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aynazar83 – :
@ Marco Chau!
Thanks for the info on the extrait. It’s nice to know that (in your opinion and experience) it hasn’t changed! I think you are correct that the vintage decant I received from my pal is an Edt. I still like it much better and find it far more complex. I am wearing the extrait again tonight, trying to love it, but all I really get is vanilla and Guerlainade. I can not detect any orange, carnation, florals. It was easy to find those in my vintage (assuming) Edt. Again, on me the extrait is so boring and linear. Just not worth $400 imho. Definitely try before you buy, if at all possible. I made a huge mistake with this one.
I see someone else selling their extrait as well. Seems I’m not the only one disappointed? If anybody wants mine, it’s missing 1 ml. PM me with a fair price!
Sotiriosc describes the extrait below as “baby powder, musky, anamailic “. YES! This is nothing like the vintage edt, which again I found to be very woody with a pop of orange, spicy carnation and strong, green galbanum.
UPDATE: Well my nose isn’t broken, and I’m trying it after tucking it away for a few months, and it’s the same. Very synthetic animalic musks that cause headaches, some Guerlainade, vanillic sweetness, and very ambiguous flowers. Wish I bought the vintage EDT. Tried to sell this and have had no success. I guess skin chemistry is everything. On some this will smell like good ole’ VdN, but on others, like me, the difference is enormous. And let;s be real–we are not privy to info about what these houses do with their ingredients and formulas, but we do know there have been so many restrictions imposed over the past 100 years…there’s no doubt it’s changed probably any times. If anyone reading this happens to love galbanum, try the current (2018) Chanel No.19 Parfum. People also say it’s nothing like the vintage, but if you’re not stuck on vintages, it’s really exquisite.
Anonimno – :
Wow! How have I managed not to have tried this stunner until now. I must find out what the base notes are in this. Woods and spices.
I get all the wonderful galbanum, narcissus and carnation on the opening. I will admit that the mention of narcissus had scared me off for some time but I have warmed to chypres and am now ready. No surprise there is oakmoss as well.
Vol de nuit is a good name for it. The narcissus and galbanum are bracing as they blow away the cobwebs. I say that there is also a warmth backing these floral notes. The spices, carnations and rose give a spicy sweetness behind the bright fresh spring florals.
Be aware that this is no shy flower. This is potent juice which is not really surprising.
I feel very lady like when I wear it. Moderate longevity and a big sillage.
buba181 – :
AveParfum ~ I believe Vol de Nuit doesn’t come in Eau de Parfum format. I have three bottles of the Extracts from 1989, 2012 and 2015, and they smelled pretty much the same to my nose. I haven’t heard about any big changes to Vol de Nuit Extract lately except that the Daffodil ingredient being used in the formula since the 1950s was changed back to the original Daffodil Absolute from the Auvergne that Jacques Guerlain used from 1933.
dadadadadada – :
The Extrait is nice, but I have to admit that for like +USD 400 I’m fairly disappointed. A generous perfume buddy gave me a decant of her vintage VdN (I think it was an edp), and this just can’t hold a candle to it. It is not nearly as complex, it doesn’t have the gorgeous pop of orange, the bracing galbanum, it doesn’t seem as woody, IS THERE any carnation in this? I don’t know. Like a lot of the Chanel perfumes, the Guerlains have also lost personality over the years. L’Heure Bleu EDP now smells like vanilla baby wipes. To be honest, I do prefer some of the modern-vintage style perfumes, like Dryad, better than this. VdN extrait smells faintly vanillic/balsamic, a tad green and powdery in a very ambiguous way, and it’s fairly linear. It’s lost its pizazze.
Heed my warning to try before you buy. I will wear this stuff, but I will always be a disappointed in it, which really takes away from blowing that kind of money on what I was hoping would be a Unicorn. It’s not one.
kji549Bessinepome – :
Hot damn, I just had to get this.
And… I’m somewhat disappointed. I expected (granted they were expectations based on PRICE/brand) Guerlain extraits to be way more potent. Like a drop is a nuclear blast of scent. And that isn’t the case with VdN (and I feel the same way about Shalimar extrait). On my skin, I get maybe 2-3-4 hours? Granted I have oily skin by genetics, but very dry skin by climate…. so my skin does eat perfume.
What this DOES (and does not do in the weak-ish EDT) is give me all the stages and notes– which actually makes the scent quite different than the EDT– the EDT is basically a quick opening of medicinal green and then the drydown of woody-vanilla-powder. (oh that gorgeous drydown….)
The extrait is a very odd and somewhat strange (masculine too) grainy green mossy something… then kinda spicy… never really floral, and then the same drydown. So this has more depth and it’s more interesting… but shit…. I love VdN so much and I just can’t get it to last.
I can try the unscented oil/lotion first, or only wear on clothing.
Shalimar is my #1 scent, but if VdN was as available as Shal…. VdN would be my #1. I have no prob with potency in Shal’s EDP, EDT, Cologne, etc…. And Shal is so widely available. If only VdN was the same…. c’mon Guerlain– give us an EDP of Vol de Nuit!
