the minis I've purchased were fake). Absolutely worth the price - I have yet to find a perfume that can compete in any way. Timeless classic. It also ages very well so you don't have to worry about it having 'gone off'. I have easily purchased 40+ bottles over the years and they all smelled heavenly. Poison EDT (vintage) smells fine in it's own way but can't even compare although I do like it as a daytime scent. I don't care for the cologne version at all.