1826

Soft and understated. Elegant and enchanting. Histoires de Parfumes has become a bit of a personal obsession as of late, and 1826 Eugénie de Montijo an unlikely new staple in my library. It started as a blind buy of a deeply discounted bottle. The note breakdown alone didn’t do much to peak my interest, but my acquisition was prompted more by the intriguing reviews here on Fragrantica paired with a growing desire to explore this house in earnest after falling head over heals for both Ambre 114 and 1899 Hemingway. I’m not going to carry on endlessly about it since the reviews below that inspired me to take the plunge generally proved to be right on the mark. 1826 really does smell like the pages of old, well loved books - a dry and mellow patchouli being the soul of this allegorical accord. And user brightflashes makes a particularly apt observation about the enduring progression of the scent that, “even more astounding is that the scent is non-linear too, so it's like walking through a library.” This one could certainly set the bar for olfactory experience associations for all who have ever considered themselves devout bibliophiles with sentimental idealities of the culture of reading - a claim that I think Histoires de Parfums would regard as high praise considering the literary influences at the heart of the house’s artistic vision. It’s likely what Gérald Ghislain and Sylvie Jourdet were aiming for in the first place, and if so, I’d say they hit their mark. As for me, one day I will leave this world, and if I am indeed heaven bound, it will be to a cozy independent bookstore, softly incandescent-lit with storied oak bookshelves, screen printed posters adorning old plaster walls and vast windows that look out on a perpetually rainy and lush late Spring day. And it will smell of 1826.

What a beautiful, delicate, suave, relaxing aroma ... Clear, sensual, tempting, unforgettable ... I'd rather say it's a gourmand-aromatic rather than an oriental. It's dedicated to Eugénie de Montijo, last French empress. She was born in Granada, Anadalucia, and she loved the aroma of patchouli. 1826 starts quite heavy and spicy, reminds me of Ambre Sultan at this stage. But it only lasts a few minutes. Then it becomes more and more milky and vanillic, sweet, but stays transparent all the time. I think I smell something similar as in Clinique Simply - a bright accord of anise, which is not listed in any of them. It gives this fragrance a pale, lunar light. It's so well blended ... Absolutely nothing stands out. One light accord of patchouli, white flowers, amber, vanilla ... Recently I've been so bored with spices and flowers shouting at me from almost every composition out there... And when 1826 touched my skin I felt like in a scented heaven. A Zen-like scent. Modest and modern at the same time. Sounds perfect? Yes, but it has 2 very serious drawbacks. One: there's almost no sillage! A true skin scent. I literally have to put my nose onto my wrist to smell it. You really have to use a lot, and still only YOU will be able to smell it ... Pity, considering how beautiful it is and that I'd love to share its beauty with someone around ... Two: No lasting power! After 2 hours there's no trail of it. Almost made it to my wish-list, but I think I'll look for something with better sillage and staying power. But I'll never forget 1826.

Empress-Worthy Luminous Soft Purple Florals on a Dark Patchouli Base... Composed as a tribute to the Empress Eugénie de Montijo, I could imagine Amparo Rivelles (1925-2013) wearing this on set as she played the title character in Eugénia de Montijo (film 1944). Notes from the discovery set insert read: "The first and last French empress was a sparkling beauty who influenced the mundane life and artistic refinement of her time. In her honor, a luminous fragrance: A sensual amber carried by the full-bodied power of white flowers and patchouli, leaving an unforgettable trail." The listed notes are close to what the pyramid here states: "Top Notes: Bergamot, Tangerine Heart Notes: White Flowers, Violet, Cinnamon, Ginger Base Notes: Patchouli, Amber, Incense, Blond Woods, White Musk, Vanilla." This is really well blended, so it's hard to pick out individual notes, but I definitely get the violet in form of soft purple florals over a woody-amber-patchouli base. There's a powderiness along with the patchouli that's done in a similar way to other Histoires de Parfums scents. This isn't a dupe of anything, but I would put it in a family of scents similar to Black Orchid Tom Ford. This doesn't go as black as Black Orchid, and keeps the florals in the soft purple range, which do give a luminous feel. Several hours into the drydown, there remains a cashmeran-oud skin-scent. Performance is slightly above average for a year round wear, with a really beautiful trail. Enjoy!

