Sables

159) Sables émouvants It perfectly reproduces the familiar smell of a walk in dunes of hot sand, nothing really sweet, this fragrance is a bias against all commercial creations. Sables is one of these war perfumes for perfumista. And it's not a blame, ultimately that coincides quite well with a lot of masterpieces. Only problem: it will not appeal to everyone, really, and finally if you like challenging your entourage (nicely), all the better! If you are looking for a summer scent, lightly sweet, a hot perfume not tropical, who goes even better during the winter also, warm, for men or women, so throw yourself into the Quicksand. Annick Goutal had created it for her husband in memory of holidays on Corsica, and is therefore classified in the male range. All about Immortelle (everlast), sandalwood, spices (curry?) and leather sprinkled with vanilla, which could be classified as a bomb so its power arises for several hours persistently. Sands does not have a huge evolution, it just fades and approaching at the end a type B maple syrup. Close to Fougère Bengale even if there's no Immortelle in this one. Reproduction parfaite de l'expérience vécue d'une balalde dans les dunes de sable chaud, rien de doux c'est un parti pris contre toutes les créations commerciales. Sables est l'un de ces parfums de guerre pour perfumista. Et ce n'est pas une critique, en fin de compte ça coïncide assez bien avec ce qu'on attend d'une oeuvre d'art. Le problème est qu'il ne fera pas l'unanimité, vraiment, et si vous voulez éduquer votre entourage (gentiment), tant mieux! Si vous cherchez un parfum d'été, sans trop de sucre, brûlant sans être tropical, qui est parfait en hiver aussi, chaleureux, pour hommes et femmes, alors jettez vous dans ses bras! Annick Goutal l'avait créé pour son mari en souvenir de la Corse, et est donc classé dans la gamme masculine. Il tourne entièrement autour de l'Immortelle, du bois de santal, d'une odeur de curry et de cuir vanillé. Il pourrait être considérée comme une bombe pour sa puissance qui dure plusieurs heures. Sables n'évolue pas longtemps, il s'estompe et termine sur une odeur de sirop d'érable catégorie D. Fougère Bengale est un parfum très proche alors qu'il ne contient pas d'Immortelle.

You are taking one last stroll through your immaculate lemon groves before retiring to your imposing mansion. The summer wind catches your nose in its toasted cinnamon swirls as you climb the stairs to your grand balcony - you rest on your dazzling gold handrail as you look out to meet the gaze of the sun and it's sinking glow. The sea and sky are bathed in endless reds and golds as the sun departs this world...everything is swept up in the mapled haze of wild immortelle. A strange thought reaches out to you - why had I been turning all to gold when a world of gold already existed in the rays of the sun? You shed your golden tears at the thought of all the damage you had done - your greed and ignorance had unraveled all that was great in your once meaningful life. Your obsession became your prison and this prison, your grave. A mysterious stranger showed up to bury your body - they filled the halls of your golden palace with the soft tendrils of incense while planting an ever-hungering moss with every step. Your body and your palace were never seen again, swallowed by another's greed and lost to the callousness of time. Day 79 - Golden tears Listening to: The Gathering - Monsters Notes: I fell in love with this gem in its original form some three or four years ago - from what I remember, the newest formulation sticks relatively close to the original. That being said, this is a simple wonder that highlights the true beauty of immortelle and accentuates the fascinating nuances of what it smells like in nature! It opens with a blast of dazzling lemons and a dusting of powdery cinnamon before meeting and impossibly realistic immortelle with the slightest hint of earthy greenness and smokiness. The earthy and syrupy heart lasts a good 6 to 8 hours before taking on more of a honeyed oakmoss presence - the sweet oakmoss is met with just a touch of earthen patchouli which sweetly accents skin for a other 4 to 6 hours. A truly beautiful fragrance that recalls countless moments I've experienced in nature - to me it is tragic and bittersweet. Hopefully you will find the beauty within its golden embrace.

With love, forever. There are some fragrances that create so much with so little. Super straight forward, they want to replicate some moment/place or just the smell of something. Goutal is a great classic brand that newer noses don't care and/or don't even know about it. And I don't blame them because today's standards are different from 20 years ago. Youtubers are the main sources for new hyped fragrances and the whole market are centered on fresh and sweet versatile scents and the niche houses are no longer niche brands but just high end designers clones, with higher price tags. Fortunately, there are still some classic niche brands that does things right. This classic '85 release is a proof that we still can enjoy some different and quality fragrances with a good price and stand out while smelling appealing at the same time. Created to his husband, Goutal wanted to replicate the smell of sand in Corsica beaches. And to do that, she choose to use immortelle. A big flower, with yellow tones and a strong smell (like burned curry). Very common in dunes and dry sandy places. Sables has, right at the opening, a strong immortelle presence. Super dry, curry-like, a little bit creamy and sweet. There's also something sticky and sweet in the opening, that will evolve into a more dry, creamy and relaxed sweetness in he drydown. The main player here is, of course, the immortelle but I also can detect some dry and sweet cinnamon and a creamy sandalwood. That's it. Super straight forward composition. But it's so beautiful, powerful and majestic that it works perfectly. A true piece of art, but still, very wearable and comforting like a warm coat. Winter is the best time to wear it due to his great performance and presence. Although I also can wear it in spring, on a walk on the coast side. 2 sprays will fill a room and will last all day (10h+) All in all, a beautiful and magic fragrance that is a must-have and deserves more attention. Hopefully, will be available forever for us to enjoy, like the immortelle itself. 5/5

