Fath de Fath (1953)

If you love fruit with your vintage-style chypres -- think Guerlain Mitsouko, Rochas Femme, Balenciaga Quadrille, Nina Ricci Deci Dela -- be on the lookout for this elegant beauty. Closest, perhaps, to YSL Champagne - it even has the same yeasty effervescence - Fath de Fath (1953) creates a sophisticated tightrope act between crisp bergamot and blackcurrant-leaf topnotes and a fruited floral heart of ripe pineapple, heliotrope, tuberose and orange blossom. I also sense jammy peach and apricot. The base is contrastingly dark and mysterious; oakmoss, amber, benzoin and sandalwood provide the edge that keeps the composition from being sugared or cloying. Perfume Posse mentions civet and patchouli and I'd agree; there is something definitely animalic growling in the depths. The dry down is heavenly, fully focused, and lingers for hours without losing a bit of the original complexity. This is quality, old-school perfumery all the way. (Sadly, the 1993 re-release is but a shadow . . .) Per Basenotes: Top Notes Blackcurrant, Bergamot, Pineapple, Dried fruits Heart Notes Carnation, Iris, Rose, Tuberose Base notes Sandalwood, White musk, Benzoin, Amber

I researched this scent after being gifted a vintage Fath de Fath parfum, likely from the 60s. When first applied, it's all sharp angles - aldehydes (which I usually love) and a blast of...wet, green leaves? The scent was very loud - screechy is the word I would use. No discernible citrus. As it settles, however, the fragrance has toned down. The floral is jasmine and spicy carnation with oakmoss holding it together. At this point, I'm not too sure about it. I'll update further as it wears throughout the day. I'd love to see this page updated with the below listing of notes for vintage Fath de Fath from the fathperfumes blogspot: Top notes: aldehydes, bergamot, lemon, heliotrope, orange and green notes Middle notes: iris, Bulgarian rose, Grasse jasmine, Grasse may rose, ylang ylang, carnation, tuberose, orange blossom and lily-of-the-valley Base notes: orris, vetiver, oakmoss, sandalwood, ambergris, tonka bean, patchouli, musk, vanilla, cedar and benzoin Edit: I'm sad to say that Fath de Fath fades after about 2.5 hours. I'd hoped it was more of a beast than that. All that lingers now is a barely there skinscent of carnation and rose. It's very pretty, but so short lived I don't know how often I'll wear it. Happy to have it though, all the same! Solid like.

The original 1953 Fath de Fath is a floral Chypre. The fruity floral Oriental that the other reviewer is referencing is the 1993 version. They are two completely different perfumes.