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.

THE BEST WINTER PERFUME EVER. Why on why can't they not being it back. I long since used up my 5ml mini, but lucky me I've just scored one for £10 posted off the bay. After a very sweaty summer in the UK and having gone through 3 bottles of Eau De Gaga to keep fresh and cool, I'm looking forward to the first cold night , snuggled up in front of my log burner in my cottage , inhaling this beautiful vintage fume. Absolutely sublime , nothing else comes close. My perfume ho!y grail and I feel privileged to have been ab!e to procure an affordable bottle.

Can't beat a classic. Heady, sweet, and something indefinable that both unnerves me and keeps me addicted to it. Definitely a polarizing scent, and not everyone's cup of tea. I've encountered a lot of curious attitudes about who 'should' wear this one. I am of the 'if you like it, wear it' opinion (not the 'only for aggressive, dominant types' perspective.) I've been fascinated to see how many men love this fragrance, especially as the decades have worn on. Its unisex appeal is a testament to its quality and distinct personality.

I have a vintage bottle of the Espirit De Parfum from my mom and was given a small one of my own about 10 years ago. This is absolutely heavenly! It has a rich dark full bodied plummy smell along with cinnamon/clove, tuberose and honey. It evokes a feeling of strength, beauty, sultriness and is absolutely captivating! This is truly a 10/10! I wear this on very special occasions. It lasts a long time on me 12+ hours and is just such a rich scent but doesn't give me a headache. It is completely enchanting!

Just when you thought Poison couldn't get anymore intense, well, this is on steroids. Espirit De Parfum is extremely sultry, alluring and dark - the true definition of enchantress. I currently own 25 bottles of this in different sizes (mostly mini's) and it is my favourite fragrance ever!!💜💚 I have nothing but respect for this gorgeous creation. My mind is blown away everytime I wear it, I think "WOW, how can this get any better?" and it always does. This marvel truly captures the spirit of Poison💚💜

By far this is my one true love! The Esprit de parfum is much more well blended compared to Poison EDP. And I'm talking about vintage 1987 EDP here. Such a sweet, uplifting scent that I treasure my little one only for bed time. It's too good to even share the sniff with your partner. You only want it for yourself, not sharing to anyone else. For the social event I'll use EDP instead. As I said, Esprit de parfum is too special to share! Just beautiful!

Poison is my signature scent, and I have and still do collect the vintages, I have a stash that will last my lifetime and whenever I see a vintage I do everything to have it. I have the eau de toilette, the eau de cologne and the esprit de parfum, I love them all, a couple of years ago I bought a 50 ml of the new eau de toilette, it is also good but nothing compared to the vintage. I Trully love all the vintages..

Vintage Poison esprit de parfum is deeper, more ambery, than the vintage edt and surprisingly animalic. The hissing purple tuberose is more sinister. Gorgeous, dark in a grand, theatrical manner. Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. Absolutely brilliant. The longevity and sillage is outstanding. Amazing how Dior was producing this level of work for the masses not too long ago, compared to what you smell at the mall now.

I found a vintage bottle of this in a free pile when I was 20 years old - incredible luck. i loved it and wore it all the time. the scent will forever remind me of being 20, when I had bleached white hair and would wear dark red lipstick and heavy eyeliner, dark maxi skirts with vintage tops, and black leather chelsea boots with pointed toes. the perfect scent for a weird art goth vibe. album: portishead - dummy

So I just got a vintage bottle from a collector in Paris and OMG this smells like a rich bitch! why did they change the formulation of this masterpiece? Im not a big gourmand person, I usually like orientals and florals, but this is a beautiful balance of sweetness, floral, smokey and musky. I would wear this on special occasions, or going out. DIOR BRING BACK THE ORIGINAL FORMULATION!!!!

I have the 30ml dab bottle of it. Gosh... Fléchier is the God of white florals. Not even Francis Kurkdjian able to draw out the full potential of white florals like Fléchier. And in Poison Esprit, that contrast between the untainted white florals and completely dark undertones was so vividly beautiful. Not even niche stuff able to come close to Poison Esprit orchestra.

This is my favorite formulation of Poison. I wore the EDT when it first came out and I was in my teens. Then a refillable purse spray of parfum when I was in my twenties. Now that I'm in my forties, the esprit de parfum suits me well. It has a richer, more refined feel to it. Still the beloved Poison of my youth, but a little bit quieter, and a little bit smoother.

