Favorite Discontinued Fragrances : Perfumes You Miss The Most

Biche

The other day I was cleaning up my office, when I came across a vial of Victoire Gobin-Daudé Biche Dans L’Absinthe, a green woody fragrance that beautifully conveys the bitter absinthe impression. The vial was almost empty, but a single whiff brought me back to the cold summer I spent in Warsaw, dividing my time between the Statistical Library and the pastry shops in the vicinity (Polish cakes and desserts have few rivals in my affections.) A sillage of Biche Dans L’Absinthe followed me around the city, and to this day, I cannot think of Warsaw without recalling this marvelous scent. Yet, it has been discontinued years ago, and an empty vial is all I have today. Out of many fragrances that were taken off the market, Gobin-Daudé collection is the one I miss the most. They were original and memorable.

I also miss the original version of Christian Dior Dioressence (the current version is a completely different fragrance,) Lancôme AromaCalm (a soft blend of iris and incense,) Nina Ricci L’Air du Temps (the reformulated version is not even worth smelling,) and Shiseido Nombre Noir. Once Yves Saint Laurent Nu disappears from the existing stocks, I know that I will be in deep mourning for its departure.

What discontinued fragrances do you miss the most? What vanished perfumes do you still mourn?

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151 Comments

  • Nancy C.: Magie Noire. The reformulation is a travesty. April 8, 2011 at 6:33am Reply

  • Austenfan: I think you can still get the Dewberry shower gel. From the Body Shop site. April 8, 2011 at 7:06am Reply

  • Austenfan: I miss the original Nina by Nina Ricci the most. Mind you I have a good supply still left to me. And L’Air du Temps because my mother used to wear it. I have not dared trying the current one. April 8, 2011 at 7:08am Reply

    • Jacilu McDonald: I used to wear l’air du temps in the sixties and I loved it. The actual version is also good, has a good fixation but a little lighter. I was surprised when I found it at Walgreens 😉 October 28, 2019 at 8:51pm Reply

  • Olfactoria: Le Feu d’Issey, although I am happy I found a bottle recently. And I have a nostalic hankering for Clinique Simply of all things, I don’t exactly remember how it smelled, but I remember it was lovely and it was my daily scent at an important time in my life. April 8, 2011 at 3:22am Reply

    • jill: I would love it if someone knows of something they make now that smells like simply by clinique did. I have bought bottles on the internet but I know they are old.
      I so miss my simply.,.. February 24, 2014 at 7:22pm Reply

  • axum: L’air du Temps used to be one of my mother’s favourites, and I had intended to give her a bottle for her birthday, but it is as you say – awful. She used to wear Ma Griffe too, but that doesn’t smell right to me anymore either. What to do…sigh! April 8, 2011 at 3:46am Reply

    • Giovanna: The original L’Air du Temps was my mum’ signature scent as well (she wears something awful now), and Ma Griffe was my granny’s. Sigh and sigh, 10 years after the original comment. June 13, 2021 at 5:33am Reply

  • OdetteToilette: The humble Body Shop Dewberry, which I wore when eleven, and wish I had just only as a little reminder of that time even though it’s really a horrid sharp thing. Now trading on ebay for £££ (well, comparative to the original price). April 8, 2011 at 3:58am Reply

  • karin: Rive Gauche! OK, not discontinued, but changed. I want the old one. Did I mention I hate when companies reformulate and try to pass a fragrance off with the same name? RG is still pretty good, but she ain’t what she used to be.

    And I would love to smell Ritz by Charles of the Ritz again. I’m not shelling out $200+ for a vintage bottle, though! I remember it smelling like Coke. April 8, 2011 at 8:10am Reply

  • Tourbillion1: Oh, I think I miss Angelique Encens more than anything else. It is even getting harder to find decants.

    I have an almost full bottle of Nu and a partial of Donna Karan Signature though, which I am hoarding! April 8, 2011 at 4:20am Reply

  • LadyShine: Prince Matchabelli’s Golden Autumn. It was my introduction to parfum when I received my first bottle at the age of 12. It was so warm and spicy, yet light enough for a tween. April 8, 2011 at 8:35am Reply

  • Alexandra: Apres L’Ondee eau de parfum; I really like the eau de toilette, but imagine what the parfum would be like…
    kind regards from sunny London
    Alexandra April 8, 2011 at 8:38am Reply

  • Suv: Al Sabah! I have a precious few ml left, and cherish it. April 8, 2011 at 8:46am Reply

  • Suzanna: Definitely Rive Gauche, and also vintage versions of No. 5.

    Something worth mentioning about the Gobin-Daude line was its price. What sticker-shock that caused, back in the day! They were $150.00 for 50 ml, at a time when Lutens sold for $89.00 and Malle for $75.00. The GD’s elevated ticket placed them at nearly double other niche lines…and this was only six or seven years ago. We all know what happened since. April 8, 2011 at 9:04am Reply

  • Irina: I really miss Annick Goutal’s Le Muguet, it was perfect lily of the valley, in my humble opinion. I will miss Island Kiss by Escada, I still have a few drops in my bottle. Magie Noir, yes, yes! Last time I tried it, I didn’t recognize the smell, because I remember the old one.
    Guerlain’s Lilia Bella – oh, I loved it.

