GUERLAIN
Shalimar L’ESSENCE
2025
PERFUMER
Delphine Jelk
bergamot
rose absolute
ethylvanillin
vanilla tincture
iris
amber
musk
‘Few perfumes span ages and fashions without losing their aura. Shalimar, composed in 1925, is one of them. The first amber perfume in history created by Jacques Guerlain, Shalimar celebrates its 100th anniversary. To mark this exceptional event, the Maison is revealing Shalimar L’Essence, a new intense variation which concentrates Shalimar’s distinctive codes: its quintessence. A homage to the timeless modernity, daring and seduction of Guerlain’s most famous scent for women. This intense eau de parfum celebrates vanilla in every form. Delphine Jelk has added the precious Madagascan vanilla tincture stemming from Guerlain’s ancestral know-how to the ethylvanillin found in Jacques Guerlain’s original formula, giving Shalimar a new intensity. Discreet and subtle, bergamot illuminates the floral heart which blends rose absolute with the powdery elegance of iris. Little by little, Shalimar’s amber note unfolds. Used in abundance, vanilla infuses it with new facets – smooth and woody with a hint of leather. More than a perfume, Shalimar L’Essence is a declaration of love. One made by Delphine Jelk, Guerlain Director of Perfume Creation and Perfumer, to the Maison’s heritage icon, and specifically to its most emblematic note. The cornerstone of its scent, the secret of its universal seduction: vanilla. Tender and sensual, enveloping and seductive, the precious pod is a symbol of Guerlain’s palette. An essential element in the Guerlinade that distinguishes many of the Maison’s fragrances.’ – Guerlain
Shalimar L’Essence is only my second bottle purchase in the past 12 months and a blind-buy… because, well, it’s Shalimar. What could go wrong? And a safe buy this is, if you’re into arguably the most vanillic take on Shalimar to date.
Straight away, this is Shalimar, but with a much less pronounced bergamot and pretty much no florals present. I know a lot of people don’t even think of Shalimar as floral, especially with newer renditions, but in older Shalimar there is usually a somewhat skanky floral edge; L’Essence has zero of that.
Instead, you get hit with a big dose of vanilla from the first minute and until the last minute. And the coumarin heavy Guerlain tonka DNA is also still present to my nose, with even the slightlest leathery tinge near the end. Which I must add, isn’t all that long; performance is not bad, but not great for a sweet and spicy scent profile.
It has the typical Shalimar buttery iris-labdanum earthy take on what I always called a ‘custardy vanilla’. Quite gourmand, but not fully. Especially later in the wear, when I feel that it’s surprisingly spicy. It’s not a full-on, cozy vanilla, less so than for example the more powdery soft Gourmand Coquin, which I still prefer over Shalimar by quite a margin. As far as other brand’s comparisons go, one that comes to mind for me is Acqua di Parma Vaniglia, but I think Shalimar L’Essence is a bit sweeter and more cozy than that.
As far as other comparisons go: This seems to be very very close to Shalimar Vanilla Planifolia; after the opening. From what I remember (I havent smelled Vanilla Planifolia in ages), L’Essence is actually more vanilla from the start and doesn’t have any of the sharper brightness that Vanilla Planifolia still retained. That said, based on what I can recall and what Guerlain Sales Associates have mentioned, L’Essence seems to be Guerlain’s way to ‘reformulate’ and bring back the popular Vanilla Plafifolia in a less limited version with this release.
I much prefer this take on vanilla, over the Iris Millesime, which had a more modern dry caramel-sugary tinge to it. It’s quite different from Spiritueuse Double Vanille in my opinion; texture-wise especially; L’Essence being a mushy, buttery, wood pulp type of feeling, versus the more transparant ambroxan SDV, which also has more of a booziness and smoky tinge, especially in older bottles. I think I lean towards liking SDV a tiny bit better actually, but I’ll wear them side by side soon to see how they stack up against each other.
That being said, Shalimar L’Essence is great for what it is. An almost impossible not-to-like, well-constructed (better than most recent Guerlains in my opinion) spicy, orris-y vanilla at a reasonable price, available in small bottle sizes… I can’t complain.
