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serega_1991 – :
Criminally discontinued now. It’s a pity because as much as I love Guerlain, I felt Chypre d’Orient was a better fruity chypre than the current Mitsouko. The drydown is far mossier here and the drier nature makes it a truly genderless fragrance.
Shame I only just discovered it and already have to forget about it!
mik3039 – :
It’s a perfectly unisex perfume, with dominant vetiver and oakmoss note. It is mysterious, elgant, cool. It smells much better on skin than in the cap. Makes me think of an old, ornamental theater or opera full of antique instruments, masks and costumes – pure magic.
santa7670 – :
The current Mitsuko does not do it for me, but the Molinard Chypre E’orient is quite wonderful and much more beautiful than the Guerlain reformulation.
Katrin902 – :
Guys, a fruity facet reminding of apricot or peachiness is nothing but a strong notion to the osmanthus flower. The note which enriches the flower heart of any composition with this peau de peche roundish effect…
man1026 – :
I am a guy and I find this very perfect to a man like me. It is very similar to Coty Chypre which I crazily love! It used to be one of my mom’s fragrances in her cabinet. The Molinard version is so well balanced that I could wear it day and night without being accused of wearing a feminine scent. For me it is a unisex fragrance and it is very versatile.
Wailkisiosy – :
A beautiful beautiful sweet chypre which has Mitsouko dna, but somehow I find Chypre d’Orient easier to wear. The acridness is there but just a touch of it, and it is not as medicinal as Mitsouko. Sweeter and more oriental in general. I pick up gourmand notes after the initial chypre take off. I’d buy it if I didn’t already have too many fragrances.
Mura1982 – :
Reminds me of the Coty’s Chypre that I wore in my youth. Yes, I know that was a long time ago, but our smelling apparatus has a good memory.
kingisep – :
For some reason, this smells really simple on me! When I was a child, I really liked to eat poppy seeds – my great grandma had them in her garden (they are not drugs unless they get processed in a specific way). Well, this smells very much like poppy seeds on ME! It a dry, almost hay-like feel, without the spoilt or green smells grass can have. It is mixed with something peppery and almost artificial + a tiny bit of some kind of flower. And that’s mostly it. If you have the opportunity to smell poppy seeds, this smells much like that, just exaggerated, and with synthetic musk, which my head ache after smelling this indicates. It’s not a bad smell, just a bit too dry for me.
odinokii15 – :
I see the Mitsouko connection, but to EDT not EDP. Chypre d’Orient lacks the spicy, cozy, afghan like quality of Mitsouko EDP. A cousin though.
There is a soapy twist that runs through Chypre d’Orient that makes it a quite a bit fresher and not so Oriental. Strong galbanum and neroli. It’s a gentle chypre. Mossy, but mellow.
I find the sweet mandarin and osmanthus to be quite prominent, making it less cold and green than some of it’s sisters like Silences and Niki de Saint Phalle.
serrega74 – :
A cartoon chypre, but in a good way — like a Lichtenstein hanging next to a fine landscape.
It has a strong dose of what is either synthetic iris — I usually barely smell iris and it’s very prominent in this — or iris that’s dressed up to smell synthetic. It’s almost plasticky, but it’s right on point with the general “pop art” vibe of the composition. Guessing the plastickyness is the iris-orange-patchouli mix, which creates that “can’t quite put my finger on what it actually smells like” chypre vibe.
“Modern chypres” tend to be screeching sugarfruit patchoulis, but this smells like a valid attempt to reinterpret (rather than just reformulate) an old-school chypre effect.
Upon first testing, it was similar to Rochas Femme (newer 90s). Until I spritzed Femme to compare, and got strong white flowers and spice from Femme that are absent in CdO.
Also compared it to Apercu and the difference Apercu’s oakmoss makes was quite noticeable. Guessing the lack of moss accounts for CdO’s “plasticky” versus fuzzy presentation — again, pop art versus say, impressionism. And Apercu has a distinct metallic note that makes CdO smell almost sweet in comparison.
As for Mitsouko – not even in the ballpark. Mitsouko (90s era EdT) is an oakmoss, spice and citrus bomb compared to this. Mitsouko is Mitsouko.
A solid dose of clear galbanum lingers to the drydown and ebbs and flows off the patchouli.
