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

Just got a bottle sent to me by a friend in Canada, and at first I was hesitant but now that I'm in the drydown I gotta' say I am loving it. It opens with a HUGE citrus blast which doesn't stay in the forefront, but gives way to a touch of musky skank, classic Guerlain and classic Shalimar. Thank god the DNA is still there. The citrus comes back for the drydown joined by a delicious vanilla, with the rose and jasmine flitting in and out. I don't get the orris or freesia but that's ok, because what IS there is making me huff my arm like a crack ho! Delicious!

I tried it at Paris airport two days ago, and loved it right away. It is Shalimar, it has the lovely Guerlain DNA, it has Thierry Wasser's signature written all over it, and the traditional Guerlain "virtual pastry chef" artistry. I sprayed about 3 sprays on my person and smelled it all day long, and next day too on my clothes. Long lasting, great sillage, wonderful summer version of the great classic. (This is coming from someone who so far disliked pretty much all the Shalimar flankers, very much including the "Initials".)

Having never tried Shalimar or any of its flankers, I wasn't quite sure what to expect, maybe a strong lemon vanilla... I was pleasantly surprised that it's so delicate, soft and clean. Light citrus, I smell more lemon than the other citrus notes, powdery creamy clean. Reminds me of an expensive lemon cream hand lotion. Very pretty, caught little whiffs of it pretty much the whole day at work (one spray on the throat) but not overwhelming and nobody in the office sneezed. 👌🏻

Such a darling young and modern addition to the Shalimar Family! Bright and sparkling lemon, bergamot and lime open this pretty lady. A delicious Guerlain Vanilla frosting on top of some nice orris and other floral notes makes this Cologne oh so tres chic. Wonderful for Summer. Like eating macarons at an outdoor bakery cafe in Paris. A respectful nod to her heritage, Cologne is a modern mademoiselle who appreciates the past, but is not afraid to go her own way.

The opening is a great dose of our beloved Shalimar citrus, then soft leather and smoke, with hints of fresh floral. The long amazing drydown is that wonderful exotic vanilla, perfect powdery iris, warmed by the most beautiful musk. The sillage and longevity are impressive. I get gorgeous wafts all day, until the next morning when it has mellowed to a sweet vanilla custard...until I reach for this beautiful, charming, stunning fragrance once more. And repeat...

I love it! It actually reminds me quite a bit of Eau de Shalimar, which I also love. Shalimar Cologne opens bright lemony and transitions through Guerlain pastry vanilla with unmistakable Shalimar dry down. Very wearable, modernized Shalimar. I'm thrilled as Eau de Shalimar is getting hard to find around here and Shalimar Cologne to me is a great replacement. It's delicious and has gone straight to my want list.

I was lucky enough to get a sample of this recently and it's gorgeous. Yes, very similar to Eau de Shalimar but somehow fresher and brighter, at times I find the Eau de Shalimar to be very overpowering and just too heavy on the vanilla whereas this is not. It is just on the right side of sweet for me. For reference I have and love Shalimar EDT, Shalimar Initial EDP, Eau de Shalimar and Shalimar Souffle.

Geezus..... are you kidding me? I didn't know there was a difference between this one and the the other cologne, but the bottles....and maybe the age of it. This is friggen gorgeous! Like lemon chiffon pie drizzled with vanilla glaze....effing ridiculous that I'm going to end up having every single version of shalimar. Ugh! Oh well. An addicts gotta do what an addicts gotta do... Is a MUST for ANYONE

I love this one. Actually, I love all of Shalimars flankers, even the ones that I really don't like, well.....I do. But you can't go wrong with Shalimar Cologne. It's great in any weather, anytime of day. It's a powdery, slightly sweet citrus-slightly spiced heaven of a scent. I don't wear it often enough, I forget in between how beautiful this is.

Omg! This smells so good! Such a cozy, comforting smell. The first 10 minutes smells like I just sprayed freshly squeezed lemon juice on myself (in a good way!) then the vanilla comes in. Amazing from beginning to end. Not the most long lasting and sits quite close to the skin, but I wear it for myself so it suits me just fine.

Shalimar EDT works for me on winter nights. Shalimar cologne suits shoulder season nights for me, helping me to unwind after work. Shalimar alludes to a magical world through its fragrance. Thank goodness for the notes sourced from vibrant horticulture. The sunlight, rain, soil and buzzing of bees speak.

