Chypre Palatin

Starts off fruity, sweet, soapy, and musky. The beauty of this opening is all about how this transforms into MUSC freakin RAVAGEUR in 30mins!!! Projects all day.

Frag is extremely non-linear. Pyramid describes it well!

Monumental. Chypres are typically slow burners for me, something to admire rather than indulge. This is one of the rare instance where that complexity is intact yet the effect is so effortlessly lovable. The spectrum is full, Duchafour threw everything in: fruits, florals, aromatics, animalics, aldehydes. But what makes it so compelling is the trojan horsing of a massive, gorgeous amber accord that softens the whole bouquet into a great melody. Awe inducing from top to bottom. A grand, operatic ode to the genre.

Like Invasion Barbare, Chypre Palatin really highlights MDCI's ability to take a classic fragrance genre and make it feel relevant and wearable today. To my nose, it's one of the finest modern fruity chypres I've come across, blending traditional chypre elements with a level of refinement that feels effortless. The opening immediately gives me that unmistakable chypre impression, with earthy oakmoss, aromatic lavender and bright citrus creating a strong connection to the genre's roots. At the same time, it never feels dated or overly austere. What really draws me in is the fruit accord. The combination of juicy clementine and rich plum adds a beautiful depth and richness, making the fragrance feel both sophisticated and inviting. The fruit is noticeable without ever becoming sweet or playful and it integrates seamlessly into the composition. Chypre Palatin and Invasion Barbare are the only MDCI fragrances for which I've purchased full bottles and I consider both among the standout pieces in my collection. They showcase different sides of the house but each demonstrates the same exceptional balance of quality, character and craftsmanship that makes MDCI so special. For those who enjoy Chypre Palatin but find it difficult to justify the cost, Dua's Historical Chypre is well worth exploring. In my experience, it's one of the closest interpretations available and delivers a very similar wearing experience at a much more accessible price point.

I tried this based on recommendations from several people. The opening is very fruity, combination of plum and Clementine. It reminds me of a flavored cough syrup. The dry down improves, but it’s not good enough to warrant a bottle.

I will buy antaeus

base notes smell like tralala to me

And just like that, you find yourself transported into a marble palace where Baroque grandeur blends with Neoclassical elegance. Draperies, rich fabrics, and oriental carpets tell the story of distant journeys, while the air is filled with the lingering smoke of burners diffusing warm, sweet resins. The atmosphere is undeniably aristocratic, yet it evokes less the image of a nineteenth-century nobleman than that of a Roman emperor returning from the East, somehow transported into the Winter Palace of St. Petersburg, where the opulence of its earliest Baroque architecture gradually gives way to the more restrained Neoclassicism favored by Catherine the Great. I genuinely can’t think of a better way to describe the olfactory landscape imagined by Duchaufour. The opening is slightly sparkling, almost cola-like, yet simultaneously green and soapy. The plum quickly emerges and, to my nose, creates a subtle impression of licorice, paving the way for a creamy floral heart that feels powdery, yet gently earthy at the same time. Then comes the base, and the fragrance begins speaking an entirely different language: slightly animalic, musky, woody, and even faintly herbal. Throughout the entire journey, an ambered, resinous aura remains ever-present, both sweet and piercing at once. From a technical standpoint, calling it a masterpiece almost feels unnecessary. The only thing that continues to fascinate me is its very soul. It possesses an unmistakable identity, yet it never fully reveals itself. You can never quite tell whether it wants to seduce you with its warm, ambered, oriental embrace or keep you at arm’s length with an almost aloof, aristocratic elegance. I believe this ambiguity is precisely what makes it so remarkable. Both personalities coexist within it, and depending on who wears it, and when, one inevitably takes precedence over the other.

