Etiquette Bleue

Etiquette Bleue opens with a delicious preserved lemon quality, sweet, salty, and umami, perhaps due to it being anchored by myrrh and opoponax. It is accompanied by a candied orange peel and an evergreen-woody, pungent rosemary. Imagine if L'Heure Bleue experienced a bright, sunny, cool autumn day following its previous brooding night. It's a fresh frizzante citrus without any acidity or sharp tang, underpinned with sandalwood and amber. A mellow and hopeful candy shell with a pensive interior, Etiquette Bleue is a mood that may elude even the most open-minded of fragrance enthusiasts. Some may find it isn't robust enough, or that it's just far too old-fashioned, or maybe even that it isn't grounded anywhere that's accessible. I find its airy, glancing-away nature to be quite fulfilling, like a comfortable armchair or a reliable blanket to sooth weariness. It's unfortunate that these D'Orsay re-launches from some time back were not given nearly enough fanfare as they deserved.

Statement : I hate citruses fragrances in general. Find them so generic, so boring. Statement 2 : SO WOW ! Oo Well, ok, this is citrus at first, just as expected but... Few minutes later, here's the true gem. Rosemary blast, sharp, almost medicinal... But strangely sweet, because of the orange blossom, which add a delicate "candy" side to these. Then, a woody/vanilla stays in background. All these sides are citrusy, for sure, but this is not the sharp one you smell often, here, agrums are here just for support all the other notes, not to be in front and agressive (except the 10 first seconds, at least). Conclusion ? A very fresh / citrusy perfume but not at all acid and sharp, thanks to the vanilla/orange blossom side, which make it sweet, like a cute acid candy. The fresh side stays when the wood comes out, just to make it not so dark as you could expect from a woody perfume. Really strange, fresh, sweet and woody. Like a perfect balance. Love !

Etiquette Bleue was my signature fragrance for many years and I still love it. It opens with a bright citrus that, though it fades quickly, balances out the sweetness of the gorgeous neroli which is the dominant note in this fragrance. After a few minutes only hints of the citrus remain, but by that point myrrh has added depth to the neroli, which eventually blends with amber and vanilla in an exceptional dry down. This is a much more complex and sophisticated scent than many give it credit for, possibly because it is so unlike much else that is out there. This one is worth the effort to get to know.

The opening is very fresh and classy, similar to a classic high end cologne and it made me think initially that this would be great in hot days. Within several minutes Etiquette Bleue becomes warm and very powdery and I find it actually better for autumn, still very classy. I don't get any woods or spices here, just soft vanilla and powder. It does have an old times vibe and it reminds me of a watered down version of L'heure bleue. However this is not negative for me at all as it makes it really wearable and after I had sprayed it last evening and I find myself craving for it this morning.

This is a very versatile scent and can easily be worn by both men and women. It is not a fresh spicy kind of scent that can only be used during the summer and it is not gourmand or warm enough to be worn only in winter so you could use it any time, summer, winter, day or night. Furthermore, I do get a classic smell vibe from this and I must add that it smells quite unique and it is not like many mainstream scents that people nowadays prefer, especially the younger crew. But I love it. Scent: 8.5/10 Longevity: 7/10 Projection: 6.5/10