Iris Silver Mist

Iris Silver Mist has been talked about for decades now. I’ve heard it said that this was the modern iris to give permission to and enable all the modern iris perfumes afterwards that we have today. I’m not enough of a perfume historian to validate or argue that statement, but I have no problem believing it. It will never lose relevancy. I can keep my description of accords brief, there is really only one: orris. Dry, chalky, potatoey, vegetabley, bitter, cold, woody, waxy, musky, etc., it’s every aspect of orris dialed up to the same vocal volume. Roucel piled in every orris material he could find into ISM, and it shows; this iris is photorealistic to an absurd degree, like you can smell in 3D. To make sure all of these aspects were on a level field, Roucel amped them up with a splendid team of materials working behind the scenes, far from the audience of your nose and behind the stage door. Galbanum makes sure the dry, green, and vegetabley aspects get fair due. Balsams make sure the woody vocal notes ring true. Clove makes sure it stays bitter and cold. Musks, benzoin, and labdanum make sure the starchy textures keep you wanting to scratch your tongue, like after drinking strong black tea or a very tannicky red wine. ISM is linear and monodimensional, like most SL perfumes, leading many to question “what’s the big deal? Why the hype?” They are not incorrect, but very close study reveals a masterfully executed perfume of exquisite quality that gave us orris like we didn’t have it before. Enough about that. You can find plenty of wonks to tell you about all of that stuff, and likely a lot better than I can anyway. What is it like for me to wear and smell Iris Silver Mist? Honestly, it is heartbreaking. Every time I wear it I remark at its beauty, but no smile ever hits my face. It get awash in the feeling of wanting to put my head on a loved one’s shoulder and absorb the safety and comfort of their embrace. But this isn’t crocodile tears and wailing, there’s an austerity to it - a stiff upper lip - concealing a truly heartbroken character. My grandmother loved flowers, she grew irises among others, and she loved colors of red and purple. We were close; she was a lovely person whom I dearly loved. When she passed I wore Iris Silver Mist to her funeral. Black suit, with a purple tie for her, and Iris Silver Mist. The perfume reminded me to be austere, strong, and keep a stiff upper lip - but feel the emotions and accept them as well. Like Apres L’Ondee, it’s a perfume I love that precisely pokes at a specific spot in my heart, but I can rarely wear it. It’s strange to think that something I love so much can rarely receive my attention. But there it sits in one of my perfume cabinets, austere and available, ready to lend a shoulder when I need it.

I've Waited So Long... ...And frankly I never thought I'd ever get to smell this perfume, I put it in unreachable/unattainable status...but I have finally procured some and oh my it was worth the wait. I am just in this state of perfume bliss, having worn this. (FN, if you can believe it, had for a short period 30 ml travel/refill bottles in an ugly plastic container for $50) Cold? Distant? Robotic? Aloof? I am not reading any of that. Yes the iris is strong, and rooty, and dry and earthy, but maybe because I absolute love iris all of that soil and earth iris just makes me happy. There's very strong iris surrounded by galbanum and woods, heaps of vetiver and sandalwood, that as a woody green accord act almost sweet on my skin! Seriously the effect is so thick that it's chewy and edible. I adore the way the woods are used here, and gosh the sandalwood smells very authentic, and thank God they didn't just pour a bunch of Ambroxan in and call it "woods." There is this strange halo effect...I can describe it no other way. Beyond the iris powder/earth/soil and greened woods there is a high pitched shimmer of something that I cannot name. Is it the iris producing that "silver" feel? That is what it feels like. It's not cold to me though it just adds to the composition of the perfume. Actually it's amazing that they were able to pull something like that off. ISM is a bit linear but there are some surprises along the way. Occasionally I smell a smooth violet, and once in awhile the iris turns "lipstick" on me, too, along with a soapy bubble bath accord. So there are some things that just jump out. As it wears down the green notes die down and they are replaced by incense. Only into the very far drydown (I'm talking like past 12 hours) the perfume does become a bit sweetly resinous...however this never goes spicy on me (I wish I could smell the clove but I really don't.) Damn this is just beautiful. I could go on all day about how much I love this. The iris here just has every facet that you can think of, it's almost a 3D iris if that makes sense. That and they are using excellent materials for the woody background. Last, the performance is incredible, I only have 30 mls but a few sprays will last over 12 hours, and frankly ISM wears a little loud in the beginning! I have no idea how this smelled when it first came out but it seems to be well taken care of. Now I just have to add this, my spooky/scary/aloof iris perfumes are Hermes Hiris (talk about "I feel like someone just walked over my grave at midnight!") and the older formulation of Annick Goutal's Heure Exquise. I really enjoy dry woody "masculine" perfumes though so I don't read ISM in such an unfriendly manner.

