Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Jasmin review – Delphine Jelk; 2024

On paper, the idea of a jasmine-inflected Shalimar promises something absolutely terrific — not only would it emphasise the 1925 scent’s floral, animalic aspects, but it would also make sense as a way of taking the perfume’s story back to its Mughal roots. A genuine example of olfactory bridge-building. In reality, Shalimar Millesime Jasmin — the fourth in the series, which started with the Vanilla Planifolia variant in 2001 — is something of a confused entity. To be sure, its drydown is enjoyable, combining a suggestion of the familiar amber base with a smooth leather note that quite literally keeps you coming back to sniff again and again. But what comes before is astonishingly thin: an unconvincing opening that’s more ‘shampoo aisle’ than ‘intoxicating white petal’.

Perhaps the intention was to lift Shalimar out of what is unjustifiably seen as its old-fashioned personality and give it a more modern, more solar glow. That would have been an intriguing direction to take. But if that was the plan, it doesn’t quite seem to have been pulled off. Still, the final act is lovely, even if it doesn’t come anywhere near the decorum-banishing might of the original. 

To watch my YouTube review of the scent, please click on this link: Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Jasmin review.

Persolaise

[Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Jasmin review based on a sample obtained by me in 2024.]

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