Shangri La Edition 2022

Shangri La is a mythical utopia locked away from the rest of the world in James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon. That’s quite a place to try to represent with a perfume, one would say impossible. Not for Hiram Green it seems. This spicy floral chypre smells absolutely divine. The opening of the perfume is startling, but those familiar with Green will come to expect this; his perfumes always open with bangs and twists. However, Shangri La does so a bit more than others simply because it feels a bit “lost”, “confused”, or “muddy”. It’s a bracing swell of hesperidics with no clear delineation between the notes. There is some orange somewhere, some lemon over there, bergamot here, stone fruit way over there, etc. and it’s hard to make out what is going on. It’s very intriguing in a perplexing sort of way because, for one it works, but for two it shouldn’t. I think this is the point though: you’ve stumbled into Shangri La, and in those beginning minutes of exposure do not expect your senses or your brain to comprehend what is in front of you. Then the confusion passes, and paradise becomes clear.... The heart is a magic carpet of jasmine, rose, carnations, and clove whisking you away into this sunlit paradise. Green has impeccable standards and taste for the natural isolates he uses in his perfumes, and that is apparent in Shangri La. The jasmine is indolic with a slight green edge, giving sunlight and lift to this section. The rose is powdery, elegant, and restrained. Carnations provide a cool creamy and peppery lean, and clove brings warm woody and gentle-licorce facets with a smooth and velvety texture that clove is not really known for. All of these notes are dialed in just right, and their aromas are defined and naturalistic. They float so effortlessly in the air despite their richness and intensity; it’s very breathable, and at no point crowding or overwhelming you. Gorgeous. The base and final skin scent is a combination of a gently woody and green vetiver, and a damp lushness from moss materials. It is calming, meditative, yet elegant. As with most of Green’s compositions you are not likely going to think Shangri La to be very complex or intellectually spurring. There is not a whole lot to pick apart or unpack here, but simplicity means that poor materials or mistakes cannot be covered up, which often times makes simple perfumes done extraordinarily well far more impressive than very complex ones. Green does not make a single mistake here with materials selection or composition. If the paradise of Shangri La is but a dream or a trick of the mind, I do not wish to ever wake up.

Hiram you brilliant man! When you are on, you are REALLY ON! This is absolutely STUNNING! It blows Mitsuko out of the water. Shangri La is multi-faceted like a diamond and oh how it shines! Every element is perfectly balanced all the notes sing together in perfect harmony. When you first spray Shangri la your mouth begins to water in anticipation of biting the sweetest, freshest and most perfect peach. As the perfume develops the most heavenly jasmine, like seriously where is he sourcing his jasmine because damn, it is perfection! The jasmine mingles w/ the peach, oakmoss, a soft pink rose and just mountains of deep rich cinnamon. To me this is what gourmand perfumes would like to be, you get a sense of desert, but you are smelling perfume, a perfume of the highest quality. This perfume is highly seductive, sensual and addictive. My husband FLIPPED for this as well. He usually hates jasmine and chypres but this he loves. Oh, I have to have this one. Seriously if you like Mitsuko or JD Jeffery Dame Labdanum Doux you will adore this and probably not want either one of those ever again. This is one of the best perfumes I have smelled in a long time and will probably go on my favorite shelf. Absolutely amazing, even better than Moon Bloom, which I adore beyond words. Womanly, sexy, beautiful. Edit: My husband thinks it smells like an earthy, spicy peach pie. He adores it.

A truly captivating floral–fruity chypre from every angle. Built around jasmine, with all the essential chypre characteristics fully present. The opening brings a burst of citrus (and I personally pick up a soft peach nuance as well, hence the fruity facet), while the base settles into that unmistakably mossy feel. It’s both natural and modern as a chypre, and distinctly warm thanks to the presence of spicy notes. What I especially love about Hiram Green is how raw everything smells; not a multitude of flashy tricks, but a very clear, recognizable DNA expressed in the purest form of each genre. And this one is the quintessential chypre within that ethos. The mossy note (despite real oakmoss restrictions) is impressively done and genuinely addictive. A rich, sensual fragrance that has the power to transform my whole day for the better. Tag(s): modern chypre, peach, warm-spicy, mossy

I am a huge fan of classic chypres. Indeed, I have a large collection of vintage and current chypre gems. I had high hopes for this fragrance, given the brand's use of richer, realer materials than most modern offerings. My hopes were not misplaced! This is a gorgeous peachy chypre with plenty of spices. So beautiful. Classic without coming across as an imitation. I love the depth, textures, and layers Hiram Green's scents have as such qualities have become harder to find. For the same reasons that I love it, certain noses probably won't. To a less experienced nose, The real ingredients may be confusing or off-putting, and the classic composition may not resonate. Regardless, this fragrance is a work of art and I love it.

This is another glorious and rich creation from Hiram Green!! I'm glad that I waited until cooler weather to really sample it because the delightful spiciness would have been too much in the heat. It is classed as a chypre, however it's more festive than the vintage chypres that I collect and that makes it easier to wear frequently. I have to admit that on my skin the citrus and fruits are MIA, however that doesn't interfere at all with my appreciation. The flowers aren't prominent but provide a lovely underlying sweetness to the resins and spices. If you like Kenzo Jungle l'Elephant you will love this one - not the same but in the same neighborhood.