When I first heard about Sables, I was immediately eager to try it because of its promising name - I love the idea of smelling like a shortcrust cookie, sounds delicious, especially if that scent has been transformed into an actual wearable perfume by a competent house like Annick Goutal. In fact I was so keen that I ordered a little decant in a sale without noticing the "for men" designation. I'm so glad I did, because it might have kept me from trying this beauty, that's by all means very much unisex in practice. I asked my friend who's into very feminine scents if she thought this was too masculine to be worn by women, and even she didn't think so - I've honestly encountered many unisex scents that are more masculine than this one. She did say that she liked it "although I'm more into sweet scents myself", which might sound puzzling because I think this one is pretty sweet too, but I do understand what she means. This isn't sweet in the way of desserts and sugar, in fact it doesn't smell very edible at all. It's more like the ingredients used in that lovely cake than the cake itself: warm, dry spiciness and a good helping of slightly burned syrup - wonderful! I'm not very familiar with immortelle, so I'm guessing that must play a big part in this quasi-gourmand deliciousness, and it probably also explains the slight, pleasant medicinal vibe in the opening. Just as great as the scent itself are the longevity (all day at least) and projection (powerful to the point of being too much right after spraying once or twice, and just perfect after a couple of minutes). So this is actually everything I hoped for - a very nice, high quality, comforting almost-gourmand that doesn't lack class, perfect for just about any occasion in autumn and winter, for both men and women. I'm so glad I came across Sables - I definitely see a full bottle of this somewhere in my future, and it's also cured me from my fear of trying scents "for men".

I’ve already reviewed this I think but my thoughts keep changing on this more than any other perfume. I will say this is a winter scent only for me. I hate gourmands so when I first tried it I was disappointed in its sweetness but I’ve grown to really like it. Then I haaaated it and gave it to my mom. But she wears it and I remember why I liked it. It smells like a ginger snap cookie with a toasty sweetness that feels mature and stable. Update: this review was for the newest formulation and a year later and I now have the original juice as well. There’s really no need to hunt this down. Sorry to say but not much has changed I don’t think and I’ve been wearing them both all month. I’m typically pretty sensitive to these things and it’s not worth shelling out hundreds to these scammers. I got mine for cheap thankfully but I’d be really devastated if I paid what the others asked for. That being said this scent is an all timer for me now and every negative feeling I had about it is gone. The newest formulation does get stronger over time so just hang in there. And a depth to it has developed that makes this far more than just an immortelle bomb. This is a masterpiece amber with such a unique character I love you annick THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Update again: okay I see the added complexity to the original formulation now.... The newest is more than enough to satisfy but the original manages to stay away from gourmand territory far better than the newer one. You get more of that herbal grass thing going on. But if u just mix Parfum d’empire mal Aime with it you’ll get a scent maybe even better than the original. I’m glad I have it now tho

When I first went down the rabbit hole of perfume obsession, I was drawn to the scent of immortelle without knowing what it was exactly that I was drawn to. Once I started finding various perfumes with this essence, I started seeking it out. Atelier has a Blanche Immortelle that is pretty good, but I had yet to try Sables. Well, trying has led to buying in one day! Immortelle is also in several Serge Lutens (JDP). Where other people routinely smell "curry"--I smell summer, dried grasses, a bit of wild fennel with its black licorice/anise qualities, herbal/medicinal, and very sweet; I smell Saturday pancakes with the requisite maple syrup but also a warm wind blowing across dead leaves, dry dirt. It's just fantastic, interesting, introspective and comforting all at once. I might think this would have some kind of sex appeal on someone else, but to me it's just very soothing and enveloping. While definitely hovering on the edge of gourmand, it skirts it by a hair. The strongest element is, well, immortelle, with sandalwood far in the back, a hint of pepper and an anise note that burns off in the first two minutes. There may be tea (I don't find it) and there may be cinnamon (perhaps that is the "anise" to my confused nose). Given the comments, it's certainly a try before you commit type of fragrance, but, if you know you like immortelle, I highly recommend this. It's distinctly better as it warms to the skin--I found it gaining--not losing strength. Unlike what others experienced, projection was low to minimal. Edit: got the FB. Projection is HUGE!!! SILAGE ENORMOUS, LONGEVITY....my bedroom smells of this from a days ago series of spritzs.

