Hiya Gang,
Mitsouko is one of the fragrances that sits high upon a marble Guerlain plinth in my mental fragrance catalogue with Shalimar and Vol de Nuit sitting right there also. They are the extra special “Jacques Guerlain” Guerlains. Of the three my family and their friends circle wore mainly Shalimar though I have a cloudy memory of the Vol de Nuit bottle at a courtesy Aunts house but can’t remember having smelt it previously when I smell it nowadays. I only remember the name Mitsouko but have not an inkling of someone owning or wearing it, having been a Guerlain squirt bitch for a while I would definitely have come across it then but it really does draw a complete pre fragrance craving blank. That was then…
Mitsouko by Jacques Guerlain for Guerlain 1919
Photo Stolen Basenotes
Fragrantica and PerfumeShrine give these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, Lemon, Mandarin, Neroli, Jasmine, Rose
Heart: Peach, Rose, Clove, Ylang-Ylang, Lilac, Jasmine
Base: Oakmoss, Labdanum, Patchouli, Benzoin, Vetiver, Cinnamon.
I am spoiled enough to own a vintage Mitsouko PdT and a modern Mitsouko EdP. The last couple of days I have been wearing them on opposite wrists to see how different the really are to my nose.
The PdT is definitely more animalic on opening and the EdP is fruitier. The heart notes are almost the same but again the fruit & florals (jasmine is very breathy) are cut through with beast in the PdT and the peach, clove and citrus play lead in EdP over the floral heart. If I was not wearing them side by side I would not really know the difference between the 2 but together they are different. Dry down on the PdT is darker and more fetid but the brighter EdP lasts much longer on me and is still giving its sweet, nutty and earthy whisper next morning. Neither is wearable in a work environment if you are near anyone and they may interfere with your food and will definitely upset the people around you at the cinema, opera or even a bus. wear with caution. A big, glorious peachy floral statement that will not be forgotten easily and will leave a coruscating trail behind you as you waft fragrantly through your day. An especially good choice for days you are cleaning, grocery shopping or anything that could do with a lick of glamour to make it more enjoyable.
Photo Stolen Fragrantica
BoisDeJasmin does a great modern & vintage throwdown and PerfumeShrine has history, myths, movies and other interesting titbits
FragranceNet had modern EdP 75ml around $55
SurrenderToChance have modern EdT & EdP $3/ml and Vintage Parfum $7/.25ml
I was very lucky and got my Mitsouko 70-80s Vintage PdT from a sale at FacebookFragranceFriends, Thanks Chris!!
The Veronicas are an Aussie band who had to go overseas to get famous. They are sisters and I think they and this song are a great match with Mitsouko, beautiful, dark, alluring and slightly obnoxious. I love their music and think this is a particularly good mini movie too. Enjoy
I can’t thank you all enough for being part of the APJ Family. I am so grateful that you all love to visit regularly.
Do you or have you worn Mitsouko? Is there a favourite incarnation or strength that appeals more? Please share your thoughts because I love it when it becomes a conversation in the Comment section and I know you have something to say.
Till tomorrow,
Portia xx
AustralianPerfumeJunkies 
Hi Portia,
I love, love Mitsouko and have an Fb of the EDP. I haven’t tried the EDT. I took me a long time to get to love this but it’s one of my faves. Added bonus is that Mr M ( who doesn’t like many of mine) loves its and finds it v sexy!
Love Madeleine xx
Ps I will try the Pdt your description of the skanky opening sounds like something I would like 😉
YAY!! Hey Madeleine, so great to see you dropped by. Are you coming on Wednesday? I’ll bring the Vintage EdT and you can have a go.
Portia xx
I fell in love with Mitsy from the first drop I put on. It was a cold, foggy horse show and I kept rolling up the wrist of my down jacket to sniff my arm all day long. The best part was the scent lingering on that barn jacket for another few weeks. I thought I found a bottle of an earlier vintage on-line, as that was the photo that was being shown, but they sent me the most recent formulation that comes in the all gold box with the thin line down the middle. While walking in downtown San Francisco I passed a small perfume shop and noticed packaging from the earlier formulation through the window. I went in to investigate and came away with the EdT. Lovely, but I would still love to find the EdP in a more vintage formulation.
I am finding a lot of stuff on the forums lately Tatiana,
Maybe you’ll have some good luck too.
I love the horse day story.
Portia xx
Adore Mitsouko and wear it in winter.
Its changed a bit since I used to wear the parfum many years ago but the EDP is still a pretty good match.
I do not like it these days in the EDT (long time ago the EDT was equel to the EDP !!! Oh you sure got a “bang for your buck back then! LOL ) – todays EDT is so watery and weak – I would spend my bucks on the EDP today and I do !.
The parfum is not as good as it used to be either as we cannot have the oakmoss but – this is my opinion – the EDP is the way to go!
With you all the way LadyJicky!!
Portia xx
Mitsouko doesn’t work for me. I’ll keep trying from time to time but for now it’s in the same camp with Shalimar and L’Heure Bleue (and Chanel No 5) – not my thing.
That’s because you are a woman most modern Undina.What about the Caron’s?
Portia xx
I haven’t tried too many of those but what I tried I didn’t like much either.
Ha Ha Ha!! I rest my case!
Portia xx
Mmmm….Mitsouko. Remember the very first time – I sprayed it in a whim when visiting the (very, very seriously stuck-up) Guerlain dept in the mall, went home and didn’t think much more of it. Then, a couple of hours later I felt this mossy peachy note whiffing through the air, insisting on my attention. I bought a fb, EDP. These days, I am very happy with my Mitsy, although it sometimes display some attitude problems, and not always perform as it should on my skin. Don’t know why, but it’s interesting.
That Mitsy you sent me was a glamorous and naughty woman, Portia. I love how the peach isn’t so much peach-y as warm skin. She smells a lot like Femme on my skin, and I think I’m going to do a wrist-to-wrist, as that often helps my nose parse out the differences. I do know I need at least one of these in my collection (or possibly both, as that sometimes happens once I do a comparison.)
Go to the List/File boards Dionne. They often have the good stuff and at very reasonable prices on FFF or Fragrance Swap.
Portia xx
I will never forget first time I tried Mitsouko. It was in the days way before I develope a serious interest in perfume. I’d read somewhere that M was supposed to be the greatest perfume ever made. “Oh, great, I thought, lets get a spritz of that over at the department store”. And it turned out to be an … old ladies fragrance, bleh – THAT DID NOT WASH OFF, HORROR!!! I was scheduled to have lunch with some friends right after and I remembered keeping my jacket on, stretching the sleeves over my hands, on so they wouldn’t get a whitt of that thing, thinking I’d smell like that willingly…
But, that was a long time ago and now things are different. I’m lucky to have a small sample of vintage Mitsouko and I’ve learnet to LOVE her! It’s not for every day but on some days, there is nothing else I’d rather wear 🙂
Oh Sigrun, I was cringing with you thinking about your poor self caught smelling like a NANA!! It would be like going to Sniffapolooza and wearing a Paris Hilton fragrance.
HA HA HA
Portia xx