Cabochard Eau de Parfum 2019

I’ve blind bought this fragrance a year ago, and reading the reviews here I believe the scent doesn’t smell remotely as described on my skin. On my skin this fragrance smells very clean and soapy with just a hint of powder and a little Smokey leathery scent. Mostly it’s soapy though. It’s VERY light and clean, in a dry soapy way, with a bit of a vintage feel to it. It’s a pleasant scent, but not one I use often, as I lean more towards warmer, deeper scents. Yesterday I decided to wear this fragrance and was once again impressed with how long it lasts. Strangely the scent doesn’t seem to change on my skin at all. It remains the same all day long, which makes me think that only a very limited amount of ingredients come through. Last night in bed something very interesting happened. I suddenly got a whiff of the fragrance and it smelled EXACTLY the way I wish it would smell. It suddenly had depth and warmth and smelled a lot less dry and clean. Turned out that I was breathing on my wrists where I had spritzed during the day and the warm moisture in my breath activated all the warmer and deeper notes. It was absolutely amazing and I wish with all my heart the scent would smell like that on my skin. Alas it does not, but I now know that the notes are there and can be activated with more warmth and moisture. I am guessing this scent smells better on skin that is less dry than mine, and expresses itself better in warmer weather, although it’s definitely not a scent I’d think to wear in summer. I think I’ll layer it with other scents to add the base notes that don’t express themselves on my skin in its normal formula. It’s not a perfume I’d buy again though, simply because it lacks depth for me and I now know all the depth I’m missing out on too 😭 I would not recommend buying this blindly since there’s such a vaste difference in how this scent expresses itself on your skin. That being said if you’re into light soapy scents this might be a great option for you if it happens to smell similar on you as it does on me. However you need to test it to know. If you do like the scent (which I actually still do even though it’s not the kind of scent I prefer on my skin), it’s amazing value for a scent with amazing longevity! On me it’s not complex at all, but I know that it can be on different skin, so absolutely worth considering and trying out. UPDATE: I’ve been looking for something to layer this with, because I wasted to bring out all those lovely green and mossy notes. For some reason the super clean smell from cabochard would completely take over any scent I tried it with, and would just turn everything into that squeaky clean scent without a hint of dirt, even when the other scent was sprayed liberally. It was like spraying cillit bang on it and “BANG, and the dirt is gone” 🥲 Well I finally found something out layers well with, and it’s Maroussia! Am even cheaper cheapie too! They work amazingly well together. Cabochard tones down the nauseating headache inducing metallic sweetness I experience from Maroussia, and Maroussia tones down Cabochard’s extremely clean freshness, turning it into a dirtier kind of soapiness and it brings out all kinds of herbal mossiness that I’ve been craving in cabochard. The next morning a tingling herbal scent remains that’s reminiscent of the dry down of mitsouko 😍 I’m so happy I can finally make this scent work for me!!

So Ive started collecting more "Vintage" fragrances and many are marketed towards women because well, they just dont make em' like they used to.. (God I'm old)!. Im really glad this one made it into my collection! The first thing that struck me was that beautiful, luxurious bottle! Then the gorgeous, slightly smokey, slightly leathery vintage concoction that again, just isn't being whiped up by perfumers nowadays. Many reviewrs say that Cabochard leans quite unisex for todays pallet, but I think it's more like unisex leaning quite feminine.. still wearable by the fellas tho. This scent pretty much transported me back into the days of the glamorous hollywood 50's. So elegant yet not the easiest for folks to pull off. Some will probably say it smells grandma-ish and I can see that, but the more you wear this throughout the day, the more you really come to invision what Bernard Chant had in mind at Cabochard's inception. Beautiful, sophisticated, formal, daring! 9 outta 10 timeless fragrance in my book.. great addition😊yay --------UPDATE 10/29/2024---------- So, at first when I tried this back in July, I found that the Aldehyde amd Leather combo came accross quite "Tinney" and leaning feminine, thats why Id said it was challenging, but after maturing for.almost 3 months, those tinney edges have certainly rounded out to a more "Crystaline and Airy" experience instead, Its definately gotten even better with time! The leather note seems more pronounced and rounded as well! This is something Id GLADLY wear with a nice suite and tie, or just a nice, white dress shirt and Dockers. it would be very fitting for an up-scale formal occasion because Grès just seems to make me feel more "Put together" somehow. Also, the longevity has quite improved and is now easily noticable on clothes the following day! This thing is under $20!? It belongs up there with Chanel imo! Grès truley makes poo me think "50's Hollywood Glamour"! When this one's gone, people will be clamoring for it, just watch! Im seriously considering grabing a back-up bottle.. Thank you to whomever took the time to read my thoughts on Gres by Cabochard! Timeless classic for men or women (And WAY better than Aramis) which I also own😉

