L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme EDT

It seems odd to me that patchouli rates so highly on the note breakdown of this composition, yet so few of the reviews below comment on it... I tried LIDG because I was looking for something that would capture some of what I enjoy about Zino (I'm a very recent patchouli convert after avoiding its headshop connotations for years), namely the latter's faceting of patchouli into its requisite dimensions of minty/medicinal/bitter/green but also dirty/cacao/powdery. Well, this is different, but worth seeking out in its own right: a delicately nuanced, metrosexually & molecularly engineered fragrance to be sure, but in its own way a meditation on patchouli, this time revised as a piece of edible silk. Many thoughtful contemporary fragrances are products of postmodernist deconstruction, by which I mean they break things down and reconstruct them, crucially with ‘difference and deference’ (there’s a nifty French word that combines them, naturally, but you get the idea: pay homage but break in down & mix it up & make it new.) It may sound odd, or even offend some readers, but I see LIDG as the ideal fragrance if, like me, you have a very specific but not-unusual set of needs: 1. You love complex, old school aromatic compositions like Davidoff Zino, Azzaro Pour Homme, Sung Homme or Polo Green but recognize that they can be kind of overbearing or outdated in contemporary life (you wear them anyway, but not to bed or the dentist.) 2. You have gotten to the point where you find it tough to grit out compositions that are not made with high quality materials. 3. You now realize that life as a sociable human is not ‘beast mode’ (yikes) projection, but the tactful tracing of character, evolution and longevity; more for the benefit of yourself and your intimates than some sort of mass office emailing. 4. Your holy grail imperative has gradually moved from eyes-rolling-back-in-the-head first spritz to long-haul, low-key dry-down as contemplative state. LIDG is very smooth, light and translucent. It opens with a juicy lemon that is essentially the fragrance offering you a nice scented hand towel to clean up with first. It feels pleasant, hygienic and somehow warm and hollow at the same time, the time in question being maybe less than a minute, which seems fine. Then a beauteous green transition (the orchestra-tuning-up feeling of a brilliant movement through the topnotes) in which you get little traces of a classic fougère introduction: bergamot & lavender with a tint of herbal green, sweetened by anise and mildly spiced with peppery sharpness. The main event follows shortly after: a multifaceted (green but not moldy, earthen but not musty, present but not heavy) patchouli note sits in the centre as genius loci cum absence-presence, conducting a wonderfully perfumed tea leaf accord. It took me a few wearings to get the 'Lapsang' references people have made (real Lapsang is smoky AF with a touch of rough texture; see Lush’s Breath of God if you want a heavy-duty Lapsang experience), but I do sense a faint smokiness now, which manifests as a slightly smoke-tinged light musk with alternating hints of pellucid floral jasmine and bitter, damp-woody Chinese ink. Underneath it all, as others have said, is the Guerlinade I first fell in love with in Habit Rouge; it is an accord that is fundamentally smooth and buoyant, urbane but also authentically friendly. It is actually this continental friendliness that is most old-school about LIDGE; you have to look for it, but it’s there: comforting, reassuring, suave but also maybe a little kind, a welcome surprise beneath what first comes across as a somewhat intellectual, abstracted scent. Finally, something should be said about the dynamism of LIDG. It is subtle stuff, sitting close to the skin almost immediately, where it reads as a gently melodious contrast of tannins, but throughout a decent portion of its longish life also projects a soft, mobile and sensual aura. This discreet projection is where the cacao accord is most active, creating a surprisingly multidimensional impression when compared to the area of skin on the wrist you’ve just pressed your nose into, and eventually settling in the far drydown into an exceedingly well blended compromise of these traits that uncannily retains a lithe dose of a classic fougère's powdery green. If you want to test this one out, get a decent sized sample and go for the full wearing; LIDGE is a second-skin scent, almost eau-de-cologne-like (I have shelved it until warmer weather comes along, as I suspect it will work wonders as a springtime pick-me-up...), but its depth may surprise you. It’s really not IMO a gourmand so much as a lifestyle scent that makes you want to upgrade everything you touch & that touches you, from the kind of shaving soap you use (Proraso White with its green tea note works well) to the tea you drink, to the place you and your loved one go for a kick-ass bowl of ramen chased with Vietnamese iced coffee; the barbershop transformed into an aspirational spa in a bottle.

