In many ways Guerlain Moscow reminds me of 68, so I thought today I'd compare the two to see if my scent memory was on the beam or not. There is that certain Guerlain flavor to both of them which adds a particular sameness -- I wasn't wrong about that.
I hesitate to call it Guerlinade. I suppose I'd call it Fruit and Guerlinade because both of these have some fruit in them. At the same time this is not your usual teeny bopper fruit, this is grown up fruit. Both of these can easily be worn by a man or a woman (68 is marketed towards a man, but it is good on me.)
I put 68 on my left arm, and Moscow on my right arm at the same time. I was careful not to mix the two (very often I will apply to one arm, then transfer to the other by blotting my arms together.)
Guerlain 68
68 was sweeter from the get-go and the stronger of the two. As far down as vanilla is in the list of notes, you wouldn't think it would be so dominant.
Notes for 68, if you can believe it:
Notes for Guerlain Cologne du 68: bergamot, green mandarin, lemon, clementine, orange peel, blood orange, sweet lime, grapefruit, basil, fennel, star anise, lavender, bay leaf, cypress, elemi, thyme, myrthe, bigarade, mandarin, petit grain, lemon petit grain, pear, violet greens, lierre, gentiane, seve, blackcurrant, freesia, lily of the valley, hazel leaf, cyclamen, cardamom, coriander, black pepper, pink berry, nutmeg, ginger, jasmine, frangipane, magnolia blossom, orange blossom, peony, rose, carnation, ylang-ylang, lychee, fig, blackberry, immortelle, lentisque (mastic), opoponax, amber, benzoin, vanilla, cistus, heliotrope, iris, tonka bean, sage, musk, patchouli, agarwood, cedar, sandalwood, vetiver, vegetable musk, praline, myrrhe and lichen.
Or a shorter version, again if it can be believed:
green tangerine, lemon petit-grain, limette, star anise, coriandre, cardamom, pepper, immortelle, opoponax, and cedar.
Guerlain Moscow
Moscow was spicier -- maybe it's the absinthe and the red currants. You definitely get red currants in the beginning -- and I like that note. (Kilian has an absinthe too -- perhaps I'll compare it to Moscow tomorrow, though as I remember it, the Kilian has lavender in it, so it is quite different.)
Notes: Musk, fruit, wood...vanilla, bergamot, red currants, absinthe, lemon, plum
It is now several hours later. Neither is strongly discernible to my nose, but putting my arm up to my nose, both smell pretty nearly alike. Perhaps having both is not a necessity, but they are quite different in the beginning.
Here are the verdicts from my scent testers (2 teens, 1 20 something, and a preteen):
Could they smell it when I walked past them two hours later?
Yes, they could smell it; it was light, not too strong. Then I let them smell each arm so they could tell me which one was still evident. I could smell 68 more.
20 something: She could smell the Moscow and likes it better.
Pre-teen: She could smell the 68, but likes the Moscow better.
Teen (10th grade): She could smell the Moscow. It's not too strong.
Teen (8th grade): She could smell both. She could smell it when I walked away, not when I walked toward her. She liked them.
Isn't that funny!
Re-spritzed: (I've never respritzed before today.)
Me: 68 smells reminiscent of Shalimar now, the original vintage. Between the two, I can't smell Moscow, though putting arm to nose, Moscow is spicier.
20 something: Still likes Moscow.
Pre-teen: Oh, that's fruity (the blend of the two.) I like it!
10th grader: I smell vanilla now. (Yes, there's vanilla in both.)
8th grader: I like it!
So there you have it! I still think it's funny.
Hey, Claire (Kyler and Jorganne), what do you think? from Guerlain at the Palazzo in LV.
Do they remind you of each other? Which lasts longer? Which do you prefer (not fair, I know, when you sell it!)
Don't forget that both of these are available at Guerlain at the Palazzo in Las Vegas. Stop in if you are there -- or phone (702) 732-7008 or email GuerlainPalazzo.STORE@lvmhuspc.com. Be sure to tell them you heard it from me. They will treat you right and take good care of you. I always have fun there.
Do you have either of these? Do you have both?
Do you have a preference one over the other?
My personal preference: I wish the bottles were smaller and cost less.
Karin
Originally posted 2009-07-22 14:04:17.
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