Épices Volées

Out of the samples I've tried from this collection so far (some are revisits because I've forgotten what my opinions are), this one has lasted the longest so far. It has a more direct approach to smelling good, less subtlety. As with Cruel Gardenia, I can connect the scent of Épices Volées directly to my childhood. I can't place exactly when, but it's there. Perhaps I had a family member that smelt like this. Someone with quite good taste; I really enjoy this. For me, this is largely a sandalwood & lemon fragrance with what I think is artemisia. There's a bit of coriander, a bit of patchouli but it's mostly the first three mentioned. The undeniable appeal of this scent is more detectable at the start, but it burrows its way into the dry down as well. Thinking on it I think this fragrance is a little old fashioned, but that's hardly an insult. It's almost like a look back into yesteryear. Visiting, say, Sovereign Hill (a gold mining "museum" of sorts, located in Australia) where one can make candles and other things done in the time when the mine was open. It makes me think of period dramas (18th & 19th century) - even if that doesn't translate to anyone else's experience with this. Truly a special one, perhaps. Mature, but not uptight. Comforting. A modern day classic.

As with many of the range, it opens unassuming and delicate, but has surprising legs. As is also the case with most of the others in the range, it has a slightly challenging element to me. As the citrus wears away from the opening, the spices take hold, and the cream subsides to a sort of artificial remnant. It's not bad, but cloves can be a tough one, as they can enter into culinary territory. Someone else on here mentioned a raw egg smell, and I do get what they mean. That's not to say I don't like this perfume, but what seems to be a gentle, soft scent is actually quite a difficult one, with a couple of twists and turns. As ever with Guerlain, the quality can't be denied, and I do keep going back to spray a little more then keep sniffing my skin, so there's something magical there. Don't be fooled by the soft opening, go easy on the sprays, you'll be rewarded by gentle, complex wafts for quite some time, whereas overspray and you'll risk smelling of a spicey, eggy guff.

This is a beautiful, wearable, spicy masculine scent. It has personality, as in once you smell it you will not forget the smell. I smelled a sample 2 years ago and could not forget the scent profile. I had to purchase a bottle. It gets hate, probably because of the price increase when added to the Lart and Materiale collection. I understand that, but it's a tremendously pleasant and addicting, wearable wood and spice. Truly delicately blended and crafted. Comparisons to The One are clearly trolls. This is one of the easy reaches I have for spring, fall and winter. It's an easy grab, but also very classy and memorable. To me. The best smelling sandalwood note in any fragrance Ive ever smelled.

I LOVE AND APPRECIATE THIS MASTERPIECE, This one is a perfect signature scent for a man, it’s reminds me of Dolce and Gabbana the one eau de parfum but minus the tobacco, in the dry down it’s a bit more spicier. The only problem with this perfume is that you need to judge it without looking at the name or the notes here because if you don’t like the spices you will not give it a chance but trust me this is a beautiful fragrance and after buying it make your first sprays and put it in a dark cold place for making it better because it’s getting better throughout the time.

I’ve only ever know this as Épices Volées, I purchased it this week along with Embruns D’Ylang. I don’t know why, but this reminds me of “art” in primary school with a warmth to it. I cannot even describe the mix of notes, but it is fabulous. I would have to say it starts a little zesty, with a hit of clove/nutmeg turning into a smooth vanilla-like benzoin base. I think this is a 360 degree sent, starts of zingy ending in a warm spice.