I'd always wanted to try it because it's Duchaufour and a modern chypre, and I managed to find a sample from the vintage bottle, and of course it didn't let me down. No need to talk about the chypre characteristics, that's obvious, the slightly citrusy opening and mossy base... everyone will make those comments anyway. I'll just write the distinct features that hit my nose: warm, powdery, leathery and animalic. Sweet but never the tiring kind. The thing whose star shines brightest here, in my opinion: the tolu and benzoin duo. This duo gives most compositions they enter that tantalizing and provocative yet at the same time innocent warmth... Tag(s): spicy, warm, powdery, balsamic

this is an Unforgettable, Legendary and Intrigueing perfume. I must have bought it in 2012, the year it was launched. in this special Niche Perfumery of Lianne Tio in Rotterdam, who settled her beautiful shop there before the Skins came, first in Amsterdam then in Rotterdam. Lianne Tio also had a fine and chic high Cupboard within which she had the Clive Christians presented. but this perfume stole my heart with the first whiff. the other perfumes of MDCI were also exquise, but this one topped all off. (I remember immediately vetoing the 'Alabaster' Pompous Stoppers.) it definitely is a Chypre, but during that time I had no Idea, well, a little bit. in hindsight I think it were the Aldehydes (fervent Chanel fan), the Plum and Galbanum, and in short the Castoreum and Flowers in the heart which toppled me over in 5 seconds. that is how it goes with me. Bertand Duchaufour never was my favorite perfumeur yet what he achieved with Al Oudh (2009) from L'Artisan Parfumeur and Phuong Dang's Leather Up (2016) was also delivering two intoxicating and dense, complex and heavy perfumes which each stood like a ton of bricks. this perfume Chypre Palatin is as complex as mysterious, as Flowery as also Balsamic, Aldehydic Chypric with Amber & dense Woody aspects. at the start you catch a ping of Anise, which shall be either the Hyacinth and, or, the Iris. its Chypre is delivered by the Aldehydes, the Galbanum (perhaps also with an Anisic Umbelliferous Ting) and the Lavender and Sage and Oakmoss mingling together. well as the perfume is from 2012 it really is Mingled, Blended, Macerated and streaming in this heavenly and dreamy inescapable fume of Sweetness (not as the perfumes now, mind you), a rich Floweriness 'Embaumée', and finally all the basenotes cementing this Legendary Wall of Amberish, Embalming, Soothing trace of Environments Perfumed. the Flowers Hyacinth, Rose, Iris, Jasmine, Gardenia, Immortelle and Labdanum dissipate this Clouding Powdery Heaven of chique Gardens and 'Hothouses' of Exotic Florae. the Clementine (which I never smell) tittilates a Freshness thereby complexisizing the whole Initial Impression after which the perfume keeps carrying you away, away. Plum initiates the middle but also immediately the last phases of the perfume (hours on end) all mixing in with then the Rose, then the Gardenia, the meadowy Immortelle, Labdanum, the Tolu & Oakmoss and Castoreum with Benzoin. the perfume finally defies all genres with Floriental Amberiness plus Chypric Acuity. the Woody aspect then must come from Immortelle, Oakmoss, Styrax and Costus at once. but it appears after several hours. I loved this perfume then and I still love it today. it is a Chic and Sophisticated perfume.

I see the hype. It smells legit, and that it is created usingquality ingredients. it’s a little ancient scent though, different era, nothing new or provoking, or original. I don’t think it’s suitable for people under 65. :)

The modern chypre to end all modern chypres, absolutely stunning, and it lasts forever. The 100ml flacon is much more beautiful than the one shown above FYI. Also, they don't seem to have reformulated this at all, ever. It almost seems impossible for this to be the case, so however they've done it, I bow down to their greatness.