    Sad, so sad. April 8, 2011 at 9:12am Reply

  • Nancy H.: I miss Michelle by Balenciaga. There are still some bottles on ebay, but they are becoming more rare. I wore this all through my teens and twenties. It is the only fragrance that I absolutely love from top to bottom. April 8, 2011 at 9:29am Reply

  • Justine Jones: I long for what I remember as the old Ma Griffe.Either my memory has changed or the new one is simply off! April 8, 2011 at 9:31am Reply

  • Danny_Girl: I miss Diorella. When I first discovered perfumes, the first perfume I wore was Muguet de Bois–cheap but good. After that, I alternated between Diorella, Paris, and a bottle of Cinnabar my dad gave me. Cinnabar was fantastic the first year it came out, but somewhere soon after that the formula changed, and it’s never smelled so gorgeous to me since. None of these were timid perfumes, were they? Too much beige and blah and chemical in most of what I sniff nowadays to suit me. April 8, 2011 at 9:39am Reply

  • Peter: Tailoring for Men by Clinique. A masculine, fresh scent, when fresh didn’t mean aquatic.
    Clinique! Bring it back! Just call it Happy Fresh for Men! April 8, 2011 at 10:06am Reply

    • Karen Spence: Yes! I bought a small bottle of Tailoring for Men on eBay, and it is still as wonderful as it was. It is such a shame that Clinique discontinued it. I remember when they did. I will continue to watch eBay for another. There’s one there now for $95, a tiny, tiny bottle, that I paid $35 for. I won’t pay $95! November 12, 2016 at 5:43pm Reply

  • kurt: L’insolent by Charles Jordan. April 8, 2011 at 10:24am Reply

  • OperaFan: Agree with Austenfan – The 1987 Nina was a beautiful sparkling floral with a touch of chypre at the base, one of the first “grown up” perfumes I ever bought as a working adult. The others I miss are Laura Ashly No.1, a lovely lemony rose and Babe from the 1970s, a bold splcy floral…. *SIGH* April 8, 2011 at 10:35am Reply

  • Victoria: Completely agree on Feu d'Issey, a brilliant fragrance.
    I recently have been missing Wrappings. I know that it comes back every holiday season though. April 8, 2011 at 6:49am Reply

  • Victoria: L'Air du Temps is a fragrance to mourn. I loved the original. The current one is just awful. April 8, 2011 at 6:50am Reply

  • key change: Oh, I remember dueberry! and I likewise don’t like it, but it brings back memories of my childhood years when I would smell it on my sisters and wished I was old enough to wear it, too.
    American eagle had this gorgious musky floral scent called “Real”, and it too has been discontinued–much to my disappointment. It was at once comforting and sexy, clean and refreshing. The Gap used to have something similar called sueded musc (which didn’t last for more than half an hour or so on the skin) but of course, that’s been discontinued too. Does anyone know of scents like these? April 8, 2011 at 10:52am Reply

  • Victoria: I wonder what other fragrances from TBS had the same cult following as Dewberry? Now, I wish I could smell it, I don't remember it at all. April 8, 2011 at 6:52am Reply

    • Laura: Hello Victoria! I am just dipping my toe into learning about fragrances and perfumes and I am so happy I found your blog! It is so beautifully written, comprehensive and informative. I anticipate many happy hours reading through your archives.

      I found this post because I was looking for information about one of my favorite discontinued TBS scents, Tobacco Flower. Gosh, I just LOVE that, but alas, very hard to find. It has been years since I smelled Dewberry, but I can still remember it! I associate it very strongly with my early 20s; it was the smell of my young adulthood. 🙂 May 4, 2016 at 11:46am Reply

      • Victoria: Welcome to Bois de Jasmin, Laura! Please feel free to ask questions, and we will do our best to help you further. Unfortunately, I haven’t heard of Tobacco Flower for years. May 4, 2016 at 2:20pm Reply

  • Victoria: I wonder why Creed discontinued it? It was one of my favorites too. April 8, 2011 at 6:53am Reply

  • pam: Funny that you mentioned Dioressence in your post. That’s one that I still miss. It hasn’t been the same in years. April 8, 2011 at 10:53am Reply

  • Victoria: Yes, the original is just amazing, dark, velvety, somber and yet smoldering. I miss the richness and the quality overall. April 8, 2011 at 6:54am Reply

  • Daniela: I agree on Magie Noire , Feu d’Issey and the Gobin-Daudés. I remember testing Sous le Buis at the Galleries LaFayette back in the day and enjoying it very much. For all the Feu d’Issey fans – Etra by Etro might be worth a try. There are some similarities between the two.
    As for the scents I miss – I have a fainting memory of L’Insolent by Charles Jourdan and it was lovely. There was also a scent that was part of a Lancôme Make-up collection. One of the first collections by Fred Farrugia, all in variations of red. It came in a red, slim bottle and it was a great “gourmand” (my memory could also be playing tricks on me).
    I didn’t know Angelique Encens was being discontinued:( I still have my 250ml unopened bottle in my dressing table, but don’t think I’ll be able to open it now… April 8, 2011 at 10:55am Reply