Bought a little 5ml online, the minature bottle with glass dabber! So cute! I also have a 90s EDT and this is a smoother, denser version of that. Wondered if perhaps it had deteriorated over time (lasted forever but projection softer than my EDT) so decanted into a glass atomiser... OMG... it sure packs a punch! I'm glad I did.. but do so with caution!!!

I have a vintage 30 ml bottle, batch 0ZA10, on the box it says that it was made in Algeria (fabrique en Algeria) with an indication of the address and not a word about what was made in France, neither on the box nor on the bottle. This is 100% original and there is no doubt about it. Who knows in what years Dior perfume was produced in Algeria?

The esprit is more of a skin scent than the EDT's sillage bomb. Its more balanced, refined, and can stand as a great fragrance today. Its rich and smooth. There is an animalic note in here (castorum I believe) which differs from the vintage EDT but adds complexity and depth.If you like vintage poison, you need to experience the esprit.

Stunning. I've got a mini vintage bottle.... so potent, so powerful, such a masterpiece. There is nothing else like it. The honey and spices are so ramped up, it's super sweet but balanced. To my nose, this is the best version of Poison, although I certainly have love for the others as well.

I got a half-full vintage mini on eBay, and I can tell I would have liked this when it was new. It's deep, sweet, and fascinating. I love the plum, honey, and anise especially. I can't judge the sillage and longevity fairly because of its age, unfortunately.

I am delighted to have found a vintage version of this gothic masterpiece. It is my favourite beast mode perfume of all time and what a sexy beast it is. This perfume made me a true perfume lover at a very young age. It's powerful and memorable.

My one and only true love. It's like a sex with the vampire, on the altar inside some gothic old cathedra. It is like a kiss and that feeling you will never forget. Like an unfogettable beauty, passion and desire. Sweet, dark, sex.

My favorite women's fragrance, ever. If I wanted a reason to be a woman, it would be to wear this perfume.

Poison, a toxic triumph! Dior Poison (vintage, 30 Avenue Hoche, I believe the very first formulation) and Poison Elixir de Parfum (vintage, from the 90s) For once the name of the scent is unbelievably apt. (The actual review starts from the paragraph after this titled ‘Scent’.) Memories, this used to be my mum’s signature, she always made dressing up to go out a fairly big ritual, she’d have a huge dressing table (vanity), where her perfumes would be laid out like chess pieces, and it’d be set out previously for her, the jewellery, the outfit and the perfume for the day, and let it be said she had impeccable taste, always. Her style and manner did have a little something cold about it though, when she was my mum, she was warm, but when she was herself, I have had people remark that ‘she’s a bit of an ice queen, no?’. You can understand now why vintage Poison (those deep purple oval bottles and tiny minis of the Elixir) was her signature. My understanding of aesthetics and fascination for fashion and perfumery come primarily from her, in a way I suppose I’ve inculcated bits of her of mannerisms and made them my own. I never thought I’d make Poison my own, but somewhere down the line my mum stopped wearing Poison in favour of other lighter fragrances because she believes in the whole moving on with the times and though she doesn’t know about reformulations, she says with venom in her voice that Poison just isn’t the same anymore. That much is true, the difference of heaven and hell between Poison that once was and what it is today. Scent, what it once was was a powerhouse of sweet toxins infused in a perfume. It opened with that signature concord grape/wild berry accord which I’m told is the doing of Methyl anthranilate, this smells like an icy stewed fruitiness. This poisonous brew has a thick sweet-sour syrupy nuance, this comes from a ripening plum (inspired by the famous Prunol base of old?) and honey with its spiced edges from the aniseed, coriander, pimento. The heart is wilted flowers, dying, decaying, morbidly sweet, bound by the necromancy of the three witches (white flowers) of Macbeth, an indolic miasma of tuberose, orange blossom and jasmine. But seeping through them is the grainy resinous opoponax, and the smoked tendrils of frankincense. Carnation, rose and cinnamon are only the supporting cast. The resinous node of opoponax and rising smoke from the frankincense are very important because it is what gives body and depth to Poison. This, along with the grape-like nuances in the opening is primarily what is lacking in present day Poison. The resins married to the melange of spices confers a slight bitterness to the whole composition. The base is heavy and a bit raunchy with civety musks, amber, heliotrope, sandalwood, vanilla, vetiver and cedar, this is just a backbone for all the madness that the top and heart notes evoke. Poison to me is a ‘cold’ oriental compared to Opium which is ‘warm, hot even’. When Poison blends in with your skin, there is more of those warmer base notes that you smell, but there’s still a mild iciness to the whole composition. The Elixir is actually ‘warmer’ with a stronger honey like effect running throughout the composition, it feels more honey-resin centric, with the smokiness from the frankincense dialled down a smidge perhaps? Both are massive in terms of performance, sleep in after your night of unholy passion, and you and your lover will still smell of Poison, tried and tested. The silage and longevity are legendary, there was once a time restaurants actually put out signs ‘Do not enter if you’re wearing Dior Poison!’. Urban myth? Knowing Poison and decades of gorgeous people who drenched themselves in this powerhouse I’d be inclined to believe this one. But this much is true, you need to have that certain iciness in you to truly become one with Poison, sure you can wear it but eventually it will wear you. That bit of ‘je ne sais quoi’ is nothing but a coy smile and dark eyes that can pierce a heart like an icy shard, now you’re ready for Poison. Your very own, The Perfume Vigilante

