CHANEL
31 RUE CAMBON EDP
2016
PERFUMER
Jacques Polge
Black Pepper
Bergamot
Green Notes
Iris
Ylang-Ylang
Rose
Patchouli
Labdanum
Woody Notes
Until the release of Le Lion. I always said that the Chanel DNA ‘wasn’t for me’. But when I tried 31 Rue Cambon again on skin; it was better than I remembered and it quickly surpassed Le Lion as my favorite Chanel. In general my taste and feelings towards Chanel’s Les Exclusifs have changed, but 31 Rue Cambon in particular is marvelous and it has been in or around my top 10 consistently.
The bergamot in the opening is among the best and it’s a scent that I can’t ever get enough of. It’s also relatively sweet and ever so slightly animalic straight away.
After that; it’s not really doing anything mind blowing; it turns powdery, it’s sweet, it’s ever so slightly spicy. The florals weave in and out quietly, but it is just top notch. A sort of honeyed iris feels substantial and there is a slightly dirtier, rougher, more daring edge to it. Definitely bordering on a leathery base.
In my mind, this is a combination of a great luxury soap scent and a sweet iris scent. Uber classy.
I’ve read a lot of mixed reviews on this fragrance; regarding how leathery or even animalic it may or may not be. A lot depending on the concentration, but potentially also the batch/aging. Definitely give it a try before buying.