Edit (2022): It's amazingggggg how taste changes. I tried this back when I was just really getting into perfume (omg I was 26 and had never worn a perfume in my life!). Now at the old age of 31, I return to it and I just wonder what was wrong with me? Did my nose just not work? This is wonderful. Yes, you get the dry spiciness of cinnamon. It's warm, almost smoky. Dry dry dry and very clean! It's really sophisticated. If only the first hour of it never goes away, it would be a 10/10 but no, unfortunately, the longevity isn't great on my skin. Regardless, this is way more beautiful than I let on before. Classy, and classic without being old and stale. 8.5/10 Original: You’re initially hit with a heavy blow of tart citrus. But it quickly starts to dry down into some florals, apparently there is cinnamon but I can’t detect it, however the ginger it’s noticeably lining each wave of scent that comes out of it. Just as that is starting to get comfortable on your skin, the patchouli, vanilla and wood notes come through to hold it all up. This isn’t bad at all, and it reminds me of their 1740 except with sweetness and lightness. And more importantly, it feels like it fits into 1826. 7.5/10

1826 is an angelic perfume, a white, soft, effervescent aura of musky, sweet, woody, and creamy patchouli. The soft hint of vanilla couples beautifully with dry and dusty patchouli. This perfume is so good, it is in the league of a couple of Tom Ford's perfumes, probably the house I love most and find the most luxurious of all. This is more of a white patchouli than his White Patchouli, which seems substantially denser, spicier, and darker in comparison. This is more along the lines of his White Suede. Patchouli is very obvious here, but I can't say I have ever experienced it so light and bubbly before. I actually wondered if there might be aldehydes in the top notes. This is a rare creative beauty, another gem from this house. I have no problems with sillage or longevity, as is the case with most perfumes from this house.

I have a sample of this perfume. It lasts for 10 hours. With a medium intensity. Of course it is a perfume that has a slight classic touch, which will lead us olfactoryly to another era. But that classic aroma does not take away the fragrance's interest. We have a fresh aroma of exit for its different citrus fruits, accompanied by a certain spicy spicy aroma. But the heart of this perfume, heart are the flowers, a beautiful white flowers lightly dusted by the violet. But not to leave it in a common scent of white flowers, they are accompanied by the aromas of amber, incense and spices ... that give the body and personality to the perfume. It is exquisite and elegant. A perfume from another era that we can enjoy today.

I love this scent so much that I acquired a vintage bottle. First I'll comment on the vintage presentation – it's gorgeous. The bottle an metal cap is heavy and feels premium. The vintage scent is a different animal from the modern version. Not necessarily better or worse, just different. The florals are amped up and the sandalwood is turned down. The vintage is more fem, and the modern is definitely unisex. I wear the modern version all the time, but I'm selling the vintage (even though I love the presentation) for that reason. Message me if you're interested in the rare vintage. It's discontinued, almost impossible to find, and expensive if you do find it. P.S. United States only because of tariffs.

The first ten seconds smell like vodka mixed with turpentine. It's got something to do with that tangerine/ginger/ cinnamon thing. After that it becomes a very pleasant woody powdery fragrance. It's hard to describe precisely, but imagine clay, powder, soft wood, and play doh. Very relaxing scent that draws me in to keep smelling. Super smoooth. Unisex and bottle worthy for the right price. Scent 9.4/10 Performance 5/10 Edit: Someone mentioned the smell of paper. Bingo! Paper, powder, clay, and wood. This is what Whispers In The Library wishes it was. Edit #2. I bought a bottle. Love this one

Very, very nice scent profile. The perfect office scent, it actually performs better than the votes on this page suggest. But the scent profile: warm, powdery, slightly sweet, with just the right spicy, floral and incense contributions to render it completely pleasant and inoffensive. It does what it does brilliantly and it deserves a rating far higher than the sub-4.0 it currently has. Completely unisex and if it leans a bit more either way it would be slightly more masculine. FragHeads know enough to overlook which gender a frag is marketed to.