If this is what Immortelle smells like then I want to be reincarnated as an Immortelle plant (Helichrysum angustifolium - please take note of request). The first few hours of Annick Goutal Sables are dominated by a distinctive and beautiful accord that smells like honey, spices, maple syrup, sweet hay, benzoin, wood, and who knows that else, which I gather is the Immortelle. It isn't as sweet as those notes make it sound - it is more a rich off-dry scent that has entirely its own unique character. As the Immortelle fades Sables morphs into an charming off-dry amber, balsam, woody sort of base, with the fading Immortelle still making itself felt for several hours. I am not sure why Annick Goutal lists this as a men's scent - it seems completely unisex to me. As a side note it is an amusing nod to the power of word association or to the credulity of some people that Immortelle essential oil is credited with anti-aging effects. The flowers are called "Immortelle" or "Everlasting" simply because they are unusual in retaining their form and color when dried, a fact that has nothing to do with wrinkles and liver spots on human skin. The logic that confers anti-aging properties on the oil is the same as the logic that makes rhino horn a cure for male impotence. But if there is a market there will be claim, because there is a sucker born every minute. (oh, and belief in reincarnation is goofy too, except in the narrow sense that my atoms will eventually spread around and become parts of other living things. but i like thinking about my atoms diffusing through the world and some no doubt will find themselves in an Immortelle plant.)

First review here! I can only agree with previous reviewers who commented on how beautiful, intense and evocative this fragrance is, it reminds me so much of the smell of wild vegetation and sand dunes in north-east Sardinia on a dry, hot and windy summer day. Just beautiful and so realistic. I stumbled upon this perfume by accident, I was testing Annick Goutal's Nuit Étoilée (latest EdP formulation) and noticed that it smelled like beautiful immortelle after some hours. The next day I went back to the perfume shop and asked to test Sables, I was blown away! It starts strong and almost animalic, it reminded me in a way of the harsh, bitter beginning of a vintage Shalimar EdP I have. After some time, it just smells like immortelle, wild plants (a hint of sweet liquorice too) and sand dunes. Some people noted how it reminds them of maple syrup and pancakes, or curry, I guess my olfactory imprinting is with wild elychrisum, though if I try to imagine those other associations they are not completely off :) So so good, I had to buy the full bottle. It will last me forever! The current EdP formulation (100ml cylindrical bottle) is VERY STRONG. It's been almost 48hrs since the shop owner sprayed it on my arm (quite abundantly, I admit) and after 3 showers, swimming in the sea and a couple attempts at scrubbing it of I CAN STILL SMELL IT. Spray lightly! As a comparison, Nuit Étoilée lasted only a few hours and then disappeared completely. Blind buy if you love immortelle/elychrisium and the smell of Sardinian dunes (or Corsica, apparently) in the summer. Not for everyday use but this is a perfect execution and a must have for me.

Well as I tried this for the first time in the the Goutal shop in Strasbourg, the kind lady said to me "Sir, I know that you told me you were very attracted to the ingredient list of 1001 oud and Ambre Fetiche, but from the reactions that you gave upon those latter two after you've tried, and by telling me that you are keen on more resionous content with a bit of dried fruit and bit of spice, I think SABLES could be the right choice for you" and at that very instant that she prayed the Sables on my wirst, I thought I found my soul mate.Gorgeous opening I have to admit.Nevertheless since I got so many times coned by so many 'so called' niche parfums so far, I told the kind lady 'I will sleep one night on it by checking the unveiling layers by the hours and also the longevity and the sillage' The following 8 hours upon that, I realized that the fabulous opening's resinous and spicy atmosphere was fainting deeper and deeper in very first hour and afterwards the coal grilled immortelle was left a bit too alone to be called a solid dramaturgie des parfums niches.Nevertheless during the following six hours after testing it my girlfriend kept saying to me what was this irresistible salt-caramelized fig tart reeking off from me and that she could barely hold herself from taking a bite of my neck. I told myself then "hmmmm...perhaps it's still a good choice for me" Amazing longevity with monster sillage, yet stil not 100% convinced to buy a full bottle.

