Opium Eau de Toilette 2009

Luca Turin gave OG Opium a five-star masterpiece review with the nominal description of “Spice King” and called it “unquestionably one of the greatest fragrances of all time”. That review was in 2008, prior to this 2009 reformulation about which there are more complaints than praise. Let’s just get it out of the way: yes, yes, of course it’s not like the original, nothing from decades ago ever is, and so say we all. But for a bright aromatic spicy myrrh-carnation-centric oriental, it’s pretty damn good. This lives in my top 5 and is easily the longest lasting perfume in my entire wardrobe. Aside: if you take the EDT and add a spritz of Estée Lauder’s Youth-Dew, that comes close to the OG Opium of my 1980s olfactory memory. There are always layers you can add to fill in remembered olfactory gaps but not everyone likes to do that. Turin has a couple points about OG Opium: (1) it was made with drydown materials so didn’t have an arc of progression and (2) “Opium said one thing and one thing only, with tremendous force. While this was the most cogent statement ever made by balsams, one does tire of it. “ Does one? He wrote that in 2008, and this reformulation, I believe, addresses his complaint. There is a progression. A very very slow evolution, to be sure, but that’s what makes it brilliant. It takes time. I’ve put drops of Opium on cotton for my scent pendant and can still smell it weeks, possibly even months, later, just slightly changed. The progression of Opium is more like the grinding and erosion of tectonic plates than the evaporation of volatile aromatic compounds. There is far more going on in this scent than the 3/3/3 structure would indicate. There is spice and floral and citrus and balsam and a constant interplay between bright and dark. Myrrh is a complex accord on its own, and this one has been fashioned with loving spicy care. The more I smell other myrrh fragrances—and I have Opium Legendes de Chine, which is almost entirely a myrrh accord—the more I come back to this bright-dark scent. Compared to the more powdery balsamic EDP, the EDT has more tart spiciness and the citrus top stands out in contrast to the darker notes. That contrast is exactly what I prefer in a perfume. Van Gogh painted with colour oppositions, grunge music works based on a whisper to scream auditory surprise, and black and white is such a sartorial basic that even infants are drawn to it. Renaissance painters call it chiaroscuro; it’s the realization that we can only recognize light when there is shadow. I have tried to find similar perfumes with the same myrrh and spice and citrus-floral contrast. I finally just surrendered because there is nothing like Opium, past or present. It’s a solid love and I keep coming back to it year after year, decade after decade, especially when that ominous phrase — “Winter is coming” — crosses my mind.

OPIUM EDT: In this reformulated version launched in 2009 I can clearly detect the Opium DNA, however in my opinion, they are only reminiscent of the Original OPIUM from 1977. Now, the similarity of OPIUM and Opium Edt is not only in the spicy sweetness but in the structure of the perfume. Some notes such as plum, clove, peach, laudanum, coconut and the animalic power of ambergris were removed from the current formula. And despite being slightly similar to the original fragrance, little by little it is possible to perceive the hereditary connection between the two. EDT opens in a brilliant symphony of fresh, green, effervescent, somewhat citrusy and slightly soapy notes of lily of the valley, quickly merging into a somewhat spicy and floral balsamic heart. As time passes, the fragrance settles, the smells with soapy and creamy nuances persist throughout the life of the perfume, intertwining with incense, and despite the aromatic softness it continues to maintain good intensity. As in the original structure, here too everything is harmoniously rounded by two main notes: opoponax also known as "sweet myrrh" with an amber-vanilla-balsamic scent profile and especially Myrrh (balsamic, warm, spicy- aromatic and sweet) that envelop and soften the bouquet of creamy and intense jasmine and carnations in amber, incensed accords, intertwined with vanilla notes (vanilla and benzoin), sweetening the entire composition and adding aromatic richness to it. The woody and earthy notes of patchouli and vetiver move alongside the amber and always smoky accords, presented in just the right measure. Imparting refinement, depth and beauty to the drydown. Despite the reformulations OPIUM EDT is technically still a good Perfume, perfectly orchestrated and balanced. The smell of Luxury and Extreme Elegance remains. An absolutely intoxicating perfume! The substantivity on my skin reaches 10/11 hours. The latter close to the skin. With moderate to mild diffusion and sillage.

I recently got the Opium EDP and became completely addicted (I have written about this at the Opium EDP page). Shortly thereafter I just had to buy the "new" Opium EDT as well, getting it at a good price in the holiday sales. I also own an older Opium EDT (in the bottle with the rounded golden cap), which was the incentive for me to test these newer versions. Both the "new" EDP and EDT are quite far scent wise from my older EDT (they share the strength though), but each is excellent on its own. I think the new EDT comes closer to my old EDT: they both have that dryness about them; the incense, and the spiciness. The new EDT additionally kicks off with citrus and an alcohol vibe that is neither in the older EDT nor the new EDP. It also lets the white flowers shine through more clearly. To me the new EDT seems more complex and mature compared with the EDP, but less resinous, less sweet, not so ambery, and not as cosy. Almost as if the EDP is a rawer and less refined version of the EDT, although more fun with its Coca-Cola and cinnamon-buzz opening and adding depth where the EDT is all breadth. As someone else has mentioned, you don't necessarily need both the new EDT and EDP, they are quite similar anyway, but I will enjoy and wear them at different occasions, and in different moods.