I don't really know the difference between the Esprit and the regular Poison, as the notes look identical. The bottle I managed to get off Ebay is a small splash style one, looks old and slightly discolored, and has the batch number or date or whatever etched off of the glass with a drill. I've read that there's a difference between vintage bottles and newer ones, reformulation I suppose, and I *vaguely* remember the seller saying something about that being why they'd removed the info off the bottle. Its whatevs, I was curious because I was on the hunt for a good perfume with anise/licorice in the notes. I find the opening of this quite nice, very plummy, a little spicy, and a hint floral. I don't normally like white florals since they always go soapy on my skin, but this one is fairly tame. I'm also glad the vanilla in this doesn't really hurt me, as it is usually want to do -__- I remember trying this in Summer and it was very overwhelming, but these cold months it has been perfect. Also, I have to admit, after purchasing the bottle off ebay, I just happened to be on the perfume aisle at Dollar Tree and they had an "inspired by" spray of Poison by Jean Phillippe. I bought it on a whim, wanting to compare and experiment with it. The scent is roughly in the same ballpark as Poison, but nowhere near the same strength (naturally, since its like a dollar or so). For my sensitive-ass face holes that is very much a bonus. I decanted it into a new perfume bottle and added anise essential oil and it is *fantastic.* Lasts quite awhile, too. Maybe that's something some people would be against, but maybe someone will find that info useful. I enjoy layering the two.

Poison Esprit de Parfum by Dior is an exquisite fragrance for women. This masterpiece is well-balanced, smoothly blended and lingers and projects nicely for over 12+ hours. I placed this on my wrists before 9 pm and could smell it close on my skin the next morning at 8 am. I can smell the sweet, fruity, rose, and honey notes. I have a 5 ml bottle bought from eBay. I cannot believe how beautiful it smells. I feel I smell apricot and honey, with the rose and other notes. Interestingly, I did not see apricot in the notes. It is richer than the edt. The edt does project better. The Esprit is richer and lies close to the skin. I prefer the Esprit over the EDT. But considering the age of the perfume, the EDT still smells much better than the newer Dior version. The newest poison version does not last very long on my skin, only about 4 hrs. On clothes it lasts only 6 hrs. The older versions last over 12-24 hours. If you want to enjoy this perfume, I recommend both vintage versions. I placed 2 sprays on my wrist and 2 sprays on my clothes. The perfume project wells about arm's length for the EDT. While the esprit I used 2 dabs on my arms, and it lingered nicely. I use the Esprit for special occasions.

Esprit de Parfum is my favourite Poison by far. I was never a true fan of the original Poison but this one is deep, dark, and as suggested, both heavenly and devilish all at once. To me, this is Poison with the sweetness turned up, the tuberose toned down, and the incense turned way, way up. I definitely sense an animalic note in the dry down but there is none listed here. Perhaps that is the honey, which can give a similar vibe on me. A drop of this is potent and lasts literally from morning till the end of the day. I have no idea if this is even manufactured anymore, but what a shame if it's discontinued. It's lovely.