Our choice of a partner or lover can be largely guided by our sense of smell. It may also depend on our personal tastes and smell culture. Humans do not have a functional organ responsible for receiving pheromones. Consequently, humans do not depend on odor in the same way as animals for close interaction. Men and women can be attracted to a range of odors completely different from each other. It really depends on the preferences of each individual. As an example of group sexual behavior, most men are particularly attracted to the smell of lily of the valley and freshly squeezed orange. Notes related to chocolate and talcum powder do not rank as well amid the masculine gender. Women respond well to notes of vetiver as well other woody and earthy aromas. In addition, it was discovered that fresh jasmine with green nuances stimulates a certain area of the female brain, responsible for the release of sex feromones. It is indisputable that I like a perfume that draws the attention of other people, especially women. However, my main criterion of choice is that it pleases me above all. I don't really have a preferred choice by scent type. I do not doubt that I very much appreciate oriental woody and resinous perfumes. But my entrance gate is wide enough to let a good fougère pass by, tasty Chypre, fresh citrus, but hardly a floral or aquatic scents. Guerlain L'Instant belongs to a group of personal perfumes that I mentally qualify as a pleasure generator for me. It is neither a perfume to draw attention in public, nor a magnet for female attraction. But it transfers an aura of "I feel fine". It gives me well-being and transmits it to the people around me. L'Instant can be an extraordinary therapist for a lot more than just an instant. It simply places you instantly at the center of your life. The fragrance is woody, spicy, and a little sweet. At first glance, the power citrus power is impressive. I notice a lite and resinous aura together with a sweet and satisfying note of anise. As this first wave slowly dissipates, nuances of patchouli with lavender and white flowers emerge. The scent becomes captivating, manly, and elegant. After this agitated evolution, L'Instant enters a calmer phase, revealing dark and greasy cocoa. The woody notes appear in the form of austere cedar and creamy sandalwood, tangled with heavy and complex patchouli. This soft and warm base extends through the dryness, conveying a firm and secure masculinity. L'Instant is not a performance star. Longevity is slightly above average, silage is moderate, and projection is poor. I would probably expect a little more breath from this star fragrance, but its undisputed elegance probably requires this kind of moderation. I have both the oldest square bottle and the newer taller bottle. I can't detect any difference in smell or behavior between the two versions, but I like the shape of the old bottle better. ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ My overall rating: 8.58 / 10.00 Recommendation: This is a very elegant and unique fragrance. It is unexpectedly good value for money with its quality and affordable price. It exudes masculinity, self-confidence, and well-being. Average performance can be treated with a few sprays on clothing. For me, it is a must-own. I also recommend it as a blind purchase. Music: Pink Floyd - "Comfortably Numb"

I would like to review the L'instant Edt with the long listerine bottle. First off, this one starts with a spicy lemon. The spices, of which the anise is the strongest, blend so well with the lemon. It is a very bright, delicious spiced lemon. In the middle the tea note joins the blend and makes it smooth and rich. The tea rather leans towards black tea leaves rather than green tea leaves, which are grassy. This tea note here, however, is rich and dark and balances out the initial brightness. Finally, the chocolate note, detectable ever so slightly from the start, comes to the foreground more and more and finishes off with the patchouli and just a slight touch of sandalwood. The chocolate note never shows any gourmand facets. It is through and through a sophisticated and elegant bittery note. The spicy anise and lemon stay until the end and balance out the rich, deep chocolate, patchouli and tea blend. If applied with 3 pushes it stays considerably strong for around 3 to 4 hours and evolves to a skin scent that stays for another 3 to 4 hours. It is a very discrete scent and it is supposed to be. It is best worn with a smart attire. Smart casual, such as a sport coat, or a full lounge suit would be most suitable. It doesn't suit hoodies, tshirts, sneakers and the like. Because of the harmonious contrasts of brightness and richness, I feel it is superb on a crisp, sunny autumn and winter day. It elevates my mood and makes me sometimes think that these days of the year are the best. Also, it is very suitable for special occasions. It is a perfume that is very dear to my heart and I could never imagine my collection without it. I would even say, this is the perfume I apply the most, because it just fits so many occasions and it feels never out of place. The quality of the ingredients are extraordinary, something you miss with most of today's available designer fragrances. When I smelled this (and other Guerlains) the first time, I realized that I couldn't go back to most designers that I liked before. Guerlain is another level. For those who are considering a vintage bottle from before 2015: The slim bottles with the dark plastic top appear to have two different juice colors. Batch codes from around 2015 have the same juice color as the listerine bottle: bright orange/brown. The fragrance is the same too. I don't detect any difference. Batches from around 2004 have a green juice. The fragrance here differs a bit from the newer batches. The spices are amped up and the bright lemon-tea note is not as predominant. I would prefer the older batches for gloomier, colder weather, whereas I pefer the newer batches for crisp, sunny cold days and for cooler spring and summer days. Thus, there is no better or worse. It merely depends on your taste. I love both of them. I will review the 2004 batch version in the future on its own page.