I cannot imagine a time when I would ever not want to own Cabochard. I have the modern version; the vintage - and everything in between ! My oldest is from the year I was born ( 1966, if you must know dahling 😉 ) , my newest from just a few weeks ago - I have colognes, parfum, EDP & EDT'....and I adore them all ! I cannot describe notes in great detail like many on here - until I joined Fragrantica barely a year ago, I had never heard of Bernard Chant, never mind that I had nearly all his creations in my "Top 10" ! Thing is, this information just wasn't out there, we bought perfume, we wore perfume. Clearly I had a "groove" but I had no clue it was so obviously for the same "nose". I will say: The older ones are softer, rounder, more floral & better blended - I think ?! I get dry,earthy, herbal, leather, & smoke notes in both - the only smoke I indulge in these days ! Maybe the newer is harsher, at least at first, but still dries down beautifully. I was a teen when I first smelt this - it scared the bejeezus out of me - but I'm glad I preserved. Choose old, choose new - just try it once - you may fall to earth and be glad you did ! EDIT: Having given this latest incarnation a proper wear, I agree with a lot of other reviewers: it is a closer match for Cab of old - softer, more floral but still with lingering, leather base. I've also just bought the current ( black label ) Bandit which has gone through just as many revamps and, yes, it is similar ( not identical but in the same vein ) As a leather lovin' lady, I have room for both but, if you fancy dipping your toe in, for less than 20 quid: buy this ! EDIT 5 years later: because I sadly feel an obligation. I've now bought the latest, LATEST Bandit. Don't bother, it's left the building and taken it's leather jacket with it. Save yourself a fortune , just buy Cab, for Bandit is no more 💀

I do not know what happened, but suddenly this scent has changed completely on my skin. I used to get nothing from this scent but a paper dry clean note with a hint of leather. Nothing else ever... I’ve had the bottle since 2021 but only wore it a few times because the scent didn’t work for me. It was just too clean. Recently I’ve been trying to layer it with several fragrances to bring out the mossy notes, which was hard, because the clean note was overwhelming and made it’s impossible to smell anything else. But now.. suddenly out of the blue.. all the notes I’ve been trying to bring forward by layering are blooming all by themselves without having to layer it. Perhaps my hormones changed, perhaps the juice has been in contact with just the right amount of oxygen to ‘mature’ (I feel like the scent I get from the bottle has more depth too now), or maybe my sense of smell has evolved, but this scent is amazing now. It gives me mitsouko vibes. Like a mitsouko with a very clean top note layered over it and a leathery note underneath.. it’s the mossy note that has bloomed.. like mitsouko it had this damp earthy, herbal moss smell of wet moss being warmed up by the sun. It’s absolutely intoxicating! Now I can smell the jasmine and ylang ylang! Why wasn’t it there before? Why did it go from squeaky clean to intoxicatingly sensual? I don’t know, I don’t understand, but I’m loving it! It’s like Chanel no5 and mitsouko had a baby! The cleanliness is still there, as is the leather, but now they’re not the only detectable notes anymore and it’s absolutely gorgeous! If you have this fragrance and you are also struggling to bring out the moss and warmth, don’t give up. It might be to age or test with layering.. I don’t know how it happened, but it did and it’s glorious!