A 50% chypre at best & 50% oriental It opens with sweet flowers & aldehydes with hints of citrus & bitter green notes. Three minutes in, the sweetness starts to settle down & lavender notes become detectable. You can sense an amber undertone here. There is a lot going on in this opening, making it interesting & harmonious. The heart is full of sweet fruity (plum), roses, white flowers, iris notes, with green bitter sourness & earthiness to it. (dusty & powdery) There is more character & volume to the amber here, with lots of sweet vanilla in the background. (It starts to become silky smooth) I’ve heard that this perfume is very leathery with animalic notes, but so far I’m not getting any of the animalic notes & the leather is very subtle so far. The base is full of warm, very sweet amber with loads of vanilla; it’s powdery & dusty. Mossy with balsam & hints of leather. (Silky smooth with vanilla gourmand-ish + oriental feeling to it) It’s not your typical chypre base; it’s more of an oriental genre perfume. There is a big change of direction here & it’s a bit confusing. This reminds me of the opening of Magie Noire by Lancôme (vintage version) with a lot of taming down & a dry down close to Cuir Beluga by Guerlain. This would be a perfect entry level for someone who wants to own or try a chypre after they couldn’t take a real chypre as: Magie Noire, Mitsouko or Diaghilev to name a few. The reason is that this perfume is sticky, pink, powdery, too vanilla & frankly a bit too sweet (with a gourmand-ish + oriental dry down for a real chypre) Don’t get me wrong this smells super classy & very nice but maybe the name (Chypre) wasn’t the right fit here. I own a bottle & I do enjoy it, but not when I’m craving a chypre. Performance here is very good & silage is very good as well. IG sir.fragrances

Close to the nose, this smells exactly like Dr. Pepper steeped with a hearty dose of fresh flowers. In passing, at a distance, or as a sillage, smells exactly like dusty and chalky roll of smarties (US candy)

Applies full of brisk spices and warm amber. Soap is too dominant upfront, but pretty quickly taken over by superior elements. Radiates top notes of gentle juicy clementine and warm spices (peppercorn, anise). They blend so well together! Very airy while balanced by a balsamic leather base. Cozy vintage vibe that's not too dated. I'm triggered by powder, but get how it balances the mild sweetness. Still a touch too prominent, but not elderly. Lots going on with good projection as it harmonizes in a uniquely appealing way. Overall, quite exquisite and happy to try, but not personally bottle worthy. Spraying on my shirt did stain it, btw. Coming back to commend the dry down for being persistently alluring - the most warm and sexy spices. So comforting! This actually stands out as extra special. Debating a bottle now....

Smells sweet, fruity, leathery and a bit powdery to my nose. I don’t personally enjoy this as a 40 year old male that usually likes chypre fragrances. If I had to associate this with imagery I picture an older couple on a fancy dinner date drinking red wine or on a tour at a museum in Europe. It is classic old money type of perfumery and I appreciate the quality and performance of the scent. I’m undecided if this is feminine or not. The performance lasts all day and becomes a bit headache inducing to me unfortunately. The fragrance is actually quite linear and stays pretty much the same throughout its lifespan. Do not blind buy this fragrance. Sample it first. Not for me - I would give it a 5/10 in terms of personal enjoyment BUT I appreciate the chemistry, quality and artistry.

Quite heavy perfume. I bought it from a top perfumery in Budapest that has many brands I was not even aware of (including MDCI). Smell Strong smell of benzoin and because of this brings me memories of going to church as a child. In addition it smells amber, it's very oriental and has a notable animalitistic touch. Very classy overall and unique smell. Use and feeling It's for the cold winter days, you can't wear this with warm weather or even during mild spring/autumn days. I don't think that it's a night-only perfume. I wear it in the office and during the day in general. It's not seductive, or oriented towards dating. it's very classy though. Brings something very "traditional" to the table. I could imagine "old money" people wearing it. Presentation The bottle is quite nice and this little hanging cloth emphasizes the oriental roots of this perfume. Only downside is that it comes in a plain white box, as if it's a 5 Euro Amazon delivery, or as if you got it from a dodgy grey market store🤣 Quite off, comparing it with the classiness of the smell and with the rest of the packaging. Some of the other MDCI perfumes have top class boxes, but not this one ... I'll make sure to travel to Budapest again to buy it, before the bottle finishes. In a few words: heavy, winter, oriental, amber, benzoin, animalistic, very classy, unique. Ps: I try to have a small collection of 5-6 perfumes, so I'm very picky before buying one. It has to have something quite special and bring up feelings, not only just to smell good. This perfume is part of my collection.