Indescribably impressive iris. For my money the ultimate in purest, starkest, most uncompromising orris that's out there. The only thing fit to touch it is Xerjoff's terrifyingly expensive Irisss, and that one is a far more complex, rounder, more floral and nuanced scent which wears louder and more diva-esque. Whereas ISM is your favourite gothic novel / arthouse cinema heroine, sulking plangently over a fresh, wet grave on a cloudy, cold, damp drizzly winter's day. It's so determinedly pouty and melancholy it's almost a little bit of a parody: "this is my Serious Face". But oh, no matter the scowl, that face is so beautiful that I want to squeeze its little cheeks and kiss it just for existing. One of those perfumes which almost make you wince to sniff, it's so awesomely assured. Yes, it does realistically smell of dirty carrot, roots and geosmin, and the tiniest whisper of spice; but it all still coheres magically into one big mass of mist for me. There's almost no point trying to pick out the notes as they're so blurred (misted?) together so completely masterfully; there's very little evolution; and while the initial sillage is really, really strong, it shrinks within 3-4 h to your own private screening of the most gorgeously miserable black-and-white vintage film ever. It's not perfect, but it's beyond perfection for me. It's just the most astonishingly evocative and consistent iris aura ever formulated, that's all. ISM doesn't care to please you, or not - she is herself, herself only, and a creature and a force of nature. Iris Supreme Majesty. So: if you want a recognisably beautiful, feminine, engagingly extrovert iris scent for good times - definitely not this! No lipstick or powder or fruit at all, and certainly no sense of 'fun' or 'playfulness'. But if you want to smell of the very essence of orris, and maybe more cerebral than you really are: job done. Fascinating, chilly, aloof, mysterious, austere - all that is true. So so moody and downright magnificent, too. There is just no arguing with it. If you have any interest at all in iris, this is the very pinnacle and you HAVE to try it - even if only to define your taste and know it's not for you. But ... it leaves me dumbstruck, almost. Borderline intimidating. Empress of All the Irises, maybe. Kneel and be conquered.

In the opening of this olfactory creation, we perceive the vegetal, green and slightly aniseed notes of galbanum, an umbellifera cultivated mainly in Iran and which contributes to the famous metallic note found in Iris Silver Mist. The word "silver" in the name of the perfume probably refers to this note. After this intriguing start, we quickly notice a slightly earthy carrot smell, which constitutes the other emblematic note of this perfume. With the essence of carrot seed, perfume composer Maurice Roucel strongly highlights the root and underground aspect of the iris rhizome, which now emerges in the composition. This initial evolution is quite unique and remarkable, although it probably needs to be tamed by some people. It has a fairly cold and angular character. From there, the orris progressively takes center stage, accompanied by a hint of violet, and nuanced by a touch of clove. Since Roucel is said to have integrated every material evoking orris into his formula, we can assume that it is ionone-alpha – a material which also has a fruity and woody accent — which brings the floral note of violet that we now perceive and which softens the perfume. Likewise, orivone was undoubtedly integrated into the formula, adding a dry woody aspect to the heart, in addition to offering a camphor effect, noticed earlier, at the head of the development. The softness we begin to perceive at the heart of the perfume mingles with the butteriness inherent to orris. I wonder if this greasy effect has been slightly accentuated by a costus accord — a plant whose root has been used to produce an odorous substance (allergenic, therefore now banned) which evokes, among other things, greasy hair, earth and plaster. At this point, the perfume gradually loses its initial austerity, and it is now softness and melancholy that dominate the emotions evoked by Iris Silver Mist; emotions typical of iris based perfumes. In addition, and although we do not necessarily perceive them individually, incense, labdanum, benzoin, sandalwood and musks all contribute, in the base notes, to this soft effect.

Iris Silver Mist by Serge Lutens. I believe this is a cult classic by now, to me, not a perfume, but bottled emotion. This is a very aloof and cold perfume that somehow instills that feeling in you. Even today it is hard for me to think that Roucel created this. I never had guessed. It feels more like a Lutens and Sheldrake potion of sorrow. It should not be analyzed technically, but rather, emotionally. I never wear this except for myself. If I'd wear it, it would have to be all black, suited up. The composition exploits the most bitter, chalky, and earthy facets of orris, and it amplifies them with the help of aptly chosen notes and accords such as vetiver, galbanum, clove, frankincense, and cedar. There is a hint of resins in the base, like the promise that will never be fulfilled. It is pointless to talk about notes here, as there are only accords, only whispered suggestions. The opening is cold and bracing, bitter, and somehow metallic. Like tasting the thick fog during a cold Winter night. Then the frozen earth speaks to you. Rooty orris, like pulling the rhizomes from the bounds of the earth only to have them shatter into our hands, fragile as ice thorns. At last, cedarwood only reinforces the geometry of ice blocks with its naturally sharper profile, the frankincense circles back to the imagery of thick fog, while the faint resins almost seem to call to the pale moonlight, trying to guide your way through the cold, foggy night. Cold and poised, beautiful and aloof. In my mind, if Bram Stoker's Dracula had a signature scent, it would have been Iris Silver Mist. It is one of those perfumes that everyone passionate about this hobby should at least try once, although it might require extensive exploration to fully grasp. IG:@memory.of.scents

One of the best Lutens without a doubt. What can I say about this jewel? A masterpiece that combines both an exquisite smell of rooty iris with a whole conception of what a signature perfume should stand for imho. This is classy, moving, sophisticated, strong, unreachable, detached and still arresting. In a word : gorgeous!!! I'm afraid the people around me do not share my passion for ISM and say it smells weird, like some vegetable rotting (I won't help them by mentioning the carrots lol!) and clearly cold... as in something only aristocrats and aloof people would wear. The "uncosiest" scent on Earth. Well well... I disagree to a certain extent. I can see it is not meant to be a massive scent and indeed I wouldn't wear this to a soccer match or informal activities but I tend to think of ISM as an incredibly sexy and sacred scent... one that transports you to another level where you project an aura beyond the idea of wearing a perfume. Not that people won't notice it since that'd be impossible, but instead it is about a lack of association with general formulas of perfumes what provokes a different approach. Do I sound too random? well... I confess I've been hit by this scent and beg everyone to at least try it. Don't look for ease or pretty... you'll find something extraordinary and demanding that I'm afraid won't be easy to handle unless you try to surrender to its charms. You'll discover a gem in this muddy earthy swamp only if you choose to sink. I did. Gloo gloo gloo.

