Birmane by Van Cleef & Arpels

krmarich

A warm weather oriental that surprises and shines. Lots of fruit that quickly gives way to florals-heliotrope is tricky, yet somehow works here. Then it closes with classic oriental notes that remind me of an exotic temple. I gave it as a gift to my aunt, and she loved it.

sherapop

Van Cleef & Arpels BIRMANE is a sweet oriental with a slightly woody finish. The florals are almost beside the point, serving as garnishes to the notable pineapple (!) and vanilla/tonka bean presence. My own guess upon initial spritz was that this perfume fell into the oriental vanilla category. Only later do the wood notes assert themselves loudly enough to be heard.

Unalloyed pineapple juice is perhaps best reserved for tropical drinks, but somehow it works in this perfume, thanks to the lemon and bergamot, which--without imparting tartness--do bring the sugar level down a notch or two. In the drydown, I still vaguely detect the pineapple note, but it is buttressed by the sober wood notes and the creamy musk.

Although the wood, citrus, and musk notes do manage to mitigate the sweetness, I think that anyone who dislikes vanilla perfumes will want to steer clear of BIRMANE. I, however, like a little sweetness and light, now and then...

dina

I totally agree with sky. Its a subtle oriental, far away from the sultry, femme fatale fragrances and has a good staying power. It's suitable for hot weather.

sky76sky

I was expecting an oriental fragrance with far more voice, oomph & depth, but what I discovered was a truly gentle, soft & creamy scent, delicately sweetened with fruits & vanilla & possessing a slightly thick, airy quality. Simply lovely.

The perfume opens to a transparent fruitiness. This is NOT like the fruits that appear in every teen-scent these days: they are sheer, almost creamy & not at all loud or 'sweety'. The citrus notes are wonderfully tamed - there to produce a lift rather than to appear as a seperate note in their own right. The pineapple is perfectly placed, which I would not have thought from looking at the notes alone.

The flowers in the heart of this perfume combine to produce a sweet, airy warmth - nothing too shouty, all blended expertly. I am a big fan of heliotrope & this does not disappoint. This perfume is sweet, but for me it is the kind of sweetness I enjoy: like butterscotch sauce, not boiled sweets.

As the perfume mellows, the sillage seems to increase, but remains subtle. The lasting power is reasonable. I was left with a sophisticated warm & gentle caramel fog of creamy sandalwood-vanilla & soft musk, lifted by barely-there fruits & flowers.

A relaxed, refined cashmere lean-in scent. It is not radical, ground-breaking or exceptional, per se. But it is notible for its expertly blended slice of luxury.

Those who enjoy Jaipur Saphir, Burberry Woman (original) & even Princess might enjoy this.

allexa27

nice but not special.I would not buy it.I smell all the fruits especially the pineapple,(which stays all the time on me),rosewood and thast it!

renneyg007

I'm shocked at how beautiful this is. Bought it purely based on reviews and am really impressed. The fruit factor is a little weird, almost like jelly in its early stages and the lemon/rosewood combo is quite pronounced. Then as it develops it becomes really refined. A soft, fresh, light fruity oriental with good staying power. Very pretty. Reckon if this was marketed as a mainstream brand it would fly off the shelves. Wonderful.

Cris_Venesza

I like this scent , i don't think is exotic , it's sweet but not unberable,if you wear this scent on a windy day you will never forget that day .......i had Birmane very long ago , from my grandmother , she bought this scent from france , it's a scent that i can recognize even after all this years

tessture

Great oriental with a lighter touch than most. Sweet and warm, friendly and feminine without being girly or cute.

Gwendolyn

A beautiful scent. Fruit are quite distinct, but I would say in sun-dried condition. Base notes are beautiful, too. EDP is very long lasting.

Natalia78

Beautiful.Best fragrance of Van Cleef so far!