I have a vintage mini of this. I am somewhat reminded of JPG Classique, but this is far darker and smokier, I am getting a lot of incense. "Ripe booze-soaked fruit cake", as a previous reviewer stated, is spot on as well. This is the antithesis of La Vie Est Belle. There is nothing carefree about it. It smells serious and borderline dangerous. I like it.

These are the notes I get - contrasting plum with white florals, dominant on tuberose and jasmine, with a hefty dose of cloves and heavy, old-fashioned soapy white musk. This reads very old fashioned scented soap on me and makes me sneeze. It might grow on me and is not unpleasant but very different to my usual style.

I don't know if I got a batch that wasn't stored properly, but when I put this on, I felt extremely self-conscious because of the scent. It was one of the mini dabber bottles. I felt it was very heavy - like someone would come up to me and ask what on earth I was wearing that was stinking up the train. I thought if the bottle wasn't old, that it was laced with something unappealling. The EDT is fine, but this is overkill in my opinion. Super sweet and jammy but too much for me, personally. So yeah, there's my unpopular opinion. Maybe I'm not applying it right - I'd love to know what I was doing wrong in my application that made it smell so... different from what everyone else is saying.

I dislike berry or plummy scents, so this was a risk, but I loved the look of the middle and base notes so decided to take a chance. Bought a vintage mini on eBay. Right off the bat there’s definitely that sense of heavy, slightly-too-ripe fruit. Not to my taste at all. I was ready to endure to get to the notes I wanted, but unfortunately that cloying grapey scent just would not dissipate. It’s like fancy Dimetapp. Or if you stuck a grape scented marker into red wine and used it like a swizzle stick. I get no florals, no woods, nothing but a whiff of incense. Ah, well, can’t win ‘em all.

This smells EXACTLY like old lady helppp this smells so bad and for what plus it’s pretty strong 😭😭

