No. 5 Eau Première
Chanel (2007)

I have come to Chanel in a sort of backwards way, hard to describe my strange meandering through the offerings relatively late compared to most I think. But this one sure has a hold on me. In fact, many do from this house, and there is absolutely nothing that I find challenging or off-putting about the composition of this beautiful perfume. In fact, I pretty much have my nose glued to my wrist while I’m wearing this and I have to remind myself to play it cool when in public. Chanel is changing me. No.5 is taming me. I feel like this perfume is good for all seasons and all occasions. I may not have been ready for this earlier in my life, but I’m more than ready now and I count myself lucky to be on the side that enjoys No.5 in seemingly all the iterations.

Pretty, prim and sexless. Chanel supposedly said she wanted No. 5 to "smell like a woman." I can't see her wanting any version of her famous creation smelling like this particular woman. Better than the vast majority of junk out there, but you still can't help wishing it had more of a finger on the pulse. Or more of a pulse.

I can't wear Shalimar. I can wear the EDT of No. 5 but it can still be a little too aldehydic. This is perfect. This is a lighter version of No. 5 and it adds some of the vanilla powder you get from Shalimar. You still get the chanel no. 5 DNA in a more wearable younger version.

Watercolor love child of Shalimar and Chanel no. 5 EDT.

Thumbs up because it's inoffensive, soft, and well-done. Upon multiple wears, it reveals a hidden complexity -- however, Eau Premiere is ultimately 'flatter' than the original EDT, lacking the latter's textural, effervescent aura. A nice but, unlike the EDT, ultimately uninteresting scent.

3.5 stars.

Sharp, slightly bitter floral opening with a vague, burnt plastic note underneath. Then, it shifts to burnt rubber. These are not awful observations -it's actually very interesting. I am reminded of Bulgari Black in a way. Neroli, rose, ylang ylang, and vetiver seem to be in a battle over dominance. The notes seem like dry, crumbly bits, ground down like grains of sand. It's nearly harsh...
In time it settles down. Still dry, more powdery, and jasmine rears its haughty head. Begins to bear more of a green, floral type accord. A smidge of amber and a toss of sandalwood come in for a notice, as well.
Vanilla sneaks in and really makes a difference. It "prettys-up" this fragrance. Sweet-like musk later.
This is an interesting take on No. 5 -- the verdict is, I like it.

No. 5 Champagne
Is the secret weapon of
Bond girl Jasmine Woods.

Eau Premiere opens with bright, sparkling aldehydes, citrus and powdered ylang ylang. 10 - 15 minutes later the citrus disperses, a soft rose develops and the aldehydes and powder come forward. This softens pretty quickly (around 30-45 minutes) into mostly floral and powder with the once sparkling aldehydes now a shimmer in the background. It has a very floral/soapy feeling, very fresh and clean as if you just stepped out of the shower.

Sillage is moderate at around arms length and lasting power seems moderate at around 4-6 hours.

Overall, this is a beautiful fragrance. At times the aldehydes and powder can be a bit much, but it's still lovely. It has a fresh out of the shower feeling...very floral soap and dressing powder and a little champagne.

When the original version had just come out, I actually stopped a young woman in the street to find out what she was wearing - in her wake was the most airy, delicate, magical, unidentifiable floral, and I was confused when she said it was No. 5. I eventually figured out that it was a new release and tried it on myself, though it wasn't as fabulous on me, so I moved on.

I tried Eau Premiere again today, while trying the new L'Eau, and I didn't think that much of it while I was in the air-conditioned store. But about a half-hour later I was back out in the blazing, gritty heat, and it came wafting up to my nose like fairy dust and brought a gentle, civilizing tone to my hectic afternoon.

I came home with a big bottle!

An example of how small changes to a formula can bring a fragrance into line with modern tastes without damaging the beauty of a classic. Such a lovely fragrance!

I recognized this as similar to N° 5 at first sniff – must be the aldehydes… there's quite of hit of it, but they don't last long before the opening settles down to a more-modern-than-no. 5-tenor. The floral (rose and jasmine) heart is beautiful… and of the quality I would expect from Chanel. I think what makes the heart so outstanding is the influence of a delicate vetiver from the base upon the balanced, quality rose / jasmine accord. The base is a simple, clean vanilla and vetiver – excellent... might be a little too transparent for my tastes, still I cannot fault it. N° 5 Eau Premiere is simply beautiful and it's a more casual and wearable presentation of the original N° 5: This is how flankers should be made.

Simply a well re-orchestrated version of the great original with a reduced aldehydic/animalic presence, an equally woody-poudree-rosey exotic dry down but with this alluring long lasting soul full of bright-shimmering sharp floral sophistication (jasmine more than rose in this phase and "apparently" peony), a more angular-watery citric presence (sharp, vaguely bitter and sensual) and a fresher general aura (aromatic and spicy). Anyway, Eau Premiere preserves that "trademark" N. 5' s poudree-hesperidic-chypre (still rosey-soapy) chic aura which turned its predecessor out in to such a legendary way. Thumbs up.