Shalimar Cologne

This is my second Guerlain fragrance (other is L'Instant edp), and I am not a huge fan of the original Shalimar because of the civet - I appreciate the artistry and the importance of its contribution as a great classic. Shalimar Cologne was a blind buy, and I would say it's successful. The reviews here were very accurate and helpful in my opinion. I find the lemon to be sweet and cheerful and feminine. I don't know that I find grapefruit or lime (I typically very much dislike lime on myself as a note) but the lemon and a bit of bergamot are there for me, predominantly lemon for sure. Others have noted a lemon pastry note, from the vanilla and lemon, and I agree. It's sweet and carefree and cheerful. I think the freesia is a sweetness contributor but is not identifiable on its own, and I don't notice rose per se, although I do love a bold rose. There is lovely powder, which I'm learning to enjoy but have not typically worn at all for feeling it had an older feeling. I'm finding a modern quality in some powdery fragrances, and I think that's a reflection on my own age (haha) and the fact that there's a growing desire among women to embrace the elegant classic vibe that some of the beautiful powdery fragrances provide and not to just consume whatever trendy product is being marketed on the shelves at the cosmetic store. To me, the powdery fragrances do feel retro, but I think there's a timelessness too, and that young women bring their own youth to whatever they wear, so I'm changing my thinking as I'm learning more here about fragrance, thanks to all of you! I can see that it's a new interpretation of the classic Shalimar, although they're certainly not at all alike. I think it's an impressive accomplishment that something totally new can be created that still pays homage to the original but is entirely its own as well. If you're wanting to love the original Shalimar but just can't (I know that's like a form of sacrilege, so I apologize!), I think you might really love this. Our noses are not accustomed to some of the notes in the original, and I find in particular my husband and kids don't love some of the notes from the classics, even if I am learning to. Shalimar Cologne would be pleasing to anyone, I would think. Definitely a spring beauty, and I can see also cool fall days. Normally I would think the citrus would lend itself to summer wear, but I'm going to have to try that personally (bought in January in cold climate). I don't know if the degree of sweetness would be too much in extreme heat. Seeing most reviewers say summer works, I will assume it's a great summer fragrance.

There's a couple of reviews at Basenotes that are a useful prelude to this one. In short, Cologne 2015 is a reincarnation of Mathilde Laurent's Eau Legere given a modern tweak by Thierry Wasser, the current in house perfumer at Guerlain. This rather overlooked, underrated, ravishing, charming thing has this wonderful back story. There was in-fighting between Mathilde Laurent and Jean Paul Guerlain when Eau Legere, the very first Shalimar flanker was made. Jean Paul was the head of Guerlain and its governing perfumer. It was slightly changed and renamed Shalimar Lite, which, to a bony Frenchwoman conjured up images of fat American matrons, and the marketing failed. Mathilde Laurent had gone on to better things by this stage and Jean Paul tweaked the fragrance one more time and called it Eau de Shalimar. Jean Paul retired and a new 'Governor' came to town, Thierry Wasser. Perfume critics, such as Luca Turin, never stopped banging on about how lovely the original Eau Legere was, such a sad discontinuation and the plaintive comments trickled in through the forums, Oh, Eau Legere...... Flick to 2015 and Shalimar Cologne 2015 is the closest thing you will get to Eau Legere, but the marketing money has gone the way of 'Souffle' I do respect 'Souffle' and will buy a bottle one day but 'Cologne 2015' is my drug of choice. It has 'history' and you and me got a whole lot of that. It could be the biggest thing that the world has ever seen. P.S. Don't get this mixed up with the Eau de Cologne, available in the US market in the old fashioned bottle, not the same animal.

Champagne Vanilla Sparkling, sweet, floral, and just so lovely it hurts, this is Shalimar Cologne. SC has the Shalimar trajectory: Citrus top, floral heart, vanilla base. The citruses are so pleasantly bittersweet they make my mouth water: Sharp grapefruit and lime, sweet and luscious lemon meringue, and a smooth green bergamot on top of it all. Soon the musk joins the transition. I think that the musk is in place of the traditional smoke, incense, and motor oil of the original Shalimar. The write up lists it as a base note but I smell it pretty quickly. The musk wraps around the sweet rose and jasmine flowers. It's all still light though, and with the top notes hanging on everything just smells like a sparkling champagne melange of flowers, citrus, and velvet musk. Vanilla emerges, and that's what the life of the perfume is: Guerlain Vanilla, vanilla wrapped in a hint of sweet floral (it smells to me like a ylang ylang vanilla but maybe it's the freesia note giving it such a floral accent) and iris musk. Vanilla-iris-flower-musk. I get GREAT longevity out of this, over 12 hours with a strong application, and I LOVE the vanilla iris musk drydown. FN still has this for like $35...I like this so much I bought a backup, and honestly I like it more than Eau de Shalimar, which always has a rough edge that didn't always agree with me. Shalimar Cologne is so smooth, and sweet, and beautiful, and has that champagne effect that is lovely. Actually that's what they should have called it: Shalimar eau de Champagne.

