Perfume Review: Le Galion Snob, Special for Gentlemen, 222, La Rose, Iris, Tubereuse, Whip, Eau Noble + Vintage Restoration Draw

le-galion-sortilege-nicolas-chabot-cafleurebon

Nicholas Chabot and assistant

When I went to Exsence in Milan last March, one of the biggest buzzes was excitement about the relaunch of the House of Le Galion. Primarily famous for Sortilege (which I reviewed last May) they had a wide selection of fragrances, mostly developed by perfumer Paul Vacher between 1935 and his death in 1975. They brought nine of these fragrances back under the creative direction and new owner and Creative Director Nicholas Chabot, who purchased the company roughly two years ago. I smelled all nine, and wrote down my thoughts.

Marlene Dietrich, 1940's

Marlene Dietrich

Snob is a very high toned sparkling floral aldehydic fragrance that instantly makes you feel like you're wearing a truly vintage perfume, even to the slightly sharp notes at the very beginning suggesting that the notes might be turning a little. This is a lady's perfume; sitting at the table in the best restaurant having lunch. Discreet, yet magnetic, wearing a fabulous hat and bright coral lipstick and obviously a snob of the highest order.

Notes: bouquet of white flower, rose, Iranian saffron, Australian sandalwood and Virginian cedar, white musk

le galion barbershop

Tin Barbershop Sign


Special for Gentlemen is wonderfully old-timey, with pungent medicinal aromas that are almost primal, and excellent lavender. I'm always fascinated by smells like these: I envision the barber with his perky mustache, the slap of the steaming towel.  The man wearing this would have an upright, jaunty step and an eye for the ladies..

Notes: lavender, lemon, galbanum, cinnamonn amber, cistus labdanum, patchouli, vanilla, opoponax castoreum.

le galion kashmir wood

Kashmir Wood Carving

222 was designed from the discovery of a tiny bottle of perfume made in the early thirties. Can you imagine discovering such a precious thing in a little box, nearly doomed to be forgotten? It is a lovely Kashmiri wood and violet blend that smells truly wild and exotic. I would love a bottle of this.

Notes: violet flowers, wood from the Kashmir. aromatic balsamic, myrrh and styrax, white musk, sandalwood, leather.

le galion bouqurt

"Bouquet of Roses" by Henri Fantin la Tour

La Rose is a sweetly fruity rose soliflore which goes a bit soapy. Not a revelation in the Rose genre, but nice

Notes: rose, sensual floral ,aquatic notes, patchouli and cyprus

Iris is a nice cool nice but like La Rose, iris scents have come a long way since 1937, when this was first created. I found it a bit wan.

Iris, green mimosa, ambrette seed, Royal lily, rose, Atlas cedar, oriental amber.

Tubereuse is an interesting take on a tuberose soliflore which is well-done but a bit candied in the opening for me. I'm picky about tuberose, though, so your experience may vary.

Notes: (tuberose not listed but I’m assuming), green galbanum and mandarin. crisp fruit, raspberry and pear, cedar, amber, musk and cyprus.

le galion whip ad

Whip is a delight, a breezy cologne-style unisex fragrance sure to lift your spirits.  Any fans of cologne should try this,as well as Eau Noble.

Notes:lemons from Verdelli and Calabrian bergamot, Tarragon, lavender and cardamom, jasmine, violet, iris, galbanum,  oak moss, patchouli and vetiver grass oil, leather

Eau Noble is similar to Whip, but with a stronger, woodier opening and development, done really nicely.

Notes: bergamot, lemon, Italian mandarin, galbanum, lavender and sage, geranium, oak moss, Indonesian patchouli, cedar wood, and musks

I look forward to seeing what other fragrances Le Galion pulls out of the vaults. For lovers of vintage perfumes, you will not be dissapointed;  the revival of Le Galion will appeal to all fragrance connoisseurs.

I received my samples fron Fragrance & Art, with gratitude.

Tama Blough, Managing Editor

Thanks to Fragrance & Art we have sample packs – one for a reader in the EU Or one for the US. Let us know which one of these strikes your fancy, and where you live. Draw closes October 2, 2014

We announce the winners only on site and our Facebook page, so like CaFleureBon and use our RSS option…or your dream prize will just be spilled perfume.

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42 comments

  • Special for Gentlemen sounds incredible — so much fun! US resident — thanks for the draw and the cool review, Tama!

  • Not that I am, but Snob has all the right appeal. You had me with white flower and rose…and, of course, envisioning the chic, throaty voiced Marlene Dietrich makes this my top contender.

  • Thank you for bringing these re-issued gems back to life through your words. Looking forward to see who picks them up for us in the USA.