  • Safran: Dear V.,

    I still have one bottle each left of Biche dans l’Absinthe and Nuit au Desert, but I miss the whole line and the originality and feel it had to it. And most of all, I miss the idea, of what other fantastic scents she could make if she (Victoire Gobin-Daudé) would go back to perfume business again.
    I was actually thinking of sending a few newer bloggers (who might not be familiar with her scents anymore) sample vials of these scents and start kind of a campaign to bring her back…. dreaming, you know.
    Otherwise I miss a whole bunch of scents in the way they smelled when they first came out. Last weekend, on the Esxence in Milano I had the opportunity at the Osmotheque counter to smell a few – like the “real” Anteaus, Bandit, Opium, Eau Sauvage, Shalimar etc. They all smelled so different to what you get today, no wonder I don’t like them anymore. They either used to be so much smoother or so much more refined than the actual versions.

    Cheers
    Safran April 8, 2011 at 11:11am Reply

  • [email protected]: I remember The Gap also had one called grass-like perfectly, freshly cut grass, complete with a subtle undertone of 2 stroke engine oil!

    I miss the original Samsara. I misss L’air du temps. Je reviens-my god! How it has changed. Is Bulgari Black discontinued? The local grocery sotre has 100 ml for $40. If I like Dzing! would I like Black?

    Sincerely,

    Carole April 8, 2011 at 11:14am Reply

  • maggiecat: Jo Malone just recently discontinued Honeysuckle and Jasmine, which I truly love. And of course there’s Fendi’s Theorema… April 8, 2011 at 11:18am Reply

  • CindyN: I am cherishing the last bottles of Organza Indecence and Worth Courtesan. In high school I wore Rive Gauche (blue and black bottle) Shisheido Zen (orignal black) and Inoui. I loved Inoui the most–who knew that if I had stocked up, I woulda hadda treasure! Oh yeah, then I can also harken back to Love cologne (phallic bottle) –which may have been made by Dana, but I’m not sure. One whiff of these and they evoke a Proustian recall. April 8, 2011 at 11:34am Reply

  • MaryAnn Hardy, Vancouver Island: Rogert et Gallet’s “Santal” gave me instant tranquility and a plunge into the memory of that dark, fragrant Vietnamese restaurant in Paris, a night of new discoveries of tastes and textures, where the owner brought us moist warm towels scented with this wonderful fragrance. Then she brought out the bottle of “Santal” so I could make note of it and find it in the parfumerie the next day.

    “Miss Dior,” my first real perfume of my adolescence and how gorgeous it made me feel. The most sexual of any scent I’ve ever had the pleasure to use.

    And lately, from the corner store in Vancouver called “Lush,” a scent named “Go-Green” which is all herbs and cut grass an if I am EVER unhappy, will lift me up from sadness.
    These fragrances were REAL and TRUE and EVERY one loved them. And they are all gone….gone…gone. April 8, 2011 at 1:01pm Reply

  • Dionne: I miss Anne Klein and Anne Klein II, especially AK2. I can’t believe now that I gave away almost full bottles of each. April 8, 2011 at 1:04pm Reply

  • Dionne: I’ve seen some love online for TBS’s Wood Musk, which didn’t work that well on me. I’ve got a little bottle of it that’s almost full if anyone’s interested…. April 8, 2011 at 1:06pm Reply

    • Ashlee: I just happened to find this comment looking for TBS’s Wood Musk… it’s well over a year later, but you don’t happen to still have it, do you? 🙂 September 4, 2012 at 2:05am Reply

  • DRTVrMoi: I sadly miss my very first niche scent, Le Parfum by Charles Blair International. Using my grad school stipends, I purchased a bottle at the also-greatly-missed Nan Duskin in Philadelphia. It was warm, sophisticated and men loved it. It’s truly the one that got away. April 8, 2011 at 1:19pm Reply

  • Marie: Olfactoria, I have a bottle of Clinique Simply. If you want it, it’s yours. I never use it. Think about it 🙂 April 8, 2011 at 9:35am Reply

  • anatole: I also miss the Gobin daudé’s. I had the chance to meet her something like a year ago and she told me she would be back in business soon with surprises. I’m still waiting..
    I miss the Patou’s from Ma collection, especially Vacances, the beautifullest spring scent I had ever smelled. Scandal and Iris Gris. Recently smelled them at the Osmothèque, fresh from the fridge: awesome.
    Après l’ondée in edp, and all these fruity chypre like the old Femme de Rochas, Quadrille and Mitsouko WITH oakmoss. April 8, 2011 at 1:38pm Reply

  • Musette: Danny_Girl,

    Saks has the current Diorella (and you can now get it online) and I think it’s one of the few Diors to have withstood the trials of reformulation. It’s not exactly like the vintage (what is? alas) but it’s respectable. I wear it as a wallpaper scent.

    xoA April 8, 2011 at 10:10am Reply

  • Musette: I miss Coty Chypre. I also miss being able to remember what originals of some fragrances smelled like – some, like Heaven Sent, are burned into my olfactory memory. Others, like Nina Ricci Bigarade (which I wore with abandon back in the early 70s)…I just remember loving it. I got several vintage bottles of it over the past few years and it doesn’t really transport me back the way some others do.

