Perfume Review: Heure Exquise by Annick Goutal
July 18th, 2006
When I first became interested in perfumes, I was mostly taken by how they smelled superficially categorizing them into good smells and bad smells. I applied the same approach to perfume houses: Serge Lutens - good, Guerlain - bad, Frederic Malle - good, Maitre Parfumeur et Gantier - bad. Many a houses were erroneously dismissed while my nose was in the process of maturing. Now that I’ve reached olfactory adolescence, I’m beginning to make amends for all the harm I’ve caused them. One of the houses subjected to my ill-treatment is Annick Goutal. I’ve rediscovered and fallen in love with so many of Annick Goutal creations lately that I feel like I deserve to deprive myself of all the dark chocolate in the world for at least a few weeks (the horrors!) But, I won’t go into such drastic measures. Instead, I’ll just sing praises to my new found gems.
Today’s praise goes to Heure Exquise. I wish I were a poet for I cannot find words to give it justice in prose. This is sophistication personified (or perfumefied?) Turkish rose, orris, Mysore sandalwood. A floral aldehyde with a delicate, powdery, chiffon-like, earthy aroma. So gorgeous it leaves me speechless. Rose and orris blend has already been wonderfully rendered in such scents as Hermes Hiris, Molinard Habanita, Chanel No 19, Piguet Bandit. Heure Exquise surpasses them all. It does bear resemblance to Chanel No 19. However, Chanel No 19 is a more complex floral blend accentuated by vetiver - solid and opaque in character. Heure Exquise is sheer and fragile. I must add these impressions are of eau de parfum. I haven’t had a chance to smell it in eau de toilette yet. Exquisite Hour is how it translates from French evoking “a rose garden when night slowly sets in. A very special moment called the exquisite hour…” (Osmoz.com)
Heure Exquise can be purchased at Nordstrom, Perfume Country, Fragrancenet as well as directly from the Annick Goutal online shop.
Image source: www.osmoz.com
Entry Filed under: Perfume Reviews, Today's Perfume
19 Comments Add your own
1. chaya ruchama | July 18th, 2006 at 9:13 am
Oh, Ina !
YES !!!
The subtlety of this is just spectacular… I adore the orris, I wish it were readily available in the EDP.
Hiris never did it for me, though, too cold and metallic, with a left-over ozone that I didn’t find pleasing at all.
Mysore sandalwood- NOW you’re talking.
You could put that on s–t,and I would swoon…
Thank you for the lovely review-be well!
2. Elle | July 18th, 2006 at 10:05 am
This was one of my HGs for almost a decade. Glad to see you like it now.
I’ve always been afraid to trash a scent in a review because so often it will come back to haunt me later when I have to edit that review and publicly declare that that “vile sewage” or whatever I’d described a scent as is now a pure slice of heaven on my skin. I’m still waiting for the day when you fall down the rabbit hole into vintage wonderland.
3. March | July 18th, 2006 at 10:21 am
Yes yes YES!!! In my opinion, the whole line is unfairly dismissed because they are so accessible — both in the literal sense (they are available at many dept. stores like Nordstrom) and because they are not, with a couple of exceptions, overtly challenging. But some of my most faithful friends come from AG.
PS I know another complaint is that they “turn” and you need a fresh bottle, but it’s never happened to me personally.
4. Marina | July 18th, 2006 at 1:22 pm
*beams*
What a beautful review!
5. Victoria | July 18th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
It is beautiful!
Annick Goutal Petite Cherie turns easily, but I do not know about others. I have never owned them for long enough to verify the longevity.
6. violetnoir | July 18th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Ina, I am loving AG fragrances more and more, too. Some of them are truly beautiful.
I guess I was disappointed because HE reminds me too much of Chanel No. 19. But my current AG fave is Songes. It’s simply stunning on my skin.
Hugs!
7. The Scented Salamander | July 18th, 2006 at 1:47 pm
I have had a bottle of Heure Exquise edp for, what, 3 years maybe and it’s just fine (I’ve kept it in a fridge.) I have had a bottle of Sables for, what, between 15- 20 years and it’s great (kept outside of a fridge in a dark cellar.)
8. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Chaya, I wish EDP was easily available, too. I managed to secure a decant that I’ll cherish.
9. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 2:12 pm
Elle, time will come for the vintage, I’m sure.
10. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 2:13 pm
March, I’ve heard that, too. I just hope my beloved Songes and now this don’t turn! Yikes!
11. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 2:15 pm
Thanks, Marina! Have you tried it yet?
12. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 2:17 pm
V., I hope they don’t turn.
13. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 2:18 pm
Robin, Songes is stunning, especially in EDP. I adore it, too.
14. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 2:20 pm
Helene, good to know. Thanks!
15. Teri | July 18th, 2006 at 2:57 pm
This is absolutely my favorite fragrance among those I’ve discovered in the last two years. And I so agree, it takes an experienced fragrance ‘palate’ to appreciate it. My daughter-in-law (22) recently sniffed the bottle on my dresser and said “Ewww, that smells like a gasoline additive!” Ten years ago, I might have agreed with her.
A few years ago, we hosted a Bulgarian professor and his wife for several weeks while he was conducting a seminar at the university where my husband taught at the time. As a hostess gift, they brought me a 1/2 oz vial of highly concentrated Bulgarian rose essence nestled in the most cunning carved wooden box. What a marvelous aroma! Such a large and commanding fragrance…a few drops on a light bulb would perfume a room all day… and glorious in a manner to which my humble garden roses could never hope to aspire.
HE is not nearly such a diva as my Bulgarian rose was. HE is an ‘old money’ sophisticate with understated taste and just a tiny hint of unseen passions that might lie within. And yet, the Turkish roses must be very similar to the Bulgarian ones, because HE immediately brings my fragrant hostess gift to mind.
So pleased to see this fragrance treasure appreciated by so many of your cognescenti!
16. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 3:03 pm
Teri, thanks for such a beautiful comment! I too once had a vial of pure Bulgarian rose oil that I can’t remember what I did with. Must try to find it soon.
17. Cait | July 18th, 2006 at 9:42 pm
How sumptuous it sounds in your words! I always loved Heure Exquise and those who know me know I love Annick Goutal, so I read this and immediately want a bottle of my own. How to wear all of these perfumes I seem to need to acquire?
18. Ina | July 18th, 2006 at 10:26 pm
Cait, I highly recommend you get a bottle.
Or a decant, and that in EDP.
19. Aromascope » My Fav&hellip | October 20th, 2006 at 12:19 am
[…] Sables Songes Heure Exquise Grand Amour Eau de Charlotte Eau du Fier […]
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