[unpaid/sample] As a brand, CHANEL has a long history with Scotland – from 1924 when Coco Chanel met Hugh Grosvenor who introduced her to the Scottish Highlands and moors. How handy to meet a Duke with a 100,000 acre estate not least because it led to a love of salmon fishing (I didn’t this about Chanel!). He also gave her a house near Lairg to decorate to which she added French block print wall paper.
Fast forward to 2012, Karl Lagerfeld brought the catwalk to Linlithgow Palace (birthplace of Mary Queen of Scots) finishing the night with whisky and haggis for his guests. The House of Barrie produces cashmere for CHANEL – it’s in Hawick, not far from where I was brought up, and we made many trips there to the cashmere shops. Our favourite (because it had actually ‘trendy’ designs rather than the twinsets that everyone else had) was near the Co-op – it probably still is but it’s been so long since I’ve been. It’s so surprise that Paris-Edimbourg joins the line up of Les Eaux de Chanel.
CHANEL Paris-Edimbourg Fragrance is a woody aquatic water. It’s lemony on the opener but very quickly becomes powerfully smoky and woody – the change is rather dramatic – being both fresh and powerful at the same time.
If you like woody notes, this is dry cedar – and it’s very dry. There’s a lurking whisper of gin (thank you juniper) that trails through the smoke and I really do see how the perfumers have connected up the earthy moor scent and something rather urban. Edinburgh was not known as Auld Reekie (old smoky) for no reason – smoke from open coal and peat fires would linger over the city in the 1700s.
CHANEL Paris-Edimbourg Fragrance won’t be for everyone despite being distinctly unisex but it will provoke attention. If you can settle yourself into a single malt by an open fire under the stars, it will be the perfect companion. It’s £112 HERE.
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10 comments
I’m desperate to try this…(I’m a vetiver..unisex generally Hermes (but NEVER Twilly) fragrance person, welded to Hiris!) and love the sound of this…it just sounds intriguing and a bit different…I’m hoping I love it enough to purchase it – I’m in Edinburgh next week so just want to wait till then to investigate.
It’s certainly different for the brand – I don’t think I’ve smelled anything close to it from them before. It’s interesting.. let me know what you think!
It’s a cracking fragrance and my favourite out of Les Eaux by some distance. Maybe it has something to do with the juniper as I am partial to the ahem odd g&t every now and then. It’s the most distinctive out of the range so far. I hope there are matching bath and body goodies on the way x
I’m no stranger to a quick gin either!
I am imagining Gin de Chanel. ..the bottle, the label..ooooh! Chin chin!
cheers cheers 🙂
I smelled it last week-end and had a crush, just like I had for Lion a couple of months ago.
I love the woody and smoky perfume, it really took me back to the Isle of Skye and my honeymoon in Scotland 12 years ago.
Oh that’s interesting – that you could relate it to a specific place.. how lovely.
I love your description of this, and it was a delight to read! Can’t wait to try it.
Haste ye back Jane
I can’t wait to be back! A little trip to Hawick for me I think 🙂