Etourdissant

I was blessed to recently acquire a parfum flacon of this, exactly as the one in the photo. While there was no leakage, due to changes in altitude (it flew), there was a little seepage from the sealed top...and so I was able to to experience this rare gem. Of course, the Aldehydes are very damaged. My first impression was of Civet, and lots of it. It's not in the notes, but almost all quality fragrances of the early 20th century used animal fixatives, and of course, Jean Desprez's original Bal A Versailles was loaded with it. The Bergamot is bitter and degraded, but the Amber & Oakmoss remain outrageous. The Patchouli obscures any creaminess from the Sandalwood, which is a shame, because this was the era of smooth, creamy Sandal that no longer exists, due to overharvesting. If I can eek a little liquid out of the packaging, I'll test it on skin and report back!