Hahaha, that was my untrained nose speaking...sniffing.. I have trained my nose the last 3 months and tested all the available Iris scents..:) so that is one of my Top 5 now! Really it haunted me..first I got a sample of 3ml and I didn t like it at all (see below) .then a few weeks and sniffed irises further I thougt I would give it a try again..and ok I liked it better , especially the carotty blast from the top notes.. but then, not enough to buy a full bottle. 2 months later...after my 15th or so Iris perfume..I came back again and I was in awe and wonder..why on earth did I NOT like it?? It is a masterpiece of changing..all it s components are detectable now for me, and the iris..it never dies in here..yes it cries as it should, but then there s a soothing accord from the warm sandalwood, the velvety vetiver and the green moss..so many different layers (faces) in one perfume.. wow.. ISM certainly is not your allday office scent, could not be.. but wear it occasionally for some quiet,autumn evenings with a wood fire crackling in your living room and enjoy.. you ll have hours to go with that perfume must agree with most others, a strange scent,weird, harsh and dusky unfriendly. the iris is sttrangled here in a smokey vetiver and that makes it stinky at least for me... in the drydown it s more soft and nearly wearable but then it s nearly gone and does not persuade me to buy a bottle. Try and sample this one before buying it for sure. Not for my sensitive nose.

If you ever put your nose above a glass jar with dried & peeled iris roots on the bottom, you get exactly the scent of ISM (except obviously for the woody drydown). Here we have the only true iris soliflore on the market, not more, not less. Soliflore, not compositions like Houbigan's Iris des Champs Extrait, Xerjoff's Irisss, Iris Pallida by Guerlain (extrait) or by Marie-Jeanne, Hiris, Iris Ukioye or Musc Pallida by Hermès, Silver Iris by Atelier Cologne, Iris Médicis by Nicolai, Guerlain's Iris Ganache or Torréfié, Chanel's 19 & 19 poudré, Prada's Infusion or Amouage's Interlude Black Iris, which are all in my wardrobe. The only fragrances which come close to the realism of ISM are Crivelli's Iris Malikhan (a bit too musky to be 100% realistic) and the precious old Iris Blanc by Guerlain (more than 100 yrs old and recently recomposed by Thierry Wasser but not for the market). ISM is a must have for iris lovers... "incomparable" as we say here in France ! Available for a few weeks right now (it doesn't happend often, so I could reassort and post this review as many asked for this juice) P.S. A few years ago, I think it was in 2017 as Iris Ganache was still on the shelves, Guerlain exhibited 6 glass jars with each of the components of Guerlinade on the 2nd floor of their flagship Champs boutique: a unique opportunity to smell iris roots (actually with white, that is peeled iris) ! Unforgettable...

I'm having an iris fest at the moment and have just tried Iris Poudre and 28 La Pausa.. Iris Silver Mist is sweeter than both of those, the commenter below is spot on - it's definitely sweetly carroty. I like it - I like carrot juice! And it's slightly woody, though 'nutty' describes it better for me, a sort of savoury hazelnut aroma. The vetiver and sandalwood are adding a velvety softness too. It's actually very pretty. It has the make-up vintage cosmetics note that iris always seems to have - a slight violet flower smell. There's also a touch of sweet, slightly undercooked bread dough. And it's quite moist/green in feel - something like wet grass.. I don't find it funereal or sad, as others have described, it must be something to do with associations. Anyway to me it's gentle But I'd say it doesn't have quite the elegant mystique of 28 La Pausa (a far more cool and elegant perfume). With just a little more violet this would remind me of James Heeley's lovely Iris de Nuit. Iris Silver Mist is less fey and fairy-tale like than Iris de Nuit though. The only thing I'd say is that the longevity isn't amazing. I'm wearing 28 La Pausa on my other arm and that's winning the sillage battle. Very nice perfume, far more comfortable to wear than I was led to believe, just a little too light for the price perhaps

Iris Silver Mist is the iris to beat all irises. Iris is my favourite note in perfumery, and I have never smelled a perfume like this one. A top-notch soliflore, it is multifaceted in its beauty: powdery, steely, shimmering, melancholic, buttery, rooty and hazy. I managed to find a decant online, and I'm in love - if anyone is willing to sell me a bell-jar, I'd be most grateful! ISM opens with vegetal, rooty orris, carrot-like as other reviewers have said, very smooth and buttery, but intense - a dark, grey cloud. It tapers off as it develops, becoming more floral - powdery with a slight shimmer. Galbanum gives a beautiful, hazy green undertone, subtly enhancing the floral aspect of the iris. There is a soft woodiness as it dries down, again complementing the soft, powdery iris to perfection. There is a lovely earthiness too that emerges at the later stages, enhancing the rooty aspect of the orris. As it fades to a skin scent, some slightly animalic musk emerges, but it remains iris-dominant until final fade. Sillage and longevity are moderate. A simple but perfect iris soliflore, ISM is unisex, the gold standard for all iris lovers. A personal favourite. For me, it brings to mind winter becoming spring. The most iris-y iris ever to iris. Sublime. 5/5.

I think to most people, at least the ones not crazy about fragrances, Iris Silver Mist doesn't smell like they expect perfume to smell. There are flowers but not. Some earthy woods, bordering on an edible rootiness. Non-human musks, dark, pristine, ethereal. Whereas Hiris by Hermès is all soap and powder, Iris Silver Mist takes you back to a nature that was before man and will be without him, looking back at his hubris. How, of all things, could THIS be an artificial product? I bought it compulsively, painfully waited until I got home, ripped it out of the packaging and sprayed it all over myself. Lying on my bed, immersed in smell, I felt like the pale liquid in the shiny black atomizer was my lifeblood. I was already afraid I would run out of it. The raving reviews, both positive and negative, are very appropriate. Iris Silver Mist provokes an emotional response. Those open to it's strange beauty will experience rapture, the kind you feel when listening to a challenging expressionist piano piece or reading a book you didn't read when you had to in school, just to find out how unexpectedly dark, scary it is - and strangely relevant to you. Like the work of art that Iris Silver Mist is, it really seems larger than life. A true Serge Lutens flower.