Straddles vintage perfumes with sweet overtones. Atypical 90s teak furniture shop scent. Asian importer stores in Western cities and suburbs. North African hammam. Likeable aromatic that is less perfumery and more mood ambience. Aromatic near to vanilla cola with lemon wedge in warmer weather. A few others in this category of 'home furnishing and decor' scents are: Angelique Noire Guerlain -- Christmas nursery, Christmas Market; Nawab of Oudh Intensivo Ormonde Jayne -- Orange trees as holiday decorations; Encens Mythique Guerlain -- spice markets and wooden baskets. If you love Zara Home, this is like a niche, upmarket home furnishing version!

Great scent! Huge Jasmine note. If you don't like Jasmine or florals, stay away. Does start to calm down a bit an clean into soapy amber. Close to the skin, but a classic bliss.

This reminds me of Magie Noire Lancôme “vintage version” but a bit toned down & the dry down is very close to Cuir Beluga by Guerlain NB: there is no leather here

This is astonishingly good. I tried this in 2018 when I was first getting into niche (I was 24 at the time). Sadly, my nose wasn't mature enough to appreciate this. That first blast of old school chypre galbanum was too much for me and weirdly made me think of waxy banana skins (I'm allergic to bananas). I just tried this again today. I'm pleased to say that my nose has matured. I absolutely love this. It is so complex and it changes so much while on my skin. My only criticism is that it has a bit too much vanilla for me, although I'm willing to look past this because everything else is 10/10. Overall: 9.5/10.

Masterclass , masterfully blended chypre. Classical occidental chypre.

Wearing this feels like… you’re walking through the musty air and dark gloom of an abandoned baroque palazzo, surrounded by faded elegance and decaying grandeur. You throw open the window shutters, the room is flooded with sunlight hitting the gilded interior, everything glows luminescent amber. The parquet floors are warm and resinous, the chandelier crystals tinkle in the gentle breeze, from your window you survey the vista of the Palatine Hill.

Leathery, animalic, sweet, very powdery, mossy, resinous. Smells vintage and feminine. Not surprisingly, the longevity is great. It is still a skin scent nearly 24 hours later. Not much projection though

This is just absolutely stunning, i have no other words

Clean, dusty, and leathery. All in a good way. Actually a very beautiful scent that lasts over 8 hours. However, weak projection. I had to ask for others opinions. In order to form that opinion they all had to get extremely close to smell. Shame. I love the scent. If it gave me better sillage and projection, I may consider it. As is, costly for what it offers. I am working from a decanted sample from Scent Split for what its worth. 5 sprays. Will wear it more and see if it changes.

It's more on the unpleasant side. Not a blind buy. But oh boy is it special. The addictive fresh bitterness in the opening is just amazing. It has to be one of the favs. Castoreum you can sense clearly, though it is surprisingly not problematic to me. I think I may like the galbanum note a lot. However, it smells REALLY bad on my skin. Maybe it is the castoreum effect afer all... Such a shame. Unfortunately, I would never consider getting a sample simply because it only smells good on paper in my case.

