Fleur Oriental

I had a sample of this for years before it clicked, but when it did, I loved it. On me, Fleur Oriental is smooth, sweet, carnation-vanilla smoke that effortlessly reminds me of a lot of different fragrances I like without being quite like any of them. It smells like the deep drydown of Habanita after all of the drama has died down and the diva is finally at rest. It also has the warm/cool effect of L'Heure Bleue without any of its syrup or melancholy. Like Shalimar, it is about sweet smoke, but without the insistent bergamot or the Catholic guilt. I love classic perfumes, but often find them a bit demanding for everyday wear -- Fleur Oriental is poised as a solution to this problem. Its orientalia is stripped down and modern while still sending up a satisfyingly complex cloud of smoke, powder, flowers, and vanilla. More importantly, it doesn't add in any of the annoying modern aromachemical flavors-of-the-month that make so many attempts to create a modern oriental so disappointing. Have you ever seen a really good rehab of a dark, busy Victorian home that lets in some light and space without ruining the original molding or trying to turn it into something it's not? This is Fleur Oriental.

I can immediately see why there are some folk who note a similarity with Shalimar edp. I agree. It reminds me of my bottle of Shalimar back in the 80s at the beginning. The amber, carnation, heliotrope and vanilla hit you first. Yes it's quite potent. Very potent for a humble edt! Finally it starts to ease up a little and you can pick up on the rose, musk and neroli. You have to wait a couple of hours though. It is quite powdery. I have to say I miss the intense citrus opening of Shalimar and the leather note. Finally the neroli surfaces which seems novel. It smells closest to Shalimar at this stage. I miss the intensity of Shalimar and perhaps depth. The heliotrope is the last note to fade. Having said all that this stands on it's own merit. The carnation is the crucial note that brings everything together and adds some necessary oomph. It's a very warm and cosy fragrance. I can't imagine many disliking this classic floral oriental. I get good longevity and sillage.

Fleur Oriental is amazing. I love this house. For those of us who prefer darker, denser, ‘vintage’ perfumes, made of natural essences, this is made for us. Does Lyn Harris love classic Guerlains? There is a nod here to both Shalimar and L’Heure Bleue, in the spicy carnation that is the anchor floral note, and the smoky musk that burns through the heart notes, and the sweet amber in the base. The carnation here is highlighted by rose, and farther down into the base jasmine and heliotrope. It is spicy without being full of distracting clove notes, as it seems most carnation perfumes are. As Fleur Oriental wears into the base, it loses its spice and become sweet, a sweet musky amber vanilla, with a bit of heliotrope—truly musk and not reminiscent of laundry detergent. Modest silage at first, becomes a skin scent in the base, lasts 8+ hours with 2 or 3 sprays. This is for the EDP.

For no reason whatsoever this fragrance reminds me of a childhood Christmas, when I received a box of three perfumed soaps, wrapped in bright coloured pleated silk paper, and embellished with Art Nouveau style stickers. One was lilac, the second sandalwood and the third violet. I might have been ten or so, and of all the presents this was my favourite, so much so, that I remember having slept with the box in my bed for a long time. See? No notes are the same, and Fleur Oriental is NOT a soapy scent. Yet, like my childhood soaps, this fragrance is also festive, warm, embracing and rich, just like the most wonderful Christmases of my life. Highly recommended. (And yes, it does remind me of Shalimar, especially the first 10 minutes.) Longevity: excellent, lasts a whole day and the morning of the next.

Christmas is coming on and in my relentless quest to find the perfect carnation scent, thought I'd give it a try. With everyone comparing this to SHALIMAR, I mean who wouldn't like this on some level. On initial application, I get the peppery snap sharpness of what I suppose is the Carnation, very similar to Caron's SACRE....this is very fleeting, not even 15 minutes. It settles into a powdery mellow amber-vanilla, with the emphasis on the vanilla, which is nice. If you've tried HABANITA you'll feel the similarity at this point. I accidentally bought the EDT, and I would imagine the EDP would be softer and overall better. Non-glaring carnations is what I want for Christmas, as it reminds me of my long gone dad, it was his favorite flower.

Smooth, powdery, fluffy cloud of oriental floral heaven. One of the first "niche" fragrances I ever purchased, about 15 years ago. It feels weightless, which is rare for this type of oriental. It's like a heavy fragrance injected with helium to give it lift. It hovers above the skin and has a very realistic powder feel to it. Like you have applied actual powder. The powdery aspect almost has a Guerlain feel. If you like powdery fragrances, you must give this a try. It's just beautiful. I have the EDT, not sure if the other forms are as "fluffy". I would try the others but love this one so much I almost see no need.

I recently sampled five Miller Harris perfumes and they are all high quality, interesting, and above all smelling good! A new favorite perfume house of mine. Fleur oriental is a dense perfume. Heliotrope, vanilla, carnation, amber, in this order, are well balanced. The result is a perfume that you experience as a rich unified scent. Yet when sniffed with focus, easily deconstructed to its ingredients. That shows skill. Some perfumes with good natural ingredients fade quickly, but not fleur oriental. It lasts long and sticks to its theme during the drydown. Well done Lyn Harris!

Yes, this one bears a ressemblance to Shalimar. But dare I say, to me it's even better than Shalimar (and I own dozens versions of Shalimar). The drydown is pure heaven, but for the EDT only, which I believe was the first iteration of this perfume. I had the EDP which came after, and I also had the one that came in a 30ml dab-on bottle (don't know if it was the extrait ?) but both were more compact, opaque and felt like they couldn't lift of the skin (if that make sense). The EDT is airier, with better sillage, it's pure perfection.

