Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice by Guerlain

aromaminx

oh i would sooooooooooooooooooo love to be able to track down another bottle{or 10} of this sensational sexy great at christmas-time perfume.
alas it has gone ,gone ,gone away forever.

doctormod

Although I found most of the Aqua Allegoria series to be the most horrid things that Guerlain ever produced--even worse than L'Instant--I absolutely adore Winter Delice. I've often wondered why it was included in the series, as it's as different from its soliflore companions as it could possibly be.

I was lucky to find a 100ml bottle at my local Marshall's for a giveaway price, and about six years on I still have around 40% left. It's a formidable scent--a little goes a long way--but I'm now reserving it for special use in cold weather, as I have heard it has ceased to exist in Guerlain's lineup, and even though its name has now been bestowed on one of the Guerlain exclusives, the newer scent has significantly different notes from this one.

For me, Winter Delice conjures up everything that is wonderful about the colder months of the year--evergreens and the smell of holiday baking combined in a rich, deep gourmand fragrance that is quite, quite sexy. It recalls both Caron Nuit de Noël and JPG Classique (two fragrances I also love), though less refined than NdN and more so than Classique.

Perhaps if it had been allowed to stand on its own and not lumped in with the regrettable Aqua Allegoria screeching monotone florals, it might have stood a better chance at commercial success. Instead, the others went to their deserved fate--but took Winter Delice with them.

Such a pity that this wonderful fragrance is no longer available. If only Guerlain would bring it back.

weegee

I was the weird kid who would eat the drops of resin from the bark of the pine tree. Yes, I know: it's a miracle I survived to adulthood; nonetheless, those small, golden, sparkling drops that weren't quite solid and weren't quite liquid either, totally fascinated me. And I suppose they still do. Winter Delice doesn't suggest Christmas to me -- that would require the addition of cinnamon, nutmeg and eggnog; instead, it's the scent of snow and winter moonlight.

Winter Delice suggests the chill and excitement of cross-country skiing by the light of a full moon many years ago in Chama, New Mexico. The snow sparkled and the only sound in the insulated, muffled quiet I remember was the swish, swish, swishing of well-waxed skis. The stars were too numerous to count, the air cold and crisp, the moon shadows danced and the Ponderosa pines perfumed the air with the same sharp resin I smell on my skin now from Winter Delice. Fabulous.

bonastanzi

Quite possibly my favorite fragrance of all-time. So comforting. I remember that my mom's vintage Christmas ornaments smelled just like this and I always looked forward to taking them out of storage boxes and giving them a whiff. Now I can smell this glorious scent year-round.

Like a men's cologne at first (fougere? similar to Elixir des Merveilles), then the fir, pine, and sweet-spice (cinnamon-like) notes emerge and settle. I think opoponax in the dry-down gives it magic. And, I find that it actually lasts a long time (>6 hrs). I want to wear it year-round, but definitely best in the Fall and Winter.

Out of all the fragrances in the Aqua Allegoria series, I'll be saving up for full sizes of this (if I can still find it) and of Pamplelune.

NuriaRose

its start very juicy and sweet smell and after few second you can smell absoultly the pine tree needls.. the feeling is like you walk through huge pine tree forest in a rainy day , with Cowboy leather hat chewing sweet gum . i totally adore it , definitely suit more for a man then a women but i would love to have it!

rebella

I think of this as a funny perfume, it makes me happy and kind of girly. I have no clue why. Also it makes me think of the fir I planted when I was about 4-5 years old. Now it has become a big fir and I feel happiness every time I visit my parents cottage and se my old dear fir tree. This perfumes smells exactly like "Burre" (That´s the name of my fir) at Christmas Time... How can I do anything else than love it?

No, not really love, but it´s a nice, comfy and quirky kind of perfume. A must try if you like spicy, woody, recinous kind of perfumes.

veruska

A pleasant christmas tree scent laced with incense that smell of happy masses and glowing fireplaces. It doesn't last and it's an okay adittion on Aqua Allegoria, a funny touching scent , best not to expect to last more than 30 min.

tessture

Smells like English Leather Men's cologne and Pine-sol. I wanted to love this, but it doesn't perform as advertised. Not remotely.

F_A

On my skin this fragrance releases the smell of camphor-can't stand it, even though top notes a really pleasant. It reminds me the scent of just cut christmas tree, to be more pricise, the scent of fir-tree when you bring it home before Christmas.Warm, woody and spicy top notes turn into something very annoying on my skin :(

coco76

you really should...i don't know what it is with it, but it reminded me of my grandmother's second husband..and that is not a good thing. i find that i have really weird chemistry sometimes, so maybe that was the problem. if i can find the sample, i'll send it to you. let me know by private message if you want me to send it to you, i'd be glad to hear an opinion from someone who obviously loves perfumes as much as i do!

coco76

ah, it must be the frankincense...i would not be surprised! frankincense is pretty hardcore..at least for me! i definetly have to be careful with some incense smells. have you ever tried le baiser du dragon by cartier? it has the same kind of smell, but in that case it is COMPLETELY overpowering.
still,this is a gorgeous perfume. do you find the perfume lasts a long time on clothing? i only dabbed my wrists and inner arms.

coco76

ok, so i just realized that opoponax (sp?) is actually listed as being in one of my favourite perfumes (coco mademoiselle) so i guess that is not what throws me off...hmm...i wonder if it is a resin that i dislike....interesting

Urban Skies

A Victorian Christmas Eve in a bottle -- glowing fireplace, silver trays filled with little spice cakes, towering pyramids of fruit, presents under the tree, aromatic candles lit all around the room, velvet ribbons festooning the boiserie. Complex at first, with sweet spices and many types of woods. The drydown on me is very sweet, almost like Dr Pepper (vanilla and cinnamon).