Allure Homme Edition Blanche Eau de Parfum 
Chanel (2014)

Allure Homme Edition Blanche Eau de Parfum by Chanel (2014) is really just a slight upgrade to the original Allure Homme Edition Blanche Eau de Toilette Concentrée (2008) that it quietly replaced in the same way that Chanel pour Monsieur Eau de Parfum (2014) replaced Chanel pour Monsieur Eau de Toilette Concentrée (1989). Both the original 2008 Allure Homme Edition Blanche and Allure Homme Sport Cologne (2007) were two halves of a coin minted in the wake of the limited-edition experiment that was Allure Homme Eau Fraîchissante pour l'Été by Chanel (2002), a lighter and fresher take on the original Allure Homme (1999) that itself allowed Chanel to see there was a need for flankers to the not-so-versatile OG, leading to Allure Homme Sport (2004) two years later. With Allure Homme Sport Cologne, there was an entirely unrelated DNA based on lemon and musk, while the original Edition Blanche merged the citrus tones of Allure Homme Eau Fraîchissante pour l'Été with a creamier sandalwood from the original Allure Homme to make a "lemon custard" bolstered by the tonka that would eventually make its way into Allure Homme Sport Eau Extrême (2012). All this Eau de Parfum take on Edition Blanche does is really just thicken and smooth the original so it has more relation to Eau Extrême than Allure proper, plus extends the creamy lemon beginning to ride longer into the dry down. Overall, this is the same beast as the old EdTC, so don't go out of your way overpaying for surviving bottles of it if you're not an obstinate collector needing the oldest version of everything because it's always better. I mean yeah, there are going to be some make-or-break features to any edit of a scent, as we've seen with the Les Exclusifs EdT to EdP debacle for years.

For those who've not smelled any version of Edition Blanche, what you effectively get here is Chanel Allure Homme with a big lemon meringue twist in the opening, similar to Allure Homme Sport Cologne, but with the rest of the Allure Homme DNA following it up, rather than light white musks. Bits of the aquatic vibe from Allure Homme Sport and Sport Eau Extrême also make their way into this iteration of Allure Homme Edition Blanche, which may upset some fans of the EdTC; but I like all the iterations of Allure so for me this is a total non-issue. The dry down moves past the Chanel aldehydes and lemon into these fresh showery bits, with muted spice and a surprisingly subtle lavender fougère-like accord with sage. The trademark Polge sandalwood compound is supposedly bolstered with real Australian-sourced New Caledonian sandalwood oil, although I can't say I really tell the difference if so. I typically associate naming of that sandalwood with the dry "pickle sandalwood" of Le Labo fame, and I'm not getting that here. Vetiver, tonka, creamy musks and vanilla round this out otherwise, bringing us into a more-subtle version of the Eau Extrême dry down with the finish, which I enjoy. Performance is long-lasting but like Eau Extrême, does not scream off skin beyond the first hour or two, so do not wear Edition Blanche as a clubber. What this replaces. if anything, is the need for the original Allure Homme in your collection, which lends its DNA in some fashion to most of the flankers; but on it's own, Allure Homme is just this odd sparkly champagne-like semi-oriental thing that goes on effervescent initially, then becomes this overly-polished subtle aura that few seem to have a taste for unless revisiting that era of men's fragrance.