عطر خوشبویی هست و رایحه گرم و شیرین و کمی تند داره مناسب هوای خنک هست ، روایح غالب در این عطر با حس بویایی من نتهای گل ستاره ای ، پچولی ، کمی مرکبات و گل و در انتها روایح چوبی و ادویه گرم هست و شیرینی کمتری ازش حس میشه از نظر فضای بویایی به عطرهایی نظیر دولچه گابانا د وان ادوپرفیوم و سایکو دلیک جووی شباهتی در حد یادآوری داره اما بوی عطر بطور کلی خاص و منحصربفرد هست پخش بوی متوسط تا حدود 2 ساعت و ماندگاری حدود 5 تا 6 ساعت داره ، عطری که من چند سال پیش گرفتم جعبه و ظرف دراز مستطیل شکل داره اما شرکت جانوین امارات یک کپی نسبتا خوب از مدل شیشه پهن و راه راه 2004 ادوتویلت در غالب ادوپرفیوم تولید کرده که شباهت بویایی خیلی نزدیکی به عطر اوریجینال داره با پخش متوسط و ماندگاری حدود 5 ساعت من گاهی اوقات در هوای خنک از این دو عطر همزمان استفاده میکنم و اثر خوبی برای خودم و اطرافیانم بجا میگذاره . امتیاز شخصی من به ادوتویلت اوریجینال در مجموع 8 از 10 هست که البته در کشور ایران خیلی کمیاب و گرون شده حتی نسخه کپی اماراتی هم داره کمیاب میشه . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- It is a fragrant perfume and has a warm , sweet and slightly spicy scent , suitable for cool weather . The dominant scents with my sense of smell in this perfume are Star Anise note , patchouli , a little citrus and flowers , and at the end , there are warm woody and spicy scents and it feels less sweet . In terms of the olfactory space , it is reminiscent of perfumes such as The One for Men Eau de Parfum and Psychedelique Jovoy Paris , but the overall smell of the perfume is special and unique . The average Sillage about 2 hours and lasts about 5 to 6 hours . The perfume that I bought a few years ago has a long rectangular box and container , but the Johnwin perfumes UAE company has produced a relatively good copy of the wide and striped glass model of 2004 EDT in the form of an EDP , which has a very close olfactory resemblance to the original perfume with an average sillage and a lasting effect of about 5 hours . I sometimes use these two perfumes at the same time in cool weather and it leaves a good impression on myself and those around me . My personal rating for the original eau de toilette is 8 out of 10 , which of course has become very rare and expensive in Iran , and even the UAE copy is becoming rare .

