Our take
What does L'Heure Bleue smell like?
Jacques Guerlain created L'Heure Bleue in 1912. The house tells how he stopped one summer evening, struck by the blue light that follows sunset. The inverted heart bottle, designed by Raymond Guerlain with Baccarat, was later reused for Mitsouko in 1919. Anise, bergamot, neroli and coriander make up the opening. The anise sets a strange tone straight away, somewhere between an old sweet shop and a herbalist. The heart is a powdery bouquet where almondy heliotrope meets peppery carnation. Rose, violet and orange blossom fill in the rest. It smells of marzipan and marshmallow. Iris, vanilla, tonka and benzoin hold up the base. The mood is wistful and soft, never sugary like a modern gourmand. Compared with Shalimar, which followed in 1925, L'Heure Bleue has less vanilla and far more flowers. Anyone new to old Guerlains may need some patience with it.
When to wear it
For autumn and winter evenings, on warm skin and dark clothes. A single dab at the base of the neck is enough, especially in extrait.
It belongs to the Floral, Oriental / Amber family. L'Heure Bleue is one of 89 creations by Guerlain in our encyclopedia.