Discontinued. It's always the ones I love best. Wearing today from my 4 bottle stash, three now since I opened a new one. I don't like the pillar fragrance although I have most of the classic Guerlains. Cologne 2015 was the best. Not to be confused with Eau de Cologne in the bat wing bottle.

The best modern interpretation of Shalimar in my book. I love Souffle, and other flankers on their own, but Cologne is really the one that kept the ''soul'' of the original and gave it a lightness, fluffiness. A perfect introduction to the Shalimar family for the younger generation.

For warm weather this is my favorite Shalimar. Light fluffy sweet Shalimar vanilla with citruses at the forefront. I personally was not a fan of Philtre as it felt too much like shaving cream on me.

If I could get a back up bottle, I would. It’s my favorite Shalimar, possibly my favorite Guerlain. However, now the GOAT has turned into the unicorn. It’s such a shame.

Wow, this is a heavenly scent. Soft vanilla with lemon cake accord. Love it!

Because they have to follow the flanker trend!!! :oD

The AI machine clearly doesn’t know this fragrance.

Stunning! I absolutely love this Shalimar flanker.

It’s still my favorite Shalimar.

I had to come back and write another review, because either my tastes have changed and I’m getting used to sweet scents, or the perfume has changed with continued maturation, or maybe I was just wearing it in the wrong season. Whatever the case, I now really like this perfume. I find it a sparkling fragrance that opens with an effervescent sweet lemonade that slowly evolves into the legendary Shalimar florals and spice, then dries down to a musky powdery vanilla. I smell the citrus from beginning to end, but it becomes softer as the fragrance evolves. The sweetness also lightens up becoming just the perfect amount to balance out the sharpness of the citrus. I wore this in hot weather and found it performed great, never becoming cloying as other sweet scents tend to do. As to longevity and silage, I found that to be much better with a few spritzes lasting most of the day, becoming a musky, vanilla tinged skin scent in the end. If you feel you don’t like this fragrance after giving it one or two tries, as I did in the beginning, then set it aside and try again in the future. You might find that you like it after all too. I’m so glad I didn’t give up and gave this scent another chance. I like it very much right now, but the more I wear it the more I like it. I think I’m well on the way to falling in love. Edit 4/29/23 - I stopped wearing this in warm weather because the bergamot became overwhelming and sharp. I don't have that issue in winter. I don't know if I changed, or the perfume did. In the heat it is still a sweet scent but with amped up sharp citrus. Ultimately, I decided to declutter this from my wardrobe because I just couldn't deal with it.

Shalimar Cologne opens with lots of different citrus notes and a hint of sweet candy. It reminds me of Napoleon sour candy. Then, the scent becomes more sweet, with vanilla and some powder. I smell musk as well. There is stil some citrus on top, freshening up the sweet powders of tonka and vanilla. The jasmine becomes stronger. The scent slowly fades out into the drydown from here, which is a powdery tonka & labdanum vanilla, with hints of sweet and sour candy on top. Sillage and longevity are moderate on me. Longevity is on the short end of moderate, I get about 3-4 hours of scent. After that, it's only labdanum/amber accord and ambroxan in the drydown. I like the sour candy opening a lot, with the sweets underneath. When the notes switch place and the sweetness becomes more prominent, the powdery notes remind me of talc powder. The musk is very decent and not dirty at all. All in all, this is a light summer sour candy gourmand scent. I like it and will use the sample more often. I probably won't buy a full bottle due to lack of longevity.

It seems there are two definite camps of thought on this one and I am definitely in the pro Shalimar Cologne camp! Thank you to my dear friend xrayer for this sample! It lasts and lasts on my skin. The lemon is incredible, sweet and uplifting, can there be a more complimentary combo than lemon and vanilla? Now that I read Ditta70's comment about "virtual pastry chef artistry", I can say that that comment is bang on! Also it reminds me walking through gardens after a spring shower - there aren't many homes in NZ without at least one citrus tree and these topnotes are how they smell. The addition of freesia is also delicate and sweet. I am biased however as I love perfumes with the lemon vanilla combo (I have Shalimar, eau de Shalimar and the eau de Cologne, as well as other lemon vanilla traps like L de Lolita). These smells are uplifting and comforting at the same time. This is Shalimar for lighter days, definitely Shalimar but for hot days. Love it.