The EDP is in my top 10 and definitely top 5 Winter of all time. This version is very nice too although I do prefer the EDP. This version is lighter as you'd expect but dont mistake that for anything but being a lighter perfume. This still carries the DNA albeit with citrus in the opening and less depth. This version is for warmer weather and one I still absolutely adore. It still performs well, I'm unsure on projection though I'd say decent for first 30mim before withdrawing into a warm bubble. This and the EDP are masterpieces in my eyes. It's probably one of the most simplest complex fragrances I know. That meaning the DNA is easy to understand but they both carry mysterious layers that each wearing you pick a little piece thats different from the last. Take of that what you will. Guerlain is SOLID as a house, quality without huge price gouging. For $150nzd this is a bargain. You can definitely dress this up and wear it casually. It's versatile enough for all but hot weather, although cooler summer evenings this would work. This is a more mature perfume, it's not anywhere close to the current mainstream sweet cr*p. Other than that, I dont know what to say except I love this DNA. I mix my own perfumes and this has a good amount of naturals especially for the price point. To sum this up ill say this, it is a lathered piece of warm Cocoa, sitting on a bed of gorgeous Patchouli with a sprinkle of citrus all surrounded by woody notes. The Anise is this is far more subdued so if thats not your thing try this version before the EDP. This version is also far less 'smokey' (Vetiver) than the EDP, this is fresher in the best way possible. Patchouli (Light), Cocoa, Anise, woods, woods, vanilla, vetiver and tea. Beautiful. I will this: The EDP is one of a handful of perfumes i can smell the bubble for a full day whereas this is just over half of that. EDT solid 9/10 - Losing half a point for performance and another half for being 'mature' if you care about either of those. If you dont then its a solid 10/10 with the EDP being 11/10. I would love to see what they would do with a Parfum version of this! Worth a sniff and 25+

This is so good! Swoon worthy "Citrus Woody" perfumes for men, have been so few and far between, it feels like I found a unicorn with this one. I will also mention here, that for me all scents are unisex, and if you are a woman with moxie, you will smell amazing in this. (I certainly think I do!) Seriously though, the last decade has offered men two options: cookie-cutter amber with (oud-like) timber, or woody (you've seen it all before) citrus. That's it gentlemen, that's all you get! Don't feel like women haven't been jipped as well, because let me tell you of our trail of tears. We either have a juvenile (still wears braces) fruit-chouli, or cliche-gourmands, that are so nauseatingly sweet, you'd think they came from a suspicious van, with no windows. I shake my fist to the heavens and scream! And then there came L'Instant, and a slow easy sigh of gratitude was released. There are just so many things that make this wonderful! First and foremost, a photo-realistic lemon pops right out of the gate, and illuminates the perfume so entirely, that shadows of cacao, patchouli, and smoke become so vivid, their contours shimmer, iridescently outlined. Spice notes of star anise, pepper and tea fall into the crevices, smoothing and rounding punctuations of resinous Elemi, and satin notes of Sandalwood. Sweet hibiscus and bitter bergamot reflect back incandescence, there by, creating a sense of clean brilliance, even in the wake of Guerlain's smoldering profundity. It's as if Anima Dulcis began singing soprano. Dry down becomes just that, drier - like straw insidiously crisping inside a barn. Warm breezes caressing stalks, recycling the farm's essential vitality. On skin, the sweetest whisper of jasmine composes the final note; the sun setting on a cowboy's neck. Rugged serenity with the day accomplished. Peace at long last.

As a huge house of Guerlain fan, this is top 3 for me in the men's fragrance line (Ideal edp, vetiver, l'instant). I keep coming back to the edt as my daily driver. It works in most situations. It has a nice fresh citrus top which feels great upon application. The top note of anise is very obvious to me, but it's not too much and doesn't overwhelm, just keeps it from being too tart. The citrus is lovely and boozy at first and then for a brief while goes to something more synthetic, like lemon drops , but I feel that phase is literally minutes, before the mid notes come through. The middle notes then fill in very quickly, giving depth and complexity to the scent. I love white flowers in my fragrances, especially jasmine and any neroli notes. It's also at this point the woody nature comes forward. The dry down is very smooth and sweet, gourmand really. The cacao is right up there, but the patchouli gives it some more direction. Despite this it doesn't lose all its bite at this point. The florals stay in the background as does some pepper which keeps it from going powdery sweet. The classic Guerlinade scent is there at this point, most likely the patchouli pushing it forward. I love that the Guerlain frangrances have this accord running through all the dna, as you can layer them easily. Although l'instant is probably the only one I wouldn't layer (Vetiver and Ideal edt together is fantastic). The edp is more directional overall, much more of an evening scent. All in all its been my signature scent for many years now and I can't see it changing any time soon. Its just so adaptable. Its smooth, sexy, fresh, floral, woody.... Whatever you want it to be really! Grab and go... It will work. I hate to use the word classy, but it just is... Classy!

