Burberry Brit Gold : Perfume Review

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Brit_gold

Star rating: 5 stars–outstanding/potential classic, 4 stars–very good, 3 stars–adequate, 2 stars–disappointing, 1 star–poor.

Limited edition for the holidays, Brit Gold was created by Antoine Lie of Givaudan in 2005. In contrast with Brit and Brit Red (created by Nathalie Gracia-Cetto), green Oriental and gourmand Oriental respectively, Brit Gold is a richer, warmer composition, with more subdued sweetness. Its classical oriental elements, particularly the combination of bergamot with vanilla and amber, recall the sumptuous elegance of fragrances like Guerlain Shalimar.

The interplay of orange blossom against the dark sandalwood backdrop is one of my favorite aspects of Brit Gold. Through the hazy mist of delicate floral notes and bergamot, the vivid hues of the base glow gently, gaining more vibrancy as the fragrance dries down. While the composition does not undergo dramatic changes, the development is fascinating, given the fact that the base notes are evident from the start. This construction lends a certain transparency to the composition, while preserving its elegant richness.

The accord of iris, vanilla and amber that is present in all Brit fragrances, blossoms out of the heart, adding an oriental element. At one point, I think of a carved sandalwood box used to store vanilla and lemon bon bons. The drydown reveals the base notes of sandalwood and musk in their full splendor. Little by little, the floral elements fade, leaving their subtle imprint upon the wooded relief of the base. The finished composition has a luminous quality that calls to mind a dance of candlelight upon dark polished wood.

Brit Gold was launched exclusively at Saks Fifth Avenue and Burberry retail stores in September. It will also be sold at Bergdorf Goodman, Bloomingdale’s, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom. Notes include magnolia, neroli, black currant, bergamot, pink iris, amber, vanilla, sandalwood and musk.

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17 Comments

  • parislondres: Dear V! I liked this too – as you pointed out because of the sandalwood and FdO. Not a Brit fan (other versions) but this one is interesting and worth a try. Would not buy it though. Fab review as always.

    Hope you are feeling better and work is under control.

    Hugs! September 19, 2005 at 2:59am Reply

  • Robin: For some reason I thought this one was going to be spicier…but will have to try it! The 3 bottles would look great together. September 19, 2005 at 9:28am Reply

  • mreenymo: Oh, I love Brit Red, but do not like the original. I will definitely give this one a try when I see it, but I must admit that I am not a big magnolia fan. I love the flower, but I do not like it in fragrances. 🙁

    Hugs! Have a great week, V! September 19, 2005 at 12:50pm Reply

  • marina: “…carved sandalwood box used to store vanilla and lemon bon bons… luminous quality that calls to mind a dance of candlelight upon dark polished wood…” My God this sounds appealing. This is how lemmings are born. What a great review, Vikochka! September 19, 2005 at 9:43am Reply

  • linda: Your review makes me want to try Brit Gold right away. It sounds lovely.

    I dont want to sound like a niche snob, but I rarely try department store frags these days. You remind me that it is a good idea to be openminded. I love that you include all types of perfumes in your reviews. September 19, 2005 at 3:12pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Dear N, I found the other two version to be too sweet for my tastes, however Brit Gold is just perfect. I love rich sandalwood notes in the base, and as I mentioned in the review, the fact that they are evident upon the first inhale makes the composition rather transparent and complex. September 19, 2005 at 11:24am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: R, I also expected a spicy fragrance, but it has more woods and less sugary sweetness. The golden bottle is just adorable, especially the 30ml one. September 19, 2005 at 11:38am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Marinochka, thank you. I really enjoyed this fragrance, and I would say that it is the most interesting of the new releases I have tried. September 19, 2005 at 11:39am Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: R, I also prefer Brit Red to the original Brit, but Brit Gold is even more appealing to me. Magnolia here is hardly noticeable, therefore I do not think that it is going to pose many obstacles to you liking this fragrance. 🙂

    Hope that your Monday started out wonderfully. September 19, 2005 at 12:53pm Reply

  • Katie: It’s nice for a change to hear about a sequel scent that is interesting 🙂 I, for whatever reason, have never found Burberry very interesting as a design line, and I’ve kind of extended that sentiment to their fragrances. But I do love me a good dry sandalwood, so this is one I will seek out. September 19, 2005 at 1:02pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Katie, I have a couple of Burberry things which I purchase back in the day, before it became trendy. The quality is wonderful, although I am not sure if it is the case these days. The fragrances, on the other hand, are very nice. When everything is a watery fruity floral, these scents really stand out. Original Brit is a touch too sweet, particularly given a heavy pear note. Brit Red is a luscious fragrance, which is definitely on a sweet side, but lovely. Brit Gold is less sweet, sort of like less animalic Shalimar, with heavier sandalwood notes. If you would like a dry sandalwood, L’Artisan Santal is the one I would recommend. I recently purchased a bottle, and it is amazing. September 19, 2005 at 1:10pm Reply

  • BoisdeJasmin: Linda, thank you. I try to be open-minded, because one never knows where one can strike gold (not to make a pun on the name!) September 19, 2005 at 4:44pm Reply

  • Jho Llamas: pls also write a review about burberry body…got one yesterday.. i still cant decide if i like it or not.. im trying to convince myself that i like it because its pricey compared to my usual eclat d’arpege by lanvin… hope to read your review in the near future….. October 29, 2011 at 6:29pm Reply

    • Divya: Hi V, I’m from India and love your reviews… I enjoy going through the articles you write and I find myself here after long days at work. Reading your website is a great stress buster!
      Lately I’ve been planning to buy an EDP and I’m torn between the two I liked very much. I wanted to know what you think of Burberry London & l’eau d’issey. It’ll be great help 🙂
      love, Divya September 2, 2012 at 2:24am Reply

      • Victoria: Thank you so much, Divya! What a sweet thing to say.
        Burberry London is sweeter and warmer than l’eau d’issey, which would be brighter, crisper, most casual. See what you need the most in your wardrobe–a sweeter, more enveloping perfume or a fresher, daytime one. This way you can decide which to buy first. If you like both of them, you might want to have both in the future. They are different enough that you can alternate between them. September 2, 2012 at 12:06pm Reply

        • Divya: Thank you Victoria! There are so many perfumes I found interesting when I read about them but couldn’t get my hands on most of them because I live in India 🙁 I would have loved to try though they smell very different on me and in the hot humidity… I could have sworn clinique aromatics elixir smelt like baked rubber, very sulphur like on my skin. September 4, 2012 at 6:14am Reply

  • Monica Farwell: Its So amazing to read through the reviews and the posts that you write here. I am just left with no words but a graceful fragrance of your words and what you do. I personally sell perfumes on my website in US and was amazed to see the perfumes you discover, God bless you dear. March 13, 2013 at 4:04am Reply

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