Its funny, I purchased Grès in the beginning of my frag-collecting journey a couple years ago and remember being taken a back by the super strong aldehydes and what I had back-then perceived as a "Grandma smell". Wrel, as a man I trepidatiously gave her a chance, sprayed some on and really enjoyed the dry-down, but it was still NOT a "LOVE" for me and found it a bit challenging to wear tbh. Fast forward to this morning, pulled out Grès after months of not wearing her and my pallette must have evolved bc NOW besides the Aldehydes (Which I now look for in fragrances), the Patchuli REALLY stands out whereas before I suppose that Grès was just way too much for my nose to really appreciate! I am NOW falling in love with the Glassy-Crystaline Aldehydes where as before I found the aldehydes "Tinney", metallic and off-putting, I'm loving the Smokey leather and ESPECIALLY That freakin' GORGEOUS Patchuli! Id left an edit here a couple months ago mentioning how Grès had improved with some "Maturation", but in this edit, Id say that my nose has improved bc I am definitely loving this fragrance so much more nowadays! A beautiful, classic, long-lasting (UNISEX) fragrance and a total STEAL for about $20! Freakin' CRAAAZY! Oh and the bottle is really beautiful, thick glass base and neat black bowtie/ribbon.. The gold cap is plastic, but it's a thick "Heafty" plastic and does NOT feel cheap whatsoever..Tres-Chic!😉 An 8 outta 10, classic/classy GEM of a fragrance which is perfect for business attire, office use bc it smells like you should be wearing a nice, pressed white button-up shirt along with a slick Tie!.. Look, just go getchall some GRÈS before its gone, GONE!

One of the great olfactory triumphs of the mid-twentieth century (probably spearheaded by Germaine Cellier, with the original Bandit for Robert Piguet) was the perfection of the green leather chypre, fusing bitter green notes to the top of the classic chypre structure and leather to its base. This was replicated in several other perfumes of the era, including Cellier's Jolie Madame for Balmain, and each of them had their strong adherents. Both Bandit and Jolie Madame (and Givenchy III, which is also of this genre) have been discontinued, at least in the United States, so the only example of this genre from this era still surviving here of which I know is Cabochard by Gres. For years fragrance enthusiasts had been complaining that this perfume was just not what it once was, but its latest reformulation in 2019 has garnered mostly praise from them. I've yet to try its earlier formulations, and nor have I been able to get my nose on either Bandit or Jolie Madame, but I can compare this to two more recent attempts to revive the genre, Dusita's Le Sillage Blanc and Papillon's Dryad, both of which I've sampled and which share much in common with this. Again, there's the pleasurable galbanum-heavy opening and the oakmoss and leather drydown. But whereas the other two had heavier florals at the heart that made them seem much juicier, kinkier, and more feminine (especially Le Sillage Blanc, which evokes strappy Joan Crawford high-heeled pumps), Cabochard is much dryer, and easier to wear--and is quite unisex. It is also much, much less expensive than the other two, which is surprising, given how heavy the bottle and cap of this new formulation are.

It opens leaning feminine, flowery, and it dries down to a masculine scent to my nose, reminiscent of my family members that wore Aramis during the years - maybe people that had strong feminine characters in their midst that wore Cabochard will have their experience affected to the other side. For me, the more feminine opening is quick and the remaining of the experience I consider unisex leaning masculine. There's not a lot of sweetness but the florals are there all the time, altough more balanced with the dark/earthy base after the first 5 minutes. This is a very interesting fragrance, it smells gorgeous, and I was not aware it existed until very recently - and that this classic came way before Aramis by the same perfumer. Worth the smell if you want a classy dark-leaning Chypre. Also worth to smell the Aramis if you don't know it - altough the current formulation of Aramis would benefit much from a reboot like this 2019 Cabochard apparently benefited from. As for my personal usage, I'm still testing it, but I will probably be spraying me some Cabochard EDP some good minutes before going out - and spraying Aramis over it a couple of minutes before I go out to see if it improves the performance of the current formulation of Aramis. Maybe it doesn't even need the Aramis over to still smell masculine on me, we shall live and see. Update: Cabochard under the shirt and Aramis on the neck and extremities work very nice together. Cabochard lasts ages up close and the Aramis projects for a couple of hours