I noticed I never did a real review of "LIDG", so I'm putting my recollected impression from half a decade ago here. Just thinking about it now puts me in the early 2010's, during spring time and I curiously just sprayed this on my left arm and went out to smell it "in the air" - as a fragrance can smell very different outside than in the warm and humid perfume shop. It struck me as different; Something completely new to my nose back then. This is something else, and explainably so, this is not a designer scent. I do get the woody baldessarini association, but they are by no means interchangeable. The lemon cake accord brings familiarity and warmth, while the spicy cacao that lies right underneath it adds the masculine and raw hint of sexiness. Yes, I actually think might be a sexier scent than the extreme version because it smells more novel, younger and elusive. The brother being brawnier, more serious and louder. (Imagine this as an enticing teaser trailer to watching the full movie.) Sophistication you can check off... twice ..or three times. Performance is good. Occasions to wear this has no real limits, except I never recommend fragrances for office use, some people are very sensitive. When the snow is newly melted and the sun rays begins to feel warming on your cheeks, this is the time to pull this one out for a saturday stroll. Regarding the scent, it's extremely well blended and has concernable character. And those two factors - along with a criteria of decent longevity - are imperative for me giving any scent a full score. And I do think this deserves it.

L’Instant de Guerlain pour Homme opens with star anise, bergamot, lemon, pepper and elemi. The middle notes are jasmine, hibiscus, tea and smoke. Lastly, the base notes are sandalwood, patchouli and cacao pod. The very beginning to me is lemony in a delicious way. The pepper and elemi really push this forward beautifully. The bergamot to me is subtle. The cacao pod to me comes into play almost immediately and the elegant chocolatey element lasts for the duration of the journey. WHOA!! As the middle notes arise and blend with the top notes I am mesmerized. It is almost as if the slight smoke note is pushing up the jasmine, hibiscus, and tea to calm you because, at this point, the aroma is so heavenly you begin to be tempted to eat the areas you sprayed. The sandalwood and patchouli arrive last and very discreetly keep this train on track. A lot of reviewers on here say this EDT isn’t a “panty dropper”. That could be so if one assumes that most young females see this as too refined or old fashioned. In that case, maybe this could be considered a “Depends dropper”. I believe this scent will have undergarments from all ages hitting the floor. This juice is a masterpiece. It’s well rounded, refined, and not in your face. It projects well, lasts a long time, and smells divine. Guerlain strikes gold AGAIN!!!

This fragrance doesn't need much literature, because it's something really clear and simple: - A masterpiece of olfactory art. You know that many great creations need an acquired taste to understand them... This is not the case: "L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme" is brilliant and it's obvious, even if you are an orc and live in a cave. Of course, everyone has their own preferences and may want to wear it or not, but there are things that have no discussion possible. This EDT has a sweet citric accord (especially lemon) blended to perfection with anise, elemi, tea and hibiscus... and gentle acquires elegant floral notes of jasmine, and woody nuances coming from sandalwood. Patchouli and Cacao complete the composition, in a beautiful aromatic symphony that evolves with boldness. - Longevity: 8h+/-. - Projection: Moderate: It surrounds you with an aura of sophisticated and inviting aroma, leaving a soft and gentle scent trail. This fragrance is a lesson in elegance and etiquette: It's perfectly gallant, and seduces without screaming for attention. - Mood: A perfect scent for a gentleman of any kind. - Scenario & Occasions: Always. But ideally, when you want to be immersed in a light breeze of pure class, witch at the same time, is inevitable seductive.