Shalimar Cologne EDT is lovely! First of all, the bottle is elegantly beautiful with a rich backstory. I definitely get a lemon meringue or lemon cookie vibe from this on the first spray. The initial blast is my favorite, as it is so sweet and lemony. Absolutely no bitterness or sharpness, just citrus clouds! I've been looking for a sweet lemon scent without that nasty bitter rind, sharp masculine woods, or nose-burning sensation. This is it. As Shalimar Cologne EDT dries down midway, it becomes more powdery. The florals are very understated, and barely keep the fragrance from becoming edible. It reminds me somewhat of this deodorant I love (Sexy Intrigue by Degree-- "tahitian vanilla, rose, and jasmine") that used to be a body spray, but more refined with a dash of lemon. About 10 hours later, I have a very subtle skin scent: a kiss of lemon on vanilla powder. I am guessing the orris (iris?) is part of what keeps this fragrance so "clean." Cologne is so fluffy and well-blended you don't get Tiffany Intense's heavy, dreaded vanilla-benzoin and dryer sheet combination. Shalimar Cologne EDT feels both fun and "noble," if that makes sense. Lemon meringue lovers-- try this if you want something gourmand with a subtle floral twist. Now I'm craving the lemon cream cake from Olive Garden.

The review from islandaromatika is spot on ! A more luminous fresh interpretation of the original Shalimar. It's fizzy and fresh but has the same character and same undertone as Shalimar. So it's not your little fruity citrusy number , not a gourmand , not similar to anything else out there but a true Shalimar child ! People who love the original will love this as their daily fragrance, a lighter version or a summer switch from the original. People who do not like the original because it's too leathery and too old school and heavy for them may find this quite wearable ,,,, yet it isn't all that much different ,,, think of it being like PREMIERE AND CHANEL 5 ,,,,, this is the same here , similar but fresher and younger. But the same character and very much related. So if you always wanted to love Shalimar but just could not do it , you can now ! I still smell all the same notes , even leather , which might be the combo of orris and vanilla and musk . It has this classic Shalimar smell , old school but made modern so to speak. ,,,,also this is very similar to eau de Shalimar which has been one of my favourites for years . Almost like an updated version of eau de Shalimar. The more I wear it the more I love it and the more I do smell lemon loaf !!!

Scrolling through fragrancenet last week, second glass of cheap Rosé in hand, I spied this fabled scent. I’m one of those insufferable Shalimar worshippers. My clicking fingers lubricated with wine-tipsy, I put it in my cart and pulled the trigger. At the moment, I have sprayed one inner elbow with Shalimar Cologne and one with Eau De Shalimar—there is no denying to my nose that they are similar. They do differ, however slightly. While both scents have large citrus components, I find the citrus in Shalimar Cologne to be softer, sweeter, and less tart. Eau De Shalimar has a far more assertive, realistic citrus—like lime peel gratings—while Shalimar Cologne’s citrus is sweeter and softer, like lemon slices mortared with sugar. Overall, Shalimar Cologne smells more well rounded, the sweetness of the citrus opening blends together with the lemon dessert theme both fragrances share. Cologne is sweeter throughout,a bit softer than Eau De Shalimar, but more cohesive. Longevity is similar between the two—impressive. I enjoy both, and I’m glad I own both, but if you are not a Shalimar devotee, you probably only need one.

I missed Initial (having only recently discovered Guerlain), and it's probably just as well - I seem to have a penchant for falling in love with scents that are then discontinued. Meanwhile, I've found Shalimar Cologne and I am very, very happy. I love it enough for it to be my new signature... but if it gets discontinued, I'll just find another pretty Shamilar flanker, maybe buy some Initial online. The opening citrus is so bright and fruity it gives me the giggles! Which is fine as that just lasts the half hour I'm getting ready for work or play. It's like a glass of orange juice in the morning or a cocktail before a party, just to get things started. Then I get a heavy, smokey moment (seriously only a moment) when it seems this is going to turn into full-blown Shalimar, but instead it gives way to a soft, lovely vanilla-musk with hints of jasmine and citrus. Just love it. Only wish is that it came in an EDP. This lasts a good 6-7 hours on me, but I want more like 12+. For now I'm just going to reapply this as required.