    xo April 8, 2011 at 10:14am Reply

  • behemot: Indecence is available online from ULTA, 3.3 oz for $95. It is still in production, but the bottle has been changed. It is the same scent, though. April 8, 2011 at 2:34pm Reply

  • Amy: Many–first thing I thought of, however, was the older formula Caron Violette Precieuse. To me, it was utterly perfect. Bourbon French’s Violet is a bit in the same vein–a deep, green, sugar-free violet over a mossy-earthy-clay base–but more of a solo violet, with less accompaniment by other florals (except heliotrope–not at all like baby powder here). April 8, 2011 at 2:42pm Reply

  • key change: Oh, I’m not surprised that you got all the compliments on the sueded musk…oh the good old days. April 8, 2011 at 3:20pm Reply

  • london: Nuit au Desert is definitely my choice. I fell in love with the tester in Browns and the stock had just run out. I was that close… I wore Le Feu d’Issey exclusively for years so I don’t miss that as I have plenty of good memories of it. But clearly I was the only one. April 8, 2011 at 3:28pm Reply

  • Austenfan: Well you can never predict whether liking one scent will make you more likely to like the other. But they do share some similarities. I happen to love them both. April 8, 2011 at 3:28pm Reply

  • Victoria: Yes, I wouldn't advise trying the current version. It is so disappointing. April 8, 2011 at 11:35am Reply

  • Victoria: I also miss the original Rive Gauche, it was so beautiful. I like the new one too, but it is different. April 8, 2011 at 11:37am Reply

    • Sally: I have a Rive Gauche I purchased probably five or six years ago, and it smells different to me from the one I wore in the ’70s but I wasn’t sure, but thanks to your info now I know it is reformulated and I’ll quit doubting myself…lol. It still smells good, but the old one was magical. December 6, 2014 at 8:32pm Reply

  • Victoria: Some of the fragrances from that house were quite good. I am not familiar with Golden Autumn, but it sounds good. April 8, 2011 at 11:38am Reply

  • Victoria: The parfum is just magical, blending richness and ethereal quality. April 8, 2011 at 11:38am Reply

  • Victoria: Which house made it? April 8, 2011 at 11:39am Reply

  • Victoria: Very true, they were quite expensive! Which is why I only survived on decants. Ah, and today that price is nothing outrageous… April 8, 2011 at 11:40am Reply

  • Victoria: Lilia Bella was so lovely, a very nice muguet. I tried Guerlain Muguet the other day, but I was not impressed. April 8, 2011 at 11:40am Reply

  • Victoria: Older Balenciaga fragrances are excellent! Michelle is very nicely done. April 8, 2011 at 11:42am Reply

  • Victoria: You are right, the new one is different. Still a decent reformulation, but very different from the original. April 8, 2011 at 11:42am Reply

  • Victoria: A heavy sigh reading this list… I miss all of them, although Diorella is still possible to find in a decent form. April 8, 2011 at 11:44am Reply

  • Victoria: Sounds great! Too many masculines today are just so cliched. April 8, 2011 at 11:44am Reply

  • Victoria: I know what you mean. I have some fragrances like this from my teens–Yves Rocher Pivoine, Laura Biagiotti Femina… I get nostalgic for these scents (and those times)! April 8, 2011 at 11:46am Reply

  • Victoria: Haven't tried it, but adding to my list in case I happen upon a bottle. April 8, 2011 at 11:47am Reply

  • Victoria: Nina was just splendid! Such an original, memorable fragrance. April 8, 2011 at 11:47am Reply

  • Austenfan: If it is any comfort, the Goutal Muguet is still for sale on their own website. April 8, 2011 at 4:37pm Reply

  • Kata: Isn’t that Rouge Now or Never by Lancome? I recently saw it online for a reasonable price. April 8, 2011 at 4:39pm Reply

  • Elisa: I had a bottle of the Sueded Musk lotion five or so years ago. Got lots of compliments. I also liked the Crushed Peony fragrance they released at the same time. It came in a really nice oil base which gave you sexy shiny decolletage! April 8, 2011 at 12:55pm Reply

  • Elisa: Black is great! I don’t think it’s discontinued. It’s the only leather note I’ve found that really smells like rubber, like a tire shop, not animalic. April 8, 2011 at 12:57pm Reply

  • Kata: I have been into perfumes about 10+ years or so and had access to niche for even less time, so there’s not much I miss (yet). One exception is McQueen Kingdom Summer, a limited edition of the original. I have a bottle, but dare to use it only sparingly.

    On the other hand, there are tons of perfumes I “miss”, because I never had the chance to smell them and now they are either discontinued or reformulated. Creed Angelique Encens is top of my list, so are all the Guerlain and Dior classics. I bought some bottles off ebay, when the price was reasonable, but I cannot do that for all the lost scents. Somehow I’m not willing to pay (and cannot either) an exorbitant price for a tiny sample vial, only to know I will never have access to using it. April 8, 2011 at 4:57pm Reply

  • Grusheczka: I miss Tan Giudicelli’s Annam, which smelled like milky, spicy rice pudding. I have not been able to find anything else that smells like it. It was sold by CCB-Paris (not defunct in the US) about 10 years ago if not more. If there was one thing I could ask for again, it would be to have Annam on the market again! It was truly fabulous.