Sables is a stunning unisex soliflore, highlighting the distinctive aroma of the immortelle flower (Helychrisum). Immortelle flowers have an extremely complex scent: they evoke notes of beeswax, tree sap, spices, smoke, hay, and soft woods. I have the pleasure of owning a bottle of pure immortelle absolute, and it is truly a thing of beauty. But, I must confess: Sables smells even more intoxicating... Some of the sharp, rather medicinal notes that appear in pure immortelle extract are gone in Sables. Instead, immortelle's naturally sweet-spicy-woody nuances are enhanced through notes of cinnamon, amber, sandalwood, and pepper. The edges are softened by warm, soothing tea notes. The dry down is delicious -- like honeyed amber on the skin. I typically need a bit of time to get to know a scent and form an opinion, but as soon as I smelled a decanted sample of Sables, I was in awe. It is everything I look for in a scent: a little strange, but achingly beautiful, warm, spicy, earthy, seductive, and completely unique. As with most Goutals, the sillage and longevity are moderate. But, I find Sables so magical that I look forward to reapplying! I could easily see this becoming a signature scent for someone (man or woman) with a unique personality: someone sensuous, elegant, down-to-earth, and intelligent. In my humble opinion, this is a true masterpiece.

I originally sampled Sables without knowing if it was the reformulated version or not. I enjoyed it, so I pulled the trigger on a full bottle. Unfortunately, the sample I have is of the original, and the full bottle is the reformulation. Don't get me wrong, the reformulation is a perfectly decent scent. However a lot of what I loved about the original has been stripped away with the newer version. I'm wearing the 'vintage' sables on one wrist, and the reformulated on the other right now, and there is actually quite a difference. The original is darker, sweeter, louder, much more unforgiving and boozy. The new version is lighter, milkier, much heavier on the sandalwood and lighter on the immortelle. I suspect in the eyes of most people this is a good thing. For me however, I rather liked the pungent, syrupy, over-the-top original more, and this new formula feel like a much safer and washed out version. Sillage has gone from heavy-to-monstrous with the old, to light-moderate and strangely diffuse in the new one. I think the newer version of Sables will please a far larger crowd than the old one, but sadly I am not one of those people. Sillage on the new stuff is at the lower end of moderate, longevity is still excellent. All in all, a lighter, safer, more moderate approach to Sables. Still lovely, but for a different crowd now.

Sables starts out like a herbal honey alcoholic liquor. This quickly becomes the herby smell of sand dune vegetation with notes of aniseed, fenugreek, pepper and dried grass. There is still some sweetness in the background but it is joined by a slightly acrid bitterness. The herbal notes slowly diminish and the final phase is a light peppery amber. From reading the previous reviews and comparing them to my own experiences it appears that Sables contains ingredients that react differently depending on the person wearing it. I'm lucky that it has worked well for me. Its a fragrance that I loved at once. I can imagine it might have the opposite effect on some people who could just as quickly decide to dislike it. Sables is unlike any other fragrance I own in terms of scent. It does, however, join a group of fragrances that are linked to specific memories. I now own three fragrances that remind me of summer in the South of France along the Atlantic coast. Cool Water is the smell of the salty ocean spray coming from pounding waves. Sandy towels lying on white windswept beaches. Sables is leaving the beach and walking over parched dunes and fragrant dune grass. Finally Yatagan is the heavy scent rising from the blanket of pine needles on the woodland floor. The long, thin trunks of Maritime Pines reaching up into cloudless skies.

My mother used to dry immortelle flowers in the attic. They smelled all herbal and sunny, bringing a touch of summer even in the middle of winter. Lately I have been on a nostalgic hunt for a good immortelle fragrance, and one of the suggestions I got was Sables by Annick Goutal. This turned out to be one of those fragrances that immediately conjures up an image in my head: Full sunshine, immortelle flowers growing in dry soil - almost sand dunes - next to the sea. It is reminiscent of Andy Tauer's L'Air du Desert Marocain, not in its notes but in the very similar quality of dryness. The immortelle really stands out as the lead actor, with cinnamon in the most prominent supporting role on my skin. Possibly it is what some describe as the caramel or syrup note in immortelle that leaves me with the impression of sea, since there is a certain saltiness to caramel. My sample has a sillage of at least arm's length and very good longevity. After over ten hours it is still distinctly discernable on my skin, a mellow mix of dry herbs and cinnamon. Unfortunately I don't know which formulation the sample comes from: According to some, the current version has longevity issues. Is it a "masculine" or a "feminine" fragrance? I think this is just as gender specific as the sand, the wind and the sea.

This is a woman’s consideration. I love this perfume and looks great on me. Although I know the scent of immortelle is the screaming note in this fragrance, I never felt it in its pure form, just in beauty products. Let’ go to the olfactory sensations. When I apply the perfume it seems dry and remember me the tobacco of my father's pipe (Bulldog). I can feel the pepper as well. Then I smell something sweet and a little medicinal, that reminds me arnica. It is not in the list of raw materials, but I believe it is one of the nuances from immortelle. When I was a kid and tumble, my grandmother used to give me arnica tincture to drink with a bit of sugar. As I liked, I played on the ground to be able to take. This smell is so familiar to me. Passed half an hour starts a smell of sweet “mate” (Ilex paraguariensis – more than black tea). Who is Brazilian knows the “Mate Leão”. The pepper scent still persists, but softened. Well, imagine “Mate Leão” with a few drops of arnica and a bowl of pepper beside. It lasts very long for an Annick Goutal, and it has a big projection. For me two small pumps on the forearm are enough and sleeve over; otherwise the scent will go across the room. Using this way the smell stays more close to me. Really combines with sunny days, but not with tropical summers.

