Parfumerie Générale - Grand Siècle Intense 7.1

Picture: Grand Siècle Intense
Photo: PR Parfumerie Générale (c)

Grand Siècle Intense 7.1 is the just released, fourth fragrance in the Signature Collection of Parfumerie Générale, collection which Pierre Guillaume started to create 2012 to mark the 10th anniversary of Parfumerie Générale that year. The collection will capture Pierres development as a perfumer and offers different interpretations of some of the Parfumerie Générale perfumes from the past. The Signature Collection is only avaible at Parfumerie Générales own website.

Grand Siècle Intense is a follower to the very natural smelling bitter citrus cologne Cologne Grand Siècle in which Pierre Guillaume was inspired by the court of the Sun King Louis XIV in the seventeenth century and the few and pure ingredients which then was avaible to the parfumer. 

Grand Siècle Intense starts with natural smelling bitter citrus and green notes. A realistic and refreshing, slight fizzy note of mint leaves appears after a while. This mint is also present in the original Maroocan Mint tea inspired Harmatan Noir 11, but in this fragrance, blended with smokey, spicy almost metallic notes. The minty note is also present in the easier to wear Noir Marine from the Phaedon line. Grand Siècle Intense goes on with green-woody notes, with the sparkilng green of cypress over light woods, fresh moss and a well intergrated vetiver. The cypress slightly reminds me of the sparkling green in Annick Goutal Eau d'Hadrien. A slight smokey touch also appears and glimpses of a very fine leather also appears and in the basenotes there is also a light, well rounded sweetness, probably the honey, which prevent the fragrance from beeing too aromatic in style.Just as in Cologne Grand Siècle there are no harsh or artifical smelling notes which seems to be quite common in cheaper aromatic/citrus fragrances. As usual with Parfumerie Générale this is high quality stuff and it's a smooth, delightful and easy to wear fragrance. Grand Siècle Intense is, just as it's forerunner, with its close sillage, perfect both for casual and office wear in spring and summer. The only drawback, just as with the cologneversion, is the longevity. Even if I applied liberally, I have to reapply every two-three hours and 75% of my 2 ml sample was gone after one wearing. On the other hand, I have dry skin so this is probably not a common problem.

Comparing the two Grand Siècle versions, Cologne Grand Siècle is more of a cologne in style (even if not fully) with citrusy, lemony notes and also with a for the fragrance characteristic note of a hard citruspastille. In  Grand Siècle Intense the cologne inspired theme is most present in the early stage of the fragrance, later it's more of a citiric, green, light woody aromatic perfume. Both fragrances are unisex even if the cologne IMO is leaning a bit more to the masculine side and the Intense is just neutral.

Rating: 4 (if rating how it smells, its structure and quality of ingredients), 3 (if taken the longevity issues in consideration)

Notes: Bergamot, bitter orange, lemon leaves, mint, cypress, vetiver, patchouli, oakmoss, tobacco absolute, hay, honey

Parfumerie Générale - Cologne Grand Siècle

Photo: André Karwath, CC - some rights reserved,

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Parfumerie Générales (PG:s) citruscologne Cologne Grand Siècle är gjord av en hög andel naturliga råvaror. Pierre Guilleme, husets grundare och näsa, säger sig vara inspirerad av solkungens hov (Ludvig XIV) på 1600-talet och de få och rena råvaror som då stod till parfymörernas förfogande.

CGS är en fin, om jag ska tänka mig en färg, djupgul, citrus. Den är lite söt, påminner om smaken av en hård citruspastill. Det påminner i stilen om kultklassikern Eau de Rochas men den senare är mer tvålig, har en mossig bas och är stramare i stilen. CGS är med sin trä och vetiverbas mer publiktillvänd och lättsam. En fin sommardoft som tyvärr har en stor nackdel: Den försvinner på en halvtimme, visserligen testad under tuffa soliga sommarförhållanden. CGS är något mer maskulin än feminin, även om man tycks framhäva doften något olika: På herr Parfumista framhävs de träiga noterna mer den korta stund det varar, på mig citrusnoterna.

Parfumerie Générale (PG) citrusy cologne Cologne Grand Siecle is made of a high proportion of natural ingredients. Pierre Guilleme, the house's founder and nose, says he is inspired by the court of the Sun King Louis XIV in the  seventeenth century and the few and pure ingredients which then was avaible to the  parfumer.

CGS is a nice, if I have to think of a color, deep yellow, citrus. It's a little sweet, reminiscent of the taste of a hard citruspastille. It's reminiscent of the style of the cult classic Eau de Rochas, but the latter is soapy, has a mossy base and is stricter in style. CGS, with its base of wood and vetiver is more oriented  towards the general public and more easygoing. A nice summer fragrance which unfortunately has a major drawback: It disappears in half an hour, although tested under harsh sunny conditions. CGS is a bit more masculine than feminine, even if it seems to enhance the smell somewhat different: Mr Parfumista highlights the woody notes the short time it lasts,  and for me, the citrus notes dominates.

Rating: 3

Noters Tangerine, bitter orange, cardamom, vetiver