A lovley reviewer on Fragrantica gifted me her bottle of Shalimar Cologne, what an incredibly generous thing to do for a new member. I must remember to pay it forward when I get the chance. I really like this. It's not Shalimars vanilla bomb, more of a soft, powdery vanilla scented citrus. Has hints of the original, clearly a Guerlain, but definitely a softer version. It's not a date night, going out scent. More of a stay at home reading and soaking in the tub scent. Comforting to you, you can be a little selfish with this one. Just for your enjoyment. My husband bought me Chanel No 5 body cream for Christmas this year and they sent two samples with the order. One was Misia. I thought at the beginning that they were very similar, but no, its just the initial powdery hit. Misia has more of a makeup smell, more Iris. Thank you, Eos.

Sweet should have been listed under the main accords. It's not; but it is. I might have liked it. I think it could have been really nice. It clearly has the Shalimar bones, but the sweetness kills it for me. It has so much promise too. Starts out nice and citrusy, and the bergamot sparkles here, then the sweetness takes over and ruins the whole thing. The sweetness is detracting from all the other notes and actually overpowering them. While sweet, fortunately, it's not as sickly sweet as the Souffles which sent me into choking fits; but it is still sweet. Shalimar Eau de Cologne is still my Shalimar of choice. I'm really unimpressed with this Shalimar. Sad, because I think if Thierry Wasser had lightened up on the sugar this could have rivaled any Guerlain creation.

This is a very nice replacement for Eau de Shalimar. It's got everything Eau has with extra citrus. I also get a huge citrus opening that's surprisingly fresh and even sparkly. I get a lot of grapefruit that I don't with Eau. They're so very similar though, the differences are hard to sniff side by side - other than the big citrus blast. Cologne's dry down seems to be a tad lighter than Eau, a little cleaner. Whereas Eau had a resinous vanilla in the dry down, Cologne has a light, slightly musky dry down. The only word I can think of is 'cleaner' or ' clearer'. You can still smell the bright citrus all the way through. Still, they're both very similar. A very light wearing and lemony Shalimar, I absolutely love it, it's a worthy replacement!

This is very, very similar to Eau de Shalimar, which I really like, but the pink flanker is a bit confusing for me because I would expect something more like Shalimar parfum initial, which I like more. So, nice scent but I miss there delicasy of iris, caramel and tonka bean. I really don ́t know if Eau de Shalimar is so much better than Shalimar parfum initial to continue. I must say that I would be much happier with the second one which is more originial, feminine and sexi. And I am really surprised that this one has much better rating than Shalimar parfum initial. Now when I have both of them I can ́t understand. Sorry people, but I feel it this way.

I snagged this for an awesome price thanks to a heads up from another Fragrantican. I don't think there's anything not to like about Shalimar Cologne, for me. It's like lemon juice mixed with sugar, but not teeth-grittingly sweet. Then there's the soft powdery vanilla, like a fluffy cloud that you just want to lay your head on. Yet for all the sweetness and the powder, it's just so light and comfortable. Because I got this in the middle of the Australian summer, I have no idea how it will go in the colder months, but I'm willing to bet it will do as well as it does now in the heat. This is fast becoming a 'love' for me!

I really enjoy this iteration of Shalimar, but I have to say I don't find it to be a light perfume at all. In fact, there's a density to this that other Shalimars don't have. I do believe it's the musk in the base that gives this feeling of density and richness. Someone before me said that there was a baked good eggy quality to this and I agree with that. It really is quite gourmand and sweet, which is not what I'd consider 'light' in a perfume. I do like this and wear it, but in the fall and cool spring days, not when it's above 65°F because then it's just too much.

This smells like homemade lemonade, lime zest, skanky musk and powdery vanilla. Has a "fizziness" about it and a definite animalic undertone which makes it strong and sexy. One spray and a lemon cloud will follow you around all day, its strong stuff. This is the most citrus of all the shalimars i have tried and to me it doesn't bare much resemblance to souffle. Soufflé is more of an oriental vanilla and this is as i said fizzy lemon skank. Love it, feel like you could dress it up, down, wear it in any weather or season.