Our take
What does Chant d'Arômes smell like?
Jean-Paul Guerlain created Chant d'Arômes in 1962, his first perfume for the family house. He made it to win over his fiancée, a loyal wearer of Carven's Ma Griffe. The name is often mistranslated. It means song of aromas, not language of flowers. Gardenia, aldehydes and mirabelle plum open the scent. That small yellow plum gives a milky fruitiness close to peach, and it's where all the softness comes from. The heart moves to jasmine, ylang-ylang and honeysuckle, with a prick of clove. The base is a gentle chypre of heliotrope, benzoin, vetiver and frankincense. The formula was made greener in the early 1990s, then the peachy side returned around 2007. Next to Ma Griffe, which is sharper and greener, Chant d'Arômes feels round and powdery. It's easy to see why the fiancée switched.
When to wear it
A daytime floral, ideal at the office or for a spring lunch. It is light, so a top-up in the afternoon is fine.
It belongs to the Floral, Chypre family. Chant d'Arômes is one of 89 creations by Guerlain in our encyclopedia.