There’s no moss listed on the box and to me no sense of a synthetic substitute. It instead dries down to a warm, “savory” patchouli. Here, the patchouli intensifies and enhances the other notes — a distinct improvement compared to the screeching effect it has in Coco Mademoiselle.
Best of all there is no disgusting marshmallow, “caramel,” “fudge,” “white chocolate,” “cotton candy” or any other sugarbowl note whatsoever. This one’s for adults.
I read the bad reviews of this online, and am guessing whoever wrote that this smells like “socks” had Mitsouko or something like it on the other arm. It smells nothing like “socks” and in fact, is the opposite of musty.
In short, the iris adds a unique vibe to this that orange and patchouli transform into “primary color” territory. Galbanum supplies “black line” definition.
It’s a striking composition that equals more than the sum of its parts, which is I guess the point of a chypre to begin with.
intertabakru – :
Chypre D’Orient, okay, want to hear something interesting folks? I have vintage Diorama in both EDT and parfum. I have a lot of the edt, but it doesn’t last very long. I have about a third of what was once a one ounce bottle of the parfum. I was very curious to know what the reissued/reformulated version smelled like, so I watched out for it on ebay a finally got one about 3 weeks ago. The reformulation of Diorama smells more like a combination of Diorella and Parfum de Therese in the opening and goes back and forth between the two as you wear it. It isn’t until the far drydown that you get a hint of the wonderful scent that vintage Diorama used to be, but this phase fades very quickly. The new Diorama is a little too heavy on the salty/citrusy notes an lacking in the peach/plum notes that made vintage Diorama a slightly sweeter version of the classic Miss Dior. In short, the new Diorama, while it’s nice on it’s own, just doesn’t live up to the original. With all that said, when my $19 bottle of Chypre D’Orient arrived today, I was over moon when I spritzd it on and and immediately thought “vintage Diorama!”…yes, with oakmoss and all. For those of you who’ve never experienced vintage Diorama, if you want too and can’t find it, get this as this is the closest to it that I’ve come to it. This week I’ve made another discovery: if you layer reformulated Diorama with Mitsouko you also get something very close to the original Diorama. It’s all about the peach and plum and oakmoss notes and Chypre D’Orient has all three.
rut759Bessinepome – :
This is such a masculine smell to me! Had to give my bottle away-didn’t even want it as a room scent!
vad1mos – :
Talk about bang for your buck!! 🙂 What is a more eloquent way of putting it…This scent is worth more than it is priced at…alot more!! 🙂
I had been desperate to try since I saw the notes, I am a huge fan of osmanthus, jasmine, neroli, patchouli, iris and amber… and finally the day arrived, I received my bottle and with eager anticipation… was flattened by it’s beauty!! It was even better than I could have ever imagined!!
Granted, I was instantly transported back to my youth in the 80’s…Can’t put my finger on the similar scents I tested back then but this scent is very nostalgic for me and the blending is “perfection”… therefore, I believe this fragrance would be best suited for those who enjoy timeless perfumes 🙂
Chypre d’orient is moorish for me, it is masterfully crafted!! As far as I am concerned 🙂 And harkens back to a bygone era… but is still very relevant 🙂
I have been wearing the fragrance as a ” make a good first impression” perfume and by the reactions I am getting from people I’d say it’s definitely better than just “Good” 😉 Merci beau coup Molinard !!
adjedan – :
So I guess this has been reformulated 🙁 Does anyone happen to know?
I was dumb enough to buy it from ebay without checking the ingreditents. It has a full list, IFRA-style, on the box and no mention of oakmoss. As it came out in 2007 I suppose that gives plenty of scope for it to have been dumbed-down.
It’s good, but I’m not loving it. Slightly synthetic. Very masculine. The iris and patchouli are dominant to me and not especially nice. I’m tempted to stick something sweet over the top, and I never normally layer fragrances.
Certainly I’m getting no peachiness or any reference to Mitsouko or Femme. Wah!
Might give it to my son.
Update – I gave it to my son and he quite likes it, so perhaps it works better as a masculine.
vinnil – :
I always marvel at the great mysteries behind a scent and I am not referring to the secret formula of the composition.
This is such an underrated scent, a wonderful perfume that should stand among the great chypres of all time, close to Mitsouko, Femme de Rochas, L’Heure Bleue, and Profumo di Acqua di Parma. It has a deep opening, where the citrus note is taken by bitter orange. It is strong and lasting, but it disappears, not immediately, little by little, not as in a steep slope many perfumes have made used us to, no, in a soft evolution that minute after minute evolves and evolves leaving the best for afterwards, melting into your skin in a sweet, soft, woody, balmy, extra classy note.