    I’m glad because it sounds like you have good memories of Warsaw. My godfather lives there and I spent many summers with him in the city as a child. It’s not a beautiful place, since so much of it was destroyed during WWII, but I find it very cosmopolitan and lively. I feel like it has its best days ahead of it still. April 8, 2011 at 1:02pm Reply

  • Grusheczka: I meant to say CCB-Paris is now defunct in the US… April 8, 2011 at 1:03pm Reply

  • Uella: Gobin Daude is also the fragrance line I miss the most – Nuit au Desert, Biche dans l’Absinthe, Jardins Ottoman, Seve Exquise…all of them such wonderful poetic wistful scents! April 8, 2011 at 5:15pm Reply

  • angie Cox: Floris’s English Violets. April 8, 2011 at 2:51pm Reply

  • Ms O: Does anyone remember “Private Affair”. The company name started with an “L” and was sold in drugstores in the mid sixties? I had a bottle and loved it. I have searched online and nothing shows up. Perhaps one of you have it in your vintage collection? April 8, 2011 at 7:28pm Reply

  • maria: I miss Roger & gallet Blue Carnation a carnation scent with depth and spicy appeal. April 8, 2011 at 9:49pm Reply

  • Mimi: What a painful subject! I keep telling myself I need to move on, but it’s hard not to miss these fragrances and not to still feel that loss.

    For me, Deneuve, Chanel 19, Chloe and Diorissimo are at the top. Though I didn’t wear it much in its day, My Sin was gone by the time I turned to it. I would have loved to have been able to wear Woodhue, also, something I remember a teacher wearing.

    It’s probaby a miracle that some are left intact: Calandre and Fracas come to mind. One that I am very thankful for. April 9, 2011 at 10:34am Reply

  • Marlene: Gobin-Daude – Nuit au Desert: I am guarding my precious remaining 1/3 filled bottle. Despite what seems like a massive number of slightly incense-y scents, nothing compares to the soft night in the desert feel of this marvellous perfume. I also love Biche and Jardins Ottoman. I just wish I had stored away gallons of this stuff. April 9, 2011 at 11:06am Reply

  • bojana: Hi Victoria. Your posts have been especially great lately. When Guerlain launched Aqua Allegoria Flora Nerolia in 2000 I bought it and then travelled along the Turkish coast, so for me this is closely linked to memories of nights in Antalya and Kusadasi. Some years ago it was discontinued; I think that it is the most fantastic rendition of orange blossom made even more delirious by hints of jasmine. For my last birthday a very thoughtful friend (who had heard me go on about this) located a miniature on E-bay. The only drawback to this fragrance is that it does not last very long. Now to turn to roses: in the eighties Ultima II had something called Maroc which was supposedly based on the Moroccan musk rose and smelled heavenly but that may also be discontinued or transformed. Speaking of reformulations, I find them to be such a travesty even if I never wore a fragrance to begin with, but appreciated its distinctiveness (Lauren by Ralph Lauren springs to mind). April 9, 2011 at 2:34pm Reply

  • Yelena: Nuit au Desert- I still have a few vials that have been kindly passed on to me. Today may be the day to bring one of them out. One day I may break down and attempt to have copy made for me.

    Also, my very favorite fragrance of all time- Yohji Essential. And Ultima Maroc. As well as the original Kenzo Parfum d’Ete. And pre-reformulation Diorissimo. Paloma Picasso parfum. The first release of Rochas Mystere, not to be confused with the completely lousy re-release in the early 90’s. The early seventies twang of Dior Dior. The 80’s decadence of diBorghese. Patou’s Caline, Shiseido Zen parfum, Maxims de Paris parfum.

    I think I mourn for more scents than I currently enjoy wearing! April 9, 2011 at 2:40pm Reply

  • Tarleisio: Oh. it makes for a long, long list…Original Cabochard, Rive Gauche and Paris, Lauren of so many memories and Magie Noir (not the travesty sold as such today) are the ones I miss the most of all. Sadly departed, never to return…

    Sigh. April 9, 2011 at 10:47am Reply

  • Sharon C.: Found one on eBay called Private Affair by Lentel (Item number: 370478347707). It’s a used bottle at $14.95 + shipping right now. No, I am not the seller or affiliated with the seller. April 9, 2011 at 5:04pm Reply

  • Liz: Sortilege, Calandre, Patou’s Amour Amour, Diorissimo, Rive Gauche, Garnet de Bal, Ritz, Jolie Madame and oh my there are more … I am so dated! April 9, 2011 at 8:22pm Reply

  • lenore jago: So many wonderful memories of New York circa 1979 in my mother’s 1950’s cashmere cardigans and Lauren, feeling so grown up (ha!)… April 9, 2011 at 8:40pm Reply

  • Victoria: I smelled Gap Grass recently, and I loved it. Such a bright, vivid fragrance. Sueded Musk is very nice too, and for those who love this kind of soft, floral musk, it would have been ideal. April 9, 2011 at 5:28pm Reply

