Hi Olfactoria’s Travellers,
Portia in the OT house from Australian Perfume Junkies and Perfume Posse (and now writing for My Perfume Samples too).
Mitsouko, Mitsouko, Mitsouko.
I’m currently sitting in the cool of the evening after a beautiful sunny Sydney autumn day of 24C. It was a lovely day to be out and about and I got a bunch of stuff done on my list. In the early evening Jin and I went to the local hardware conglomerate and grabbed some stuff for his work, some stuff to do some work for dear mates of mine and looked at some other stuff for our new home. Then we came home and heated up some leftover Chinese take away for dinner and after that I went and soaked in the bath. It was a perfect slow day, no rush for anything but loads got done.
Now the household is in bed and I am alone in my office and currently trying to wear fragrance from my full bottles. So it was a big spritz to the chest event with my very precious vintage Mitsouko.
Boy, was it worth it…
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Citruses, jasmine, bergamot, rose
Heart: Lilac, peach, jasmine, ylang-ylang, rose
Base: Spices, amber, cinnamon, vetiver, oakmoss
Oh oooooohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, as the bright sparkling citruses burst out of the gate, it doesn’t take very long though before Mitsouko is breathy and heady and a whirling me away to la la land.
This is my fourth spritz because I keep being mesmerised by the unbelievable beauty of Mitsouko with full earthy and animal growl. I often read about the mad peachy note of Mitsouko and sometimes I get loads of it, especially in the more modern versions, but tonight it almost passes me by in favour of the ylang, white breathy flowers, fruit (but not really peach tonight), animal and oakmoss.
Portia’s Photo
My mind wanders… I’m a fairy Queen… a soldier fighting in the rainforests of some hot island… There’s a funkiness to Mitsouko PdT both austere and highly sexually charged… a 1920s mother of the high society bride… I smell the moss, dark and furry and slightly feral… Jurassic Park, how I loved Richard Attenborough in that, and in Elizabeth staring our Cate Blanchett…
If you were watching a fragrance map of the world that worked like a heat map I think this wonderful and enormous powerhouse would be blaring in the orange/red spectrum. I’m finding it hard to keep my hands typing because I really just want to sit here and bask in the magic, the Mitsouko magic. Damn it, I’m going to…….
Photo Stolen Flickr
Further reading: Olfactoria’s Travels and Black Narcissus
FragranceNet has modern EdT $32/30ml
My Perfume Samples have modern EdP starting at $2/ml
What is your vintage poison? What would you give to have a litre of it?
Portia xxx
Olfactoria's Travels 
I really enjoyed your Mitsouko experience, Portia!
My vintage poison? I love many of the really old Coty fragrances. Before the 1980s Les Muses there was Muse de Coty from the 40s (?). I don’t really know what I would give for that one. I’m always looking for a bargain, though. I have a pretty good supply of another vintage favorite, the original version of Hypnotic Poison.
Azar xx
Thanks Azar,
You have some great oldies. I love reading about them.
Portia xx
Portia, only you could come up with such wonderfully diverse and imaginative associations. Love it. I doubt many modern perfumes could make you feel like a fairy queen, soldier and mother of the bride!
I toyed with getting some vintage Mitsouko for a long time but never did. I’m sure It’s the real deal with all the oakmoss and animalic nuances. I gave my modern parfum to Val and Sandra.
The vintage version I’d really like at the moment is Miss Dior after trying some at PLL. Just fantastic. I’m apprehensive about getting some due to the many reformulations but I may just take a look at Evilbay…
I have some extremely vintage Miss Dior that I will bring you in January if you would be so kind as to remind me Tara.
Portia xx
Loved reading this Portia! Thanks to Tara I have been able to fall head over heels for Mitsouko Extrait. I would love to try the EdP but the testers are always EdT when I ask. Vintage poison? I try to stay away but adore Guet-Apens and Feminite du Bois Extrait. Xo
Mitsouko Extrait is KILLER! I have some here too. Great extravagant choice for you Sandra, lucky you.
Portia xx
Thanks Portia, what a fabulous description! I can almost smell the wafts of Mitsouko through my screen! It is such a layered and rich scent, full of character and sonorously beautiful. My first grown up perfume was Miss Dior which I bought on my first trip to Paris with my lovely Father and sister (she went for Diorissimo). For me this IS Paris, one sniff of it and I conjure up wafts of freshly baked croissants, gauloises, the sound of sirens and horns in the street, friendly waiters, and the smell of rain (which I love, especially in Paris! )
Annette,
You’re memories are fabulous. Paris. What a city.
Portia xx
Your description is fabulous – thank you for reminding us of the beauty of Mitsouko.
Caline by Patou sounds like it would be up my alley as far as vintage fragrances. I’d probably give up a couple of months of play money to experience it.
spe,
A couple of months of play money is a very realistic amount. I like the way you choose to spend the fun section of your income. It’s so important, even when we have a tight budget, to have a bit that is frivolous. In my young and hand-to-mouth days I would keep some for fun always.
Portia x
Love your description of Mitsouko! The first time I tried some vintage Mitsouko the experience can only be summed up by the word “Whoosh!” It was like something other wordly rushed in and took over my senses. It was a cold, foggy day out, but I kept pulling up the sleeve of my jacket to keep sniffing my wrist. Vintage Mitsouko is one of my favorites. Actually, I enjoy many variations of Mitsy. My other vintage favorite that I’d like to have liters of is Chanel No. 19.
Totally Tatiana,
CHANEL 19 is gorgeous. I have a small amount of the vintage parfum and it is eye poppingly good.
For me Mitsouko has never been bad, it just has levels of To Die For.
Portia xx
This one for sure. Mitsouko PdT and Vintage Eau Sauvage Extreme.
I just received a decanted sample of the Mitsouko PdT and every time I sniff my wrist my eyes roll back in my head. Ha!
Thanks for the post!