Shalimar Ode a la Vanille Sur la Route du Mexique

My grandmother wore Shalimar religiously. I still remember sneaking up to her dressing table in her room and spraying just a tiny drop on my wrist, thinking that she wouldn't notice. I recall feeling so sophisticated and beautiful, so ladylike, just like she was. I can't say that I actually *appreciated* the scent, it was obviously too grown up for me, but I knew I loved how it made me feel. One of the first things I bought with my first paycheck was a tiiiiiiiny bottle of Shalimar, but I still found it hard to wear in public, thinking it gave off the impression that I was in over my head. Fast forward 15 years, and I got a wild hair up my ass and blind bought this bottle the second I heard about it. For a week I panicked, thinking Holy Mother of GOD, I just wasted so much money for a fragrance that's just going to sit there as an ode to my lovely departed Grandmother, that I'll never be able to confidently wear this. Well, I couldn't have been more wrong. Either I grew up enough to truly appreciate and WEAR a Shalimar without it wearing me, or this one is kinder and gentler. The vanilla is SO gorgeous and warm, and my skin just eats up the balsamic notes to turn it into something creamy and delicious. This could easily be my signature if I weren't so damn stingy with it. My favorite way to wear it? In stilettos, a lace bra, and seamed thigh highs, in bed in the middle of the day. Sexy doesn't begin to cover this. This is not your grandmother's Shalimar... Or maybe Grandma was more of a vixen than we'd like to imagine!!

Let me start by saying that I truly, really admire Shalimar but despite my conscious efforts I cannot weat it; too smokey, leathery, animalic, diva-esque. Well, maybe someday... If the above mentioned aspects are what you appreciate in Shalimar you might find Mexique almost unremarkable. I get a dose of citrus in the opening but it's not piercing, more lemon than bergamot. And quite a bit of incense which calms down towards the drydown. Other than that there are not many surprises; Mexique is mainly Shalimar's base minus the animalic aspects, sprinkled with bitter cocoa powder. I don't get caramel in the traditional creamy way, it's brown sugar just before burning. A gourmand-ish take but wouldn't really call it sweet overall. Sillage and longevity are lower than the original, it lacks in the head-turning factor but gains in wearability and it's still unmistakably Shalimar. This edition would be great on a chilly fall day. Edit: Almost a year later I have come to adore the original Shalimar too and believe that Mexique was the stepping stone although it still remains a favourite. To me it smells like mixing the Incense - Citrus of Shalimar and the Cocoa - Iris accord of Dior Homme Intense with a big scoop of fine vanilla ice cream. And that's simply adorable.

I am little bit heartbroken over this beautiful, beautiful fragrance...I think I am somewhat anosmic to it! :( I have not had the experience before but have read others' comments on anosmia on fragrantica...I can smell it when I first spray it, and then if I sniff my wrist directly it's there, or I may get little hints wafting up as time passes but it's more as if I have the general knowledge that the perfume is there rather than a dynamic experience with its presence, if that makes sense. :( My nose does not know it! It's a new bottle for me, and a blind buy based on the wonderful reviews. I do love what I sniff from the bottle, and love the bits that I can grasp on me (SUCH a beautiful vanilla), but they are elusive! I wore it two days in a row and the first day I thought I oversprayed and perhaps wore out my nose, so the second day I only gave maybe three soft sprays (also lower on my body so it would waft up). No difference from day one to day two! I'll definitely keep working with this beauty (cooler temps, etc) - please think good thoughts for my nose and this fume! :)

Shalimar is the framework, but SOalVSlRdM is transformed into an exotic Aztec ceremonial perfume, far from Paris settings! Thanks to my Fragrantica fragrance fairy, I was able to try this in my quest to find Guerlain perfumes that work on my skin. She has amazing taste, and this one is a keeper! I am finally in love with a Guerlain! This has a sharp bright opening, smells like citrus, although there is no mention of it in the notes. Then you can smell the Shalimar lineage. SOalVSlRdM quickly dries down to a warm, cozy accord, flush with vanilla and a blend of colorful notes like chocolate and caramel. A metamorphosis through incense occurs, that keeps it from being foody. Changes it into a blend that is both familiar and foreign. Incense adds to the warmth, elevates the exotic. The whole is sunny, dynamic, sexy - delightful! Expansive sillage, excellent longevity. Needs a nickname though! Mexi? Edit - this really is a pleasure to wear for me. The vanilla is top notch, the incense a smooth smoky trail of exotic beauty. It has a shimmering quality. Just love it!

I bought this scent last summer and couldn't help noticing it loves warm weather. It opens gloriously, like a peacock opening its tail. I love the original Shalimar and own it in several concentrations, and while the Initial sisters were good scents but far from the original, this one stays true to the spirit of Shalimar. On my skin the opening stays true to the original- bitter bergamot, incense and powder, but it dissipates quickly and the dark,dry vanilla kicks in. This is vanilla with teeth. Imagine Aztec sacrifice, Jaguar warriors and magnificent head pieces. The chocolate is bitter and raw, unsweetened and dry as dust. Yet the composition is not dry in itself, but artfully blended and smooth as silk. Is it held together by santalwood? I detect a faint whisper, then it disappears. On my skin the original Shalimar is mainly about leather and incense, while the vanilla stays in the background. This version not only amplifies the role of vanilla, it also adds another face to the mysterious empress. She has put on a mask- the face of Coatlicue, the goddess.