I think this fragrance is underestimated. It's classical with a small twist in the opening that gives me ambivalent emotions. Once I find it wonderful, other time overwhelming. Still, it's nicely powdery, close to the skin. And timeless, it's a true classic, even though not so recognisable as no 5.
another surprise in my collection! now I have been thinking about the age of this particular bottle. it can be at least ten years old, but in the same stride twenty. I remember it well from 1974. perhaps many people think 'how does he come so precisely with 1974 ?'. well in march 1975 we (my twinbrother and me) started with the study (= working) of Nurse. in fact we started in aug.1974 as Aids in the Ward's Kitchen for half a year. so I really see myself in that particular perfumery sniffing the then important perfumes. I guess there was still a little Staid athmosphere. what I remember of No19 is that it was there in Eau de toilette and in Parfum. and I just braced myself for a Bitter and Countering Opening. I could have sworn there would be Galbanum in it. I just saw it is a Note in the 'Perfume'. here we have the famous 'Green Notes'. where it now may seem that I am not satisfied about the perfume (i.e. Edp) I may have used the wrong words. I find this a beautiful perfume and am amazed how well-blended it is and how it then still succeeds to have the austere opening. in fact there is a kind of 'institutionalized' austerity which is, after all, the Hallmark of No19. and all the Chypres of this era. with my perfume I am struck on how facetted and wonderfully striated it is, this all in Glissements and Fluidums. perhaps there is the Green Phase (the Opening) with [quasi-] Galbanum then Green Notes, the Bergamot must do a Freshening-Up (Fresh-Up the most revolting and dreaded product of male cosmetics) but alas I do never smell individual Citruses only in Colognes which are not my cup of tea entirely. but Hesperidic and Incisively Green it is, the opening, also with Neroli Flowers. then we get a phantastic Middle phase. (I already noted the perfume lasts for hours.) it is all Lovely Flowers, notably Iris, Rose, Narcissus, Lily of the Valley and Ylang-Ylang. these phases do not clash with each other, because of the quality ingredients their botanical and aromachemical features all seem to usurpate each other where in the Middle Phase the Flowers just arrive and the more fleeting Green Notes are (not entirely) disappearing. Henri Robert was the originator of the 1971 Chanel No19 and it is my guess either Jacques and or Son Olivier Polge took care of the following editions. the base notes are all sturdy and grounding this Chypre in Leather, Oakmoss, Sandelwood and Vetiver. it is the Woody Backbone with typical Chanelissime. yet I am compelled to judge this perfume as a whole, as it has just become that in my collection. a Supremely Blended, Exquisitely Present perfume for those who want to maintain personal space and Chicness.