This is AWSOME. It was a blind buy as no sample was available. I was a bit concerned seeing comments here as similar to Eau de Shalimar, sadly I’m among the unfortunate ones whose skin chemistry is not meant for the original Shalimar (burned rubber) although wanted to love it so hard.. I tried Eau de Shalimar, it was a bit better, but still a no-no, had to return it. But this Cologne version is a revelation and love at first sniff. Opens as a realistic beautiful sweet lemon, as if you had rubbed your skin with peel and pulp of a sweet Greek lemon. I couldn’t stop sniffing my wrist! After half an hour it star changing, orris appears and there is the Shalimar vibe, but gentle, flowery, mesmerizing. After 1.5 hours changing to gorgeous creamy vanilla and stays for hours. This is definitely a summer scent, cheerful and happy fragrance. Silage and longevity is quite good. If you had the same issue with Shalimar as I did, I highly recommend to try this version.

Imagine a date with the most charming man in a small yet elegant cafe. He knows when to talk and when to listen, he knows exactly when to take your hand. You know for a fact that he will never embarrass you. He seems to have knowledge and manners of a much older man, yet he is young and so cozy to be with, he makes you feel calm and yet so thrilled. THIS is what Shalimar Cologne (do not confuse this with Shalimar Eau de Cologne!) smells like to me. This is a flanker done right. This is my perfume dream come true in a beautiful bottle. Opening is strong sweet citrus candy blast, very sweet and comforting. I can feel it for about 1-2h on me. Middle notes are beautiful essence of Shalimar - musky and yet so warming, they float in the cloud of vintage powdery rose and vanilla scent. The drydown is absolutely stunning vanilla and creme brulee. It is love from first spritz. PS On websites, the fragrance is light pink, but in reality it is almost transparent.

Is this a reformulation of "eau de Cologne" that came in the taller, narrower bottle? It's a challenge to follow what's going on with Guerlain, as well as with Fragrantica threads on Geurlain. The fragrances go through rebottling and perhaps reformulations or rebottlings but no reformulations. Anyway, I bought two new in box bottles of "eau de Cologne" this year, and thought it was only this year that "eau de Cologne" has been discontinued, not back in 2015 when this "Cologne" (no eau) in this bottle was launched. And now this 2015 "Cologne" is discontinued, too? The good news is, there are new bottles of old stock around, at least in Europe where I shop. "eau de Cologne" is a great scent and very unisex. Despite the claims that "eau de Cologne" is not an EDT, I get wonderful performance from it. Not like an ephemeral "cologne" at all. It's better than two new Guerlain EDTs in new 2021-2022 bottles, which I just purchased - Habit Rouge and Vetiver.

Shalimar Parfum Initial and Initial l'Eau may be gone but their successor is no less worthy of the name Shalimar! Trying this made me so much less sad about the discontinuation of those beauties, because this one is also a beauty nonetheless. I was kind of skeptical at first and didn't expect to like it with all those citrus notes (not my favorites, obviously) but boy, was I wrong! To my surprise, this turned out to be quite gorgeous. It's citrusy and tart but the vanilla gives it a sweet gourmand lemon cake vibe to balance out the tartness. The musk also helps it keep the powdery identity Shalimar is associated with. The drydown is so much less citrusy (though they are still very well there) and the sweet vanilla and musk take over the show. This is young and bright, fresh and airy but sophisticated and elegant at the same time! I knew Guerlain can't go wrong! A new love!

This isn't my favourite fragrance, no. But this is by far the most comforting fragrance I have smelled in my life. It makes me feel safe, warm, and cocooned. Starts with a blast of lemon + bergamot, very natural and bright - though it retains the smoky Shalimar DNA. And then we have vanilla, orris and musk, though the citruses never completely vanish. I think that's what makes it a more inviting fragrance as opposed to the original Shalimar which is darker and therefore more melancholic IMO. This one performs way better on my skin that the present formulations of the Shalimar EDP. And the sillage is enough to make you happy through the day without offending anyone else. Absolute love. Despite what I said at the beginning, I think this might just make it to the top 3 at some point, for the sheer feelings it evokes. Who doesn't like a warm hug?

This and the original Shalimar are the two Shalimars I would own. Shalimar Cologne is a happy bright scent with an upfront lemon sorbet opening accompanied by delicious sweetish orris. I love it much, much more than any other flankers for the citrus is not as sharp (e.g. Eau de Cologe, Parfum Initial), and the base is not as amber-y nor densely powdered (the Souffles). The Cologne also doesn't have tonka beans - a note that my nose find "sticky". The result is a clean, refreshing powder that oozes sophistication and positivity. Really wonderful. On me I get great projection and longevity out of just 2 sprays on clothes and skin. If you keep a close eye to eBay you can find 50ml bottles at ~$50. For that price it's a total steal!