  • hotlanta linda says:

    I have a 2 oz Snob edp from the 70`s – I just take off the cap and whiff 🙂 Bought w/ allowance $$ while in HS on vacation for 2 days – in Canada`s love-ly Victoria! plus 4 empty micro-minis of Sortilege from the 60`s that a friend of my grandmother gifted my budding perfumista nose with 🙂 This announcement is HUGE for me – praying they come stateside!!

  • So many choices. So tempting. And some great names. (Snob? Whip? Yeah!) I’m going to go with… Eau Noble because of the “stronger, woodier opening.” And the mandarin.
    Thanks for the fun review, Tama. And for the draw.

  • Thank you. I am in the US. I enjoyed reading about these fragrances, especially Snob. I’ve developed a desire to wear more aldehydic fragrances, and this one sounds great.

  • I don’t want to sound too snob, but Snob sounds really interesting, I’d like to give it a try. I am from the EU. Thanks for the draw!

  • Tama makes 222 sound lovely, I like the backstory to it. Discovering vintage beauties always makes for a nice story.
    I’m in the EU, ty

  • 222 sounds really fascinating because of its wild and exotic notes Kashmiri wood and violet blend and Snob as well because of it is a vintage character, a lady’s perfume “discreet, yet magnetic” as Tama describes it best!
    I live in EU and I thank you for this draw/

  • I like the sound of Special for Gentlemen, and 222 is very intriguing. I’m in the US, thanks for the reviews and draw!

  • Snob is the most appealing to me because i have vintage snob which has resemblance to joy and this version seems a bit modernized version, thus, i am curious..i feel i may like this version more because vintage is too floral and too feminine..i am in the US..thanks for the lovely draw.

  • Based on your write ups I find Snob to be the most appealing, or maybe 222. On the other hand, Lucas really liked Iris, and I’m always looking to try a new tuberose. I’m in the US.

  • Oh, I love tuberose, so Tubereuse sounds the most appealing, with its wacky combination of notes (galbanum and raspberry?).
    I live in Belgium, in the EU.

  • Donna Spiegel says:

    Vintage yummies. How much fun is that. I like the sound of a real old fashion lady perfume so Snob catches my eye. Then 222 is enchanting with the Kasmiri wood. Round off with bright and crisp Whip. This is a wonderful selection. I’m in the US. Would love to try. Thanks!

  • Snob sounds fun! I’m excited about the relaunch of a perfume house with such history. I am in the US. Thank you for the draw!

  • 222 would be the one for me. Le Galion’s approach has piqued my interest. Thanks for sharing!

    I am in the US.

  • I love that they’re bringing back these vintage perfumes. I love Snob for the name, but 222 intrigues me the most. Fantastic draw. Thanks for the draw. I’m in the US.

  • Like many others, 222 and Snob pique my interest. I am in the US and would love to sample them all. Thanks!

  • Well, I am a lover of colognes, so Whip and Eau Noble sound wonderful to me.
    Thanks for the drawing.
    I am in the US.

  • As a collector of vintage Le Galions I am curious about all of them! One of my favorites is Tubereuse, so I am especially curious about how it was done. 222 sounds like something I would really love as well. I am in the U.S. THANKS!

  • Eau Noble is something that attracts me most. I think my hubby would like it as well. Thanks for the opportunity. Greetings from Germany.

  • Violet flowers is always interesting to me so 222 makes me very curious. The same is with “old-timey” Special for Gentlemen that seems to be classic masculine fragrance. I’m in the EU, Croatia. Thank you.

  • I am thrilled that Le Galion is re-launching. I tried Snob a while ago and liked it quite a bit, but am interested in trying out their rarer fragrances: It’s so hard to chose from the above descriptions – Rose and Iris appeal to me the most. I live in the United States. Thank you for the draw.

  • Anna in Edinburgh says:

    Snob and 222 caught my eye here but it would be lovely to enjoy any one of the relaunched House of Le Galion fragrances.

    I’m in the EU, in the UK.

    Many thanks for the draw opportunity.

  • Cynthia Richardson says:

    The idea of a vintage violet fragrance appeals to me, so I’d like to try 222.

  • Ooh, 222 sounds really lovely: You had me at exotic! That said, I’d love to sample them all. I live in the U.S., and thank you!

  • I would like to discover Snob because I love all vintage aldehidics and because there was a picture of Marlene Dietrich (my favourite actress) above the description. I’m in Europe.

  • Snob sounds rather interesting. I’d love to try any of these. Thanks for the draw! I’m in the U.S.

  • Snob sounds rather interesting. I’d love to try any of these. Thanks for the draw! I’m in the U.S.