In 2009 Guerlain introduced its Les Voyages Olfactifs series, which consisted of three fragrances: 01Paris-Moscow, 02 Paris-New York and 03 Paris-Tokyo. Each one is a take on its namesake city from a Parisian perspective. All three are stunners, 02 Paris-New York is the one for me. It opens with a note of sweet, juicy, Mandarin orange joined by bright bergamot and the smell of warm, sweet, pink berries. Guerlain’s trademark vanilla is here too, signifying that Paris is where this journey starts. The opening is an elegant, balance of sweet and tart. As it blooms, spicy cinnamon shows up and warms a note of candied chestnut. It brings the smell of roasted chestnuts sold on the streets of in New York in autumn. Slowly a note of orange blossom emerges. It's fresh, sweet headiness is held in check by the anise facet of the sweet pink berries. It's followed by a familiar cedar note – could this be the Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center? – along with earthy, mouldy rich patchouli and vetiver. Musk softens and smoothens it at the drydown. I must admit, the more I wear 02 Paris-New York, the more I smell different seasons, and I like that feeling of discovery when I smell it on my skin. But no matter how this EdT reveals itself, it’s always a shimmering, elegant, perfectly balanced fragrance that could be worn anywhere any time of year, even in New York. Notes: Mandarin, bergamot, pink berries, candied chestnuts, cinnamon, orange blossom, cedar, patchouli, vetiver and musk.