  • Victoria: I hear that it is in the process of being reformulated again. Perhaps, it will improve! April 9, 2011 at 5:29pm Reply

  • Victoria: It is made by Lancome. I saw it online for under $20 at one point, but I’ve never smelled it. April 9, 2011 at 5:30pm Reply

  • Victoria: Etra is definitely in the same ballpark as Feu d’Issey, although I miss the strong herbed bread note. That made Feu d’Issey special for me. April 9, 2011 at 5:31pm Reply

  • Victoria: All fragrances older than a couple of years have been retouched in one way or another. It is just the way it is these days, given the constant onslaught of new regulations. Makes it very painful to fall in love with someone only to discover a year later that it no longer smells the same…. April 9, 2011 at 5:32pm Reply

  • Victoria: Bulgari Black is still around. If you see it at your local grocery store, it is probably because Bulgari diverted some of their stock to boost their profit line. It is still being made though.
    I think that you would definitely like Black, if you like Dzing! They have very similar characters. April 9, 2011 at 5:34pm Reply

  • Victoria: Oh, Theorema was amazing…. I so miss it! April 9, 2011 at 5:34pm Reply

  • Victoria: Shiseido Zen is the one I remember the most from my early years in the US. I never wore it myself, but I have smelled it on a friend. So evocative! April 9, 2011 at 8:40pm Reply

  • Victoria: Fragrances in general brings up memories in such a poignant manner. I love the reminiscence you have associated with Santal. I have a feeling that I have been to such a restaurant myself! April 9, 2011 at 8:42pm Reply

  • Victoria: I’ve spent several months in Poland at one point, traveling from one city to another, but I’ve spent the longest time in Warsaw. I loved it for its spirit, its energy and its people. Very special place, and I agree with you, its best days are ahead of it still. April 9, 2011 at 8:45pm Reply

  • Victoria: Some of those smaller launches can be so excellent! I loved some of Banana Republic fragrances, even though they basically disappeared without a trace. April 9, 2011 at 8:45pm Reply

  • Victoria: Sounds special! Fragrances with which we have such strong memories are always missed sorely. April 9, 2011 at 8:47pm Reply

  • Victoria: Ma Collection is one of the most well-rounded and comprehensive vintage collections. I also love Vacances, and I regret not purchasing a full bottle when I had a chance. April 9, 2011 at 8:47pm Reply

  • Victoria: When I smelled the reformulated version of Caron Violette Precieuse, I was dumbstruck. It did not smell like the original at all. As my friend put it, “it smells like lettuce, where are the violets?” April 9, 2011 at 8:49pm Reply

  • Victoria: That was such a pretty perfume. April 9, 2011 at 8:49pm Reply

  • Victoria: Le Feu d’Issey is one of my top favorites, without doubt. Such an innovative and original fragrance. April 9, 2011 at 8:50pm Reply

  • Victoria: I also have a difficult time paying an arm and a leg for a sample vial, especially when I am not sure of the provenance of the original bottle. April 9, 2011 at 8:51pm Reply

  • Victoria: So true, they are poetic and evocative. Very memorable too! I can recall all of them easily in my mind. April 9, 2011 at 8:51pm Reply

  • Victoria: Oh, sounds great. I love spicy carnations. April 9, 2011 at 8:52pm Reply

  • Victoria: I am also thankful for Fracas and Calandre. Having them around in a more or less authentic version is a treasure in itself! April 9, 2011 at 8:53pm Reply

  • Victoria: I know, it is not the happiest of topics. On the other hand, it is interesting to see what fragrances we love and still think about, despite the fact that we have not smelled them in a long time. April 9, 2011 at 8:53pm Reply

  • Victoria: Marlene, I agree with you. Although one can easily find all sorts of incense and rich woods in the niche category, nothing really comes close to the beautiful interplay of accords in Gobin-Daude’s fragrances. April 9, 2011 at 8:54pm Reply

  • Victoria: Bojana, thank you, I am glad that you are enjoying them! I just love your memory of Flora Nerolia and Antalya. I’ve spent a fair bit of time in Turkey myself.
    And Flora Nerolia was lovely! April 9, 2011 at 8:56pm Reply

    • Mary Andrews: I miss Rouge Now or Never and so do my 3 daughters. I used to fly to New York just to get that heavenly scent. Why they stopped making I will now or never know. April 28, 2014 at 9:20am Reply

  • Victoria: Lena, I love the fragrances you miss. They are all so dramatic, so unusual. I need to revisit Caline. I have a bottle squirreled away, so I finally need to open it. April 9, 2011 at 8:57pm Reply

  • Victoria: Not dated, your tastes are timeless! 🙂 April 9, 2011 at 8:57pm Reply

  • Victoria: Gosh, such lovely memories! I associate Diorissimo and my mom’s little gray suits that she used to wear to the office. April 9, 2011 at 8:58pm Reply

