Guerlinade
Guerlain (1924)

Disappointing, actually. I paid a LOT for this little ¼ sample and it’s too much perfume and less the guerlinade base I was hoping for. The florals and bergamot really dominate and it’s that sticky bugspray bergamot that kills Shalimar on my skin. This might be fabulous on another chemistry. On me, it starts like a vintage fragrance just about to go bad, drying through a Shalimar like citrus vanilla and ending with bright bug spray bergamot and a lovely but faint dense vanilla orris base. Oh, well. I got to try it at least.

A review of the original Pure Parfum:

The opening is the beginning of a delightful olfactory journey. A combination a superb jasmine, a fairly bright rose and an orris that is skillfully woven into the opening moments make for some magic moments, when a carnation develops after a short while - unique.

The drydown adds a soft and ambery patchouli that occasionally shows touches of crispness and whiffs of garlic; yet overall this patchouli is neither harsh nor abrasive; this is not Tom Ford's Purple Patchouli. I get a good lashing of benzoin here, and a bit of incense and myrrh to, but the latter is quite restrained in me and lacks any ceremoniousness.

Heading towards the base one witnesses an olfactory sea change toward the animalic: a strong and musky civet arises quite rapidly, culminating in a strong castoreum with all its spicy harshness. A groundswell of an ambergris develops gradually and adds its characteristic spicy saltiness with the right amount of bitterness to complement the animalic notes. Moments of an earthy vetiver-like impression are present towards the end.

I get moderate sillage, excellent projection and a stupendous longevity and twelve hours in my skin.

This wintery scent for evenings makes for sone magic moments. Whilst the heart notes are a not always of the most remarkable nature, the delightful original top notes as well and the animalic base are memorable. The base in its uncompromisingly skanky and raw nature must have been quite a daring concept when this creation was released. The quality of the ingredients is top notch. The performance more than fulfills the expectations one has from a pure perfume. Overall. 4.25/5.

Guerlain – Guerlinade (1924)

Guerlinade is the base of 8 notes from which most of Guerlain's classics have been derived. According to the expert site, Monsieur Guerlain, these are the eight:

Bergamot; Jasmine; Rose; Orris; Tonka Bean; Vanilla; Resins – Choice of Patchouli, Amber, Styrax (Benzoin), Frankincense, Myrrh; Animal tinctures– Choice of Ambergris, Castoreum, Musk, Civet.

In later incarnations orange blossom and sandalwood were added to this iconic blend.

Monsieur Guerlain also states that the date of release given the scent (1921) is incorrect and that it was not sold until 1924.

There are reviewers here who swear it is a soliflore lilac, but no such note appears in the original note tree. If anything, I get a very strong carnation note. Quite apart from clove oil, this is pure carnation oil to my nose. This puts me very much in mind of my favorite Guerlain, Sous Le Vent (1933).

It may very well be that the combination of the rose, jasmine and orris note give the “impression” of carnation. Such may be the perfumer's art.

It may be that those reviewers who detect a soliflore lilac are confusing this with Guerlain's Guerlilas (1930), which is just that. It may also be that lilac was added to a later reformulation of Guerlinade.

My decant is from a vintage bottle of the 1920s, so I am certain I am describing the original. This is as close as I will get to Sous Le Vent. Our noses are so individualistic, who knows what another might experience. If you base your judgment on the 8 original notes and know you are dealing with a true original vintage bottle, you can't go wrong.

Another great from the greatest of all houses.

A light, yet insistent rendition of lilac. I am reminded of Parure without the headiness. This is like a quiet veil. As beautiful and similar to any lilac I have yet to try. Just about perfect. Airy, possibly powdery but not baby powder, this is the real deal. A true soliflore of distinction. Even slightly green and citrus which prevents it from being too sweet to my nose. Sadly, this is discontinued and rare as hen's teeth. Rich and delightful as the name implies.

I tested this on my arm a few days ago in a shop that has some old Guerlain stock. I don't know if it was the 1998 or the 2005 version, but here is my impression:

Guerlain's Champs Elysees + Terracotta. A mimosa floral over the sunbaked and slightly rubbery scent of clove and tuberose. It has a light drydown with a hint of vanilla. It is carefully blended and is better than either of its parents. This perfume has good longevity and surprisingly strong sillage.

Guerlinade gets a neutral for two reasons: 1) I find it rather uninspired for a Guerlain, and 2) there is very little of the namesake "Guerlinade" i.e. tonka, vanilla, herbal touches, etc.

I must give them kudos for the packaging, which is beautiful. If I were a bottle collector, I would buy it simply for the gorgeous little bottle.

This is a wonderful perfume. At first it seems like a simple cheery floral with a little powder, but it soon reveals something going on underneath that gives it an interesting edge, as well as depth without any trace of heaviness. My nose was instantly struck by the quality, which in this case is as good as it gets. This beautifully made fragrance is devoid of any hint of pretentiousness, and seems to be all about simple beauty, as opposed to the ravishing grandeur often associated with Guerlain.Like a lot of people, I was surprised that this perfume had very little in common with the great Guerlain classics, but after trying it for a while I recognised it lurking underneath other Guerlains, especially Vol de Nuit -although it wasn't what I would have considered one of the defining notes.While this might not be a ground-breaking masterpiece, its refinement and delicacy mean it is an exquisite perfume.

The joke is on me. I completely expected powder. After all, Guerlinade is the term for the Guerlain base, right? This lovely perfume is clear as a bell and vigorously floral. Here my most surprising discovery: Guerlinade is the best lilac perfume I have ever smelled. To me, it is almost a soliflore (yes) of lilac. Whatever ingredients were used to re-create this difficult-to-imitate flower, Guerlinade has succeeded. Wasn't that the intent? Don't tease me, Guerlain! I have been burying my face in the big, fluffy, purple masses of intoxicating lilac blossoms since I was a child. This perfume is a lilac bush in full bloom, coming straight from a tiny bottle. I could tell you that I smell notes of honeysuckle, spicy rose, or tonka. I could tell you that I smell elements of Chant d'Aromes or Vol de Nuit in here, but primarily, I smell a wonderful, amazing, lilac perfume.