Nice. Inoffensive. Not exactly cutting edge, but not nearly as complicated, full-on or out-there as Aromatics Elixir either. This is leaner. Has a kind of moderately balmy, white, clean, mossy soapiness that, especially up front, reminds me of the more complicated Tsar, which I usually wear only in the coldest few months because of that aspect. (I don't really like to smell as alpine-pure as the driven snow unless it's pretty cold outside.) I think I'll have the same attitude toward this one. I don't get a strong scent of anything that I'd identify as leather in this, but I get the idea. I can see why people smell it as leather. I asked myself what I saw as I smelt this fragrance, and I don't think it can be anything very complicated. Actually I saw--well, fancy that--a wet bar of soap slipping around on some leather, so it's safe to say that to me this smells quite a lot like Imperial Leather soap. It's like a marginally leaner, greener version of that. Not cutting edge, no, but, if used ín moderation, classy, clean and probably surprisingly versatile for anyone who doesn't immediately find the scent profile horrifying. Edit: a day later and I've just walked through a mist of this stuff. The atomiser is great, incidentally, but more importantly this stuff instantly blooms if you spray just enough of it into the air. It put a look on my face to the effect that this stuff really means business. As modern recreations/reformulations go, this really impresses me; it smells like old money.

Oakmoss, galbanum, leather, smoke, tobacco, and vetiver. That’s what I get on my skin. Yet somehow, despite the commonly masculine notes, this is an amazingly elegant scent that a woman could easily wear. A very dry fragrance. It is much drier than any other chypre I've tried to date. Chanel No.19, Jacomo Silences, Givency III, and even to a degree Coriandre, are practically juicy compared to this. While the florals in those fragrances are apparent, here they are never a main feature or showcased. The focus is all about the oakmoss, galbanum, and vetiver. It smells very mossy and green throughout the life of the scent, which gives it a very cool feeling, as if you are taking a walk in a sun dappled forest. I am quite impressed with how they managed to make synthetic oakmoss smell so natural. If I were to do a side by side with a vintage oakmoss heavy fragrance I doubt I would be able to tell the difference. What I love most of all is the clean, yet at times smoky from the vetiver, silage that creates a lovely aura around me. I think it is just wonderful! Both silage and longevity are really great. It will last all day with a few spritzes. That’s quite a feat for a bargain basement priced scent. Overall, this is a very classy scent and one that a confident man could pull off just as well as a woman, despite the bow on the bottle designating this fragrance feminine. I think they’d enjoy it as much as I do. I now want to try this in vintage form. Looks like the hunt is on.

First impression, I was a little scared. I love chypres but this one seemed SO intensely spicy/leather on the first sniff. Once I got brave and sprayed myself, though, no regrets. This stuff is awesome. Definitely get that spicy leather but it's all in balance with the aldehydes and subtle florals. I can't stop smelling myself. Reviewers EmmaSmells and LemonBuns describe this scent succinctly, so refer below! Definitely shares DNA with Paloma Picasso and Aromatics Elixir, with a side that leans masculine. If those are your cup of tea, and you'd like to try a leather chypre, definitely give Cabochard a try--I think you'll love her. Edit: I also have a vintage Parfum and would like to compare for anyone who had the old formula and is considering purchasing this 2019 EDP. The vintage parfum opens with more "furry animal" and powder (vintage nitromusks--so good!), but the heart and base notes are very faithful to the original. There's a reason they still sign it with Bernard Chant's name. I absolutely appreciate having a modern iteration that I can spray with abandon, while coveting my teensy bottle of parfum. It's the same stubborn gal, just updated with materials IFRA allows. The lasting power is great--I can still smell my couple of sprays (softly) after an 8hr+ shift at my desk job. Go for it!

One of my first entries into the unisex world of fragrances originally marketed specifically to the female gender, Cabochard holds a big place in my heart. It was my introduction to the leather chypre, the magic of IBQ in a fragrance, and the sparkle of aldehydes. This 2019 resurrection of sorts, is stellar. A necessary formulation due to the tyranny of IFRA, the integrity of Chant's composition has been preserved and this is an improvement on the several previous incarnations. This EDP in particular is smooth, crystalline, and without any of the jarring spikes or rough edges that may have been the set back of more recent reforms. That bitter green galbanum is still there, and the floral and patchouli seem more natural. The oakmoss obviously needed to be scaled back, but somehow, the reconstruction used does not compromise this indispensable note. What wizardry, because that has proven to be very difficult these days. I recently watched an interview with perfumer Miguel Matos that he was one of the consultants for these reforms, and I must say, he was a great choice due to his comprehensive knowledge and deeper understanding of the construction of these classics. Also, the Lalique bottle gives Cabochard the splendor and honor that it has long deserved.