This was not love at first sniff by any means. In fact I was very disappointed at first. I remember testing this multiple times and every time I'd have a different opinion. It always left me baffled; who would wear this and why? when is it appropriate to wear this? Curiosity got the better of me and I purchased the latest batch. I spent the last two days wearing this, just lounging around the house (under lockdown). It was very difficult to get past the star anise, cacao and the patchouli notes. It had plenty of earthy depth but lacked the sweetness that (in my mind, at least) would make this less challenging. Nevertheless I persisted. It really grew on me and I started to understand the fragrance a little more. This fragrance is for the man who appreciates the old style of fragrances blended with a modern touch. It's for the man that is masculine, yet humble and calm. He does not want his fragrance to be attention grabbing or to announce his arrival when entering a room. He wants to be discovered. He wears this because he enjoys the subtle relaxing aura it creates. To people looking to buy this: You may not like this, but you may also grow to love this. Perhaps order a good sized decant where you can wear this multiple times? I grew to love this.

This is my favorite from Guerlain that is presently on offer. Upon first spray, there is a blast of citrus which wakes you up and is certainly an attention grabber, but does fade away within 45 minutes. What comes after is a very sexy, classy and comforting fragrance that beckons you closer to have another go. This reveals the weakness to this fragrance. After about 5 hours, I can't detect the scent unless my nose is pressed directly against the skin. After 8 hours, its essentially undetectable. A good approach to get the best of both worlds would be to apply a good amount before leaving the house, and then prior to arriving at your destination, give another spray to your chest, which will bring out those lovely top notes and boost projection enough to get it at arm's length. I can see where the femininity ratings come in to this fragrance. If you smell the cap, sure enough you get a hit of that nostalgic signature floral lady parfum from your godmother, but that does not represent the frag well at all, as within seconds the lemon, bergamot, and pepper come to the rescue. The base notes ring true on this one as well, and the delicate hint of cacao adds a delicious complexity to it all.

At first I was a little annoyed with this one - likely due to the fact that I was beating my self with the cat o'nine tail for not getting Héritage instead (I have it now though). But in all fairness - L'Instant is a fantastic perfume on its own. I do not get the "Guerlain" vibe - that might be why I did have mixed feelings about it, had it been from another house - alas it is Guerlain. I actually get some Fabergé Brut-vibe from this - not that the scent is the same, but there is - to me - a sense of the Brut opening (the star anise?). And I do love Brut. It was / is the scent of my old man, and L'Instant - to me - feels like the son of Brut. I am getting so very tired reading about performance, longevity etc. To my surprise (well...not really) L'Instant also get the stick for this. On me and on my clothes this last a long...long time. One of my longest lasting Guerlains, only surpassed by Bois Mystériuex and Encense Mythique (both EdP). Projection is not bad either - but by no means is it beast. It is pleasant and gentle. Like mentioned I have Héritage now...but to be honest, should I pick between the two today - I would go with L'Instant (Gods.. to think I should ever say that).

Hands down one of the most unique fragrances I have ever smelled. Not just in designer perfumery, this DNA can even be recognised in the niche genre beause how unique this is. Opening is very citrusy and spicy, with slight balsamic hint from elemi. Anise is the strongets note in the opening, and I normally do not enjoy the anise note but it blends with the middle notes perfectly. As it dries down, the floral hibiscus- tea combo and a very prominent cacao emerges. It is not too gourmand or not too spicy, the floral notes on the middle are also used in perfect amounts so the composition doesn't shift to being too floral or too chocolatey. I can detect a tiny smoke somwhere hidden, but wouldn't call this an overall smokey perfume. There are lots of creamy sandalwood at the base and patchouli is also easily detectable. Could be weird or too complex for some, but it is surely a great fragrance. You will smell better and more unique than %99 percent of guys. It is a bit expensive, but it deserves it's price. One of the longest-lasting EDT compositions I have ever smelled. Beats the 10 hour mark on my skin but projection dries after 2-3 hours.

BUY THIS. Wow, this one is stunning! Very classy and sophisticated in a truly modern and impressive way. It harkens to some classic vibes, but with a modern and timeless feel...it also is very versatile. I think it can be worn almost any time, and probably all year round. It really shines in cooler days with a smart/casual get up. But, I could see this used by a professional or even in a more daring and sensual setting. I wear it on cooler, sunny days. And definitely good for a romantic night. This fragrance literally oozes class and sophistication and gives style points to anyone wearing this gem. It is light, but very present and very long lasting with subtle but elegant sillage. Ages I would say 25 and up. I could also see this a stunning signature scent. It is slightly sweet and has some subtle gourmand hints, however the bright citrus opening and the strong sandalwood base supported by a slight smokiness and resinous elemi give it a strong masculine edge. It is the definition of quality and at a very accessable price point. This will definitely be one I repurchase again and again.