Most reviewers say that this smells like roots and dirt in the opening. I don’t get that, probably because I’m not a gardener. What I get is a well-blended but spare mix of iris, incense, and sandalwood, cold and extremely austere. I love it, but the thing about it is, well, the strange effect it has on my emotions. An effect I find hard to explain. OK, the analogy just occurred to me. It’s like Clive Barker’s writing. Barker is a horror writer beyond compare, and I own a lot of his stuff, but I don’t think I’ve read any of it more than once. It just creeps me out too much. The stuff in it is utterly implausible (and Barker himself doesn’t actually believe in any of that occult nonsense), but I feel like if I read it too much, I would believe in it. And then I’d go insane. How could a perfume, as coldly beautiful as it is, have a similar effect? Who knows? I just know that Iris Silver Mist is the opposite of a comfort scent for me–a discomfort scent, if you will. It makes me nervous. It’s what my evil twin would wear. Fittingly, my husband hates it more than any other perfume I’ve tried. He literally ran out the door the first time he smelled it. Let’s stop talking about it now, shall we?

Cold garden earth and green carrots, bitter cloves and damp irises hidden between cedar trees I have been trying to get a decant for years now in order to finally sample this elusive Paris exclusive. Indeed I briefly started losing faith in Uncle Serge as there are so many brilliant modern irises on the market that made me waver for a moment, thinking can this really still be that good? ISM is surprisingly abstract, "Mist" feeling really appropriate in the way it travels off the skin without ever condensing or solidifying. The iris powdery carrot like oily bitterness is there, but feels distant like being viewed from inbetween dense earthy mossy cedars in late winter, where the earth has turned pale and icy and the wood itself papery and cold. Cloves being a steady bitter contrast, some classical amber touches bring finesse and wearability. To me it is a fragrance that feels completely removed from human contact, minimal musks to warm it out or ground it, like an undiscovered iris patch in a lonely cedar thicket. Yet it’s undoubtedly beautiful and mysterious at the same time, like something you are not meant to discover and accidentally catch a glimpse off never to forget it.

Such an interesting scent! I smelled this on a paper strip provided by a dear friend of mine and was quite impressed with it. I do describe this as a flour-coated clean, wooden furniture. It kind of has an unusual texture. It is pretty powdery but not in a makeup powder or baby powder way but more chalk/flour-like. It also kind of has a really faint carrot-like note in it but its totally masked with this flour/chalk like texture. There is nothing sweet or floral nor perfumey about it which is what really draws me into this scent. Although this is still a clean and pretty sterile scent, in fact its quite acrid, yet it gets a little soapy as it lasts long and stains on the paper. Although I haven't smelled iris all by itself in real life, i'd confidently say that it would probably smell close to this. But I still need to try this out on my skin to truly see how it will work and behave on me or whether it is something i would want to wear. Compared to most iris scent which tends to be delicately fresh, clean and feminine, this one exudes a more unisex, aloof and serious character. I see this more as an older professional wearing a black turtleneck and black pants.

Awe how i love this perfume. Too bad it’s discontinued. I still have about 15ml left. Which I use sparingly. And yes I saw that they’ve brought it back on the website but Serge Lutens has sold out to Shiseido long ago and the Iris Silver Mist u now see for sale is nothing like the original that took everyone by storm and took my breath away. Oh if I could only find a vintage bottle of ISM. I’m a huge Iris fan. Another very good Iris perfume is from Lorga. I was shocked that Lorga made such a masterpiece Iris perfume, especially since none of the other offerings from this house are any good. And the sadly discontinued Ormonde Jayne Vanille D’Iris is also very very good. If you’re a huge fan of Iris. But my absolute favorite is Iris Ganache by Guerlain. It’s been long discontinued and impossible to find. I have a 2ml sample left and would love a bottle but not gonna pay 3 times for it. It’s beautiful but the Lorga Iris perfume I think is even better. I sprayed it twice on my hand last nite and it’s almost noon now and I can still smell it’s beauty. Lorga really did amazingly good with this one. It’s a must for any any Iris lover to have in their collection...imho

Iris Silver Mist and the impossible to find, vintage Iris Gris are the two great reference iris perfumes that all other iris perfumes should be judged against. All of these years later and nothing has come close to ISM’s feast for the orris lover. Nothing else serves up the scent of wealth and impeccable taste in such satisfying abundance. When I first started wearing it my nose focused on the cold, flinty, anise and clove accord that makes the opening so challenging to some. Like in the best of SL perfumes, the accord is an unexpected stroke of genius that makes more and more sense, smells more and more beautiful with each wear. After some time, I now see ISM set up like this: an overdose of iris materials with the cold, rooty, earthiness highlighted in the front and the leathery, musky, suede-like warmth highlighted in the rear. It evolves like a rhizome in the chilly soil of April to dug up, dried out and dusty at the end of August. And it all works so well because the concentration of iris is so rich that it shines through at every stage. This one is a masterpiece and a litmus test to determine whether or not you love iris perfumes. 5 out of 5.