  • bojana: Hello again,
    In the early eighties, when Brooke Shields was the Lolita of the brand, Calvin Klein launched an eponymous women’s perfume in a rectilinear bottle which has disappeared without a trace. I was in the seventh grade at the time, but I had some (at that time I also wore a cheapie by Revlon, Jontue, which was not half bad) and I remember that it was sophisticated enough to impress my Hungarian piano teacher, a beautiful older woman who was certainly not impressed by my musical skills. Am I the only perfume geek out there who remembers this wonderful scent???
    Best regards to everyone,
    B. April 10, 2011 at 4:11am Reply

  • Crüella: I loved this one, too. It was absolutely exquisite. April 10, 2011 at 1:36pm Reply

  • vanessa: I have a mini of Simply I could send you if you are missing it. PM me if so! April 10, 2011 at 11:33am Reply

  • vanessa: Another vote for original Magie Noire! : – ( April 10, 2011 at 11:36am Reply

  • Miss Conduct: Speaking of fragrances from one’s teen years, the one that I miss is Ralph Lauren Tuxedo. Back in the early 80s I wanted so badly to grow up into a femme fatale. I would put on my red lipstick and spray on my Tuxedo before going out. My goal was to devastate. Plenty of teenaged boys told me my perfume smelled good but I don’t know if my plan quite suceeded.

    I don’t know when it was discontinued, and I don’t remember what the notes were or much else about it. I would just like to smell it again April 10, 2011 at 7:15pm Reply

    • maxine: I LOVED Tuxedo! It was truly “me”. You can still find on ebay for $200+ though there is a little perfumery in Charleston, SC that worked with me Very Hard, and came very close to getting it right! I still order from there. It was truly a divine fragrance. Oh the memories…. March 23, 2016 at 7:53pm Reply

      • Kate: Maxine,
        I know this is late, but would you provide more details of Tuxedo-like fragrance you are ordering? And from where? Or is it a personal blend that isn’t shareable? Loved RL Tuxedo and would love to revisit…thanks January 12, 2017 at 3:23pm Reply

  • Mimi: This post reminds me of another lost fragrance; I hope I haven’t asked you about it before.

    In the later half of the 70s, Neiman Marcus carried a fragrance under their name called Prism. It was exquiste, the kind of fragrance that always drew compliments. It was so long ago, it is hard for me to describe it. A spicy or woody floral. Somewhat green. Just gorgeous.

    By the early eighties it was gone. I contacted Neiman’s headquarters and they said it was sold to Germaine Monteil (sp?). I have watched all these years and that company has never released that fragrance. Nor has anyone else.

    This was long before I could search for it on Google; of course, I’ve tried that and nothing comes up.

    Anyway, I think it is my greatest fragrance heartbreak. April 10, 2011 at 7:26pm Reply

  • Bela: The original Armani and Mystère. They were both wonderful. April 11, 2011 at 4:15pm Reply

  • Vivian: Venezia by Laura Biagiotti. I first wore it in Hong Kong in the late 80’s. Loved it!. The original formula has been unavailable for years. I keep searching….. April 11, 2011 at 9:25pm Reply

  • Victoria: Oh, I wish I knew what this fragrance was. A spicy woody floral sounds wonderful! April 11, 2011 at 6:03pm Reply

  • Victoria: What a great recollection! I now wish I could smell this perfume. Sometimes these interesting fragrances just vanish from the market for reasons that have nothing to do with their originality or the quality of the juice. April 11, 2011 at 6:05pm Reply

  • Victoria: Tuxedo was a great classical chypre! Here are the notes: bergamot, citrus accord, ylang-ylang, green leaves, jasmine, jonquil, lily of the valley, rose, clove, peach, sandalwood, vetiver, oakmoss, amber, musk.
    Now I have this vision of a young femme fatale wearing Tuxedo and a red lipstick. 🙂 April 11, 2011 at 6:07pm Reply

  • Victoria: What beautiful fragrances those were! Memorable, original and very unique. April 11, 2011 at 6:07pm Reply

  • Victoria: Wood Musk was not that great on me either. Surprisingly sharp, even though musks are generally quite soft and fluffy. April 11, 2011 at 6:09pm Reply

  • Victoria: I loved Venezia! It reminds me of Guerlain Samsara, but it is spicier. April 11, 2011 at 10:59pm Reply

  • Louise: Creed pulls certain fragrances for a decade, then re-issues them. Angelique was pulled a few years ago, should re-appear (though no guarantees concerning reformulation) in another 5 or so years. Other than being a marketing ploy, I have no idea why. April 12, 2011 at 8:10pm Reply

  • Shannon: Tribe, and when I met Sophia Grosjman years later I was telling her my fav perfume and she told me she made it. I had a love affair with her fragrances even before I knew her. April 12, 2011 at 11:43pm Reply

  • Victoria: Interesting! I hope that it will return, because it is such a beautiful fragrance. April 12, 2011 at 9:32pm Reply

  • Victoria: Sophia’s fragrances are so distinctive! The beautiful thing is that they capture her personality in some ways–very warm, loving, generous, extroverted. April 13, 2011 at 12:47pm Reply

  • Mimi: I’ve been meaning to write you about this fragrance. I tried to do some research online. I haven’t found the scent or what happened to it, but I did discover that Revlon bought Germaine Monteil in about 1987. I wonder if Prism just fell through the crack, as they say. Anyway, it disappeared. I think you would have loved it. April 20, 2011 at 8:05pm Reply

