Byzantine Rochas for women

Sun and joy are in a bottle!

Sometimes when reading reviews one wonders, if we really are talking about the same scent, so different are the experiences and views :-D

Anyway, MY Byzantine (11 years old bottle) opens with a blast of mimosa and spices, and above all lingers a huge cloud of clove (not listed, but Sarah Baz Eleazar also gets that spice). The blend is strong and savory, very warm.

This oriental mixture takes a long time to calm down, and actually it never loses totally its spiciness, but some new tones step in when wood aromas become more prominent.

Later my nose claims that it detects vanilla (not listed) and perhaps sweet heliotrope ("caramel nuances"). I think, that in that third phase Byzantine resembles Byzance as a multi-faceted, rich concoction, and deserves this twin name and bottle. Sillage is at first outstanding, later good, and longevity remarkable (that is, a whole day on me).

All in all, the question here, in my opinion, is not about flowers as much as spices and wood. Byzantine is really an original, loud but oddly sophisticated, delightful scent! I would not hesitate to call it a masterpiece.

A light floral scent but very present. I believe it made for a very stylish women above 30 years old, very feminine and delicate but strong personality. Below the flowers you can smell the cloves, subtle, giving the oriental touch. Very beautiful!

Does anyone know any fragrance that smells like Byzantine??? thanks.

Soapy aldehydes give way to a waxy mimosa, with a soft oriental drydown. Marvelous!

...I wore it in 1997 at uni and I went to dinner with friends and a tourist turned from a table behind us and asked what fragrance I had on and I proudly stated the name, and she was impressed that such a young woman would have such expensive taste! But the look of pride on my then boyfriends face was the cherry on top......to be young and superficial!:-)

I think they discontinued this one. I liked the oriental, musky scent that gives the impression of an oriental bazaar in a Mediterranean city kind of effect... This perfume reminds Dune by Dior a bit and it definitely is a mature smell. Would smell better on bronze skin.

The name Byzantine conjures up something puzzling and labyrynth like, but the fragrance does none of those things and that is completely good.

This is listed as an oriental scent and I expected something spicy and powdery, but was pleasantly surprised to dind that the florals dominated the composition and that it was surpisingly sunny and bright and very appropriate for daytime wear. Sure, there's carnation and yes orange blossom can be dolorous and sweet, but when there's mimosa galore, muguet and citrus a scent tends to make my mood float in the air. Byzantine is such a scent. Maybe some will find a complicated maze in the accords and if I spent way too much time analysing, I might be able to look in every nook and cranny of the fragrance, but I can appreciate the overall scent immediately. Pretty!

I felt like The Sun wearing this.
Its one of my first perfumes.
Classy, elegant and vibrant.
Loved it!

I do not think it is available anymore - a pity - it was a good day time scent. I haven't been able to buy any since 2002