Thank you Nathalie, an inspiring Fragrantican, for the gift of this sample. I am overjoyed that it works so well on my skin. This is my first real iris experience and I am amazed that there is a perfume that captures the essence of a spring garden right down to the earthy roots, dirt and scent of flowers. This smells like an early spring dusk in that betwixt hour where the sun has set but its’ not quite dark. The air is moody, and the world feels magical and other worldly. New plants are pushing up and you are spellbound with nature’s rhythms. On impulse you pull out a clump of new growth and shake the dirt from the roots. This sweet smell of nature and renewal is Iris Silver Mist. Its’ own transformation starts with the opening of wet soil, raw roots and a cool greenness. It evolves beautifully into a dreamy soft violet powder. I can see where it might remind some of a carrot smell in the beginning, but on my skin it doesn’t cross the threshold to vegetable. It stays in wild Wiccan root territory, It is so different, and such a master work that it will transport you to a new ethos where nature reigns. Roucel’s magnum opus.

After years of reading about this perfume, and reviewers like Turin awarding it the highest acclaim, a friend very kindly brought me back a bell jar from Paris. I absolutely fkn hated it. In fact, it took several wears, and many moments of quiet contemplation, before one day it just clicked. What an absolutely fabulous perfume. It’s unlike any iris I’ve ever encountered. Cold. Witchy. Vegetal. Metallic. Frankly, it’s everything except the soft, buttery, creamy or waxy iris that I’m usually drawn to. Those same facets you might expect to find in many accomplished compositions considered works of art, their creators having spent countless hours selecting the finest materials before patiently carving them into the ultimate expression of iris. Iris Silver Mist, by contrast, feels like standing before the very block of marble from which those works were carved. Not yet sculpted. Not refined. Not shaped to please its audience. Just the most beautiful piece of raw stone imaginable. It sits at the foot of the finished sculpture as a quiet reminder that beauty doesn’t always need polishing.

Serge Lutens has again created another polarizing scent, but in this case, at this point, I'm a strong fan. My first test from my spray sample was lovely Iris. Dry, dusty, powdery, slightly sweet, billowy Iris. Unfortunately I didn't give it much time to develop since I wore it only an hour or so before my shower. But this time is different. Again I get the very very beautiful Iris. But the drydown. . . Speechless! This becomes a scent very very close to the skin. But there's an astonishing amount of complexity in what initially seems to be a rather linear (albeit lovely) soliflor. In this drydown, I'm catching fresh and bright, akin to Clary sage. I suspect the vetiver has something to do with that, though I don't directly detect vetiver as a distinct note. The composition is undoubtedly artfully blended and I can see why many would be pinning for a bottle. I just can't justify the price, unless I was to find a really good deal. My mind tells me there has to be a good budget alternative, and my mind has rarely led me wrong (that last part is a total lie, by the way).

On my skin, I get a strong metallic powdery iris note, supported by a fantastic bitter galbanum and subtle vetiver in the heart. At that stage, it vaguely reminded me of Amouage Opus VII. In the drydown, an ashy incense note appears, that will then slowly morph into a very strong cloves note that will takes the lead until the end, sharing similarities with Serge Noire. The iris here is very earthy/buttery (do not expect Dior/Prada lipsticky iris). Opens unisex leaning feminine, and closes masculine. It's dark, and definitely not a crowdpleaser. I can see the idea of "funeral" others have expressed previously. Not a "love at first sniff" since it was initially very powdery iris dominated, but now some air apparently helped the galbanum and spicy notes to develop. A very unique and interesting take on iris, that is now probably in the top 20% of my collection, and probably the most beautiful iris fragrance I ever smelt, together with the legendary Chanel No.19. Spring/Fall rainy days, 30+ Note: review edited since it went from a like to a love.

On the opening, it's the most glacial, frosty, devastatingly beautiful flower, frozen in time and space, appearing from a sort of rooty, carroty, almost soily broth, before the tiniest soupçon of incense swirls in, making it slightly warmer, although no less sinister. I've never smelled anything like this before, and it usurps Iris de Fath as the best roots-and-all, natural, witchy iris masterpiece I've come across. Many people below mention sadness. This isn't sad to me, it's a laughing imp, yes with a wicked demeanour, but with a twinkle in the eye. There is an almost chocolatey, enveloping cloak that comes from very rich, realistic orris (see Melt My Heart), and makes this a very cosy scent to me. I guess it's like Cruella's most exquisite stole, which provides her with luxuriant comfort but may appal those who behold it. Don't listen to those who say it's unwearable. Wear it and go about your day. You'll be rewarded! Update: it's brutal in even slightly warm, humid conditions. Still the greatest iris though.

I've spent my year going to the Serge Lutens store to smell that fragrance, and the first time I was taken back because I've never smelled an iris like this. I do not scent the other iris perfumes as I used to after having the pleasure of smelling Iris Silver Mist. My mom gifts me this masterpiece for Christmas. I was not really convinced by the bottle, but it's incredible. I love iris,, and the only fragrance I love as much as this one is Iris Pallida from Guerlain. Iris Padilla would be the warm and rich iris, and Iris Silver Mist is the essence of grey/mauve. It's cold, and it has a ghostly presence. You smell it randomly during the day, getting a whiff of the incredible and kind of hard-to-describe scent. Cold iris, carrot with a cold woody quality in the dry down. It's not even green to my nose ; it's grey in the best way possible. A perfume that makes me wish that I could smell every note before it's blended because it's so beautifully done that I would not be able to pinpoint anything beside iris.