This took my breath away. Truly unique and exactly the kind of fragrance I’ve been looking for. I can’t put my finger on any exact notes. To me it smells like morning air on the beach.. hold the aquatics. I want to say antique shop-y but a very romanticized version because I’ve never been in one that smells this inviting. To me, it’s a perfectly balanced skin scent for someone who wants to smell like nothing in particular. Maybe that’s not very helpful but hey

I bought a 2ml decant of 1826 along with 1969 and 1889 (Moulin Rouge). At the time I was very much anticipating 1969 to be my favorite based on the notes, but ended up falling in love with 1826. I just purchased a full size bottle. It smells exactly like earl gray tea in a library filled with old books and dried flowers. To me it is very soft, billowy, and feminine. I absolutely love it.

First spray has a blend of sweet citrus with cinnamon and incense to me. It's really dry, airy and warm, with sweet vanilla and fresh ginger, and soft florals in the middle. Reminiscent of old books vanilla, dry and woody. Really lovely, a unique blend. It is light but lasts a long time, though it stays close to the skin. Would love for it to be a bit stronger.

A very airy, dry, dusty, powdery, ambery violet. I love wearing this when it's hot outside since it's a pretty light fragrance, don't get scared of the woody notes. I get the "old medicine cabinet" imagery a bit but I definitely wouldn't say it's a "grandma" perfume. I think a ballerina would love wearing this.

This scent is amazing! It evokes many memories of my childhood. It smells like a slightly musty, carpeted basement from the 80s! It is not unpleasant at all, but rather comforting and gentle. I wear this purely for the memories (I am a child of the 80s!)

Dry violets between old book pages, bound in incense-scented leather, a hint of naphthalene, in the church basement. Very interesting! Nothing to compare it to

I honestly don't see how medicinal opening is a bad thing. I love how it hits you almost with a "herbs in a plague doctor's mask" kinda vibe. Amazing.

Compared to Tom Ford White Patchouli HdP 1826 is a much nicer white patchouli scent without that screechy sweetness signature of TF. 1826 stars a strong, realistic patchouli reminiscent of the plant in essential oil form, but at the same time remains elegant with a warm base of violet, ginger and white floral. After 5 hours 1826 dries down to its nice musky amber patchouli base with little incense involved. At some point I also smell a faint mandarine note, which gives 1826 a sparkling feeling. The overall experience is a creamy, slightly powdery scent that is a little bit unrefined but also very clean-cut. Casual yet attractive. This fragrance projects very well and has awesome longevity. My 2ml decant has been lasting me for months. Definitely a solid like from me and an occasional love when I crave for pungent patchouli.

Histoires de Parfums 1826 opens as a full-fledged floriental patchouli perfume. Unlike NOIR PATCHOULI, which strikes me as a bit stern, 1826 is a scrumptious composition with enough vanilla to make it slightly sweet but without going overboard. The wood notes, “bois blancs”, become more and more dominant here over time, making this more of a woody oriental in the drydown. In fact, I'd call this a unisex perfume since the sweetness subsides significantly as the wood takes over. I'd say that 1826 would be a good choice for guys or gals who like the general demeanor of D&G LA ROUE DE LA FORTUNE but find it too sweet.

Warm, ambery opening with incense and rubber. A faint hint of something medicinal. 1826 is lot cleaner than one would expect from something with musk, patchouli and amber, it's actually pretty airy and well mannered. On me 1826 is all wood and incense. HdP's description is pretty much spot on, the fragrance is both delicate and full bodied at the same time. It also has an almost medieval feel, like being in an ancient home, permeated with wood and smoke and incense. As a huge fan of wood and incense notes, I'm definitely adding this to my "to buy" list.