Fantastic, beautiful.
A shame and a pity it is so unknown.
aspyr12 – :
It’s nothing more than less crispy, sweeter and more juicy copy of Yvresse. Very peachy, warm, cosy and not oriental at all.
supervanya – :
Nice when I smell the bottle cap. But I cannot put it on, nor even use it as room spray. It’s too strong and stubborn, and it takes ages to fade. Still, I use a tiny bit of it from time to time (as room ambiance) just to enjoy a change in atmosphere…
levon-58 – :
This fragrance does remind me of Mitsouko, but it is less artistic, I could even say that it is more down to earth. Nevertheless, it is a high quality perfume, for one third of Mitsouko’s price. Worth enough, isn’t it?
maxim2004 – :
Just got this in the post, and very cheaply I might add, so this will be just a preliminary impression. Upon spritzing my hand, it’s apparent that the classic chypre structure is there from the start – immediately a fruity peach/plum note and a rush of neroli, galbanum and bergamot accompanies it. This fruity top note certainly nods its head in the direction of Mitsouko and Femme – and maybe a bit cheaper in its execution and finesse.
Once the assimilation of those notes is taken in, the classic underpinnings of amber and oakmoss are apparent – with a touch of musk adding diffusion and depth. There’s a fair amount of patchouli too – and it’s the Molinard style of patchouli – distinct. Slowly, the florals rearrange and a rose and iris peeks their heads out from the mix – all the while, the persicol and nectaryl-like fruitiness seems to amplify – and slightly too much of it, I might add.
Update – Okay, the fruit elements are a bit too harsh and enduring. Nothing like the subtle peach or plum used in Mitsouko and Femme – a wee bit too synthetic too. It needs more spice, like cinnamon or a touch of cumin and a stronger dark component, like more oakmoss or patchouli to temper this saccharine quality. Still, not too bad for $16.
nikos26 – :
It seems to me that because many of Molinard’s scents are quite inexpensive they are dismissed as inferior in quality. Not so.
Chypre d’Orient reminded me much of the classy chypre fragrances that my mother wore when I was a child but without the heaviness that many times accompanied those potent perfumes.
It really is a more subtle version of the classic chypre and although I do not detect any peach or fruitiness, it is very remindful of a lovely Guerlain due to its complex nature and sultry softness.
I plan on trying more of Molinard’s little treasures!
krezy_robokop – :
Mmmmmmm!!! This was an instant hook for me at Molinard! I agree it remind me of an old Guerlain. maybe a mix of Mitsouko and Shalimar. Lovely from start to end, starting strong and spicy, slightly citrus, but only a bit. Then it develops in a soft ambery-like cloud with a woodsy base Definetely for oriental lovers! It lasted a long time on my skin becoming mellow and mellow, still exotic and dreamy Eastern (for how we perceive East in West). So why didn’t I go for this? Because out of my enthusiam I put my wrist under BF’s nose and he went groaning and said: “Awf! Horrible! It smells like corpse or raw meat!” I mean… what kind of nose does he have? We don’t share same passion for orientals! He likes light citrus non sweet scents that seem like unisex citrus cologne to me.
So if you have passion for this kind of perfume and your DH thinks different, go for it if you can afford buying more than one perfume at once and keep it for your private moments in yourself’s company far from BF dreaming of far lands.
Staying power: high
alena_soldatenko – :
Chypre d’orient is a modern classic that will delight fans of legendary Guerlain Mitsouko or the original Mauboussin fragrance. I don’t see peach listed as a note, but it has a definite peach/apricot vibe on my skin (must be the osmanthus?). The name of this fragrance is a perfect description, and this fragrance successfully combines the best of the chypre and oriental fragrance categories. It is complex, long-lasting, not too sweet and has a classic chypre dry-down that is TO DIE FOR! Suitable for any age and for either gender, Molinard’s Chypre d’Orient is a wonderfully-priced scent that’s worth tracking down. Love it!
steehopeopere – :
A delicious fragrance that reminded me of the style of Guerlain Mitsouko, but maybe I like even more. A chypre of other times, very elegant. I love it