Candide Effluve 
Guerlain (1924)
DISCONTINUED

Bergamot, citrus - lemon with an orangey tinge, and a more somber rose unite to form the triad of opening notes. Soon a fairly bright violet is added, which is not a very strong violet but slipping into the mix in a nigh clandestine manner to softly permeate it.

The drydown sees a distinctly floral turn, with ylang-ylang and muguet particularly impressive on my skin, although a gentle jasmin appears now and then in a frail way. There are moments where I can detect whiffs of a subtle and dry bitterness due to the contribution of an orris undertone.

Amber and vanilla dominate the base, a very fine amber that is on the smoother and brighter side; this all is accentuated by a clean and unstuffy touch of powderiness towards the end.

I get moderate sillage, very good projection and six hours of longevity.

A beautiful scent for warmer spring evenings, beautifully blended of top-quality ingredients, but it is never stuffy or stiff. 4/5.

What an honor to be the first Basenoter to review a vintage Guerlain scent. The review is based on vintage parfum, not the re-issue.

First the notes: Bergamot, Lemon, Violet
Rose, Jasmine, Lilac, Ylang, Muguet, Heliotrope
Orris, Patchouli, Benzoin, Tonka, Amber, Vanilla,
Musk

(These were obtained from the Monsieur Guerlain website.) Tania Sanchez notes thyme, but it is not present in this list.

As observed by the author of Monsieur Guerlain, and Tania Sanchez, Guerlain would draw from similar note combinations to form groups of scent families, from which time would winnow out the less successful. Candide Effluve is drawn from the L'Heure Bleue/Apres l'Ondee family of extremely delicate, slightly powdery, both sweet and dry, floral bouquets.

It is fresh, green and sweet upon opening, drying down to a delicate almond cream, reminiscent of L'Heure Bleue. The dryness is most probably due to orris and violet. The floral heart of lilac, heliotrope and muguet project a warm sweetness, bolstered by the slight pungency of the two flanking florals.

Monsieur Guerlain notes that “candide effluve” translates to “truthful fragrance,” perhaps referring to the innocence of guileless youth. He calls the scent “straightforward and sunny.” He notes “the pure notes of lilac and lily of the valley (muguet)” as being “intensely sweet and suggestive of springtime and floral femininity.”

He also suggests that ylang with its “exceptionally rich, creamy” qualities “is what makes Candide Effluve “self-assured more than innocent.”

The projection is strong, but subtle, and its similarity to L'Heure Bleue is impossible to ignore. I find both Candide and L'Heure to be equivalent in their success, the difference being that Candide places heliotrope center-stage, while L'Heure spotlights violet.

It has been a wonderful experience being exposed to this Guerlain creation. I read that 97 bottles in the Guerlain archives that once housed Candide were refilled with the recent re-issue for their limited release presentation. How fortunate the owners of Candide in whichever incarnation.

First Edit: 9-12-18. On my second experience with this scent, it seemed more unisex with hints of tobacco, leather and cinnamon not in the original note tree, making it veer toward the fruity floral masculine range. It is still a stunner and worth seeking out. Available from private sellers on line, although pricey. Worth every penny!