I purchased this last spring, and though I love the general fragrance, no matter when I applied it, I just felt it wasn’t right for me. Today, it’s much cooler, and I’m trying it again, thinking that for me the notes may play up most beautifully in cool air. I assumed it would be a warm weather sent, but I really notice the crispness and brightness of the lemon and the smooth vanilla most pefectly in cool weather! I’m thrilled, because I’d feared this fragrance may just not work right with my skin. It’s gorgeous and worth persisting to wear. Edit: For me, FABULOUS in the cold weather!! Bright and clean and sparkly and cozy. In weather that is not cold, it’s too sweet on my skin. But the cold air makes it elegant and beautiful!

I just ordered two back up bottles of this as it is getting hard to find. It was a blind buy. And now I can't imagine living without it. I find it perfect for all seasons and all occasions. If I were to chose just one scent to wear - this would be it. It opens with a blast of bright lemon - just refreshing. The dry down on my skin is soft powdery vanilla-musk. Sweet - but not in a sugar/caramel way. Nothing cloying at all. It is not overly strong. 2-3 sprays stay close but it is not a skin scent. It does give a soft cloud of scent around you. But still perfectly office friendly. On my skin it lasts all day. I can easily smell it more than 12 hours after application. This is pure love for me - just beautiful.

Shalimar Cologne opens with very fresh citrus notes with hints of Vanilla as background. It does remind me of Eau de Shalimar but softer and more powdery. Soft powdery floral notes started to show up mingling with the citrusy top notes after about ten minutes and the top notes faded away after about twenty minutes. The floral heart notes are soft and powdery while the drydown is powdery, a bit musky and slightly sweet, probably from the Vanilla. Shalimar Cologne has moderate sillage and lasts over six hours on my skin. Although one might not recognize this fragrance as a flanker of Shalimar after the first ten minutes, it is still not difficult to associate it with fragrances by Guerlain.

I blind bought a giant 3 oz bottle of Shalimar Cologne recently mainly because CHANEL Le Lion 🦁 made me want to revisit Shalimar & I was craving a lighter version of it for spring/summer. The cologne is absolutely perfect; initial blast of tart lemon that borders on “cleaning product” citrus but fortunately fades within minutes. The floral components are very well blended & don’t individually announce themselves. There is a pleasing & light herbal component to this version of Shalimar & of course, the signature Guerlain vanilla toward the dry down. Becomes a skin scent fairly quickly on me (2 hours in?) perfect for warmer So Cal weather & I would say, genderless. Loving this version 🌸

Shalimar Cologne is a whipped lemon, musk, and vanilla sponge cake with a spun sugar dusting on top. This one was quite surprising and I’m very impressed with the longevity. This is a very clean and “cheery” Shalimar...say...if she were a cherub-faced young lady who still hadn’t come into her own womanhood yet. We all know THAT Shalimar. 🥰. It’s basically the top notes of Shalimar OG bottled with the vanilla base more airy (absolutely no leather) and freshly showered and powdered. She’s ready for the ball! Or the store....or work. Never too much with several sprays, but one spray seemed to last all day on me. Compliments galore! What a shame this one isn’t more popular!

This is one of my all time favorites. When I wear this one, I end up wearing it for several days in a row, because it's just that lovely, and I can't get enough. All day I'm getting happy rays of comforting sunshine from it, like a sudden scent hug. It lasts for ages - warm, fluffy lemon vanilla clouds, the very best bits of Shalimar. It's fairly linear, other than the opening being slightly more aromatic and the drydown being slightly more musky, but that's one of its beauties. Its soft musk is always constant, always supportive. Don't confuse this one with the Eau de Cologne or the Eau de Shalimar, although I have and love the latter as well.

This was a surprise... I THOUGHT I loved Eau de Shalimar more... That fragrance is ok... Not bad at all but not great.... This is great... It's like a slightly more masculine version of Shalimar Parfum Initial.... (Don't read into my use of the word 'masculine'... I'm a guy that wears primarily female-marketed fragrances)... This has a fresh top but the high-quality iris is JUST underneath waiting to boast just a little bit.... Has much more longevity and sillage than you'd expect from something called "cologne" ... And it's like THREE times as much as Eau de Shalimar which seriously does not even last 4-5 hours... BEAUTIFUL 8.5/10