Chypre Palatin is one of those "perfect" perfumes. Yes, part of that is the way it smells and wears, which we'll get into in a second, but a "perfect" perfume must also clearly illustrate its time and place in this great continuum of modern perfumery. I laughed when Chypre Palatin was released, but I had been doing a lot of laughing in the decade around it. So many of us had hung our hopes on niche perfumery daring to be different, to introduce new structures and smells and ideas, and to subvert the derivation-driven commercialism that had become modern perfumery's skeletal structure. What did MDCI do? They gave us an old school chypre. Lol, indeed. We saw this coming, but what was funny was how long it took perfume enthusiasts and the maisons to even admit it was happening. Lutens became a legend for taking old staples and mind-warping them; Malle built a brand whose raison d'etre was to take old stuff and do it the way he wanted to do it; L'Artisan Parfumeur tried to be different, quickly started tripping, then quickly started down the modernization-of-old direction, and is now no different than any other Puig brand rehashing old and new trends; etc., and we didn't seem to care. Casual perfume wearers, and freaks like me, were (and still are) eating up these revisited classics by the bucket loads. Cue Chypre Palatin, a very old school chypre modernized by a niche house and a master modern perfumer who has given us more than a share of commercial juggernauts. Irony thick enough to be cut with a chainsaw, little alone a knife. But it's whatever, because Chypre Palatin is a masterpiece. CP opens with aldehydes, lavender, sage, galbanum, and oranges. Licorice. When I gave the opening quite a bit of attention, yes, all of those other accords were perceptible, but the initial reaction I had was a chokingly dry black licorice. The aldehydes do not shimmer or sparkle nor effervesce, they powder coat the nose and the back of the throat like black dust. The lavender, sage, and galbanum work together to present a dried herbal, green, woody, a touch oily, and rooty licorice-like accord that is just slightly sweetened by oranges. Helping this overall accord along are some powerhouse materials in the base stretching all the way to the top, namely the leather-evoking castoreum, and warm, woody, and animalic styrax and benzoin - the benzoin doing a little something extra, adding a fleck of vanilla into the mix, but it's far from having its final say in that regard. In newer formulations that vanilla is noticeably stronger at the top, but it doesn't distract from the whole of the top notes. As we slowly proceed to the heart, orris appears to carry the dry, starchy, woody, and rooty mantle, plum and gardenia connect with the orange from the top to give a fruit and whipped cream type accord - which is far from being as sweet as it sounds, mind you - and green jasmine and rose connect with the herbal, green, and oily top notes and textures. Meanwhile, the base notes continue to grow and bloom, and this is where long-time wearers of Chypre Palatin will start scratching their heads. The floral heart of newer formulations is noticeably quieter and shorter lived. The original floral heart always struck me as a bit Guerlain-esque, but I'm not getting that thought anymore. The swelling base is turning from a spicy, warm, woody direction to a spicy amber direction as the sweetness of the benzoin and styrax amp up and the vanilla gets stronger. In the older formulations the animalic and woody aspects of costus, and the musky animalic sides of benzoin and styrax were more prominent with their woody aspects instead of their sweet sides, and the castoreum had a bigger leather presence. One final thing is that the moss note of the base has definitely been tampered down - whether by force or by choice, it's no surprise - which certainly plays a big a role in knocking the dry down of Chypre Palatin a bit off balance towards amber. As I sit here smelling my old bottle and a new decant, the difference is apparent enough that I wonder if CP can be called a chypre anymore. I believe it can, but it's leaning well over the line. Now, before you go reading this thinking you should skip Chypre Palatin because it isn't like it once was, don't. There is still plenty of the original's intact DNA in the new formulation, and it's still a stunning piece of work - very nearly as good as it's ever been. The way Duchaufour stitches all of the materials and the notes together is masterful. The materials and notes do not pop-up and disappear, they shape-shift like a flowing mosaic. For the bores that care about this sort of thing, the performance is still very much there too; the longevity is solid, and, rather uniquely, Chypre Palatin has always had the ability to stay quite close to the skin (low projection) and never crowd you, despite the powerhouse chypre+amber combination, yet the sillage is quite strong - you will get noticed. Old idea, new spin. Spun like a top. I get mesmerized by this perfume every time I wear it. I firmly believe this is in contention for the best perfume Duchaufour has ever created.

I revisited this fragrance and my take is that it's amalgam of chypre with oriental amber. The top notes immidiately show inspiration from the classic perfumery, but the drydown is very rich, sweet, powdery amber. I like that the animalics are well blended into this concoction, as they are not as perceivable as in many other chypres. Incredibly long lasting, tad too sweet for me though.

"Some find it dusty and old-fashioned." Some can fuck right off. Stfu and then smell it again. This is a dream! I know reviews say this is an autumn/winter perfume, but I'm wearing one tiny spritz of this right now, in the middle of summer. True, it's the evening, but I feel sexy af and this perfume is responsible. I honestly can't explain it. People said it would be so and it is so! I mean, it's so good that I'm actually writing a review! This is my first review for a perfume that is just really lovely and spicy and something special for basically any occasion. I only have a 5 ml decant but you bet your ass I'm going to hunt this down...