Our take
What does Shalimar Parfum Initial smell like?
Guerlain wanted to refresh its 1925 oriental without betraying it. In 2011 Thierry Wasser delivered Shalimar Parfum Initial, an eau de parfum lighter and sweeter than its parent. The opening is clear and airy: bergamot plus hedione, the molecule that gives jasmine a sense of space. The heart stays in the family with jasmine, rose and a powdery iris. A candied fruit note slips in and hints at what comes next. Then the base changes tone. Vanilla is still there, but caramel and tonka pull it toward the sweet shop. Patchouli and amber add some body without darkening anything. What you lose is the smoky, almost animal edge of the historic Shalimar. What you gain is an instant softness that is easier to wear at twenty. Next to La Petite Robe Noire, another Guerlain gourmand, it stays more powdery and less fruity.
When to wear it
A daytime scent for spring and autumn that sits comfortably at the office. Two sprays on the wrists are plenty, because the caramel takes up room by late afternoon.
It belongs to the Floral, Oriental / Amber family. Shalimar Parfum Initial is one of 89 creations by Guerlain in our encyclopedia.
