Paloma's Corner: Vintage Chantilly

Nowhere, originally uploaded by J. Star.

Chantilly is a sensual mossy-ambery perfume. It begins with a typical chypre accord topped with whiff of lemon and underlined with rose, which quickly reveals the complex mossy aroma of cedar moss:
Woody, dry and somewhat powdery, and surprisingly - leathery!
The heart possesses also carnation and I believe a dash of allspice which can explain the dry spiciness, and some rich creamy jasmine that adds some roundness and balance.

As the scent evolves on the skin it becomes softer and less dry, and a beautiful amber base reveals itself: amber, benzoin and I suspect a bit of myrrh (which has a somewhat rubbery, balloon-like note) and very subtle animalic notes of opoponax. The leather is now a lot more gentle and mellow.

Chantilly has a captivating and calming sensuality –
It’s like an old seductress that will always be tempting to wear again…
It is sexy in a subtle and classical way, like a woman with a rich life experience behind her, and a beauty that is not artificial or pretentious.

I see is standing hand in hand with other mossy orientals such as Nuit de Noel, Femme (I am referring to the parfum) En Avion and Vol de Nuit.

The vintage is a lot less sweet than I remember the new Chantilly to be and a lot less floral. It is neither as powdery and musky-sweet as the current version available in drugstores these days.

Top: Lemony, but just for a few seconds

Heart: Floral and spicy. Carnations, roses, jasmine

Base: Cedar moss (a lot more dry and powdery than oak moss - but this could also come from peru balsam essential oil, rather than the crude resin), Amber, Benzoin, Opoponax, Myrrh, Leather

P.s. Special thanks to Frances-Anne (AKA Paloma) who enabled me to try this beautiful vintage scent, and many others).