As I sit writing this review in mid-December, it occurs to me that Iris Silver Mist is the antithesis of a holiday season perfume. I would never wear it to a festive party or a family gathering because it is so inward and contemplative. However, I'm finding that it works perfectly when I have the kind of sensory overload you get from too many Christmas carols and too much glitter and retail red. ISM suits a walk in the woods, an evening curled up with a good book, stargazing, watching a black and white movie...things like that. I wear it when I want to live in my head and not in the world, and it is absolutely ideal for those situations. If you are a Lutens fan and haven't tried this one, be aware that it is unlike the others. No heavy Eastern influence for one thing, and it was created by Roucel, so the Sheldrake spice signature is absent. I would recommend ISM to anyone who loves Mitsouko: they smell totally different but create the same sort of mood.

Iris so purple it turns green. It breaks the cozy illusion of the note by leaving it so central above everything else, a near-soliflore built into a 4D version of itself. The supporting elements create the perfect roomtone for the glimmering iris; cold, earthy, ancient, yet futuristic. I don't feel like it's impersonal, it's got the aura of a quiet yet comforting friend. Warm in unexpected and profound ways. The ephemeral and airy nature is a perfect exercise in restraint. It’s as if someone is singing the prettiest melody so quietly as to not wake someone in the next room. The "shushy" nature ends up feeling like the whole point. There's not a single rainy day this year where I wanted to reach for anything else. I have an immense fondness for the few scents that, upon first sniff, immediately overshadow the rest of their genre. Iris Silver Mist is this and so much more, easily a top three fragrance for me, and perhaps first on a good day.

Wow...this has character! After initially spraying this on paper, I was so amazed by this that I doused myself in it in the shop. I have been looking for a carroty, earthy, true iris for a while, and was convinced that this is it. It really smells like nothing else, and like no other iris perfume you'll ever smell. In the first half hour to an hour it is like iris on ice, super cold. Good, good, I kept thinking, for a soft floral iris I have my no 19, or the hermes, this is something different, for days when one needs drama. But, there's a but. Very sadly, I have the same problem with this as I do with every other SL composition - in the end, there is something about all of them that is invasive, bossy and cloying. I really hoped this would be an exception, but, alas, it too began suffocating me after a couple of hours. It's like it changes character completely, transforming from someone very aloof to someone very needy. What a shame.

An austere, pale-green, dusty iris. Every iris I own has its own beauty, and this one has a very particular feeling. It’s melancholic and cocooning at once; like shivering under a duvet, trying to warm up: you’re sheltered, yet you still feel the cold... The vegetal, earthy facet of carrot seeds emerges more clearly toward the heart. I enjoy that note, but the selective should take heed. As it develops, the pale-green iris begins to grey; like Silent Hill ash drifting down from the sky. What remains is a cold, musky powder, a hush that closes the door gently from the inside. Edit: I’ve spent quite a bit of time with this perfume, and I’m experiencing something interesting: sometimes I get that cold, crisp vibe I described earlier, and other times it turns into a violet-heavy, vintage powdery feel. It’s fascinating... Tag(s): cold iris, pale green, violet, melancholic, cocooning, austere, vintage lipstick

WOW.... That's the first thing I said when I smelled this beauty! This is the spirit of winter in a bottle; no, not Xmas spirit, I'm talking the real spirit of winter, the one that lives in the heart of the immaculate mountains, surrounded by a procession of lightfooted snow nymphs with frozen lips. This spirit is not cold hearted however, and after the first blast of chilly gust that precedes its arrival, it unfolds a warm welcoming heart. The ice melts, a beautiful purple grey iris emerges amidst delicate vetiver roots. There is something heartbreaking in this fragrance, like a neverending swan song...yet, not gloomy or funereal. Now, if only this winter spirit wouldn't be so hard to see, so shy... I wish it would stick around longer, and stop being so elusive. Which makes me want more; ever since I saw it, I can't think of anything else... Iris Silver Mist...I love thee.

To my nose, Not as metallic and earthy as everyone claimed it to be. Which is better in my book. More often than not, earthiness just smells like must to me. This is anything but that. Clearly an iris that is so full bodied yet never Not an iris. It is cold and enveloping, purple and soothing. Without ever being airy or ‘thin’. The clove is indeed present but it doesnt overwhelm or make things too camphorous. Its more like the aftersmell if that makes sense. Like the moment i stop sniffing, i get a clove finish. So good! Its also nutty to me. In a fatty way. Fatty woody waxy iris. Also vegetal without greenness. Very carroty at the start then dries into something powdery violet like without any hint of floral vivacity. Truly a ROOT scent. 10/10. Bas de soie is rather similar to this but that one is way greener, sharper and less heavy on iris.

Small warning: I just bought a brand new ISM as the website restocked and my older 2015 bottle was getting low. They definitely changed at least one component, probably updated an ingredient, giving the composition a subtle synthetic vibe that is familiar from most perfumes currently on the market. Overall, it’s the same as always and I could only tell for sure when I wore the two versions on separate hands. But the older version has this dry, dusty finish, a kind of quirky off-note which I actually love, while the newer one is simpler and sleeker with a slight saccharine/chemical sweet note. It could be much much worse but in case anyone is considering purchasing a new bottle, it’s still a great perfume if only slightly less magical. To be fair, I don’t even notice the change unless I am comparing them side by side. 5 out of 5.

1) God exist, his real name: ISM In perfumery notes that appear when you do not expect them require high technical expertise. The ultimate example is Iris Silver Mist (probably the best perfume on earth in my opinion). An iris scent from head to bottom. All the time. If you put only iris in a bottle, your product is already unaffordable (the iris is one of the most expensive ingredient), and in addition the scent is frustrating because it does not start. By ingenious and clever tricks, Roucel managed to evoke the iris starting to bottom (by evocations of carrots, violet, resins wood, roots, etc ...). He turned a lot of materials such that they are facing the iris, only to the iris. This exercise requires an unstoppable technique, a unimaginable mastery of materials that few perfumers can claim to achieve.