thank you for the memories Patric ! (Rhys). you have described the 40 years celebrating lady very well. as I am from 1957 and started visiting perfumeries in 1974, as the gay half of a twin with my Straight brother I started sniffing men's colognes and immediately decided they were not for me (I remember Jules, Pour Monsieur, a Givenchy Pour Monsieur, which were lovely but not for me) I came to Chanel No5, I would say closer still to the original with civet and that was a heavenly perfume. the Guerlains especially Shalimar and L'Heure Bleue which coveted my attention. these were all pre-IFRA and I fysically remember (in retrograde) how these perfumes smelled. little did I know what was to come... yet since I also started to read Vogue US & Vogue Paris (and Harpers Bazaar US) I always had a preview of what was to come. first it was 'Giorgio Beverly Hills' in 1981 and I was absolutely smitten while the whole Avenue in Rotterdam was asphyxiated by its unbelievably heady and hefty perfume. all those (clashing) ingredients and thousands of stupendously mixed and waveringly emitting notes were luring me into their realms. as with Poison (1985) there is tuberose and jasmine but also Roses. and of course these are all flowers fighting for attention. inbetween came still Obsession which I also immediately closed in my heart (where it didn't stayed but escaped [not alluding to Calvin klein's perfume]) onto Clôches of perfume around the wearer (ess). I can vividly remember the launch of Giorgio, where the whole boulevard was intoxicated, then Obsession and then still Poison. in my memories these three evil sisters are forever connected. particularly with Poison which I had in esprit de parfum 30ml in dab flaconettes. (I still have the empty bottles) it isn't only an (forbidden) Apple, but also like an ancient Poison Bottle! I try to remember what struck me the most. yes the Tuberose, the Plum (I am a bad sniffer in fruits, often they glide along me but with plums I have a special sensorium I think). Plums were also in Boucheron Jaipur which I also immediately embraced. also with Apricots and Peaches I am inclined to pick these out. Mitsouko's peach, which I forgot to mention. so the Plum, the Tuberose but also the Rose and Jasmine. then Quentin Bisch-like, also immediately the Incense, (I guess) the Cloves, Cinnamon and Pepper did interfere with the opening notes. with especially these perfumes it was the immediate Blast, Thermo Nuclear Aroma Troposphere Beam, which cleared and etched the nostrils and much to my mom's and mine, pleasure and well, Lust. Poison had a particular pinch, where Edouard Fléchier had mingled all those ingredients (and I have learned at Fragrantica that this is a complex event, not at all linear or in addition with each other plus the aromachemical supports [to which I am amnostic but have learned that they can support and push the more 'natural' ingredients forward and make the whole billowing and meteorological]), now, all these ingredients were somehow concentrated in a Super Hefty Emission straight upward from your pulsepoints. as was the case with all the 1980s Hooker Perfumes which I all acquired and double, as either for my mom. in 1985 Chanel came with Coco. what a phenomenal, oriental (but Karl Lagerfeld said it was an Oriental perfume taking in the Orientality of Venice) plus Rose, Incense, Peach, Cloves and Civet centered perfume. Poison then still had Honey, Coriander, Anise (L'Heure Bleue), Amber and Heliotrope, contributing to its powderiness as the perfume still held a White Flowers' 'wiltedness' quality which note I absolutely crave for. I can consecutively mention Knowing, Moschino Pdt (specifically), Christian Lacroix' C'Est la Vie, indeed Opium (1977) and Paris which was absolutely sharp but so lovely 'parisiennely' abundant with roses, roses, roses. Bijan Beverly Hills, Fred Hayman 273, 'Giorgio Beverly Hills RED' and Beautiful. (Cartier's Must and Panthère) but it was the infamy and blasfemy which connected the trias Obsession - Poison - Giorgio. these were so loud alarmist and presentist than it was fabulous to have contributed to it and in hindsight, have such dear memories of this perfumial stratoscape. v.Cleef&Arpels First, Gem, Guerlains Nahéma, Creed's Fleur de Bulgarie, Irisia, Jasmin d'Impératrice Eugénie and in the same High Quality League Jasmal. these were my cup of tea and since, they are the golden standard against which (witch) I measure a perfume. thereafter came the 1990s and as a perfume decade it meant nothing to me except that some of the most vile and heady perfumes were also launched. Vivienne Westwoods Boudoir, Donna Karan by Donna Karan, Gale Hayman Beverly Hills (I guess these were all launched ca 1990). then around 2000 Mahora from Guerlain. and then, in 2003, Montale came into my life, and Oud. but to not digress (while all digressions were related to Poison) this was a super memorable event not to miss. these were not perfumes but code #4 Incidents. and what lovely incidents were they. (not everyone shall agree.)

I decided to decant this in one of the original vintage pocket poison octagon purse sprays because I hadn't been using it and wanted to see the comparisons again since lately Tom Ford's Tobacco Vanille's performance was a let down although i love the scent. With this vintage Espirit de parfum I would let it sit on a shelf and I am like what are you doing? When are you gonna use this already? So no more saving. Mind you i'm comparing it to the vintage EDT without the sprayer on my left hand and the vintage Espirit de parfum on my right and when i sprayed one spray of the Espirit de Parfum on my chest i didn't realize how much of a bomb this was going to project. DANG! Now i remember why you dab it with the glass topper. From the glass you smell the sweetness but the projection doesn't hit you when you dab but if you put this in a sprayer. One spray is actually overkill but i love it! It is so strong! This bottle is the best original juice of them all. It is the wonderful juicy plum and tuberose with spices that you know but it is the most untainted version. There is no fuzziness, no extreme on the alcohol. It is nothing but pure poison. It is so dense that the plum and tuberose becomes sweeter, stronger and lingers with wafts all up your nostrils and a trail that surpasses anything on the market. I mean i am literally in a perfume cloud with one spray that is literally too much for the average person unless you like perfume bombs. Wow why did dior ever mess with this formulation. While the heart of the scent is still saved it's nothing like what it use to be. Even the vintage EDT spray-less bottles do not compare to how deep this really is in my 15ml bottle. The newer EDT spray bottles smell like this but its so tamed down its like dry and fuzzy but just enough that you wouldn't loose hope to never have it again but it's not the same vintage masterpiece. Sometimes i want to buy a newer bottle for collection purposes but i know i will never love it as much as this vintage gem. I think if you love poison forget the other versions and buy this one. It costs a pretty penny but if you can even get the smaller sample mini bottles which are cheaper, by dabbing that stuff it will still be loud and last awhile and is worth every penny for the way it performs and smells.