I am so in love with Opium eau de toilette! It's just stunningly gorgeous and classic. Now that fall is drawing nearer by the second, I am craving this so badly! Upon the first spray, I receive the intoxicating mix of carnation, myrrh, incense, and a beautiful powdery vanilla on the dry down. This toilette lasts as if it were an EDP! It can be worn by anyone/age/sex/gender, and honestly, it is far more interesting and alluring than most of the more "now"/"modern" scents I have come across thus far. I own the EDP right now and with my purchase, received a few samples from the store's Opium tester bottle which is the toilette, and I can't get enough and will probably be back to purchase the EDT next so that I can have both in my rotation to wear for different times of the day, occasions,etc. but they also mix beautifully and create a memorable trail. When wearing the EDT to work with just a few sprays, I have already received many compliments from coworkers who are my age, so in their mid thirties as well as complete strangers chasing me through the grocery store to ask "what beautiful fragrance are you wearing?". Opium makes me feel confident, warm, alluring, and mysterious. It is a true masterpeice, and I am grateful they still have it on the market.

Opium’s warm, resinous spiciness is, without question, its dominant accord for at least the first couple of hours. It's a type of spiciness that is both sharp and broad: a punch to the nose, unapologetic and smoldering hot. But Opium also has a luxurious underlying base of amber, sweet florals, and vanilla, which round the fragrance out beautifully, grounding that potent spiciness and adding depth and breadth to the composition. Without enough sweetness, Opium could've easily been a shrieking nose-deafener, while, with too much sweetness it could've become cloying and syrupy. But the balance here is just right, in my opinion, creating a gorgeous combination of brash elegance and warm coziness. Glamor and languor. After a couple of hours, Opium mellows considerably. The amber and vanilla become prominent, while the spice and florals keep the composition warm and lush. Opium is a sexy fragrance in a very timeless sense. It’s passionate and sensual, yet it caters to no one but the wearer. It’s sexy like a tall, beautiful, dark-haired woman who builds a fire in the hearth and sits beside it naked, enjoying the heat, with no one else around. Ask me any day of the week and Opium will always be in my top three.

Hello fragrance fam, on todays reformulation guide were covering the greatest Oriental scent ever created, Opium EDT by YSL For Women! The original formulations of Opium are known for being a deep resinous cinnamon, jasmine and clove bomb. It's a dark and alluring scent with notes of myrrh and oppoponax, that is often compared to Estee Lauders Youth Dew. In it's modern form, the synthetic notes have lost a lot of the natural appeal they once had before reformulation. Generally I would state it's been reduced to a sort of sweet incense fragrance. The good part is, it's relatively easy to identify vintage Opium bottles. Basically the square red bottles, with the glass circle in the middle are the post 2009 formulations of Opium. Any of the rectangular Opium bottles with a red cap, will be vintage Pre-2009 formulations. The older the bottle, the more bold of a scent profile you will receive. * USA, visit our web store VintageDecants If you would like to sample this fragrance in it's vintage formulation, along with hundreds of other discontinued and rare fragrances to choose from. Hope this helps, and enjoy the journey!

I was SO stoked when I picked this up the other day & waited for just the right moment to re-experience OPIUM. First off, I hadn't realized it was the EDT until I got home. (Don't ask). ONE. SPRAY. Wow. Ok....NOT the fragrance I remember from the 90's, but still worth a second look & second chance. OPIUM is goddess mode...otherwise, why would I want it...but ONE SPRAY & I'm living for the dry down process! If you do more than 3 sprays of this, then you have OVERSPRAYED. Be prepared for the choking to follow. There's something "sharp" - could it be "synthetic?" that I have to wait to dissipate & then it's party time! Yes, it's a bit....nostalgic & definitely not "modern" but I am 58 & this is royalty status! I imagine a younger lady would not appreciate the gravity of OPIUM just yet, but if you got your ISH together & are finally comfortable in your own skin, then OPIUM it up!!

