Chypre Sublime

If you like POAL and are looking for a somewhat more reasonable "dupe" of sorts this is for you. It's not exactly the same; POAL is deeper, richer, and has a less "green rose" quality and I think POAL's patch is smoother somehow. But the point is, if you like that, you may like this too, and it's less spendy. If you like your roses with a strong backing of patchouli, again you'll go for this. It's a green rose (to my nose), very lemony-geranium, peppery "rosine"; this is ROSE. It is not mild or meek and it's not a blowsy pink, but a dark jammy red (probably less jammy than POAL). It is somewhat reminiscent of the "Rose Jam" Lush body spray--but better (the high sort of green geranium note is pronounced there--and here too). There is certainly the lovely "incense" and "woods" dry down, but it's less strong than in POAL with a more dominant patch in the middle and the end. I do not detect the violet much except in a sweet way--it might be that kind of candy-sweet-tart aspect this scent has. This is not a garden "true" tea rose type of rose; it's amplified, exaggerated, spicy. Another characteristic that Rose Jam and Chypre Sublime share is longevity and projection. My skin is dry, and I often "over spray" just to get some kind of silage at all. This one I applied with my usual (very heavy) hand, and it was, "Oh, oh!" I'm middle aged, and I think this might knock the younger set over, so bear that in mind. A spritz or two will do. That strong silage and longevity I suspect has to do with the generous helpings of geraniol and some synthetics; this does have a more "synth" vibe than POAL (again, my primary comparison). It lasts forever on me, which again is surprising considering the "dry skin" issue. I'm not a big fan of heavy synthetic perfumes; I have a lot of mixed media, or more "natural" scents, but if it works, it works. I quite like this. This is the second scent I have from Floral Street, and I must say so far so good with this company; I also purchased the Ylang Ylang Espresso, and it was everything I had hoped Cafe Tuberosa would be from Atelier (a little sweet, but more coffee thank you)--except, Ylang, not Tuberose. Anyhow, I'm going to use my small Sephora bottle up and go FB on this, since my POAL is saved for special occasions.

I have the 8-scent discovery set. I was hesitant to try this one because I do NOT like rose-forward perfumes. I wear big rich fragrances: my signature is Coco and I daily year-round Obsession and Black Orchid. Still, I was determined to try all 8. This was unexpectedly love at first sniff, and got even better on my skin. Incense, warm woods, and a wet, rich rose that smells like my ancient rose bushes and nothing like what I thought of as “perfume rose.” (Now I know what “jammy” means.) I ordered a full bottle 30 mins after putting it on for the first time. Chypre Sublime projects gloriously with 2 sprays but only lasts 5-6 hours before needing a top-up. I haven’t tried POAL yet so can’t compare but if this is her little sibling I’ll adore POAL even more. Unisex but not for the faint of heart; seductive and stunning for a dramatic woman or daring man. This might be overwhelming in warm weather (I don’t see much of that here in Ireland). Go light on the trigger finger for the office.

I started at the light side of the "light to dark" 8 vial Floral Street sampler set and I must say that now I am on no.6 of 8 into the dark side, I am enjoying these fragrances much more. I really don't understand Floral Street's names, this one is called Chypre Sublime. Yes, I suppose under the dictionary definition of a chypre, this one does fulfil it, but I have to say the name "chypre" put me off before I'd even tried this fragrance. I was thinking of 80s powerhouse scents that scare me like Paloma Picasso, I was so wrong, this is exquisite. The lovely fresh jammy rose is the star of the show here, (this is what I wanted from Neon Rose and didn't get!). The opening is showered with the spicy pink pepper and green geranium. The incense get smokier as the fragrance dries and the violet blooms. Tread lightly with this one, one spray is enough, the projection and longevity are good. This is an absolute winner!

I have tested every single existing sample from Floral Street, not once, but wore each for a few days, and my winners and FB worthy became Chypre Sublime and Iris Goddess. Both classy, elegant and long-lasting. Chypre Sublime is the fragrance I was impressed the most during last year of obtaining newbies. It is very Byredo-like, the nose is Jerome Epinette who has made many perfumes for Byredo. Ignore the similarity votes on this page, please, they are very misleading. The only similar fragrance with Chypre Sublime is a Portrait Of a Lady Malle indeed, like some reviewers have picked, but I prefer Chypre Sublime nevertheless, it is more bright, less gloomy-patchy and more incensy. It is not a budget substitute of POAL at all, but a very glamorous, mature, well-blended chypre, full-bodied, emotional and unique.

I love rose fragrances that are undercut with a darker depth - and Chypre Sublime does that so well with how the rose is blended with that patchouli and the incense notes. Love this - it feels so layered and rich, like a swatch of bright red velvet cloth. I also own Portrait of a Lady and Diptyque’s Eau Capitale and although they’re similar, I think it’s not redundant to own all three (and I’m not just rationalising my decisions here lol). Whereas POAL goes really dark and almost dusty with its incense note, Chypre Sublime leans slightly earthier and the geranium note makes it retain a little sparkle without losing its depth (unlike Eau Capitale which almost too light with its citrus). This could last longer but I just carry a travel spray which is refillable for a discount.

Do not get me wrong: it's a beautiful rose fragrance with tartness from pepper and geranium that has a beatiful patchouli base to make it last all day. The scent isn't really the issue. The issue is that this is, first and foremost, a modern chypre with no real aspects of a traditional chypre to speak of. This possibly is a bigger issue than I'm making it. If Miss Dior Cherie is a chypre, than why not this? Plus, it's floral street. Something I should be expecting highly modern releases from. I do get the oakmoss detection some people speak of but even as a note it's not really there for me. Pink pepper can do a good job of emulating the crisp freshness of oakmoss without actually representing the scent itself.

