Birmane

A very blended, warm chic sophisticated soft oriental vanilla scent, like all my scents flowery. The scent is perfectly blended, it doesn't have an edge, only one element really pops out, but very subtly: the vanilla. Like most of my favourite scents, it contains sweet rose. This one also contains sweet orchid and fresh bergamot, the wood, the vanilla, the tonkabean and the musk make this scent oriental. The perfectly blended combination of all the ingredients, make it a mysterious luxurious scent. I really had to look the ingredients up, to know exactly what I was smelling. Too bad that it is discontinued:-(. According to this site, Jaipur by Boucheron and Casmir by Chopard are comparable, so today I went down town to try to test them. I couldn't find Jaipur at all, I did manage to find Casmir, but I really don't see it as a suitable replacement, I don't like it at all, it is way too sweet and smells like almond. EDIT: Siam Flamboyant by ID parfums, that I just bought two months ago, because I just fell in love with it, also reminds me of Birmane. It is also a oriental flowerscent with vanilla. Today I wore it on purpose to compare it to Birmane. It did remind me of Birmane and also of Casmir. It is less soft and blended than Birmane, but softer than Casmir and it is sweeter than Birmane, but less sweet than Casmir. So without realising it, I, unconsciously already bought a scent that can replace my Birmane for now, that is even cheaper:-D!

Birmane is a sumptuous vintage fragrance by Richard Herpin, like other fragrances by Van Cleef & Arpels see First and Tsar evoke magical, sophisticated atmospheres of great elegance. Birmane is part of my olfactory historical memory, after various searches I managed to find a piece that I keep as a precious simulacrum. Like all vintage fragrances, Burmese also has an important olfactory pyramid: the opening notes to the dry are citrus and fruity evoke hot exotic landscapes, the pineapple reigns supreme, the heart notes lead to wonderful secret oriental gardens where the floral accords of the rose , orchid and heliotrope find their maximum strength. When dry down, the alert and present floral notes are framed by a pleasant oriental note of sandalwood and the enveloping and powdery warmth created by the accord of Tonka bean, musk and vanilla. Unlike other vintage fragrances, the aldehydes that amplify the fragrances and the animalic notes of the civet are the great absent, but that's perfect. Birmane was a loyal and sensual travel friend, in the past together with Casmir of Chopard they educated my sense of smell to the magical oriental fragrances. Elegant, bon ton sillage, which is appreciated, delicate and powdery. Infinite and persistent duration. I still love him.

A fruity opening that I can really enjoy... It’s pleasant and perhaps a bit more floral than fruity, but the most obvious reason I enjoy it is that the opening has rosewood and I’m a hoarder for rosewood. It’s a distinctive opening and one that is unique – at least I haven’t smelled many like it. The middle accord spreads a refined floral accord. I particularly appreciate that the heliotrope comes through quite loud and heliotrope is my favorite of the floral notes of the pyramid. I get a bit of powder from the orris in the heart’s background, and that boosts a sensuality to the florals. Birmane is listed as an Oriental – Woody... the "Oriental" I agree for sure, but I don’t get much of a wood emphasis, not even in the base that lists sandalwood. What I notice is primarily vanilla, tonka, and musk... and this accord, in particular, presents that aspect of the fragrance that I, IMVHO point out: It comes across well when exhaled away from the skin but is rather too undertoned when smelled closely. Birmane is an enchanting feminine fragrance with a tender sillage and a very good staying power.

I have a few samples of Birmane. In my opinion it's more like flowery oriental. Birmane has a very good lasting power and it's a thick creamy perfume, suitable for cold days, day and night. Actually I see this particular scent more like a whole, not a composition of elements but I do detect orchid and heliotrope. I'm surprised there isn't cashmere wood because I sniff something like that... maybe Brasilian rosewood with sandalwood makes a similar combination? The scent feels a bit out-of-date, but only a bit. It's sweet in a good measure. One complaint is a burnt note that shows up. Edit: I want more! After some time I've loved it. So sad it's so hard to find... great mature red oriental. Edit 2: I've found it and I'll pay a fortune for this (in my country it's so rare and very expensive) because of the pretty orchid in it! (not to mention pretty ambery musk in the drydown). I had to "mature" to Birmane, I mean I always liked it but it's grown on me and nowadays is in my top 5. Cosy, oriental, classy and mature.

The opening is dominated by rosewood and floral notes, it soon became more powdery with creamy tonka and sandalwood in the base. I could not really picked the pineapple note, probably because it’s very well blended with other notes. Do not expect Birmane to behave like other vintage oriental perfumes because it less heavy on vanilla and no existence of spices. Birmane definitely not a beast, it has strong personality yet tender demeanor. The bottle is a beauty. It looks so impactful when the bottle with the golden juice inside showered by the soft golden sunlight that passes through the window in the afternoon.