  • Victoria: Thank you so much! I will keep it in mind. You never know, sometimes perfumes reappear. It is always good to learn something new. 🙂 April 20, 2011 at 9:46pm Reply

  • Debbie: I’m late to this post but after spraying some precious Le Feu d’Issey, I felt compelled to write. It’s such a special fragrance and has such a fanatical following it seems crazy that no-one is producing this anymore. Could this be one for someone like Fashion Fragrances & Cosmetics to take over and re-release (a la Fracas, Bandit, etc)? I can’t enjoy my remaining bottle in the way that I should, knowing that once it goes I’ll never smell this amazing scent again. May 17, 2011 at 4:19pm Reply

  • Victoria: Oh, me too! It is a great pefume.
    Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile May 17, 2011 at 6:53pm Reply

  • Lalonde, Pierre: Thank you Victoria for doing excellent work! On discontinued fragrances, I miss Eau de Monsieur by Annick Goutal, the finest man’s fragrance ever created (in my opinion)(I wear AG’s Eau du Sud meanwhile) I wrote to AG to beg for it, but the sales were low they said, and they like for customers to try new products… I can’t find it on the internet. Victoria please Help!!! April 21, 2012 at 8:44am Reply

    • Victoria: Pierre, I loved Eau de Monsieur as well. I checked, and I see that amazon.com only has perfumed soaps, while theperfumedcourt.com has samples and decants. Maybe, setting a search alert on Ebay is a good idea. April 21, 2012 at 10:28am Reply

  • Pierre: Wow! Victoria thank you for finding Eau de Monsieur decants for me on theperfumecourt.com, I knew you would help me! Wow! And I look forward to more rose fragrance reviews (I would love to hear your thoughts on Rose Absolue by Annick Goutal) Thank you, thank you! April 21, 2012 at 11:14am Reply

    • Victoria: So glad I could help!
      You know, I was actually re-smelling Annick Goutal rose fragrances last week to review them. I’ve been in a rose mood. 🙂 April 21, 2012 at 1:14pm Reply

  • Peggy Baker: I had been searching for Bakir Perfume made by Germaine Monteil back in the 70’s. I bought a knock off version but it is still not the original. I did find a original almost empty bottle on Ebay and a less than quarter once of the original for $ 259. I loved it so and wish it was still made. May 22, 2012 at 10:15pm Reply

    • Sally: I used to wear Bakir too, and people would stop me on the street to ask what it was that I was wearing. Had I known it was going bye-bye, I would have stocked up. I still have the original decanter from years ago, and I’ve bought a later decant and also a knock-off, neither of which are near as good as the original. I still get out my original empty decanter sometimes just for the joy of being transported for those few seconds… December 6, 2014 at 8:35pm Reply

  • mark g: can anybody please My wife of 39 years wore a scent back in 1974, that was purchased a drug stores like SUPER X, etc. It was green in color and smelled like christmas trees and ferns, but It had a “fern” in the bottle, that was tall and slender. Does anybody have a idea of it’s name, it came out in summer 1974, a drove me wild, can any body please help?I would appreciate the help PLEASE.
    THANKS MUCH!!! December 2, 2013 at 7:53pm Reply

  • Carolyn: I can’t for the life of me remember the name of a Lancome perfume which I loved back around (Think it was manufactured in the 70s though). Still have the bottle but it is overseas, from what I remember the bottle is oval in shape and the name ends in “ión”.
    I have searched for it on just about every site on discontinued perfumes but to no avail July 16, 2014 at 8:53pm Reply

    • Carolyn: 2nd line should read back around 80s July 16, 2014 at 8:56pm Reply

  • Karen: I loved Adam’s Rib cologne by Lentheric the same company that created Tweed. It was very popular in the 50s and had a very special fragrance like no other. Unfortunately, old Adam’s Rib does not smell the same. I would love to have some fresh cologne. I hate it when they discontinue something so precious. October 7, 2014 at 11:22pm Reply

    • SCE: Finding your favorite Discontinued perfume can be a challenge. However after a long search I found my NIB bottles at thefragrancefactory.com cheaper than eBay they are a reputable source read about them in Seattle Times paper under title search Perfume Lady business sense Carries worldwide March 10, 2021 at 1:42am Reply

  • Skyking: I found a great source for my vintages at thefragrancefactory.com cheaper than eBay
    they are a reputable source read about them in Seattle Times paper under title search Perfume Lady business sense Carries worldwide very happy with my purchases August 2, 2020 at 5:40pm Reply

  • Nancy J. King: What was name of Avon scent that P!NK created and was discontinued in the 2000’s? November 29, 2022 at 3:12pm Reply

  • Stacy McArdle: l’eau de monteil (Germaine Monteil). Since discontinued, I have been devastated for 20 years now? March 2, 2024 at 10:18pm Reply

    • Aurora: Hi Stacy, I’m seeing you miss l’Eau de Monteil. If you are in Europe I can try to send you two dozens of samples of it, I have 48 of them in my collection, I love this transparent, marine and floral scent.
      Best wishes in any case. March 4, 2024 at 5:25pm Reply

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