I don't know about anyone else, I got a bottle of 2012 batch. On my skin, I got a hint of lily of the valley opening, then seconds later, straight to the myrrhe and a well blended flowers, so it creates some deep dry rich freshness, if that makes sense. And that's it, on my skin it's pretty linear with the flowers somehow fading and I got Myrrhe with some resinous amber somewhere in the background and some sweet patches vanilla.. sadly it lasted only for 7 hours on my skin, then gone, with only 3 hours solid sillage, love the scent, SLP not really But, I wear perfumes for myself, so yeah, sillage and power doesn't really matter for me, as long as the price equal scent quality

The first time I tried this a few months ago I really disliked it and thought it smelt like a new age store full of incense. I tried it again today (along with the EDP version) and now love it. I can now strongly smell the citrus and amber notes. The carnation and jasmine is also gorgeous. I weirdly couldn't smell these notes the first time just an incense smell. Absolutely heavenly. Really coming around to loving oriental fragrances lately. I personally don't smell a huge difference between the EDT and EDP versions. I do however find the EDP can be slightly overpowering so prefer the EDT which is good since the EDP version is being phased out in stores in my country.

For back when they called these scents "oriental" and *meant* it. Opium is the reigning empress of designer oriental/ambers in my opinion. I'm a fan. And listen: if your skin is as perfume-averse as mine, and never holds a scent longer than an hour - this is the scent for you. It is the only fragrance I have come across so far that stays on me for hours and hours. And it's great - I smell like a sexy, confident, and mature woman. Perfect for the office when you're in position of power, or a date night when you're not the shy type. If you're one of these young girls looking for yet another marshmallow candy vanilla dessert scent, this is not for you.

I bought Black Opium first and sometimes I wish it was less sweet. I stumbled upon Opium EDT earlier this year and this is exactly my cup of tea. I love this so much and it hits all the right spot for me. One day, I layered the two together. 2 spritz of Opium EDT and one spritz of Black Opium and it was crazy good. So if you have the two, try this combo. The longevity of Opium EDT is very good and the sillage is great. I will definitely repurchase this version. I don’t even remember what the old formula smells like because I never owned one and must have tried it in the store back in the 90s. This one is more than good enough.

I love this fragrance. It's a warm and spicy comfort for the fall and winter. On my skin I get the tangerine and bergamot that really lets you to settle into the rich spiciness without diving in too deep right off the bat. Once the citruses fade, I'm left with a slightly floral carnation and myrrh that are undoubtedly the stars of the show. The spice from these two notes is divine. This fragrance, for me, truly shines when the spice mixes with the subtle sweetness of the amber and vanilla. It adds a balance that makes this such a cozy and comforting fragrance in the cold. This is completely unisex.

I had to have it... -And so l bought this beauty from a lady (thx a lot!), a new bottle 1FLOz with box, and it smells divided, l think like manna from Heaven! The magic is in the drydown on my skin, and, have l got any problems left in my world? No, l'm like sitting on a flying carpet, waving to Aladdin down there, and in the distance l can hear the lamp calling my name... This is such a beautiful perfume, and all the notes are blended so very well, and l must say, this perfume is for women, not babies

Just got this today, but first impression is that I really like it! I love the myrrh note, it really makes me feel I am wearing a niche scent. It is cozy and long lasting. It mixed with another vanilla perfume I wore earlier and it smelled SO good to ME. I only care about how I think I smell, and I love this, don't think it smells 'old'. Actually smells more expensive as I got my bottle on clearance at the drugstore for $17 ;)

I've been wearing all the lastest, hyped, powerhouse 'n deep Middle Eastern fragrances so I sprayed on Opium EDT to refresh my nose. It does exactly that. The top is almost effervescent, quite a French confection. One forgets Western Orientals concoct their own magic. It lasts a day on skin but it's best the first hour or two when all the notes are mixing with a complex perfume impact.

Probably more unisex than most women's fragrances i wear. I only don't own a bottle because it costs more than the women's fragrances I wear. It makes spice bomb look like a drooling baby. And I really respect spice bomb's creator. He did some big faves. But this is my favorite department store designer spice-forward, dark, smoky, vanillic, resin ravager.

I love that they update classic scents and make them more palatable for the younger generations. This Opium is just perfect. It has no sticky sugary sweetness of Black Opium but neither it smells dated. My 14 y.o. said it smells like you mean business and ready to conquer the world. I thought she would get scared of it, but she actually appreciated it.

An office-friendly, incense-based flanker to the original Opium. Really good if you do not compare to the original. The original had a seductive jolt the reformulation lacks. The sillage and longevity are moderate. I prefer the edt to the edp. Edt is more complex and has more emphasis on the citrus/spicy opening before descending into incense/amber.

I never ever want to be without a bottle of opium. A harmonious mixture of amber, florals, citruses and beautiful drydown of the patchouli. Dont be fooled by the edt this is a beast with amazing sillage and longevity. Definitely get the vintage vibe from it and not a safe blind buy. Also a billion times better than the garbage that is black opium ;)

Wore Opium EDT to bed a few times this month and it delivers the jasmin and vanilla from the top. My nose has developed, and I've thrown all sorts of barnyards and super contemporary synthetics at it, so now Opium is no longer the complex oriental it used to be for me. It's airy, flowery, and borders on sweet. Great for a guy in my opinion.