I didn't know perfumes came this "close to skin": I wore three sprays from a sample vial on my chest, covered myself in a blanket and went to bed. You would think that I would be able to smell it well since I literally trapped myself in my blanket with this but honestly I could just barely smell it. OLD DUSTY BOOKS! I really like that note. It is sweetened a bit with one flowers and fruit but really, this is what an idealized library smells like. I like it but it is not full bottle worthy for me, especially because the scent is so light.

You're in the heart of the Canadian wilderness in 1756, digging with your bare hands for snakeroot (ginger). It's August, and instead of marching with your brothers on Fort Oswego to push back the British, you're frantically trying to save your best friend who was just bitten by a snake. You enlist the help of an Iroquois ally, and before long, you're all indoors and participating in a wild healing ritual dominated by potent ginger oils, powdered herbs, and sweet smoke. 1826 by Histoires de Parfums.

This is such a delicate and subtle scent but so beautiful. It’s musky, cosy and dry with a gorgeous anise flair to it. I could definitely see this working as a signature scent for the right type of person. I really love this, it’s so unique. I’m intrigued to see how it performs over the course of a day, because it’s not very strong even upon first spray. Edit: I so WISH this was more powerful! When I bury my nose into it, it’s gorgeous, but there’s almost no projection or staying power.

Tart bitter opening, then turns into a huge woodsy patch. Not really ambery to me although I do like my resinous ambers, maybe just the sweet vanilla feel is the amber here. The florals are not distinct but they do soften up the patch and woods. If there is cinnamon here it's really subtle, fluffy musky whip up towards the drydown. Also less sweet on drydown, a little flurry fluffy animalic rather. ** 180 samples up for swap UK - check my customs, get in touch to swap a bundle! **

this starts off interesting-i get woods and burnt sugar with a hint of leather...skin chemistry is weird. once the creamy part calms down i get the cinnamon and incense, with ah hint of patchouli, which balances out the scent quite nicely. the patchouli gets stronger as time goes on. i am testing this in late spring, but i can see it really shining in the fall and winter.

Like opening a long-forgotten drawer in your late grandmother's childhood home: dusty conversation hearts rolling around on top of yellowed postcards from an ex-lover, old romance novels with cracked spines and sun-bleached covers, band-aids, a heart-shaped pin cushion and a tangled mess of needles and threads. It's a gossamer thin whisper of a scent. Hauntingly romantic.

evolving soft, woodsy scent. The first few minutes are bitter and harsh, the mid is pretty good though - has facets of clay, paper, and dust which are boosted along by mellow patchouli - smells a bit like an old library, but it's not exact to my nose. Unfortunately, this juice does not last very long before it needs to be resprayed. 7/10.

This is powdery violet and amber all the way through. A soft skin scent. Lovely but due to projection and longevity, not FB worthy for me. goes on citrus then a hint of floral but then dries down to a creamy amber that reminds me of Amour de Palazzo but then in the final base the patch rises

This is a beautiful, sweet patchouli. Truly unisex. Downfall= no longevity and no sillage. The sillage issue? I can deal with that. But I cannot get this scent to last more than a couple hours. So 1826 is beautiful while she is singing...but once the show is over she is completely quite.

A warm, powdery, slightly spicy patchouli and white flowers fragrance that wafts innocence and femininity. Airy, smooth, a very clean yet soft fragrance that is a perfect day time scent. Moderate silage and longevity of about 10 hours.

Slightly bitter, herbal, gingery, woody, soft. Much nicer on skin than on paper for me, on paper it leans synthetic and as someone said, turpentine-like. On my skin, it warms up and smells like a spiced, subtle wood. Unisex IMO.

Woodsy, kinda smokey, slightly powdery and maybe amber under tones. Smells kind of like reading books by the fireplace. After wearing the smoke and wood fades and it’s more vanilla amber

1826, inspired by Empress Eugenie, wife of Napoleon III, opens with a mellow, resinous brown note that's their version of "patchouli", with quite a bit of vanilla sweetness and a light dusting of cinnamon spice. Overall it's quite sheer and faint. Histoires de Parfums seems to be fond of this creamy, sweet, lightly spiced fragrance chord; 1899 (Ernest Hemingway) is that plus a conifer-green top and some more woods, while 1804 (Jules Verne) is that plus a synthetic-citrus dry cologne. 1826 is the creamy-spicy core plus warm brown resins and a touch of abstract white floralcy. I don't find it heavy or cloying, which is nice. If you like the idea of wearing a cinnamon-flecked vanilla pudding, but don't want to smell too literally like dessert, this might be a good bet. It's pleasant enough, but it's on the weak side and not especially creative.