This might be one of those rare instances where the recent formulation is better than the original. *Reviewing the round, scalloped glass bottom btl. First thing you should know is I am an absolute #rideordie for immortelle, and Sables delivers sunbeams of liquid gold worth of it. But unlike, let's say, Voyages Imaginaries L'Eau Immortelle where the immortelle is floral, wet, and green, Sables delivers a sunnier, dusty immortelle wedded to a light suede note and cinnamon. Very dead-of-summer, hasn't rained in a month. A note on the cinnamon: it's not cinnamon stick, it's cinnamon leaf, which is lighter, sweeter and less punchy than what you think of when you think of cinnamon. It works really well with the immortelle, kinda genius pairing, they compliment each other in surprising ways! The black tea almost gets lost entirely for me. It seems to be serving an agrestic role in the background, helping with that dead-of-summer feel. I wouldn't know it was there until you took it out, basically. Amber/sandal base is the safe choice here, but probably the right choice as it keeps everything on track and creates that soft vibe a lot of us are looking for. I feel like anybody and everybody could rock this. Summer into Fall. Don't know about Winter or Spring, but you do you. 😉

I love it. Sables is indeed a rare combination of power (the subtle, not "in your face" kind of) and introspective softness. It has the kind of harmonious "dyalectics" i love, and thus without beeing too controversial in itself. It s like a deep conversation with yourself, using simple words, an elegant syntax and a soft tone. Long lasting, on me it has the exact structure depicted by its ingredients, and strangely enough i can still feel the immortelle on the long run too, maybe as the strongest, and on my hair it turns into something sweeter (as i was wearing it, i was asked more than once if my hair smelled like cofee -must be the black tea or/and the cinnamon). It smells bitter sweet (maybe more bitter than a woman would usually wear, but again this is not my first love of men fragrances - i still wear encre noir, e.g. - my point being don t blind buy it, especially if you re a woman). It smells.like cold and heat at once, herbalia and mineralia at once (the gourmand ingredients are only there to sustain the core idea of .. well.. sands..). It s smart and sensuous at the same time, it s a happy and sunny (not exuberant) result of a continuous trip, and simply a very beautiful, and naturally elegant perfume.

Towards the end of the popular animation movie "Ratatouille", Anton Ego tastes his dinner cooked by Remy and almost instantly he is transported back to his childhood. Upon sniffing Sables, within seconds, I had an identical "time travelling" fascinating experience. So, here I am, a young boy once again, enjoying his carefree summer holidays, spending the day with family & friends at the beach. It is almost miday, the air is dry & hot and barely cools our sweaty faces. It smells peculiar yet welcoming. Standing on the rocks of the nearby cliff, resting from our exploration adventure, we can hear the wind swirling upon the sand, stealing the sea's saltiness, mixing it with the air's friendly warmth & the pungent odour of our golden flowers. They were "ours" because they were "golden" and because we were the "brave" ones to conquer the top ! 35 years later, I think I can still smell the freshly cut immortelle flowers in my hands. Sables is a strong sentimental perfume that envelops my senses with its spicy, smoky sweet, peppery aura and daring temperament, softening to an embracing and comforting dark woody ambery aroma, that eliminates the passing of time. To me, it tells a story. 9/10

Once most of the initial balsamic blast dies down this is an immortelle with a sweeter side, the combination with cinnamon yielding an almost caramel-like accord at times. I've never been to a Corsican beach—before reading the background I thought the namesake sands were a reference to the desert to be honest—or anywhere near an actual immortelle plant for that matter, but the imagery works for me because the scent itself is so warm and glowing in nature. So much so, that I find it difficult to fully shake the association with the sort of heat spray you'd apply to aching muscles. While that might make me self-conscious about wearing it outside of my own home, it still totally fits the overall warm comforting feeling somehow. Once again I find myself fascinated by immortelle: I can't stop sniffing it and basking in its glow, or thinking how appropriate it is that the strong scent is apparently as everlasting as the flower itself. Ideally I'd like to find a more subtle, everyday wearable take on it. As for Sables, it is so strangely entrancing, I could see myself owning a tiny bottle of this, stashed away somewhere, for my own private enjoyment every once and a while.

