Shalimar

old rich lady with a lot of iris. She is waiting for her driver to come. You have no idea who her husband is.

Old, powdery, herbal

this scent is INCREDIBLE!!! shalimar opens woody, but never offensively or abrasively so - it's extremely well blended. woody notes are Really good when they're good, but they are so strong that they often have the capacity to take over the whole scent entirely. this doesn't happen with shalimar. the cedar and sandalwood work together to keep it nice and warm in the also very pleasantly citrus-y opening. they compliment each other in a way i wasn't expecting. it is proudly a vanilla scent the whole way through, as well. it's sweet and tastefully smoky and bright all at the same time. the vanilla is so cheerful and lovely and RICH. a luxurious, hot, mouthwatering kind of vanilla. this scent is never particularly sharp in the nose. it's smooth and inviting the entire time. you could spend an hour just sitting there with your nose to the nozzle, picking out the notes one by one. everything is in such harmony. after it dries down - about 2 hours on my skin - i swear it smells like a vanilla-flavoured dark soda. it's so wild, and so good!! of course, i firmly believe that any scent can be worn by anyone, regardless of sex or gender, but if you're a gentleman and still a bit nervous about trying perfumes that are historically marketed "for women", shalimar is a very safe bet. it's strong as much as it is seductive and sweet, and too beautiful to lock yourself out of experiencing because of something so silly as gender norms!

Timeless masterpiece.

Idk how people can like this. Horrible

One of the most beautiful perfumes ever created! Scent and bottle! So happy finally have this in my collection. An adorable 30ml bottle but is in my collection nonetheless!

I'm a man, and I've been wearing this. Is one of those classics that you easily will grow to love. For people around me, it's always somewhat of a suprise to find me wearing something like this. As a man, the trick is to layer it with a simple masculine scent to strengthen the base notes. The top notes are something a man can wear as-is. Spicy and slightly sweet. I find it quite oriental in nature. It is not simply a bright citrus lemon, but a deeper tone. A floral note is clearly present with some robust and woody undertones. It is not fluffy, airy or too light, but a deep scent. The drydown and base notes last very long. After 1+ hours it settles down into a feminine and soft aroma with some powdery and floral notes, with some noticeable natural vanilla in it. This is the point at which, as a man, I need to layer it to make it masculine or more unisex. (I use a simple vetiver fragrance to layer it: a good option is mens Guerlain Vétiver edT; anything with vetivers in it). So, in summary: A somewhat complex fragrance, but the basic impression is even throughout. It is recognizable and somewhat familiar. It's something any sophisticated man or a woman can own. Easy to layer with some other scents. Makes an impression on people around at any stage of wearing. But if you are a man, wearing it individually, alone is a bit too feminine in its base notes.

Shalimar is difficult to review, I've tried a few times and scrapped them all. The lore, significance, and cultural magnitude of this perfume cannot be overstated. And, it's deserving of it all. Well, to begin (yet again), I should mention that this is surprisingly herbaceous as it opens and until an hour or more after application. The rosemary smells like sage to me, and is particularly noticeable in the heat. Sometimes I enjoy it. But sometimes, it's overly bitter alongside the citrus. Sometimes the bracing green is too much, but other times, it's what I crave. In all honesty I never smell iris in here, though I detect jasmine at times. Yes...there's florals. They're rather dry, but Shalimar never registers as a "floral" composition to my nose. They're there for structure and accent, but they're not the highlight. As this dries, it becomes magical (and I don't say that flippantly, or in a cliché way), there *is* something truly exceptional about Shalimar. And, this is why I've scrapped 3 reviews, because it defies explanations. The beauty of the warm animalics alongside the resins, the richness of the vanilla, and the peppery-ness of the patchouli is timelessly gorgeous. It's highly evocative. This perfume is orchestral, and there's really no other way that feels like a suitable description. You can nitpick all of the components as you could instruments, but it's better to refrain from that mentality, and to rather allow it to present itself as a whole.

