Birmane Van Cleef & Arpels for women

Birmane conquered its way into my heart (and skin) during the last year. In summer it was too much, I thought, so I am wearing it at times these days. Well, how I enjoy the rosewood! The sweetness of pineapple added to it and then the rose, orchid and lemon directing it towards a woody-but-fresh territory. The rosewood and the tonka are felt until the end and, when the next day I wake up in the morning, the wafts of its long gone drydown do in fact resemble Cashmere Mist, in a fresh woody manner. This perfume is unlike anything I have ever tried, it sits well with my skin and haven't smelled it on anyone else. Worth to give it at least a try, but I myself am in love!

I have a few samples of Birmane. In my opinion it's more like flowery oriental.

Birmane has a very good lasting power and it's a thick creamy perfume, suitable for cold days, day and night.

Actually I see this particular scent more like a whole, not a composition of elements but I do detect orchid and heliotrope. I'm surprised there isn't cashmere wood because I sniff something like that... maybe Brasilian rosewood with sandalwood makes a similar combination?

The scent feels a bit out-of-date, but only a bit. It's sweet in a good measure. One complaint is a burnt note that shows up.

Edit: I want more! After some time I've loved it. So sad it's so hard to find... great mature red oriental.

Edit 2: I've found it and I'll pay a fortune for this (in my country it's so rare and very expensive) because of the pretty orchid in it! (not to mention pretty ambery musk in the drydown). I had to "mature" to Birmane, I mean I always liked it but it's grown on me and nowadays is in my top 5. Cosy, oriental, classy and mature.

I agree with JillZilla! I think it is green as well!!

I just can't believe this is a woody oriental! It's green and clean on me, it doesn't feel oriental at all. It's a very subtle soapy-rosewood scent, which evokes memories of shampoo for some reason.

Strange, but lovely! It's like a therapy scent for me. I find it very calming, and it makes me feel clean.

Picture lounging in a chalet on bali beach. Youre sipping your iced coconut as the cool morning breeze brings the scent of orchids sitting close by. Later, you're relaxing in a spa surrounded by water, wood and plants, wrapped in a plush and fresh smelling towel ready for some aroma therapy.
Fresh, sweet, creamy, tender, relaxing, and highley likable - BUT -this ones a real softy, means it stays close to the skin & not very good longevity (or personality for that matter). Very nice for the hot weather though.

*Thank you nathalieZ!

I used to love this back in the years, but for some reason I wore it very seldom so I don't have trong asociation which is a good thing if I want to wear it now, but they told me it is discontinued! Why??
Birmane is truly beautiful modern oriental, with the right amount of spiciness and sandalwood&vanilla to make it smooth and creamy, less pungent than stronger traditional orientals.
A very warm, cosy, elegant scent in the line of beautiful Samsara, without even being too similar.

Birmane,
I LOVE IT. This is another one that I have been wearing for years. it used to be really easy to get at Macy's etc, but now , you can only get it online. At least in the USA.
It's interesting- When I first put it on, I get the strong rose and orchid, then, as it dries down, I get the heliotrope and lower notes.
It seems to actually CHANGE on me depending on the season. In the summer, the lower notes tend to come out more, but in cooler weather, I get more of the upper notes. I've never really been able to distinguish the the pineapple and lemon, but I think that maybe the sweetness in the pineapple takes the edge off the sandalwood.
While I like sandalwood as an individual scent, it is not one I wear separately. I consider it more to be one of the many notes that can go into a perfume.
IDEALLY, I like it when it is not readily identifiable in a perfume, but that it marries into the general ambiance of the scent.
There are some scents that tout the sandalwood element as part of their identity, such as Samsara, by Guerlain.

In BIRMANE, however, the sandalwood molds in with the Tonka, vanilla and music, and creates almost a gentle sweet patchouli smell. I know that there are some of you that might hate patchouli , but if you get what I mean, you'll see that this is an entirely different entity.

Since it was introduced in 1999, I had been basically HOARDING it and I still have some of my EDT, and EDP. I've never seen it in the pure perfume.
Thankfully, in all the forms that I've seen it unfolds the same way in both the EDT, and the EDP.
There are other fragrances ( such as even the Vintage Maja where this is NOT true).

I have found that I can where BIRMANE both for Dressing up as well as everyday. A little goes a long way, and even though you don't smell it on yourself, it really emanates all day.

At work, I have actually had people hunt me down based on my perfume trail.

Birmane is a keeper. For performances ( I'm a professional classical musician) and more formal nights out, another Van Cleef Scent that is more dressy, but has some of the same undercurrents is the perfume called VAN CLEEF.

Kudos for Birmane. I am able to still find it online AND periodically I find it in isolated stores ( not common chain stores). On line it is still available. Yes, in most places, it is still pretty expensive, BUT, the scent stays with you, no need to reapply. All the versions ( at least for me) continue to stay all day.

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...

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.

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.

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!

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.

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

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

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.

Beautiful.Best fragrance of Van Cleef so far!