Not sure what possessed me to purchase a sizable decant of Histories de Parfums "1826." I began re-exploring "blended" incense fragrances, preferring incense with mixed white florals, other pretty notes. Amouage "Memoir Woman" (a total LOVE for me)...I'm looking at you. For me, 1826 is mismatched floral notes with juxtaposed citruses. The violet is initially dominant and its dustiness seems misplaced against the persistent opening citrus accord. The perfume seems poorly blended. The fragrance feels loud, confused and chaotic on my skin. So, 1826 is a strong pass for me. I've tried a few fragrances from this house. And for whatever reason, HdP's DNA and I do not match.

Mild, mild and mild! Subtle to a fault. 👻 Ghostly! I appreciate a sophisticated, subtle and refined scent as much as the next gentleman, but this is too much, or should I say, too little. Without wasting time, this fragrance almost instantly boils down into a natural vanilla and tangerine skin scent. I can detect a dry ginger undertone and an amberous overtone. Rich, but buried. Very mature and artisanal. I like this scent, but I lowered my rating to reflect my sentiments about the performance.

I can't decide on my feelings about this perfume. Some people have mentioned that it doesn't last but when I first tried it I put a single spray on and dabbed my pulse points before bed. I absolutely loved it at first as it smelled exactly like an old wood cabin in Tofino. After my body warmed up and the scent settled in it became overwhelming and took on a weird spiced play dough note. I don't dislike this perfume but I don't think it works for me personally.

Maybe it’s just me and my nose but I am not impressed with this one, it’s very weak, weak sillage, doesn’t project and doesn’t last. I love this house and usually love everything they have but this one is just so boring, i don’t get any of the notes. I like my perfumes to be stronger. Last longer than 15mins. But that’s just my opinion. I suggest sampling first, always.

Too "leathery" and masculine for my taste (and I tend to enjoy a lot of masculine-leaning scents). I agree with @Elina about the opening and @brightflashes about it smelling of old (but musty/mouldy!) books. Great longevity though. I sent my sample to live with a fragrance friend who would appreciate it more than I. :)

I think Venusia is spot on in her description. This is for the same reasons why I am not super stoked about it. Its high quality and sets out what it tries to do really well. But you just have to be in the target audience.

I used to hate patchouli but now I'm starting to like it in some perfumes so I had to try 1826 which I had a decant of it for a while To my nose,it opens with prominent patchouli and woody notes.I can't smell much of citrus.patchouli isn't humid,dirty or heavy.it's subtle and dry.I can't smell much of violet or incense or spices but I believe they're what keep 1826 dry,clean and a tad powdery I completely agree with old furniture vibe other reviews have mentioned.it also makes me think of antique woody furniture with a touch of dust and clean scent of dried flowers I don't like it.it's too dry for me and lacks sweetness I need in my perfumes but if you'd like a soft,powdery,airy,classy and expensive smelling patchouli you have to give it a try

I never would have thought to categorize this as a feminine scent. It opens to very powdery violets and cinnamon. Amber briefly presents in the heart, and the dry down is a dusky, dusty patchouli with hint of dry rotting woods. This is not your candied, teenage fruitchoili. This is a step away from your dirty hippy patch. I have never smelled such a dry scent. It sits very close to the skin, like the layer of dust left on you from trying on that thrift store jacket. I agree with the sentiments about antique furniture. It is like an old antique shop or an older relative's house where they have shut up a room and haven't cleaned the dusty furniture in decades.