I love this scent. It’s so beautiful and elegant, and comforting and antique in the best way. But the extrait disappoints– esp after the price.
I do find this kinda of cold and dry… but then wet/warm like a rainy Night Flight. <3
I’m wearing heavy sprays of the EDT on my body/clothes and the extrait on my wrists… so I’m a happy girl. I just hope it all lasts 8 hours thru my work day.
kevin88 – :
For Marco: I will note about the unopened release of the extract I received.
I will not discuss the composition of the fragrance and its authentic ingredients for a long time, I will only say:
1) despite the fact that it was created in 1933, and maybe precisely because of this reason, in the concentration of the extract the fragrance reveals undoubtedly the feminine essence is possible and in the previous wreath of the jabot and batistas the gentlemen used to smell like a ladies’. The aroma looks like a lady sitting on horseback like a man and in a man’s suit, but the silhouette of the soft rounded lines, which is guessed beneath it, reveals a mature girlish charm.
2) The damp night forest, hidden by its undergrowth and grass, asleep flowers, in my Male nose betrays undoubtedly vetiver – but by no means vetiveryl acetate that we are accustomed to smell from Vetiver Guerlain-1959 but the damp water-color sea haze that captivates us in Vetiver from Annick Gütal And partly in Vetiver from Mona di Orio.
This is the most damp night mist, I can clearly trace in these masterpieces – perhaps this is achieved using geosmin or its structural chemical analogs.
In this nocturnal fog – the entire zest Vol de Nuit/
3). And finally, the most interesting: created at about the same time as the Vol de Nuit, the lady’s perfume ELLADE at the Severnoye Siyanie factory (Leningrad, the Soviet Union, the perfumery team) are very similar to VOL DE NUIT with its deep amber and musk base with that visible difference. That instead of “wet vetiver of Guerlain”, in Ellada in the upper aldehyde notes – wonderful peaches, and in the heart more tart elegant grace.
So, there remains a mystery – the real date of the release of ELLADE /this is approximately in 1926-1940-years / and the release was stopped in the late 80’s – early 90’s.
In other words, whether the Leningrad perfumers were inspired by Vol de Nuit – whether Guerlain unwittingly used this deep amber chord of Ellade when creating the Vol de Nuit. Ideas are like music: when composing symphonies, and composing perfume, composers breathe one air.
Why did I start talking about ELLADE? – they are very similar, with the difference that ELLADE/ perhaps thanks to the wonderful interweaving of the peach theme into a powerful amber-musk base is more feminine and therefore – more rounded, whole and deep. And putting my hand on my heart, if I had to choose between them, I would take the perfume of ELLADE
datolit – :
For some time now, I’ve been wondering what my favorite female film character, Mia Wallace, would wear.
The contenders:
TM Angel-fitting, but she seems just a slight bit too classy to wear a trendy (at the time) and common perfume.
Chanel Coco-close contender, but perhaps too warm, not “bad” enough, but definitely nails the sex appeal aspect.
Dior Poison-same as with Angel.
TF Black Orchid-if only it existed in her time. It would suit her personality damn near perfectly. But she had a penchant for the old, as evidenced in her choice of restaurant.
Chanel No. 19 edp or extrait-cold, in a good way, but maybe too cold. Not sexy enough.
Caron Tabac Blonde- a definite contender, but perhaps a bit too old fashioned? Maybe too serious?
Guerlain Vol de Nuit extrait-Sex appeal? Check. Just the right amount of coldness, in a “don’t fuck with me” way? check. Dark enough for a femme fatale? Check. Just old fashioned enough? Check. Glamorous in a more subdued style? Luxurious enough? Check, check, and check. Ding, ding, ding! I think we have a winner.
And VdN is a true masterful piece of art, much like Pulp Fiction and Tarantino’s characters.
VdN is, might I add, one of my personal top favorites, just like Mia Wallace.
dfkthf – :
Marco…I have bought the edp several times from Harrods UK. John Lewis, another department store, also stock it sometimes. It comes in the bee bottle.
Aargh…Marco…I am grovelling at your feet. Have just gone and checked the last bottle from Harrods…unopened backup…and it is EDT! I am so sorry to have misled you, and anyone else who might have read it.
Do you know…I thought when I last sprayed the opened bottle, that it wasn’t as strong as I expected…
Very many apologies for having raised hopes, and for incorrect information given. My review of the extract stands…
vaa5vrj4 – :
For lada1947 ~ Was Vol de Nuit ever made as an EDP? May I know about when it was made as according to many information and current official website of Guerlain the fragrance was made only in Extract and EDT concentrations. I would love to find an EDP as I find the current EDT too light and the Extract to expensive to wear regularly. I look forward to seeing your reply or response from anyone who have information on Vol de Nuit EDP. Thank you!
Legkij – :
I’ve been wearing this all day, trying to think what makes it so special to me. It truly is special. I think of it as my “happy perfume,” because each time I smell it it makes me smile. I have worn it for years, starting off on the edt, and finally, triumphantly, the extract. It is one of the perfumes that has travelled through life with me, sitting proudly on whatever shelf was available at the time, the beauty of the bottle cheering me up even when I wasn’t wearing it.