Sables is legendary; it is unapologetically immortelle, with supporting notes of black tea and black pepper, and it is a stunner to my nose, even if it might be challenging and too abstract for the middle-of-the-road frag enthusiast. Immortelle is warm, dry, hay-like, with undertones reminiscent of fenugreek, maple, and curry. Therefore, this note can be polarizing, but somehow, to my nose, it is most blissful, almost titillating to my senses, and ever so fulsome on my skin. I reserve this for just the right mood and with that and the fact that (at least older formula) Sables is tenacious and substantive, a bottle will let me quite some time. As the top notes subside, the smokier, woodier elements and toothsome maple radiate from warm skin. What a daring, cerebral creation, and what rapturous joy it brings to me when the occasion calls for wearing it. One of my absolute favorites. 10/10

This is all about the accord between immortelle, which smells like fenugreek, and sandalwood. At first, the immortelle is very powerful, then gradually the sandalwood takes over. It's the point in the middle, when the two are in evolving balance, that's marvelous. It goes from smelling a little too literally like an Indian grocery store, to something more abstract and evocative. What's beautiful is how the warm, spicy, woody, base brings other ambient aromas into focus and elevates them. I was walking around looking for odors to appreciate, even funky ones. Great stuff! Very long lasting. The sample I tested turns out to be from a recent bottle, post-reformulation. I'm happy about this, in that the new stuff, which I like, is significantly cheaper than the vintage. I am of course curious to try the vintage formula, which has strong partisans on this page.

Sables smells like the beach, but not in a "beachy" way. It smells like the little café you pop into after a dip at the beach somewhere in southern Europe when the sleeves of your shirt and cuffs are still wet by the sun is quickly drying them out. While available today, it smells like a scent that was discontinued years ago or was purchased on vacation. It's perfectly unique, warm, and intriguing. I only wished it lasted longer on my skin, as few scents do. Obviously the immortelle is pretty immediate but the rest of the notes are fairly hard to define--or maybe I'm not sophisticated enough! It does strike me as a scent that someone who knows far more than me about fragrances would purchase as a gift for me. All I know is that it's wonderful, and everyone around me remarks how nice it is if they get close enough.

[Review originally posted on MakeupAlley in 2005]: A stunner. Sables, as is common knowledge here, uses the unusual immortelle flower, which Victoire Gobin Daude also uses in her Biche Dans L'Absinthe--bought this for myself but as the name in French is my namesake and because of the special, sandy spicy smell, my husband has appropriated this now as his signature scent, wearing "me"...not much to add to the reviews below except that this scent really is somehow bracing, I cannot only feel the vast expanse of the sand dunes, but can feel and almost smell the wind from the ocean, with the green view of dune plants whipped by the breeze. An SA for Annick Goutal said she prefers it on sensitive and artistic types with fiery personalities...I liked reading that Catherine Deneuve wears this too...

I’ve discovered recently that I enjoy Helichrysum in several fragrances that I use. I had used the essential oil of helichrysum a few years back and needless to say, it was an extremely pungent herb on its own. In Sables, it becomes otherworldly when blended with the notes of Cinnamon, Pepper, Black Tea, as well as Sandalwood and Amber. It’s rich and fragrant, sweet and spicy, and best of all, long lasting. Upon its origin it was created as a feminine fragrance, but the lines have blurred regarding fragrances and whom they should be worn by, so whether male or female, if you enjoy it, wear it. It works as an elegant layering scent as well and adds a beautiful dimension to most any niche or elegant designer fragrance you add it to especially dark fruity, rich wood and herbals.

AG’s Sables succeeded in an endeavor where a lot of others perfumes failed until now: to replace my good old Givenchy’s Gentleman as my signature scent. It will be only for this winter? It will be for a longer phase? Time will tell. Sables is magnificent. I am enormously happy that I (really) discovered it – quite recently. In a sunny autumn morning, in a wonderfully–mixed–scented perfumery, I was searching for an all-time favorite from Goutal, Ambre Fetiche, and then – BANG–BANG! – Sables crossed my prospect. It was love at first sight. It’s like honey distilled in a fine cognac, plus amber, plus the best from a cigar, plus the breeze caressing a coast of sand under the sun, plus... plus... It is more than a 9+/10 perfume.

Sables is so dry and spicy and sweet right out of the bottle...spraying it on skin has the same warming effect as a shot of brandy. After a few, the spicy sweetness tones down, but that dryness goes nowhere...very arid and austere. This makes me think of wandering around the casbah, looking for shade, while the sun is beating down. This scent just evokes warmth to me. This is immortelle at its finest...one of the best uses of this note. After so many years, this perfume has aged really well. It is instantly recognizable, but still distinctive and exotic, especially in today's arena of fragrance. It is cold here in Southern California and Sables is the perfect shot of heat that I need right now...still love this stuff.

If you think this smells of IHOP pancakes, I question your ineptitude of scents. This smells exactly how described, by Annick herself. A warm cup of spiced tea by a flower bed of immortelle, along a hot setting sun. This is a master piece, given it's time period. I always accredited Paco rabanne for one million, which is deserved, but if you want to go further back, and want something stronger (more pure masculine) this will not do you wrong. Sensual, even though I can call this unisex, it's best worn on a man. A well dressed man. This gives me vibes of Le couvent Ambra as well, a spicey, tea based Ambra with no vanilla. Amazing stuff here. If you smell this, you will soon realize, Annick was light-years ahead..