Wow! Very well named although I'm not sure why oak moss is not listed. It does smell like it is present. This is one intense rose, geranium and patch fragrance. The big three hit you with quite a wallop. The violet accent is perfect. It brightens and sharpens the rose and patch like the geranium. I guess I am an arty type as I went to London art schools and I feel right at home with this potent scent. It is unapologetic and for the sort of person who knows what they are about. I'd wear this when visiting art galleries and just chilling. This is my Floral street purchase but I will probably add the peony ones cos it's just to Moderate sillage and longevity.

Like most of the reviewers, I first tried Chypre Sublime as part of the discovery kit. The first spray slapped me in the face with pepper and incense, and I almost threw it away. That lasted all of 30 seconds, and then BOOM. Rose and chypre heaven. The rose scent is warm and romantic, and I think that it provides a beautiful counterpoint to the earthy chypre. It’s almost like smelling a rose bush in full bloom that is planted in dark, freshly turned soil. If chypres intimidate you, this is an excellent step into the genre. Also wonderful for fans of rose. Great value for the price, too.

Sexy, dark, oriental rose perfume. This starts quite smoky and spicy from the incense and pepper. Shortly after, the rose really blooms; it’s a bold, slightly jammy, red rose. In the drydown I get quite a lot of patchouli. I imagine the prominence of the patchouli is why this is called a chypre but in my mind, this is a bit too spicy and dark to be considered a classic chypre. Nonetheless I really like this, especially for nighttime. It also projects really well on me.

Chypre Sublime – Floral Street Rose, geranium, patchouli, incense, benzoin... pure vintage vibes. Bold, heavy, statement florals — and I loved it 😻 (It did give me a slight headache though.) It reminds me of classic perfumes my grandmother used to wear, and it’s similar to Molton Brown Rose Dunes and JHAG Lady Vengeance. I’d only get a 10ml, as it’s not an everyday scent for me — but it’s gorgeous ❤️😍

I love Floral Street’s darker fragrances and this is no exception. In fact it may be my favourite from the house replacing Black Lotus. It’s a strong opening but the dry down is where it shines. The rose and the patchouli are the main players to me. I wore this to work today and received several compliments. For the record I am a 60 year old man. Totally unisex.

This smells like the 80s. Old, beautiful, and mysterious. Don’t get me wrong, I love it. This type of rose immediately transports me back through time. Gradually a smoke note comes into play. So, smoke and rose. My goodness! I would say Kayali’s Elixir 11 is a modern and more sweet version of this. Both equally mysterious (chypre sublime a bit more so perhaps.)

Found this today for a bargain. I already own Portrait of a lady by Frederic Malle and I couldn’t believe how much of a match this is. It’s almost identical to my nose. My partner blind tested both and even he couldn’t tell. Don’t waste your money on over priced Estée Lauder Companies perfumes when you can support a small UK business. It’s sublime 💯

This is a solid rose patchouli fragrance. I enjoyed it and am still enjoying it 7 hours later. At the start, there is a sharp knife of pepper and spice. That brought a smile to my face because I adore geranium. It mellowed down after an hour, but not too much. It's not POAL and it's not trying to be. It's Chypre Sublime and a winner in my books.

Chypre Sublime smells like Paloma Picasso painted with modern aromachemicals. It's still a bitter and sour greeness with a big fat rose in the middle. Like bordering on love. Along similar lines as the old Juliette Has a Gun stuff which was also older scent profiles made modern-ish. I really enjoy that sort of take so I am very satisfied.

Rose on a bed of patchouli and incense. The longer it wears the soapier the rose gets. I expected to love it, but i’m disappointed. Smells a bit dated. Nothings about this rose is new or interesting enough. A bit prim and matronly, in my opinion.

A livelier, sexier POAL on my skin. Some rose fragrances I find too granny-ish but this is the total opposite to me - ripe, jammy, lush and very noticeable. It would feel obscene in the workplace!

One of my new favorites (can't have just one, can I?). The sharp scent dries down to a nice rose/patchouli mellowness. Lasts longer on me than most.

Grabbed this at a major discount (CAD$17) as Floral Street is discontinuing their partnership with Sephora (rumor?). Would I purchase at full price or retail sale price? Definitely no, so take that into consideration! Opening is citrussy, oily Rose similar to Chopard Love (but thankfully not as bug-spray-ish). It has a vague resemblance to the sweet, slightly watery chypre feel in Cartier La Panthère. Very fast drydown (minutes) into a sweet rosewater scent. If you have anything similar already, this would be redundant/disappointing. If you find this at a major discount then it's an easy dumb reach if you like the profile. Nice for after bathing or a quick refresher. Performance is poor in my opinion. Very faded after 15 mins, four sprays. Scent on my sweater from yesterday morning is coming through more. Tested in summer weather (cool 17C and warm 27C).

A classic patchouli-rose fragrance. Not that much of a chypre in my opinion, but who cares, Floral Street has some less fitting names. This is beautiful, the patch is earthy and clean, the rose is fresh and a little jammy, but without the berry notes many rose fragrances have at the moment, more plum-like. The addition of violet lends the fragrance a feminine freshness. There are also some warm resinous notes and light woods. It's a very easy to wear, likeable version of the rose-patch concept that could be used day or night. Nothing sharp, overwhelming or dirty here. I'm a big fan of this category of scents so I naturally enjoy Chypre Sublime, but it doesn't blow me away. There are so many stunning fragrances with patchouli and jammy rose that this doesn't quite cut it, but I'm sure it will be just the right blend for someone else.