As other reviewers have pointed out, ISM shows you many different faces of the iris root. Everyone of them is interesting. I don't smell any shocking carrot juice in the beginning, only a slightly sweeter face of the iris. Later a woodier one takes its place, followed by an earthy one, and so on. I suspect that at every use the different aspects come out in different ways, depending on the heat of the skin, the humidity and the temperature of the weather, etc. That makes it unpredictable and always new. I don't feel it as a "sad" perfume. Though, it's not a party one, and I'm sure it helps me think better about myself when I'm lying in my grave at midnight in the cemetery ;) This fragrance has the power to transform you into something else, possibly a better yourself. How many perfumes can do that?

I am speechless and it doesn’t happen often. This is an outstanding fragrance. Masterpiece. Probably not easy to wear, neither easy to love. It is very unusual and everybody should have it in his or her “25 must try before I die” I like to write technical reviews, however this fragrance doesn’t respect any rules or associations. For me, it feels I died and came back again. The notes? Sorry but I can’t kill the mystery and the beauty. It is like love. If you try to understand it or to include it in a mathematic formula, it becomes ordinary. Maybe I should write poetry... But I am not good at that. So Maurice Roucel you have my heart. This fragrance is something you have to experience and not judge or analyze. Realistically is 11/10. But I like to think nothing is perfect so I would go for 9.99/10.

Wearing ISM is like wandering in mid-autumn rain in Berlin with nothing but a mint cigar and stone grey trench-coat, tender, metallic and cold. Well, the top notes are rather harsh, though after initial 30 minutes of dry down Iris Silver Mist gradually stabilizes toward an earthy, woody scent with a barely there hint of sweetness. Imagery: the last bard of this century wandered in the asphalt forest, and he thought about foliage, antler and dreams, before it all went down. This is all smoke and mirror, a type of elegance subtle and reserved, a delicate balance between something poignant, something remote. Edit: after been playing with the ISM for about a year, I’d say mind the warm weather, it has a tendency to turn ‘cute and sweet’ near the base notes in those midsummer nights...em...

After years of wearing ISM I find that the poetic descriptions of chilly iris roots and cloudy grey skies don’t suffice to describe it. The legend of Maurice Roucel pouring every iris molecule in the lab into it to attempt to satisfy Serge Lutens also distracts from the reality that ISM is a very smart, beautifully balanced iris perfume with a lovely contast between the cooler, metallic aspects of carroty iris enhanced by cloves on one side and the buttery, expensive hand cream aspect enhanced by amber on the other. I also found ISM somewhat strange in the beginning but within a few days it was true love and after a few years it’s prettier than ever, nothing spooky or disturbing about it. Give it a chance, you might be surprised by how objectively beautiful, even pretty it is.

The most beautiful perfumes, in my opinion, have some kind of unresolved conflict. As in Vol de Nuit, where we never learn the fate of the doomed pilot, Iris Silver Mist never fully reveals itself. The squealing, dissonant violin overture creates a violent canvas upon which Iris's quivering, baritone crooning can only read as sinister. The sparse accompaniment of Vetiver and carnation give the impression of massive but undefined space, like dim, flickering light bulbs in a vast, pitch-dark warehouse. It meanders woefully and aimlessly as it fades to obscurity, but the feeling of dread lingers like the memory of a fever dream. Iris Silver Mist is a serious work of art; the fact that it is wearable is merely a bonus. Monumental.

This is one of these perfumes that you, once tested, will never forget. It is not only masterful, it is also completely timeless. It smells so modern after all these years, and also so out of this world that it still strikes me as unusual, although there have been so many interpretations and imitations of ISM. Basically it is a cold, сold like ice, earthy rooty iris on a cedar-vetiver base, noble, angelic, but also restrained and unfriendly (in the best possible way). I imagine a beautiful anthropomorphic alien, androgynous or more on the masculine side, stately, and strangely attractive, could be the ultimate wearer of this. Sounds a bit crazy, but this is how it feels :) Angels and aliens in disguise, this is for you :)

This perfume is an absolute gem! Truly, such an ethereal masterpiece. In the opening, my nose somehow detects lavender. It comes off a bit medicinal and syrupy at first. However, this quickly dissipates into the purest, dewy iris scent. As you continue to wear it, it takes on an earthy quality as well. It’s a bit eerie, like talking a stroll in a cemetery. This is an iris that transcends time. It feels haunting and crisp, like a wisp of brisk night air blowing through an open window and billowing curtains. Iris silver mist brings to mind the vision of a gentle fog engulfing a moon shrouded garden. Or, perhaps, the apparition of a victorian woman’s ghost wandering about vacant hallways.

This is a "perfect storm" fragrance. It was built on the foundation of an overdose of a raw material called orivone, which is orris-smelling but has some terpenic offnotes. The way the perfumer built around this, keeping both the orris note along with the terpenic freshness to combine into this masterpiece is something extraordinary. The marketing team who chose the name of this fragrance must also be commended, as truly it evokes a certain sparkling mist that is almost as irresistible as the orris itself. This fragrance is a result of brilliant minds coming together at the right place, at the right time. Wonderful, captivating, and enjoyable all the way.