I get an earthy herbal fragrance here. Smells like it could have been used for an ancient healing remedy. I also smell anise/ could be the combination of tea leaves with cinnamon and pepper. The only other scent i tried with immortelle flower as the main theme was afternoon of a faun by ELDO, and this totally knocks that out of the stadium!! Though i find the flower to be a little bitter in both; I can definitely see where people could smell pancakes with maple syrup I (happily) dont find this sweet at all. It is pleasant warm, calming and very nice. I would be very happy with a drink a book and a night alone with this on. And when you are not by yourself You definitely wont smell like e'rybody else!

I tried the new version of Sables on the back of my hand yesterday evening and I was not impressed as some had mentioned in various topics. Rather than the warm and sweet Immortelle note that I loved and expected, I smelled something sweet, sour and spicy that reminded me of chutney or some Chinese preserved plums. That scent stayed on my skin for over two hours before it soften to still a spicy but slightly more pleasant scent. It lasted for over 14 hours on my skin after several hand washes and a shower. Maybe my lower than average body temperature did not allow this fragrance to develop properly on my skin, otherwise I could only say that it was just not my cup of tea.

Some say that Lapidus, Kouros, etc. are strong. It's because they haven't tried this one yet! Sables gets to be suffocating in the first moments. At the exit, there is something dry, scratchy and that reminded me of tobacco or those types of herbs for pipe smokers. Then, evolution moves toward rum. And the most interesting thing is that it looks like they caramelized almonds and then flamed them in the rum. A delight! Sables is a sober, well-made and rare perfume. I had never felt such a combination. However, it is more of a "love it or leave it" type. If worn in excess, it is capable of causing nausea in anyone around it. But if applied well, it becomes addictive.

This is a terrific choice for a man who isn't sure if he's into fragrance or not! It smells like an excellent pipe tobacco at first, then you get a shot of excellent Cognac...it's really stylish. Spray this on, then pull on your best black leather jacket...I fail to see how any discerning lady could fail to take notice. I bet this would work well on the right woman as well. HIGHLY recommended, and a good deal on Ebay or from Perfume Network...most of the niche dealers (dealers...christ, there I go letting my sordid druggie past slip out)have this for less than $70.00 USD. My thanks to the nice lady at Barney's New York who turned me on to this.

Wow. As someone who loves immortelle in perfumes this one is absolute heaven. The immortelle, creamy sandalwood and coumarin in Sables create that feeling of dense summer hayfields blowing in the wind under a clean blue sky. Skin is warmed and tanned and peace reigns in this world. Under these sweet dried grass and powdery wood notes lie amber and a soft leather but to me they are not the stars and not even that important- it’s the immortelle that makes and defines this gorgeous fragrance. It’s labeled as being for men but to my taste is completely unisex. Sables lasts 10 plus hours on skin with moderate sillage.

I am in grad school. It is Christmas and my Hungarian boyfriend is taking me to meet his parents in his home country. He has told me little of his family. At the end of a small highway, we stop and a friend of his meets us with a horse drawn sleigh. After an hour, as twilight sets, we approach a clearing, where a castle emerges before our eyes. Speechless, I am lead to a grand planked door. It opens revealing roaring fires, candles, roasts, wines, crytal, leathers and velvets. A handsome gentleman, pipe in hand, warmly greets me. This is the smell of Sables.

Masterpiece!!!. Sometimes, I do not like too much the very slight fragrances of A. Goutal but this is wonderful. Also do not like the smoke fragrances.This is a exception. Rich, deep, dark. With a very medicinal note that here say they like the Maple Syrup. Longevity is a cracy.Some days on my skin. When you shower, rub well, the smell can not go. Do not overdo sprays. If you don't like sweet inmortelle, this is not for you. One of the bests from Goutal, but not for kids... ;) Scent: 8.5/10 Longevity: 10/10 Sillage 8/10

I still have a bottle from the early '90's. It's rich and dark and still smells great. Rick Owens and his wife Micelle Lamy turned me onto it. They always wore it and loved it because they said it smelled "dirty". And it does in the best possible way. Nothing like it. Not sure when they reformulated it, but I haven't smelled a new bottle in decades. If someone is decanting the old stuff, get a little because you really don't need much. It packs a stunner of a punch and a very little goes a long way.

