Jean Patou | The Scented Hound

WHAT I SMELL: Vintage Chaldée opens with a deep warm full-bodied floral bouquet. I’m not sure if the top notes are still there as the perfume sets very quickly into the resin based floral presentation. The perfume is thick and rich with a deep lilac presenting itself as the floral star. But the lilac isn’t soft and gentle, instead its thickened with the opoponox. After a while, a dust covers the base of the perfume, giving it a vintage feel without making it feel like it belongs in another time. The dust then turns to more of a cotton and for some reason it reminds me if the smell of brand new white tube socks. After around 20 minutes, the vanilla brings an ever so slight sweetness to the warmed florals. Funny, after around 1/2 hour, a little bit of civet seems to creep in giving the perfume an added depth and dimension. Finally, the perfume ends it’s journey in this warmed and flattened bouquet that projects this beautiful and confident persona.

Top notes: orange blossom and hyacinth. Heart: jasmine, lilac and narcissus. Base: opoponax, amber and vanilla.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A grand hat from a bygone era.

THREE WORDS THAT DESCRIBE CHALDÉE: warm, contained, deep

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT CHALDÉE: Now Smell This, Perfume Shrine, I Smell Therefore I Am

BOTTOM LINE: For an eau de toilette, vintage Chaldee has a large personality and is incredibly long-lasting. I recently had a chance to test the newly reissued version in eau de parfum concentration and it opened up grand and glorious much like the original. I was ecstatic. However, surprisingly enough, it didn’t have the lasting power and it turned rather dark on me. I do need to give it another chance though…but the vintage….oh my, beautiful. Thanks to Holly for this beautiful gift!

Bone Rating: 4 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Oriental Floral
Nose: Henri Almeras in 1927
Classification: Leans feminine, but could be unisex
Expense: Prices vary on eBay.

WHAT I SMELL: Eau de Patou opens with this airy, fizzy, bubbling citrus, it’s so sparkling that its like dancing bubbles when you put your nose up to a glass of champagne. The bergamot and citrus combination is very much alive and joyous and full of bright energy which can’t help but make you smile. After a bit, the lively opening levels off and the citrus mellows as a floral melody highlighted by lavender brings the fragrance to more of a hazy hued of radiance. As, it dries down, a peppered and powdered finish adds just the right amount of mystery to make this perfume something very much out of the ordinary. For a fragrance without a huge amount of progression there is something incredibly rapturous about Eau de Patou, so much so, that I find it extremely sensual and sexy.

From the Jean Patou website:

EAU DE PATOU – A crisp and vibrant scent that epitomizes carefree days and relaxation, EAU DE PATOU has a lightness of touch and a subtle freshness unparalleled in the JEAN PATOU archive. Created originally in 1976 as a unisex fragrance EAU DE PATOU is a genuine expression of freedom and style that lasts throughout the day. A light tonic with fruity notes that sparkle with accords of bergamot, Sicilian Citrus, Guinea Orange and Sweet Lime mixed with Pepper Lavender and Orange Flower. This Eau de Toilette is light and fresh yet it is undeniably sophisticated and unmistakably JEAN PATOU.

WHAT IT SMELLS LIKE TO ME: A young Robert Redford; clean-cut, handsome and incredibly sexy.

THREE ADJECTIVES THAT DESCRIBE EAU DE PATOU: classic, sophisticated, unassuming sexiness

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT EAU DE PATOU: Bois de Jasmin

BOTTOM LINE: Eau de Patou was my one purchase at Sniffapalooza this past Fall. It was immediate love and all the other perfumes were tossed aside once I smelled this. I don’t believe that Eau de Patou is groundbreaking, nor revolutionary. Instead, it’s classical with a peppered twist that speaks directly to my inner self. Who doesn’t love a perfume that makes them feel sexy?

Jean Patou is re-releasing some of their classic fragrances from the past in their Collection Heritage. Eau de Patou (originally released in 1976), along with Patou Pour Homme (1980) and Chaldee (1927) were the first three to be released and others will be forthcoming. I love this concept as a vintage perfume lover and I can’t wait to be introduced to the others in the line! You can find more about their Collection Heritage on the Jean Patou website.

Bone Rating: 4.5 out of possible 5 bones
Scent: Citrus Aromatic
Nose: Thomas Fontaine
Classification: Unisex
Expense: $245 for 100ml Eau de Toilette