Sampling again after a break of several months. This is a complex fragrance, I do notice cinnamon, ginger, vanilla and subtle incense and it does evolve. However, this scent makes me feel nauseated almost immediately. I have found that oak moss does this to me, so I avoid virtually all chypre style fragrances. Oak moss is not listed as a note in this frag, so I suspect that patchouli may be another note that causes that same feeling for me. If you are not affected, as I am, and if you like rich, complex, old school, patchouli based fragrances you might want to give this one a try.

Two wearings: the first was vetiver and patch and something musky. The second was powdery artemisia licorice and woody green violet, even a sandalwood quality. I tested blind without the notes. After reading, I think the violet is both itself, a bit powdery along with the "artenesia and licorice" accord. Possibly cinnamon becomes this kind of licorice, very faint. A higher dose amps up the violet--not my favorite note in perfumery. The citrus scent top note burns off at five minutes. A kind of sweet floralcy with powder and woods lingers in the dry down. Not my thing.

It's so fragmented that it's hard to pull out everything that went into my .5 ounce bottle. Amber and vanilla are apparent, then other notes all vying for my attention. It's powdery, soft and pretty, but within 10 minutes it turns to a skin scent that I can barely detect. It's not complex or layered..... it doesn't go anywhere except thin air.

ohhh boy. i neither like powder nor patchouli, and 1826 is heavy on both, so this is definitely not for me. i don't get any citrus in the opening - just right to dusty, slightly sweet, aged powder. it's very old fashioned, like a generic perfume from the 1800s. it's maybeeee cool to recreate but definitely not fun to wear.

I received a sample of this with my purchase and put it in the nightstand drawer. Both the sample and the drawer were closed but I was still able to smell strong patchouli aroma around my bed. Too much for me, I did not like it. I actually thought it was men's cologne, it is very masculine.

I definitely get the band-aid aromachemicals that others have mentioned. I mostly get lots of ginger (that comes across a bit like saffron), amber, and then the aromachemicals. It's a pass for me.

the initial impression was kinda Old Spice Daddy, but it melted into something soft and luxurious- but this is not something I can see myself purchasing- because of the top notes

I hate patchouli so much it’s unreal. And it’s the worst kind of patchouli. Actually makes me gag. You can’t even smell anything else over it. Just patch and smoke and grease. It’s like cleaning out the p trap in a trap house. Ugh. Horrible. Like a methhead died inside a Sephora.

I dabbed this on before watching the first episide of season 4 of the Tudors, so pardon my references. This is the episode where Kathryn Howard comes to court as Queen, and we the viewers get to see lots of bedroom activity. Now I paid attention to this era in history class, so i know that King Henry was a fat old diabetic with an ulcer that stunk up the entire castle. I also know these folks didn't bathe, so how on earth where they able to 'get romantic'? With this in mind I approach 1826. Yes, it's a few centuries later, but the concept is still there. This is what I imagine those bodices smelled like, and I don't say that with a nod of praise. There is the strong, musky (aka perspiration) undergarment that is covered up by frequent visits to the powder room. Here a handful of white florals are rubbed all over the bosom to try and cover the smell. Picture yourself standing in one of those big rooms on a hot summers night; the windows are open and a stale breeze comes through, and everyone is fanning their body odor about with a fan scented with incense and patchouli. Sound good? Then give this a try. Sound like it would rub your bodice the wrong way? Then move on.

Another spicey oriental from Histoires de Parfums. 1826 is not as interesting, to me, as 1804, but it is quite beautiful and I wouldn't mind owning a bottle. The top notes include orange, which complements the heart notes of cinammon and ginger beautifully. Rounding out the heart are creamy white flowers and a hint of sharp (not candied) violet. About an hour in, the base notes start to make an appearance, including a lovely, slightly sweet incense note. This is not an old medieval church type of incense, but a light, dry, modern incense, and it's not added with a heavy hand. Instead the base notes of vanilla, patchoulli, and amber share equal footing with the incense, which I like. The combination is just right. Beautifully complex and layered, 1826 is a full blooded and heavy boned oriental in the absolute BEST sense.