Very complex scent…This have that bergamot citrus heavy opening..iris and animalic scent with incense smell..vanilabi am nit able to recognise.but it is not gourmand-Y. I feel like it is like a tub of baby powder.i cant really point that powder. A very familiar cream smell is there. It is gothic dark and deep. Defenitely not a girly scent. So this I bought as a collector. Plus i saw that there is no duping happening t this perfume.so we cant understand how it is.being a musk blind person i was pretty scared as well.

This smells a little like baby powder and lotion to me. Just kinda boring. I'm sure when it was first made, this was an amazing fragrance, but now it smells like many different things that I'm sure have intentionally duped the scent due to its popularity. My guy friend says he thinks it's sexy though 🤷♀️.

Powder labdanum bomb initially but it settles into a pretty nice vanilla. Do I see myself wearing this much? Probably not. I have to stop fighting the fact that I am a collector at this point and add this to the collection lol. Been collecting since a kid, stickers, stamps, coins. This is just grown up collecting :)

All the people comparing this to Chanel No. 5 are MENTAL. This smells like benzoin incense - if it were lit in a dirty ashtray. It's oppressive and heavy, and it permeates everything in its path, like smoke from a cheap cigarette. Perhaps I'm biased against it because my 4th grade teacher wore it and she was an abusive hateful old goat. Meh.

Oooh what a beautiful, seductive, and gothic perfume. The spritz of citrus in the beginning with that lovely myrrh or incense in the opening, drying down to a lush and creamy vanilla/licorice/musk base. I wish I could smell the original Shalimar with that true animalic civet element in it. I bet the complexity with real civet would have amped it up to 11/10. Oh well...this is still excellent, and there's no need to harm a civet just for perfume. Shalimar, oh how I wished I discovered you sooner!

this famous and beautiful perfume of which I had the Extrait in the 1970s. in the 1980s there was a Luxe Vaporisateur of Edp which still is on a photo. now I have spritzed some perfume (Edp) on my arm from a refill of 50mL for which I no longer have the 'Chique Holder'. but I guess it is from the 1990s. so yes Shalimar and me are going a long way ... now I have the feeling there is some 'remembering' to be done. as it goes with the lingering scent rising from my forearm. it is such a legendary perfume because it has an incomparable softness and at once an ingrained melancholia. Jacques Guerlain managed to blend in a great variety of ingredients in 1925 as "as a tribute to the legendary love story between Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal". as it already shall have smelled somewhat thèn as it smells here from my version of the 1990s the perfume is so well concipiated it emanates foremost a Clôched and Sophisticated Athmosphère Privée. it seems that no single note springs forward to my (not so good) nose while I do smell an anisic touch, which in the Edp isn't listed but apparently is more a cognitive Zusatz that I instinctively and parfumologically remember rather than that it escapes forward. possibly the very 'recipe' of initial and some basical notes combine to leave this olphactory imprint. in my case, the Hesperidic opening of Citrus, Bergamot, Lemon and Mandarin Orange rather form a touch of freshness where I usually can not dissect any Citric Fruit in perfume. (solely Bergamot in Creed and the Lemon and Lemon Blossom in Versaces 'Eros Pour Femme Edp'.) the Woody, Leather and Civet Notes are also sublimely blended (as time has done anyway) and give the perfume a fullhearted impression of tender love. Flowers here as Rose, Iris, Jasmine, all are snowed under by 'Secundary Notes'. Patchouli, wonderfully integrated, Vetiver, Cedar, Incense, Vanilla (and even the famous Vanilla is submerged in the melancholic vortex of the perfume), Opoponax (which gives the perfume an Ideosyncratic Balsamity), Tonkabean & Musk all coalesce into a Regal Fleetingness and incorporate the Achings of the Heart. I guess the secret is in the righteous dosages of Ingredients which waft such Chique and Incomparable perfume reaching the innermost depths of our souls. it is also the sublimatory shadow of 'Guerlain' which lends this opulent precisely in its demureness, swathing perfume its mystery, darkness and at the same time the Super Imposition of Possibility, Beauty and Grace, all enclosed in a perfume not to ever forget. it then is Blended with magisterial hand and either solely by Time, yet this gives the perfume not one Impression but reveal its many, sofly caressed faces. each one as precious and enheightening as the previous one. this is a matter of the Notes, all shifting over each other in each time other kaleidoscopes of presentability. when one smells a Rose, it then comes accompanied by the Leather and Civet, the Jasmine is attached to the Iris and Incense, etc., etc. this dynamic Secret Incentive prolongs the perfume like a microclimate cloacking all, while at the same time rainening out. well this shall be my impression of this Languorous, Lilianic perfume draped under such memorable Indian Love Story.