I like to call it my "Hermann" fragrance, alluding to ELDO's recent launch and its premise: that a perfume can be your alter ego. The softness, persistence and quiet, steady developement of ISM are nothing short of genius and very much in tone with its character. It doesn't say "notice me", "I'm desirable" or even "I'm edgy" at any point. It's not sweet at all, not easily likeable, not flirty. Instead it gives you a silent look that you can't forget, if that makes any sense given the fact that it is invisible. A perfume for those days when you don't feel like putting on Perfume, capital P, and instead choose to wear an extension of yourself.

Stunning noirish Floriental disguised as a floral woody musk this is one of the few non Sheldrake offerings from Serge Lutens. Helmed by Maurice Roucel almost three decades ago when the brand was just formed the scent is an icy cold iris which opens briefly with whiffs of galbanum, clove, vetiver and incense proceeding to a solid orris butter heart and settling on a powdery bed of synthetic amber, musk, sandalwood, benzoin and cedar. The unisex scent has moderate projection and very good longevity. One of the few iris based scents that will be equally fetching on a man as a woman, this dark beauty is a modern perfumery marvel. Enjoy!

Another glorious iris scent I have discovered - next to Dior Homme, Infusion d ́Iris and Bois d ́Iris by Van Cleef & Arpels...and alongside with No.19. ISM gives me a strange first note, reminding me of vegetable (carrots maybe ?) but it is a somewhat delicious one. Strange but appealing. Then it develops sweet on me. There is no cold, no icy flair in ISM as I expected after having read so many reviews. On me ISM is a really soft, close-to-the-skin iris. This is an iris which I could imagine on Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany ́s. ISM, too is aloof but very elegant, dreamy, romantic and simply loveable.

I managed to get hold of a decant after discovering perfume nerdery on the internet. So totally blown away by the magic of this and consequently all the Lutens that I actually made a pilgrimage to Paris from Australia largely motivated by simply needing to get to the Palais Royal... This is a dry minerally cold earthy carrotty frag. Many fabulous descriptions here. An absolute must have because it is just extraordinary. Of any perfume I can think of it totally suits being with my horses (and not just the carrots!). I can still remember the evocative reviews that I first read years ago.

I have had a decant of Iris Silver Mist in my possession for about 5 years, and I never tried it until now. I guess I was intimidated by these reviews and its exclusivity. It sounded so complex. Well I've discovered that it's actually extremely simple. When I was in college, I would often grab a bite at a cafe that served all-natural food. They had this delicious shake made with fresh carrot juice and vanilla ice milk. Throw in some mildewy clothes and a little incense, and voila! Iris Silver Mist. My college years in a bottle. Absolutely love it. Bought the cloche.

Spicy opening that's somehow cool at the same time. I'm guessing the cool note is the violet. Cold earth, roots; a vegetal rather than powdery iris. This has the cold, almost mildewed dampness that I associate with some patchouli fragrances. As it dries down develops a lipstick/pressed powder quality. Ends as a soft musk that stays close to the skin. Brutal and almost unwearable but fascinating all the same. I can see why it's so highly regarded. It's definitely not something you wear to smell "pretty" but because it's a unique, complex edifice of a fragrance.

The fabled one. The mystery of the earth, the one and only perfume to wear when you go to your horses and gallop from earth to heaven. Yes it is a monument and I'm not capable of adding anything to what has been said already. Like with all great art, I ponder what went on between Roucel and Lutens, like what Botticelli did when he stood in front of his blank canvas. Strangely It is one of the few masterpiece perfumes that to me does not speak that loudly of its name; it is the earth and its purple evening gravity that I hear with this, not cold mist.

I have finally treated myself to this beauty, and - I have been missing out on something quite special. This doesn't need a long review, because numerous perfume critics have already done their bit to sing this classic's praises, but I will say: it doesn't bore me. There's nothing banal or predictable here, but the whole is somehow still pretty, still eminently wearable. Everything is here: the wetness of the roots, the sweetness (I've never loved clove so much in a perfume), the expensive woody base...I will wear this a lot, I have a feeling.

In the Serge Lutens wearable art/masterpiece category for me. It is the most fascinating iris perfume experience I have ever had. It starts off as carrots and imparts this iciness that is difficult for me to describe. In fact much of the first 2 hours or so are difficult for me to describe because I dont have a reference point, before the Serge Lutens musk and a more familiar iris begin to emerge. Not my personal style, but one that perfume lovers should experience. A completely non-feminine, non-powdery, non-dainty iris!

Serge Lutens Iris Silver Mist (1994) - rooty iris - story goes that #mauriceroucel placed every single iris-like ingredient he could find and mixed it into this perfume until Mr. Lutens was satisfied. And that’s indeed what you get - dry, rooty, slightly powdery, and almost carrot-like Iris. It’s contrasted by a green Galbanum accord and a woody base, but stays true as an iris soliflore. Fragrances at this level are talismans, able to ward off any emotion and perfect if you like your disposition - cold and frosty.

Prada Infusion's somber brother who just came back from the 19th century with a time machine. She is luxury hotel soap, he is hand cream. He lives in a country mansion: no wood, just stones and clay. He would sit at the front door and contemplate the fog, sometimes joined by a distant relative in a grey shirt named Narciso. There's a vegetable garden in the backyard, the soil always moist: that same garden where years later Maurice Roucel grew violets and composed Dans Tes Bras. Iris: the root, not the flower.

Such an unusual scent. The opening is reminiscent of carrots, subtly sweet, with a waxy feeling, which I found odd at first. I can't really feel anything metallic like some said, it's waxy and powdery. It's quite delicate, feels like something distant, dreamy, lost in the mist... otherworldly. An intriguing, beautiful, ethereal fragrance. It really has the color of its name: pale, misty, silvery with a touch of lilac. The silver here is not metallic, it's like a shimmery, iridescent dust.