So…what magic does it hold?
On first spraying it is a little confusing, a whole rush of scent and sensation as though one is walking through a sun warmed herb garden, brushing against the bushes, their fragrances mingling to create an intoxicating but indefinable mix. I am always convinced that there is lavender in this, and I smell it, or its spirit, right through the different stages.
In the next couple of hours the whole thing settles down into a warm, comforting (lavender tinted) hug. I find it impossible to pick out any of the listed notes, except the powder, if that is a note. Vol de Nuit is no powder bomb but the aromatics are softened and blended by it, and it is relaxing.
A little later the rose and jasmine creep in to soften the mix still further, and the delight of the Guerlainade becomes apparent. This all happens much more slowly than in the edt, both of which seem to race to reach their drydown, never stopping to smell the flowers along the way. There is still a hint of lavender even here, warming the rose and the jasmine…I suppose that could be partly the effect of the carnation. Just a tiny drop of aromatic spice.
Projection is excellent for the first couple of hours, after which it is more of a personal pleasure to be shared only with close friends. Longevity is excellent on me. I used only one small spray this morning and I am still very aware that I can smell it on myself, 11 hours later. Value for money indeed. As for the Night Flight of Saint-Exupéry, I can only imagine that he took off from a very fragrant airfield, or that in flight, smelling only aircraft fuel, he was able to imagine the scent of his home and his gardens. I hope so.
Ymid – :
“An abstract work of art, masterpiece from the 19th century.”
Vol de Nuit Extract is a 1933 fragrance from the legendary French perfume house of Guerlain. It is regarded as one of the best perfumes by Guerlain, and possibly even the world according to the fragrance community. Conceived by Jacques Guerlain, the last perfumer of the Guerlain family, it is also one of the most influential fragrances of its time, along the likes of L’Heure Bleue, Mitsouko and Jicky. I was incredibly lucky to own a decant of the extract from a friend.
What is amazing about the fragrance is how abstract it is. The level of abstraction in VdN is distinctive. It’s very difficult to pin down any particular notes in the fragrance: it’s woody, powdery, green and floral all at the same time but at no point can I pin down if it’s the narcissus, galbanum, oakmoss or jasmine-rose that’s working its magic. In essence, it is akin to an abstract art piece at the art museum: it should not be analyzed to the smallest details, and it is simply meant to be admired as a whole.
Indeed, it smells like it belongs to the Old World because it indeeds does: despite being conceived in 1933, the fragrance is timeless. Although marketed to female users, I can imagine this being appreciated by the male users as well, and furthermore, this versatile fragrance can be used for any season.
VdN will always be considered as one of Guerlain’s greatest fragrances. To me, it’s a toss-up between this and L’Heure Bleue as to which one is my favorite Guerlain fragrance of all time. Hats off to the late Monsieur Jacques Guerlain and the perfume house; I doubt that Guerlain can conceive a perfume today that would come close to anything like this. Like what many perfume wearers often say, “they don’t make perfumes like this anymore.”
Iodicuouh – :
Trovare le parole, per descrivere questo capolavoro, non è facile.
È come ritrovarsi davanti ad un’opera d’arte e non riuscire a dire niente.
Vol de nuit, va provato, fatto proprio e non spiegato.
Basta sapere che è un capolavoro assoluto, un’opera d’arte.
<3
ytj358Diobtetty – :
Thank you Verdigris for the useful review. Vol De Nuit characteristic seems very close to Miss Dior Originale. The EDT and extract is highly similar, just the sharpness of the EDT.
I was hesitate for so long whether or not I should get Vol De Nuit extract on a British web store. Since my country currency value with the British Pounds has getting very expensive, if I buy Vol De Nuit extract blindly, and turns out not what I expected, it will be a extremely expensive lost.
Maybe I should go back to Miss Dior Originale extract. Thanks again.
alex71117 – :
I am a man and bought this to use. Top notch Juice and smells amazing. Now I know why Guerlain receives so much praise.
I was looking for a natural smelling baby powder, musky, anamailic type of scent. I wanted it to be strong yet soft and just make me feel good. This is it!
angel888 – :
Someone compared the current extrait formulation to an airplane that doesn’t quite manage to take off from the murky depths. Well, forget about the original airplane and inspiration and smell this beauty imagining the flight of a firefly through a clearing in the forest on a cool summer night.
There are upturned grasses and green flowers, balsamic and piercing; woods casting aromatic shadows; a thousand moths releasing scintillating powder from their wings; and somewhere in the gloom, a shy beast whose presence is only betrayed by the scent of its fur.
Forgive the lyrical flight, but this is just so beautiful, and its presence can be felt for many hours. Work of art.
The edt is still lovely, though pretty much a glittery, woody powder. I hope the extrait doesn’t change for a long time as I don’t intend on being without it.
gorbuss – :
Seriously?! Does Vol De Nuit extract smells like Miss Dior Original?