One of the absolutely best perfumes ever made. I love it alone or layered with l'essence. I know someone that have a vintage shalimar from the 60's i believe - she says todays shalimar EdP layered with l'essence is similar to her vintage shalimar. Anyways - shalimar is my comfort scent. Love to wear it to bed even in the summer. Beautiful om rainy days. Perfect for fall and winter. I'm 33 years for the record, and it have been a love for about 2-3 years.

30 minutes in and I swear it's the drydown of original (the best) Pierre Cardin Pour Monsieur lightly misted with extra vanilla and Fahrenheit. You think that sounds bizarre and bad. It is bizarre, but it's not bad.

Shalimar eau de parfum remains a fragrance you can retreat to whenever you want... It's beautiful, a lady who listens to you, with the ability to adapt to you. It's a mistake to think it dominates you; it's gentle and refined, elegant, and possesses exquisite emotional beauty. You can always turn to it. Tell me... what perfume do you own that can always adapt to your life and feelings? Shalimar is a sweet kiss whenever and wherever you need it. Citrus with excellent vibrancy, flowers that enhance the air, a mysterious leather with incense of elevated character, but never harsh or worn. And the vanilla, this vanilla is like sleeping embraced all night long... What more could you want?

From its luminous citrus opening to its smoky, balsamic vanilla heart, Shalimar unfolds like a forgotten memory wrapped in silk and shadow. The vanilla is not sweet or playful—it is rich, mysterious, touched by leather, incense, and time. This is a perfume with presence rather than volume. It doesn’t dominate a room; it creates an atmosphere around the wearer. There is a sense of quiet confidence, as if the fragrance already knows its worth and has nothing to prove. Shalimar feels made for reflective souls—people who appreciate complexity, nostalgia, and beauty that reveals itself slowly. It evokes old letters, dimly lit libraries, and conversations that linger long after they end. More than a perfume, Shalimar is a portrait of character: elegant, introspective, sensual, and unforgettable. It is not about being noticed by everyone. It is about being remembered by the right people.

30 flankers. Must have got something right. I love it. Much prefer it to Channel No 5. Truly beautiful.

This is the oriental version of Chanel No. 5. Many people don’t get it, and yes, for sure, it was created in a different setting and another time, then recreated, also for another time. It’s like a snake eating its tail. This cannot be understood within the context of current perfumery. I don’t think I would wear this myself, but I very much appreciate it for what it is and would wear it for special occasions. It’s incense-heavy, animalic, and musky. And just like what I wrote in my Chanel No. 5 review that has become very popular — if you get it, you don’t need it explained. It’s psychological, and not a subject to trends. If you operate on a scale of “I like” / “I don’t like” within the perfumery hobby, you cannot write opinions on pieces like Shalimar. Just write about how you adore Ariana Grande's Cloud and that Kayali is fire. You need something more to be able to appreciate and wear Shalimar — poise, substance, depth, deeper knowledge, and sharp perception. And I’m saying that as someone who won’t be buying this. It’s beautiful, I love vintage perfumes, and how they can transport me into a different timeline. I have other vintage candidates I want to acquire, but I'm glad to have experienced Shalimar.

I’m sorry all I get is urinal cakes/clean men’s bathroom. I can’t stand it

Strongest note in Shalimar is "ashtray", which is intriguing but not wearable. It really, really smells like a 70 year old chainsmoker.

This fragrance has good performanc overall, but unfortunately, the opening completely ruined my experience. At one stage, I smelled Pif Paf.

