Countdown day 22

I have a feeling that today is day 22 of our Christmas Fragrance Countdown. I am celebrating and doing pressies today with the beloved, a tradition stemming from the fact that we initially weren't together at Christmas. Of course now we are, so we get double fun. I want to tell you of a fragrance reborn, a perfume so wonderful that its greatness wasn't appreciated when it first appeared. I want to share with you another secret, I am in love with the 80's. I want to smell like it, but better, I want to breathe in nostalgia, I want to smell that smell I discovered in theatres and Cafes and on Kensington High Street on Saturday afternoons. I want to recapture the smell of the select few who knew a masterpiece. I salute them now after many years and I continue their great olfactory championing of yet another Guerlain Wonder. Derby (1985) by perfumer Jean Paul Guerlain is one of, if not the greatest Masculine of the 1980s. Why? That is difficult, but for me it is the adoption of the rugged leather and spice of the medallion wearing, chest hair bursting macho man of 1979, yet with all of the elegance, beauty and inner confidence of the modern man of 2017. In addition, the beauty of this perfume actually takes me back to 1904 with the dandified beauty of Mouchoir de Monsieur, another Guerlain creation still going strong today. This is why this scent is so timeless, it looks forwards and back, and is perfectly happy with today. Sadly this beauty wasn't a hit at first, and went through some presentation changes, then was discontinued. Now it is back and part of the altogether splendid, L'art et la Matière collection, cleaned up a little but still the same Derby. I know them both and love them equally. This review is more for the modern creation. In the opening we have a beautiful blend of Bergamot and Orange Blossom, immediately uplifting and fresh, with a soft velvet texture. We also have some Minty and sharp accords, almost nettle jam. It is recognisably Guerlain, we feel its DNA as a classic Chypre. The middle brings us a lively dash of Nutmeg and then those glorious soft florals, Rose and Jasmine in particular. They weave about one another with stunning finesse, and maintain the blended elegance. Nowhere here is any hint of showiness or rough edges, it is rounded and warming. I also begin to discern the structure in the middle, once the Cedar starts to gently purr. It is wonderful to be made aware of it, as it leads you slowly and calmly towards that magical base. It also seems to hang onto the opening freshness for a long while. The base is where we meet our soft leather, a gently smoky birch which in fact makes me aware of the carnation that has been lurking in the middle. It reminds me a little of the floral smoke of Knize Ten (1924), another one you should all smell right away. To complement this leather, we have a quiet but pervasive patchouli. It adds a hint of earth and white chocolate texture. There is also a drop of that wonderful Tobacco infused Vetiver from 1959. It is a stunning note, and livens up the base just as the Bergamot and Orange Blossom had in the opening. Finally this all sits on a bed of Oakmoss, giving it that unmistakable 80s calling card. It is yet another perfume that seems to glow, the longer it sits on your skin, in no small part thanks to this Oakmoss and Vetiver combination. All in all, this is an absolute stunner, of its time and yet so much more. It captures all that was great about Guerlain once upon a time, and represents an era in perfumery marketed towards males when bolder was better. As much as I disagree with gender marketing in perfume, at least here they backed it up with a masterpiece. No generic fruity aquatics here, no Shampoo scents, no cloying chemical messes allowed. This is for all, men and women alike, it is quite simply a unique and beautiful experience. To wear Derby is to embrace timelessness. Happy Smelling. J xxxx