WHAT I SMELL:  Molinard de Molinard’s opening is all smoke and incense on top of bergamot and a muted fruit.  This is quite the contradiction in notes, but somehow it really works and makes the kick off incredibly interesting.  After around 5 minutes the florals start to brush away the smoke and incense (but not too much though) to reveal a rather bright undercurrent filled with my favorites, ylang-ylang and rose (somehow that combination always seems to work for me).  The fragrance is quite large and at times seems more fruity than floral but the one consistent is the veil of incense that seems to glide and move around the other notes.  There’s a strange mix of cool and warmth with this; the base is warm but there is this sheered gauze above that seems to be a bit cooler.  This is one of the fragrances that when sniffed you can feel the movement of the molecules running under your nostrils.  As the fragrance begins to settle, the movement dies down and the incense calms to a whisper and the fragrance becomes golden warmth.  It’s incredibly sensuous and very womanly, a real radiant beauty.  After a few hours, you’re left with a lightly sweetened fruity comforting dream.

Molinard de Molinard notes via Fragrantica:

Top notes are black currant, fruity notes, green notes, asafoetida, lemon, bergamot and cassis; middle notes are jasmine, ylang-ylang, lily-of-the-valley, Bulgarian rose and narcissus; base notes are labdanum, amber, musk, vetiver, incense and patchouli.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME:  Beautiful and mysterious, like an early 1930s Myrna Loy when she was still playing “exotics” prior to becoming a star.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE MOLINARD DE MOLINARD:  mysterious, sensuous, radiant

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT MOLINARD DE MOLINARD:  Post Modern Perfume (the only review I could find and which was based on the EdT version which was a very different experience from my Parfum Extrait version)

BOTTOM LINE:  I found this little 7.5ml beauty at an estate sale and only wish that I had more.  I don’t wear it often, but when I do, I always ask myself, why I don’t.  Part of it is that I hide it away in a cabinet like a precious jewel that I just don’t ever want to lose.  Oh, and what a little jewel it is…the bottle is an exquisite Lalique beauty.

• Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
• Scent: Fruity Floral
• Classification: Feminine
• Expense: Varied for vintage. Review based on the Parfum Extrait version.