Collection Heritage Adieu Sagesse

This is so, so pretty. Creamy white florals on a soft powdery cloud of musk and orris. So simple, yet so lovely. My fear of my least favorite fruit notes of rhubarb and grapefruit overrunning the scent were unfounded. Just a quick opening salvo that soon departs giving way to creamy white florals and powdery notes. It is the coconut that gives this scent the creaminess, but this is so well blended that I never smell that note outright, as is true of the clove. I also pick up what smells like violet, but I think that is the residue of the fruit notes playing that way. Whatever it is, it is lovely. Silage is soft and gentle, but very present. I'm in a dreamy little cloud of heaven right now. While I've never smelled the original version, Thomas Fontaine has managed to create an enchanting fragrance that brings to mind the great vintage fragrances of the past while modernizing it for today's sensibilities. It is both very wearable and appropriate for all occasions, whether at the office or as a scent for a bride. I'm also very surprised to see that despite Patou no longer being in business the fragrances from the Collection Heritage Line are still very reasonably priced if you shop around. I actually found this much cheaper than what it originally sold for when first introduced. I don't understand that considering that Patou is no more, and aside from the fact that perfumes in this line are beautiful, you would think that people would want to snatch these up if for no other reason than that they will be collector's items one day. I'm sure some have bought them for that reason, but why not for the beautiful scents themselves I cannot understand. I can only assume that poor marketing and maybe some people's disappointment that they weren't exact replicas of their predecessors might account for that. Whatever the reason, it worked to my benefit as I was not only able to purchase a perfume that I love at a great price, but also obtain a little piece of history too.

I have been collecting from Jean Patou since the announcement of their stopping production of Patou perfumes. This is the last one to complete my collection of this brand, a brand that I have fallen in love with. It is quite ironic that I end my collection of this house w/ this one because the name means Farewell Wisdom and w/ all of the money I have spend collecting perfumes since COVID I have been very different from my former frugal self. I have had a blast doing this and I have 1 more perfume to purchase and review (from another house) and my collection will be complete. Anyway on to reviewing this perfume....... This fragrance is ethereal. It is what I imagine heaven must smell like.. It is a light, airy, sweet floral bouquet that never dies but renews itself over and over again. I think the top notes (which I did worry about) keep this bouquet of beautiful white florals from becoming to heady. I own Hiram Green's Moon Bloom and it is a beautiful perfume but my husband does not like it because it is so heady and narcotic in it composition. This is airy, and celestial. It is like like being in a cloud of white flowers while Moon Bloom is like being in a garden of tuberose/gardenia on a sultry summer night. Moon Bloom is of the earth while Adieu Sagesse is of the sky. At least now I own a gardenia my husband actually likes! This was a great blind buy and I encourage people to give this line a try. I'm sure they are not like the original fragrances, IFRA has really thrown a monkey wrench into perfume making but these perfumes are beautiful and can be had now for a fraction of their original price.

Looking at that notes list I am wondering whether my sample is labelled incorrectly. Because I know it is from the Heritage Collection and not earlier, but what I am smelling is a strong, very feminine in an old school 80's kinda way, spiced carnation and (fake) civet musks, some heady white flowers, all shot through with something with a sharp-sour profile and a hint of bite. There is also a slight fruity note to it that reminds me of peach or apricot, it isn't the dominating accord but it is ever present to some degree. I find the opening discordant, sharp, a little sour and astringent and I am not fond of this stage. But give it a few minutes to bed down and suddenly my nose is greeted with tendrils of beautiful spiced feminine florals augmented by a hint of fruity compote, and these are what stick around and evolve and by the drydown this is something really beautiful. This perfume smells of sunset colours, fire reds and scarlet, orange of every hue, hints of coral and peach, splashes of yellow, and a thin thread of rich deep blue running under. It reads nothing like the notes list here would imply. I can see that maybe rhubarb could be responsible for the sharp sour and fruiy accord, but otherwise the 2 don't add up in my mind/nose. Definitely need to further investigate this.

I think the toughest job a perfumer has is keeping iconic formulations in great shape at the hands of IFRA restrictions. Fontaine, like Wasser at Guerlain is in the unenviable task to restore and to resurrect an iconic house. Adieu Sagasse will be reviewed on its own merits, not compared to past formulations. Its brilliant. Rhubarb, citrus and a creamy coconut open the fragrance. Its a soft creamy experience much like the accord of rhubarb/gardenia in Amouage Honor. Honor turns aquatic, Adieu blooms into the most enthralling gardenia I have experienced in modern perfumery. It resembles a light coconut gardenia creme. Neroli and lily of the valley gives this a light green soapy tinge under the heart. Tuberose holds the gardenia together while maybe a narcissus lends a whisper. Cloves are giving this a cool astringant tension (maybe styrax?) and musk to keep it all together. A unique beauty. I love it.

This is really lovely. It has an 80s / 90s vibe to me and that's a good thing. No horribe modern musks or ambroxan here. The rhubarb is almost blackcurranty, more fruity than sharp though it just adds brightness. I find this a little like what you would get if you crossed krizia fiori with ck eternity and then added some bright stewed rhubarb and grapefruit.... it's really a lot nicer than I'm making it sound. In fact I'm so impressed that I've ordered a backup whilst I still can. A shame Lvmh cancelled these, but given the modern offerings being churned out that all smell the same, ,i cannot say I'm surprised. If you liked clarins Elysium you will probably like this too. Like the previous commenter said it's almost violetty and I too do not notice the clove or coconut.