Shalimar Parfum Initial (Guerlain)

By Dane

Warning: I actually like this. I know...that's so unlike me! But hey, I have to give credit where it's due, and all nods go to Thierry Wasser for creating this lovely creature (and a flanker at that). Before the gushing begins, I will say that Parfum Initial seems to have more to do with the likes of Dior Homme than the original Shalimar, but unlike the recent No. 19 Poudre, there are at least a few nods to its namesake.

Shalimar to me is the quintessential oriental. It has a crystalline quality that makes a room light up. Guerlain's impeccably luminous grade of bergamot is lacking in Parfum Initial, but a lovely citrus accord takes its place, so I'm not too distraught. The decade's favourite ingredient, iris, is equally as prominent in the topnotes, and somehow manages to remain through much of the scent. This isn't the cold, rooty iris from Iris Silver Mist, but a doughy, nutty iris, halfway between Infudion d'Iris and Bois Farine. As with the original Shalimar, there are florals, but none are easily identified, only their richness pronounces itself. And again, as with the original, the drydown is really what it's all about - a lush, spiced vanilla with fruity accents.

I've read a few of the other reviews for this floating around, and I'm surprised no one has mentioned the slightly dirty note that runs throughout. The pyramid lists "white musk", and while technically true, in practice is comes across as more of a nod to the stinky nitro musks used in No. 5 parfum and White Linen. This is crucial to the scent's success in my eyes, because it adds an old-world charm that grants this new creation the right, in my opinion, to share the name of a masterpiece.

Year: 2011

Perfumer: Thierry Wasser

Notes: Bergamot, orange, rose, jasmine, iris, vetiver, patchouli, white musk, tonka, green notes