I should start with an apology. During my review of the new Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Tonka, I said that the scent is unlikely to oust the original from its position as one of the true masterpieces of perfumery. The truth is that Guerlain aren’t even trying to present Millesime Tonka as a replacement for Shalimar. It is, after all, a limited edition release. And its purpose is simply to reimagine the scent in an altered form: to offer a variation on a theme, so to speak. So it would be unfair to judge it as some kind of potential Shalimar substitute. Thankfully, during the video, I also delved into other aspects of its composition, so if you’d like to watch it, here’s a link: Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Tonka review.
Having now worn the scent a few times, I remain struck by what I described in the broadcast as its coolness. Don’t get me wrong: the Shalimar DNA remains strong here, which means that, essentially, it is a balmy piece of work, on the warmer side of the overall olfactory spectrum. But in relation to other ambery-resinous fragrances, its breath has more than a touch of the Arctic to it, thanks to the bitter-almond sharpness of the amplified tonka note. It’s a curious effect that serves to make the whole deliciously perplexing, placing you within some mythical geography that is part Lahore, part North Pole. I suspect it will find many fans.
Persolaise
[Guerlain Shalimar Millesime Tonka review based on a sample provided by the brand in 2022.]
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Dear Persolaise, I would be very interested about your thoughts about Shalimar Philtre. I blind bought this flanker hoping for powdery iris and the vanilla somehow made it too animalic for me. How strange. What is interesting, however, my 13 year old daughter loved it because it reminds her of the oil spray she uses for her bike 🙂 There is hope in the young generations of perfume addicts. This is a massive improvement from her ‘So…?’ bottles. Myrica Muse by Miller Harris smells very much like one of them…. not in a good way. ANYWAY! Thank you for your reviews. My collection has experinced a major de-clutter and more sophisticated kick.
Thanks for writing, Monika. I have now actually got a bottle of Philtre, so perhaps I’ll unwrap it in a video soon.