On the other hand, Allure Homme Edition Blanche Eau de Parfum has the smoothness and the genteel nature of it's 15-year-older pillar parent, but has inherited the more-assertive and dynamic qualities of all the various flankers that have come along all the way, feeling a bit like the final form of a Dragonball Z boss in some aspects; all the best things that made its competitors worthy absorbed into itself like Cell or Majin-Buu to create this monster of a perfect being that you have no snowball's chance in Hell of defeating unless you find those dragon balls and make that wish (or do some crazy fusion-dance thing I guess). In other words, this ended up being many collector's favorite Allure Homme flanker because it combines everything about the predecessors that they liked, while cutting out everything they didn't; you get the citrus and creaminess, the rounded full-body finish, the contrast of freshness and woodiness, with enough vanilla and spice to keep it from being just another boringly dry "citrus and woods" exercise. This is the real jack-of-all-trades signature-worthy generalist Allure Homme scent that the original probably should have been, but wasn't because Chanel via Jacques Polge was still in the mode of trying to make singular distinct statement fragrances like it was still 1985. Of course something like this was going to be made exclusive to boutiques and online-only, because nobody would buy the full suite of Allure Homme flankers for every mood and purpose if Edition Blanche Eau de Parfum was on every Macy's counter, would they? The pesky $150+ price tag may also be a deterrence for some too, but this -is- Chanel after all, so these shenanigans are expected from them by now. Thumbs up

This reminds me of a fresh baked lemon pie covered in vanilla sauce. Opening is quite fresh and zesty - a burst of lemon juice. This lasts 30-40 mins and then lemon fades a bit but stays in the background. In the drydown scent is getting warmer, oriental and gourmand. Sandalwood wrapped in vanilla with a pinch of vetiver and pink pepper.

Longevity is very good - on my skin around 10 hours, sillage is weak to moderate though.

I personally prefer EDP than EDT Concentree.

Definitely thumbs up - the concept of citrus + wood is hardly new but there are enough unique little twists and delicate touches to make this really stand out. The lemon is more like a lemon curd - soft and a little bit different. The woods aren't overpowering and stay clean and fresh (unlike similar alternatives that go very dry like sniffing a pencil). The performance is really good - 3 sprays are still going strong 8 hours later - some of the initial sparkle is gone but it's still projecting. Ultimately it doesn't push many boundaries but it's a a classy safe-with-twist crowd-pleaser for sure.

Lemon. Sort of lemon cheesecake as opposed to sour lemon. This could be unisex toward masculine. (Not feminine). It's a scent to wear if you want to get close. Not cloying. Not headachy. It's different in a positive way. The last thing men need is another marine, blue variation of the same old, same old. This is unique. Also, I could not find it on the dot net sites so I went directly to Chanel. It came in a Chanel box, 2 free samples and tissue paper. Even the Fed ex box was Chanel. It brought back the magic feeling of going to an upscale department store and treating yourself rather than schlepping to a discount house and walking out with a plastic bag. The whole experience is to feel good.

This started as a like and became a love.

Kicks off with a lovely, fizzy opening that my nose initially interpreted for bright mandarin. After reviewing the note pyramid, I could probably separate sharp bergamot from fragrant lemon if I want to... but I don't especially want to. It's just nice to enjoy. There's a really nice sparkle in there - I'm not sure if there are aldehydes or if I simply expect some because it's Chanel.

Soon the effervescent citrus melts into a beautiful creamy meringue accord with the heart and base. Progression on this doesn't have any surprises, the citrus gently fades like melting lemon butter but lingers in traces. I can't tell if there's real sandalwood in this - partly because I'm a novice, and partly because the blend links everything so smoothly.

If someone with a more educated nose told me this was just javanol and vanillin holding hands with Uncle Vetiver and Aunt ISO E Super I'd be perfectly happy with that answer. This is just joy in a bottle.

The accord dips a toe into gourmand territory without ever becoming gooey, cloying or unctuous. Ultimately that's the facet of this fragrance that I really enjoy, just how light and playful it is while also being creamy and comforting.

Was performance sacrificed for this translucent quality? Yep. This doesn't project any appreciable distance beyond a handshake in the first couple of hours then nothing beyond a hug. Who cares? I get a decent six hours wear.

From what I can tell, Chanel took the “Allure” part of the name rather seriously on this one - it seems like it's meant to be a delicious skin scent to excite your partner when they're leaning in for an embrace or a quiet word - enlivening, comforting and seductive in equal measure. Thumbs up.