I recently acquired a decant of the original formula of Sables. How wonderful! This is a strong, long-lasting and beautiful immortelle fragrance. It is slightly resinous, a touch sandalwood, but mainly is all about that gorgous immortelle. Sables lasts for hours on me, and the sillage is (unless you are careful) over the top, and I like that about it. I love this fragrance. Women who love immortelle and unique, spicy, not overly sweet fragrances... try it, you will not regret it! *Swoons*

Pure pancakes and maple. Fascinating scent that could only come from the mountains of New Hampshire and Vermont at sugar maple season. I did notice that the scent got a bit more woody as it wore on, but it's truly maple through and through. It's most certainly a curiosity - and yes it makes me think that it could have been a Serge Lutens fragrance. I like the audacity of making something so gourmand. It may not be for everyday wear, but without a doubt it's its own curious beast.

I think is the most near recreated perfume that reminds me the beautiful holidays in the north Corse in July. Very penetrating, long lasting but not intrusive: I fallen in love with perfume In my opinion, another perfum that go pretty near this scent memory and this sensation is Herve Gambs "Domain du Cap" is more "fresh" and I suggest it In conclusion I like that because reminds me Mediterranean wildness; be aware of that, try it and love it.

I like the way immortelle has been presented here - surrounded by pepper, vanilla and wood. It makes you feel you are on the dunes by the seaside on a hot day. You feel dry sand, sun and summer here, with sun-dried herbs and immortelle. Both for hot and colder months IMO, but opening up especially beautifully in summer. Definitely to be tested before buying - on some skins it may smell like chicken curry or broth with spices.

This is a stunning herbal fragrance which I was craving to test for a long time. It's quality shines through amazing note of mighty immortelle. As a herbal beauty I like it more as a popular T.Swinton Like this. But... it's clear now, these fragrances are just not for me. I love many unisex perfumes but it seems I'm leaning more to feminine scents at the end of a day. Anyway, I'm happy to have chance to test it.

The unique, bone dry and punchy spice of immortelle and cinnamon is really gorgeous. I am not as familiar with immortelle as a note, but I look forward to exploring it more - where as hay tends to go soapy to me, it brings a sweet grassy warmth. The tea comes across as crushed dry leaves that have been sitting in a tin in the back of a spice cabinet. Feels very at home on the cusp of fall.

This is a really nice spicy sweet unisex fragrance. Classic amber spicy oriental. If this was released in the early 1900s it would be considered feminine, but times change and now men are wearing ethyl maltol bombs. To put this in the era of patchouli hippies, it is noticeable, but not dirty nasty. The vanillin is rich and blends well with the cinnamon. This is really great stuff.

I know it says for men...I love it. Nothing like it in the notes, but I get Wonderfully heady Maple Syrup poured over Celery seeds! It lasts around 12 hours for me, the last 4 or 5 deeply herbal smelling & close to the skin. Lasts amazingly on clothing or bedding. I get that it could be love or hate, so I would test first, but if you are after something unique this may be it.

I don't care if this is for men, it's a masterpiece and I love wearing it. The blend is soft, but the stuff goes on and on, very persistent but without crisping your nasal hairs, no part of it is harsh, burnt or overdone, it's wonderful....if you like Immortelle. If you don't, then leave it, all the more for us. Don't buy it blind, you need a run up to this stuff. 10/10.

oh my so sexy, sofisticaded, warm, very very strong stuff so you need to apply very light with conservative hands, the basenotes are trully amazing, you smell vanilla, burnt sand, so exotic stuff, a masterpiece... this is a night in the arabic desert where you smell the sand that was burnt by the sun in the morning..... Love it.... UNIQUE...

Magnifique. Sables est incroyable, et pour moi qui habite au bord des dunes, sur ma peau il devient très doux, comme la caresse d’une brise de nord ouest en fin d’après midi, après que le soleil a chauffé le sable et les quelques plantes littorales, très sèches,un peu fumées... J’en redemande, encore et encore... Masterpiece. 10 / 10

@ thatmakesscent: In my opinion, very different from Caron Le troisième homme, even in the opening...Watch the pyramid and try it another time : You certainly bought a fake! On the other hand, Sables is a very longlasting fragrance... You can dislike it, but for good reasons! In my opinion, Sables is a masterpiece.

This is my favorite fragrance from Annick Goutal. I am glad the fall is here, because I wear it during fall and winter. It smells like maple syrup, spice and vanilla mixed together. The drydown is the best part because it settles into a light vanilla/spice. Every time I wear it I get LOTS of compliments.

I guess I love the immortelle note. This is one of my favorite fragrance. It’s personal, not aggressive, not pretty, slight medicinal but divine nevertheless. I love HdP 1740 which also have immortelle note up front. I guess I need to try Parfum d’empire Immortelle corse next.

This is not for men, this is for meeee! Bought it for my husband who luckily didn't like it all too much, so it became mine. Someone had to wear it! It's spicy and warm and sunny and sandy and glowing orange sunset in Provence. Really good (and totally unisex!)

Sables has been reformulated recently - it is very weak, disappears quickly from the skin, no sillage - the former, original formula was very strong. I was told Annick Goutal had been acquired by some Asian company. Sad.