Shalimar L’Essence Eau de Parfum
When Jacques Guerlain created Shalimar, he introduced the world’s very first amber fragrance, forever changing the course of perfumery. One hundred years later, Guerlain honors this legendary creation with Shalimar L’Essence Eau de Parfum Intense, a luminous and deeply sensual reinterpretation crafted by Delphine Jelk, Master Perfumer and Director of Perfume Creation for the Maison.
This new expression is a radiant homage to vanilla, the soul of Shalimar. At its heart lies an elevated vanilla accord, blending ethylvanillin from Jacques Guerlain’s original formula with a precious Madagascan vanilla tincture, prepared using Guerlain’s ancestral savoir-faire. The result is a richer, more opulent intensity that magnifies the iconic warmth and sensuality of the original composition.
The fragrance opens with a soft glow of bergamot, subtly bright and refined. A floral heart unfolds where rose absolute meets the powdery elegance of iris, before the legendary amber signature emerges. Vanilla reveals itself in generous layers—smooth, woody, and delicately leathery—creating a trail that is enveloping, addictive, and profoundly elegant.
More than a fragrance, Shalimar L’Essence is a declaration of love. It is Delphine Jelk’s tribute to Guerlain’s most iconic creation and to its most emblematic ingredient. Vanilla, both tender and seductive, stands at the center of this composition, embodying the timeless Guerlinade and the Maison’s unmistakable olfactory heritage.
To accompany this reinterpretation, Guerlain has reimagined the iconic Shalimar bottle. Inspired by the Art Deco movement, the redesigned logo features bold, graphic lettering in a luminous golden hue, mirroring the color of the fragrance itself. Rooted in history yet resolutely modern, the bottle bridges Shalimar’s eternal legacy with its future expression.
Fragrance Notes
Top Notes: Bergamot, Almond, Incense
Heart Notes: Opopanine Accord, Rose, Iris, Ethylvanillin
Base Notes: Benzoin, Vanilla, Tonka Bean, Musk, Leather
Opopanine Accord — a signature Guerlain amber-vanilla accord centered on opopanax resin — delivers balsamic sweetness, soft smokiness, and resinous warmth, enriched by vanilla and tonka bean for a deep, velvety, and opulent foundation.