I am stunned. Two years ago i bought a sample of Cabochard edp (older formulation) and i remember that it was a sad violet chypre, like a half of Jolie Madame. After reading positive reviews i blind bought the new version and I'm glad i did. It is GOOD. But... is it better then Aramis and Azuree? Well, Aramis has got much more cardamom and is obviously a bit more masculine. After some time Aramis fades away almost completely and loses its balance. Azuree is much more extreme than Cabochard. It opens with a blinding blast of floral and citrus notes and very slowly dries down to a leather and patchouly accord which is so oily, green and sour that most people find it repulsive. Cabochard is simpler than both Aramis and Azuree. The signature bitter-sweet green leather accord in Cabochard has been tweaked to perfection. It is solid and clear from start to an end. The slight floral and soapy touches are simply poetic. What makes it better than Aramis and Azuree is, in my honest opinion, the fact that Cabochard doesn't get oily and sour when it dries down but instead it becomes more mossy and almost animalic. Good job Gres! Now bring back the lovely Cabaret for women ;)

Nice bottle! Maybe not as easy to hold and use as previous one, it's really stocky and heavy. Looks good, though. Expensive. For once, content did not change with it. To my nose, this one is identic to the previous version. I already wrote lengthy review, I'm still a huge fan. I can't believe I only payed 20 € for it, that's ridiculous! It's kind of insulting that I added it at the end of my order, like an afterthought. I understand that it's not everybody's cup of tea, but for someone who enjoys classics, greens, tobacco, leather, this is epic! I have, and still do, spend serious amounts on perfumes, but with fabulous online purchases I had this last several years, I'm questioning my tactics. Great number of classics I discovered was mind-blowing and cheap as dirt. You so don't have to spend a fortune to smell great! This is not a perfume for the innocent and the beginners, I'm talking perfume, people. Hard lessons learned and humility that comes from it can only help to understand and appreciate beauties like this one. About the notes above...I believe that things are much more complicated than that.

Thank you fellow Fragranticans! I asked on the forums which contemporary perfume might suit someone who loved original Miss Dior, Miss Balmain and Ma Griffe, you recommended this, and you were right! This was a present for my mum, who's 78 and has always loved a deep classy chypre. I blind bought a sealed box of 100ml Cabochard 2019 eau de parfum and didn't know what it was like until my mum opened it on her birthday the other day. She immediately loved it, and loved it even more as it dried down, lasting an entire day. How can it be so affordable?! Though it is indeed an old-school chypre, one I'd maybe not wear much myself, it has instant class - powder dusted fine leather, succulent green/sweet tart notes, slightly soapy and oh so classy. I'm now ordering a couple more, this has saved me hundreds of pounds tracking down vintage Miss Balmain and similar. What a find and what a pleasure it is to find your recommendations are spot on. I've been on Fragrantica since about 2008, it's still the best perfume website. Thank you again for the perfume tips, you've made my very discerning mum happy :) X

Stunning leathery chypre - bitter, dry, green, and classic. I agree that this is a brooding scent and would suit a gloomy and rainy night in the fall; yes, this is decidedly a fall scent. Too bad I only get one or two of nights a year to pull out my trench coat and Cabochard. The smell is like cigarettes, which could complete your look if you have the cool image but your lungs can't handle the cancer sticks, or kill your vibe if smoker isn't the scent you're going for. In fact, it smells like my one stylish friend who I would always bump into in the elevator in my dorm during my university days when he was coming back from his smoke break. It's incredible that a scent like this is still being manufactured today, but I wouldn't recommend blind buying it even though it's affordable. This is a very masculine scent by today's standards, much more hairy chested than whatever is being sold in Sephora anyway. If you're a fan of Bandit without the price tag, you'd probably like this one but it might be redundant to own both (not that many people even own Bandit these days!).