Hi Sablebombe, your loss was my gain. Many thanks, I love this - it is really beautiful on me. It is one of the lightest incenses, with a lovely floral bouquet of carnation, rose and a slightly gourmand almond note from the heliotrope. The jasmine for me is really well-behaved and the longevity is great. I spritzed once this morning and I am still enjoying it at long past midnight. Sillage is perfect, enough to be noticed but safe for the tram and the workplace. So glad you did not like it ;-)

I recieved a sample of this and it didnt say if it was an EDT or EDP and I fell in LOVE with it so I ordered a bottle instantly but I ordered the EDT and I am not sure if there is a big difference. Now I am a little worried. I hope it is the lovely sweet powdery scent from the sample. Update: So my sample was the EDP and they are extremely similar...the EDT isnt as creamy but just as nice it is also very strong....I am getting the EDP now! I must always have this scent in my life!

This perfume reminds me of Shalimar EDP - but, for me, is more delicate. The beginning is not so sharp. I feel vanilla, jasmine, musk and some spices, longevity is very good.

Love at first sniff. I don’t find it to be floral as much, bit more oriental. Also, There’s nothing wrong with “smelling like an old lady”

NOTES: Top- Bergamot, Orange flower Heart- Spicy carnation, Rose, Heliotrope Base- Vanilla, Benzoin, Amber, Labdanum, Musk

This scent is warm and spicy...great for the holidays or a fireside snuggle.

Miller Harris Fleur Oriental gives me the impression of quality components, pleasantly composed if not ground-breaking. It is reminiscent of some Andy Tauer scents, among others. I find that the floral part is fairly brief or subdued, moving quickly to a nice warm amber and musk scent, with a good amount of vanilla. It's either finely balanced or a little timid, depending on one's personal preferences...not too sweet, not too spicy, not too strong, not too hippy, not too musky, not too flowery, not too incense-y. The only problem I have with it is that for me, it falls on the timid side. For those with delicate tastes, or those looking for a perfume that can be worn without drawing undue attention at work, it might be just what the scent-doctor ordered. I can see the allusions to Shalimar; there is something about Fleur Oriental that strongly reminds me of a lighter version of the Shalimar base, without the richer floral, balsamic, and citrus notes that round out that classic perfume. I'd like my home to smell like this...In sum, no complaints, but no unrestrained applause. Sillage and duration are moderate on me.

This fragrance plays the same type of music that Chanel coco or Shalimar does. The volume is not as high, but the music is just as satisfying. I always think of Shalimar and Chanel coco as perfumes that I would go to listen to Jazz to. You know the lights are dimmed, a drift of smoke is in the air. The sound of the horn or piano in the background. This would be great for such an occasion. I smell the carnation, amber and vanilla first and next comes the flowers and musk which settles in the background at first. As it dries down more, they make themselves known a bit more. But they never take away from the spiciness of the carnation or the rich tone of the amber or vanilla. This is delicious. The music it plays is not as loud as Chanel coco or Shalimar, but every bit as satisfying.

Fleur Oriental is a very fitting name for this perfume. Warm oriental base of resinous amber and vanilla...check...then some beautifully natural florals...check and musky qualities...check! I think the main thing that sets this apart is just how much natural spice has been accentuated from the carnation for example, it really does smell like a healthy dose of cloves. I do pick up on the white floral orange blossom a lot and jasmine to a lesser extent, this puts me right in mind of Creed royal English leather and Tauer Eau D'epices. The thing that sets this apart is the rose, a very well done fragrance which has enough elements of creaminess, florals, musk but with a bite of spice. I like it! Lasted pretty well, not my favourite from the line but a good scent all the same.

Miller Harris FLEUR ORIENTAL is a sweet and spicy perfume which stands out from the crowd with its combination of vanilla and carnation. The scent also seems somewhat woody to my nose, though no woods are listed as notes. I don't think that I have ever smelled a carnation-centric scent quite this sweet. I don't think that it is too sweet, but it's definitely very different from some of the carnation-clove perfumes I've sniffed (including Caron BELLODGIA). FLEUR ORIENTAL smells multilayered and complex, and the ingredients seem to be very good, as nothing disintegrates at all. This is the quality which I expect from a niche house, and I am beginning to understand why Lyn Harris has such a following...

It took me a long time to sample the MH women only range of fragrances, being a fan of the unisex and male range, which took a while to discover and acquire. So I am coming late to this and there isn't much I can add to the detailed descriptions below. Still, I would rate this quite highly, it is a very brave interpretation of the traditional oriental cannon of feminine perfumery. I can see why so many below compare it to Shalimar - they are in the same register, although I can't really find many similarities. This is a bold carnation/amber/heliotrope statement, with suitable musk base. Definitely having a retro vibe, sending one back to classic heavy hitters from the past.

Ravishing lemony-vanilla clouds emanated from my skin today with the temperature reaching a cosy 30 degrees celsius in my neck of the woods. I do admire an oriental that can withstand the heat. Semi-peppery semi-citrus sensations combined with masterfully constructed vanilla notes share traits with some of the most alluring features of masculine perfumery, however this does not compromise Fleur Oriental's beguiling femininity in any way whatsoever. Irresistible wafts of sumptuousness delighted me as the day wore on. Fleur Oriental is a captivating journey, a temperamental top matures into a reliable and thoroughly engaging masterpiece. In a word, magnificent.