A beautiful and timeless unisex aromatic scent. I’m female and I love this (my boyfriend thinks it’s too feminine for him). I guess it’s the hibiscus, tea, cacao and jasmine which allows this to be unisex rather than a strictly herbaceous patchouli man’s scent. L’Instant EDT opens with the star anise which is always best paired with patchouli BUT the star anise phase is brief and it burns off quickly. Then the tea (I love tea so much), patchouli, pepper, sandalwood and (my favourite note here) the cacao pod, powers the remainder of this scent. The cacao here is dry, dusty and powder, just how I like it. I spray 6 times and it lasts well. I’ve got batch code 0JO1 which lasts, just note that batch code 9C01 doesn’t last. I prefer the EDT over the EDP as it’s more aromatic, light in a transcendent way and fuzzy/dusty. L’Instant EDT is an office-friendly, unisex scent that’s beautifully blended for such a unique note combo. Bravo!

I’m an instant fan of this stuff. Bought a sample online and after a couple wears have a 50ml bottle on the way. Most of what I’m reading is true for my experience: lemony citrus upfront, transitioning into an exceptional blend of patchouli and cocoa. I’ve never been a huge patchouli fan, but it is exquisite here. Wearing this is a joy. That said, I also find that the performance is lagging. I agree that it pretty much is relegated to a skin scent within 60-90 minutes. Not ideal, but it’s so good I keep coming back to reapply. It’s worth a try. I’ve started ordering a lot samples to try different things, and this is one of the few that has compelled me to order a bottle. An immediate favorite. EDIT: Now that I have the bottle, I retract my statement about poor performance. With a spray to the chest and one to my wrist, it performs perfectly well. This is simply one of my favorite fragrances, and I’m happy I bumped into it.

This is one of the few perfumes that I've bought more than twice, and it's one that i love at times and i completely forget at others. Bought a new bottle 6 months, and didn't use it until today, and wow, this captures the essentof french perfumery at heart, its complex, yet appealing and the more you use it, the more you appreciate it. A masterpiece piece, and it's even more refined and balanced than the EDP. I don't recall any differences between the new version and the old ones, but I think the citrus notes in the new editions are more round, refined, and do last longer than the older versions, and it might just be me, since i don't have an old bottle, it's all from memory. This is my third review for this masterpiece, first was 2011, second was 2014, and I'm really happy and also surprised that I've been using and loving this for over 13 years now. Thank you Beatrice

Very beautiful, understated, signature worthy fragrance. Wafts very similarly to Allure Homme on my skin, especially in the projection phase, so I won't be buying this until I'm done with the Chanel bottle (at least that's what I've been telling myself). Citrus then anise jasminy tea in the opening, cacao and sandalwood in the drydown. I got zero smoke thankfully since I'm not a fan, and the overall blend smells sophisticated with an edge, which is the perfect combo. Also worth mentioning that I could smell close to nothing in the first few minutes and I thought I had sprayed from a bottle of one of Ellena's creations, given the transparent vibe this gives in the beginning. But then the scent started to slowly reveal itself, which in the end is to me one positive aspect of the LIDG experience.

RSLs and politicians. Refined, but not too serious. Makes me think of the male figures in my life, to an extent. Hard to pin down as it's both traditional and quirky; not modern, really. A beautiful light citrusy opening, and a semi-austere incense & spicy powder in the dry down carried by a slightly dirty patchouli. I can't place why this works on me, a 26 year old, but it reminds me of the older men in my life. There's a nostalgia to it. I'm not gonna say it's for any age group in particular, especially as it does have a pleasant timelessness to it. The brown cap and label make sense: I do imagine a brown suit. I know not many people do a brown suit anymore but this would be the scent for it. Gold buttons, maybe a blue vest. I really enjoy this scent.