WHAT I SMELL:  Parure starts off deep and when first sniffed it hits the back of your throat with an initial blast of heavy plum with a layer of bergamot on top.  It’s somewhat medicinal and rather antiseptic, like what you expect a cleaning product for a doctor’s office would smell like.  After a few more minutes it becomes almost lemony and fizzy and it begins to grow larger in its projection. To me, it’s very warm and cool at the same time as the green keeps it cool, but the rose and amber keep it warmed on the bottom.  After around 15 minutes the fragrance loses the coolness and the oakmoss comes to the surface drying out the scent with it’s familiar woody powder.  Add that to a very noticable, but sudued rose and that’s very pretty and a bit spicy.  Funny, after around 30 minutes or so, the warm base begins to retreat but the fragrance retains the floral spiciness.  In the end, it’s a very calming and pretty floral chypre that is not too dry.  Wait!!!  After around almost 1.5 hours the oakmoss really dries the fragrance out, but no worries, it’s still pretty and rather proper.   Parure is perfect for the coming spring as I don’t really see that as a winter fragrance.

Parure Notes from Fragrantica:  plum, bergamot, green notes; lily of the valley, rose, iris, lilac, jasmine, narcissus; and oak moss, spices, amber, rose and patchouli in the base.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  A pretty spring day, where there’s a dry breeze flowing through the flowers.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE PARURE: calming, pretty, reserved

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT PARURE: Yesterday’ Perfume, Eiderdown Press, Perfume Shrine

BOTTOM LINE:  I have read so much about this discontinued Guerlain treasure and since I love my chypres I had to seek it out.  I’m not disappointed as I love the fact that it’s not an uber chypre, but instead it is wonderfully subdued.  Why did they discontinue it?  Who knows, but I’m glad I got my hands on some.  Now all I need to do is to find some of the parfum extrait!

• Bone Rating: 4 out of 5 possible bones
• Scent: Chypre Fruity
• Classification: Leans feminine
• Expense: Varied through eBay and other sources.  Review is based on the Eau de Toilette version.