Arsene Lupin Dandy

Update: Wow, after trying this again, it may be my favorite in the Parisian collection. Youtube Demi Rawling said, Guerlains are the only "real" fragrances. I understand that statement. I am now getting an amazingly good bitter green note, in accord with the violet. Nothing like that listed? Its like angelica or wormwood... The name Dandy is misleading. It's about the most masculine of the Parisian collection. A beautiful dark floral, with the unlisted violet. Some sites do list Violet as a heart note; and a leather in the basnotes. I do get some leather, but a minor player for me. About the leather: Its in an accord with dark woods; 70% woods and 30% leather. So many will not pick out the leather at first. This does remind me of Dior Fahrenheit, but it's much smoother and warmer, better quality. I never liked violet so much, but this one has won me over. Its unique, and wonderful. I discovered what I love about this. The best parfumers blend contrasting notes or accords. Like Francis Kurkdijian with Lumiere Noire PH, blending light and dark themes. With Dandy, he blends dry and wet. The sage and dryness of the fragrance, blended with a dark violet, reminding us of water in the desert. Wonderful masterpiece here. Guerlain, bring it back!!! It's dark and woody. Then this intense, spicy, Violet floral is incredible and deep. Most masculine with Derby, yet 2nd most floral. Very unique fragrance. Bumping my rating to 10/10. I recently acquired, Voyou, Chamade and Heros, I had Derby, not interested in Frenchy. Wow, they are all great, I love this classic style of Guerlain. These Parisians are well blended, complex, they evolve; great parfumery indeed. This is maybe the most modern of those I have. They all have some overlap or similarities, oakmoss, a bit old manish, or classic vib. This is second most floral after Chamade, but the floral is unique here, I get a great Violet. And I get the bitter orange. Those two notes make Dandy stand out from the others. Also a great spicy cardomom, reminding me of Diptyque Eau Duelle; This is more masculine, but it may be a good alternative. I was looking for a great manly violet fragrance, this will ne my next purchase if and when I can find a bottle at a decent price. That may be hard, as it's been discontinued. I got a nice 4 ml from a Canadian eBay, it should last me till 2021. Rating: 10/10 God bless. John 3:16

A very complex and intriguing perfume. It puzzled me for a long period and experienced difficulty in reading its message. This whole composition is about the game and the game only. I guess Jean-Paul Guerlain wanted this enigmatic. Leather is the most prominent note and it's soft like suede. The opening is an effervescent bitterish citrus blast. Then I get the spices (mainly cardamon) and the violets that give a powdery fresh effect. Frankincense is another star, it is resinous but feels light and clean and adds a sense of mystery in the fragrance. I sense some jasmine too although not listed. In the base lies the beloved gaiac wood with its smouldering smoky nature along with the leather and milky sandalwood. This fragrance is made to intrigue and misguide. Always ahead of its wearer it manipulates him with its elusive manoeuvres. Whenever you think is going one place it goes another, it approaches and then recedes and then comes back again pulling your ear and saying "you can't put your finger on me, do you". I mean the fragrance feels bold but is also light, it has transparency but is also very condensed and balsamic, it is remote but also amiable and it smells classic but at the same time contemporary. It doesn't fit in any particular category and is neither masculine nor feminine. Actually it would make a rather amazingly elegant "fougerish" feminine. The fragrance wears like velvety suede in mountbatten pink, lighlty powdered and strongly infused with frankincense leaving a sort of mysterious, oriental freshness. Mischievous and eccentric as this composition is it may not fully satisfy some, personally I like its game. It is also the last fragrance of Jean-Paul Guerlain and although that alone doesn't add to the scent it certainly says something.

I always wanted this fragrance but was too cheap to actually buy it. I first smelled it in EPCOT Center at the Guerlain Boutique and really enjoyed it (this is around 2010) and now sadly, in 2016 this has been discontinued. Well when I heard the news I made sure to pick up a bottle because this perfume is IMO one of the all time greatest for men. It is not uncommon for a man who is not into perfumes nor fashion to question me about Arsene Lupin remarking on it's masculinity yet softness of the scent. This one works great with my skins chemistry. Initially there is a leather, citrus, (pink?) pepper and patchouli that lasts for about a half hour with a heavy sillage that I pick up. During that half hour it sits a bit closer to the body but MY GOODNESS does it transform. As the fragrance wakes up the frankincense and sandalwood takes the main stage with a long lasting potency. Backed up by cardamom and almost as if leather and fresh tobacco are hiding below the scent as well. It lasts on me about 8 hours and more than 20 hours if you get close enough to where it was sprayed. I also work with many strong non perfume scents around me and this masterpiece stands out like no other. Jean-Paul Guerlain truly outdid himself here on a scent that is truly worth of the house Guerlain and the literary hero it was named for. 10/10

This is the "King among the Thieves", for me really the best so called Men's fragrance on the market nowadays. This is such an overrefined and classic scent..some say it s between Mitsouko and L'heure Bleue. But for my nose it s utterly unique! The Guerlinade reaches out to you the instant you spray it on..but not so in your face like Shalimar or L#heure bleue ..much more subtle and nevertheless great.. The fruity notes of bergamot and bitterorange come next and a beautiful violet bedded in soft suave leather steals your heart right away..If not, wait until the heart notes of pink pepper (never sharp)and soft cardamom play their finesse..and finally (by me after about 20minutes)the base notes take over..a creamy-woody sandalwood of supberb quality and warm sensuous patchouly. Clearly not the deepness or power of L'heure Bleue or the demanding Chypre peach of Misouko, but a sneaky floral woody thief..that captures your nose and hopfefully your heart. You already guess: I m in love with the thief Arsene Lupin! Bravo, Guerlain!! Never stop trying to create another treasure

I'm going to start out by saying God bless Jean Paul Guerlain, this is modern masculine masterpiece level perfumery. Its dry initially but doesn't stay there completely. This counterplay between a citrus and violet help uplift and soften the profile a bit while adding support to that smokey nature. Again the violet though, oh man... it steals the show and gives anything lavender a class on how its really done and to keep its day job as an essential oil! The cardamom and sage add a spicy freshness as well. When it comes to leather I don't really pick up on it in terms of smell but texture at times. In my experience with it its not so much labdanum but olibanum. Like that of raw frankincense and sandalwood before its set ablaze. Very unique and elegant with pretty good projection and longevity. A man's man type of vibe with this one. Its what I'd imagine a James Bond, Bruce Wayne, Denzel in American Gangster and all those "bad mf" on his wallet kind of guys signature fragrance to be... or even more fitting, Pierce Brosnan in Thomas Crown Affair.