Balalaika

One of the loveliest violet fragrances I've ever experienced. Before I tested and bought this, I thought that, with the name Balalaika, it would be a heavy oriental or chypre, but no! It's one of the softest floral vintages I know of, and also doesn't have the dated feel that some of the florals from this era have (not that I mind that.) Besides violet there is gardenia with a bit of citrus, musk, vanilla and woody notes, powdery but not too much. And the vanilla is of the consistency that I prefer, nice and light in the background. I truly enjoy wearing this, it's a keeper.

@grayspoole I am happy too the this offering of Lucien Lelong is now on here. It is the only one I own although I would love to find some others from this brand. It is funny because the bottle I have is mostly violets. It smells exactly like those Kiddle Cuddle toys from the 70's the violet one with the white hair. I have only worn it a few times but it is still nice by todays standards. It does end up a little powdery on me. I am glad I have the bottle because I never owned a Kiddle toy and if I want to smell that smell I just open my bottle of Balalaika.

The vibrant red juice in this hobnail bottle is cooler than its vibrant color might suggest. There's a duo of violet and gardenia that form its core, which makes for a sensational contrast. The former's petal soft melancholy and the latter's creamy opulence is as smooth as satin bed sheets. They are underpinned by a lightly spiced and supple musk leaving a lingering trail. Apparently this had been relaunched, but what I have is most definitely a genuine vintage, likely produced no later than the 60s.

Balalaika cologne in one ounce cylindrical bottle by Lucien Lelong, New York Chicago: This must be a reformulation from that found in the beautiful bottle shown here on Fragrantica, because it does not smell at all like my loved Patou Moment Supreme or any other of my favorite vintage scents. Instead, it dries down to smelling like Chanel No 5, which I hate. From the other reviews below, really want to try the original formula, found in that gorgeous bottle!

I'm so happy that more of Lucien Lelong's vintage perfumes have been added to the Fragrantica database. There's very little information available about these perfumes, so it will be helpful to see reviews appearing here. A balalaika is a traditional Russian musical instrument and thus the perfume's packaging was decorated with imagery of charming Russian folk dancers. Balalaika evokes the brief period during WWII when the Soviet Union, Europe, and the US were allies. A1943 ad for Balalaika clearly alludes to its wartime context: "Whether you serve, or strive, or wait, be still your loveliest self...lighting your valiant heart with laughter. Never more needed, never more loved, is Balalaika perfume." In the vintage perfume formulation I own, which probably dates to the 1950's, Balalaika is a sophisticated floral scent with orange, gardenia, neroli, lavender, and clove notes. Its base becomes warmly, slightly powdery, almost verging on an amber, with oakmoss, labdanum, and a touch of animalic musk. Balalaika reminds me of Indiscret and Moment Supreme. These vintage spiced floral chypres are so subtle and complex: they resist categorization. (In the 1990's, Balalaika was reissued by a Parfums Lucien Lelong company based in New Jersey. I haven't tried this newer version, but it seems to be a different scent.)