Reviewing a bottle of the perfume from 2023.Cabochard Eau de Parfum 2019 was re-launched in 2019. Originally from 1959. This is a suprisingly excellent green aromatic chypre. Cabochard opens with a waft of synthetic smelling powdery aldehydes. Within a few minutes the galbanum and sage peak through. The florals are subtle making this unisex by todays standards. By 15 minutes this has changed into a wonderful mossy patchouli leather fragrance very reminiscent of Bandit (OG) and Le Sillage Blanc. If you can get past the aldehydes (which IMO should be toned down) this is very well done. Quality- very good Unisex Performance-excellent I have tried many "classic perfume" reformulations and am usually disappointed as they typically are diluted and butchered shadows of their former glorious selves. This is a rare exception. Furthermore, that this can be sold at a ridiculously low price in a decent quality bottle makes me wonder why so many houses are charging over $300 for mediocrity and citing rising costs as an excuse. 8/10

Yeah, so I learned "the hard way" that less is just so much more when using Grès by Cabochard. When I first aquired my bottle, Id tried it on, and the performance was decent, but not to strong. I then put her away for a few months. Today, I was in the mood to just feel "gentlemanly and classy. I did about 8 spritzes for work.. WAAAY TO MUCH! Maceration really made Grès smell better, rounder but also quite a bit stronger. This fragrance is a tricky one, if overdone, you can smell like an elderly woman who over sprays because she's gone completely nose blind from so many years of using Grès as a signature scent. Lets just say ya get crazy looks from your peers at work. When used sparingly, say maybe 4 spritzes, Grès smells ultra classy and makes me feel just "well put together". It invokes the sophistication of 50's hollywood glamour when used in moderation, and I absolutelyfeel like it a MUST in any fragrance enthusiasts collection.. lesson learned!! Thanks to whomever took time to read about my "Fopah". 🤓

‘Cabochard’ translates as ‘stubborn’ or ‘headstrong’ which is aptly named as Grès was a woman who was generally considered as not understanding the concept of compromise, yet was regularly voted the most chic woman in the world. The scent which brought fame to her house was tailor-made for this exact type of person, as it will always provoke a reaction. The scent is based around a central leathery core of isobutyl quinoline which is gloriously thick and robust, tempered by the earthy depth and allure of oakmoss, patchouli and galbanum. Hints of aldehydes and vague florals protect it from being what would be bordering on unwearable, and ties that element of class and ‘chic’ character to the body of the scent. Overall I think this is glorious, generally considered one of the great classics of perfumery, this is a masterpiece through and through. I’ve not tried the original composition, only the current EDP released in 2019, yet still it leaves an immensely powerful impression.

Well, predictably I love Cabochard. Why wouldn't I? It's the season of my bitter chypres, and the Chant chypres are best of all. Sublime leathery note, and even in its no-doubt disgraced post-IFRA reformulation, the oakmoss notes are coming through reliably for me in this gorgeous time-capsule of a scent. It's the smell I associate with my childhood, the kind of perfume that cool bold careerwomen of the 1970s like my mom and her friends were wearing, albeit perhaps in the Avon and drugstore knockoff renditions (although Aromatics Elixir was affordable, as I recall). Anyway, spray some on today--sparingly, because this stuff is strong, and a little dab'll do ya, as they say--and you might agree that this is a wonderful fragrance and a delicious corrective to the customary vanilla desserts that most of the women around us (including myself sometimes, no lie) will no doubt be simulating. This would smell great on a leather jacket. Or your man.

Okay so, this Summer I accidentally fell in love... this reminded me of what it’s like to accidentally fall in love with the complete opposite of what you have always based your standards on. This isn’t a simple scent, and I don’t think it’s even necessarily meant to be enjoyable in the cliche way that many others are made to be... but this might be the most sensual, nature ridden, overwhelmingly seductive thing I’ve ever worn. It was comforting in how its scent travels over my body, and my senses, that I actually fell asleep feeling completely subdued - which is nigh impossible due to Covid recovery 😷 Honestly, I LOOVVVEEE smelling like a chocolate cake that’s covered in concentrated cherry syrup with some incense nearby... but I think THIS has convinced me to leave behind the high femme European fragrances for something deeper, more sensual and more unisex... after all, I am fairly androgynous myself...