If you are a man and you are wearing Shalimar, then you must be a daring person. I'm not saying that just because Shalimar was and still "commercially" sold by targeting female audiences. But, because Shalimar takes time to understand, to absorb, and to live in someone's skin before the true origin and colour of what we called the beginning of the Oriental family in perfumery showing itself. The scent comprises (dominantly) bright citrus, followed by exotic iris, and then is shrouded by intimidating yet alluring amber. From this, perhaps all of you, gentlemen and lady, would feel intrigued with Shalimar, and then you can have your very own experience of this legendary story from Guerlain. Thank You.

Just like Chanel No5, I find this too much. Heavy, suffocating, a mishmash of notes not making any sense. Glad I just got a 5ml decant. Will use it as a bathroom spray until it's gone. A simply horrid assault on my olfactory glands just like Chanel No5.

I absolutely crave the unapologetically animalic opening of Shalimar Eau de Parfum—it’s bold, vintage, and instantly transports me. That initial intensity slowly melts into the most gorgeous, creamy vanilla drydown that feels warm, sensual, and addictive. The contrast is what makes it magic. Every time I wear it, I get compliments without fail. It’s timeless, dramatic, and completely unforgettable. I must have as many flankers as there are for this delectable classic! Definitely in my top 3!

I want to like it... And I do, but my brain seems to be pretty sensitive to heavy and dry vanilla fragrances and doesn't want to by surrounded by the Shalimar scent bubble. Maybe this sensitivity will pass with time. If you're like me and need something a little more lighter and floral, but with a similar powdery vintage vibe you might prefer L'Heure Bleue from Guerlain.

Shalimar is a psychological masterpiece. It demands a specific posture, an inner strength, a certain way of inhabiting oneself. It is the scent of magnificence - a woman in a long black gown, or a man in a perfectly tailored suit and tie. It is not a matter of gender, but of presence. An aura so majestic it creates distance, a regal barrier between the wearer and the world. The opening is almost paradoxical: a sharp, generous burst of bergamot — used in excess, as Jacques Guerlain intended - that bright, bitter citrus overdose simultaneously lightening and announcing the gravity of what is to come. The heart arrives like a slow revelation - iris, jasmine, rose - but not in the soft, approachable way of a floral. Here they are warm, powdery, carnal. The iris in particular wraps the florals in something between silk and skin, giving the composition an almost bodily intimacy before the base has even fully spoken. And then the base. This is where Shalimar becomes Shalimar. Vanilla - not simply vanilla, but ethylvanillin, the synthetic molecule Jacques Guerlain was among the first to dare use in excess, three times more powerful than the natural material - fused with opoponax, tonka bean, incense, and the ghost of civet. Its indecency. Its intelligence. Its refusal to be merely beautiful. I guess Shalimar is not meant for every stage of life. It requires emotional and olfactory maturity, the kind that comes with experience, confidence, and self-possession - the kind that knows how to carry a scent that carries you back. It is sexy, animalic, and intimidatingly beautiful. The kind of beauty that fascinates as much as it unsettles. Calling it a masterpiece feels almost reductive. Shalimar invented the oriental amber as a category, and everything that followed owes it a debt it will never fully repay.

I found a bottle of this in a box of many different vintage items, including a few other perfumes, each wrapped individually in newspaper packed away in a heavy cardboard box. It’s a round splash bottle with the pointy gold cap. The liquid is not discolored or darkened and the bottle looks brand new. It is 3/4 full. The newspaper it was wrapped in is dated 2002. It smelled very strong when I opened it, but upon application, I smelled a soft, lovely, orange vanilla. It became more woody as it developed, along with amber. I am pleasantly surprised and I see why it’s described as the easiest Shalimar to wear. I am not getting much in the way of spices or leather, so perhaps those notes have been lost, but it’s really nice as it is. Reminds me of Halston Woman Amber.

What a fragrance. It takes you on a journey of adventure. You don’t know where it will end but when you arrive you know you don’t ever want to leave. At first it is a really challengingly bitter, animalic, sharp slightly sweet scent. It evolves into a rubbery leathery smoky amber with more sweetness coming through. After about half an hour of wear it develops into the most beautiful sparkling but deep vanilla, citrus, smoky, powder puff, amber. A complex masterpiece.