Elegant Schwan 06

This took me by surprise. I FINALLY got around to finding a sample and generously sprayed my arm... Licorice is all I got from the top notes! Now that it has been a few minutes, I get the other notes too. Rose, a fresh iris, something fruity, a subtle vanilla, some woods. But the licorice note is so interesting, from looking at the notes, I would have never guessed that! The whole fragrance has a very distinct and unique “spicy” aspect to it. Not in a culinary way, it’s not cumin, cinnamon or cloves or pepper-y or anything harsh...I struggle to find the right terms to describe what I’m smelling...it’s just very alive and fresh? Not in an aromatic sense either! I am baffled at the opening of this fragrance!! After a while, it does calm down and leaves room for the other notes to bloom. This is very pretty though, very sophisticated and very chic. I almost wish I had not smelled it because... The price of a bottle is such a slap in the face... Look, to each their own when and where they want to spend their coin. Q: Is it a beautiful and unique fragrance? A: Absolutely! Q: Is it worth that exorbitant amount of money? A: Debatable. If you’ve got $1,300 lying around, I guess? But that’s the thing though. This is a luxury item that is absolutely meant to deter the common folk from buying it. And I don’t mean that in a condescending asshole way. I, myself, couldn’t be more common. The thing about ANYTHING LUXURY is that it’s meant to be extravagant and unattainable in terms of monetary value. For the collectors or the luxury lovers, there are no arguments, the price is the price and that’s that. After this sample, i unfortunately fell under its spell and i too am obsessed with this fragrance...I will probably have to find a full bottle of Eleganter Schwan at one point...damn my boujee tastes 🙄

Elegant Schwan haunted me for over a year. I fell in love with my sample, but the price repelled me. I told myself floral sandalwoods are everywhere, and that I'd surely find something comparable if I just kept hunting. After a year of sampling, comparing and chasing alternatives I learned a humbling lesson... there is nothing like Elegant Schwan nor will there ever be. ES is an end-game floral. There were two details that put the price in perspective and made clear to me why there are no alternatives. First, the concentration is a staggering 45% which makes the longevity impressive and noticeable without managing to feel heavy at all. Secondly, the rose used in ES takes three years to extract. The specific rose used is a protected mountain flower that is harvested from the Swiss Alps, and exists within an extremely short window of availability so simply put, ES cannot be duped or replicated. This is meant to be exclusive, this is meant to be a luxury, and this is meant to not smell like anything else. Once I finally realized this, the crown jewel of my collection was finally born. Editing to add some recent feedback: wore this for a marathon of a day (14+ hours of work, errands, walked dog etc) - got to dinner feeling gross and commented on needing to take a shower ASAP and my friend confusedly remarked that I smelled so fresh and nice like I had already showered- yes, this fragrance is that good :)

I tried this fragrance last year and I was like I can’t do it was too sweet and cloying but I didn't factor in I was living in Southern Cali at the time and tried it on a hot summers day. Now that I migrated to a much cooler climate area, I decided to try this scent again and I feel in love the fruity wood scent mixed with the cold climate is amazing. I’m glad I tried it again.

Looking at the notes I never understood the hype, but I finally tried it yesterday and I can't stop thinking about it. It's like you just bought fresh pear jam, roses, and vanilla bean from a farmer's market and you unpacked them all at the same time.

At present, this is my absolute favourite fragrance of all time. Even though I have a bottle and can enjoy it whenever I like, every opportunity to smell it still feels like a treat that never fails to excite me.