Esterhazy Mixture c1828

Esterhazy Mixture, created in 1828 by Pierre-François Pascal Guerlain and later renamed Eau d’Esterhazy in 1850, stands as a testament to the opulent elegance of early 19th-century perfumery. Its name pays homage to the Esterházy family, one of Hungary’s most influential noble dynasties, evoking images of stately balls, gilded salons, and a lifestyle of refined grandeur. The fragrance itself, widely recognized as a rich floral oriental for women, captured the tastes of an era when perfume was both a personal adornment and a symbol of social prestige. Housed in the elegantly squared Carré flacon, the bottle reflected the sophistication of the scent within, making it a coveted item among connoisseurs and fashionable society.

The French rendition of Esterhazy Mixture opened with the bright, green freshness of vetiver, its earthy, slightly smoky aroma providing a solid foundation that was at once grounding and noble. In German variations, ingredients such as calamus root added a subtly sweet, spicy, and aromatic warmth, while lemon brought a sparkling citrus lift, perfectly balancing the depth of the floral and oriental accords. Nutmeg introduced a delicate spiciness, and bitter almond contributed a gentle, marzipan-like nuance, heightening the complexity and luxuriousness of the blend. Finally, musk rounded the composition, imparting a soft, animalic sensuality that lingered on the skin, ensuring the fragrance’s lasting appeal.

Esterhazy Mixture followed a traditional bouquet structure, blending florals and orientals in a manner that was both rich and harmonious. Its widespread popularity, rivaling that of traditional colognes, highlights the 19th-century desire for perfumes that were bold yet refined, opulent yet wearable. The scent’s enduring reputation, alongside its elegant presentation, ensured it remained a celebrated classic of Guerlain’s early creations until at least 1853. Through its thoughtful blend of exotic and European ingredients, Esterhazy Mixture exemplifies the artistry, sophistication, and global influences that shaped perfumery during this period.

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? It is classified as a floral oriental fragrance.

• Top notes: orange, neroli, bergamot, citron, cassie, rose
• Middle notes: orange blossom, rose, jasmine, clove, rosewood, orris
• Base notes: musk, civet, sandalwood, ambergris, vanilla, tonka bean, vetiver, tobacco, Peru balsam

Scent Profile:

Esterhazy Mixture, classified as a floral oriental fragrance, is a masterful composition that unfolds like a symphony of exotic and familiar aromas, each layer revealing a story of place, tradition, and craftsmanship. At first encounter, the top notes greet the senses with a radiant burst of orange, neroli, bergamot, and citron, each contributing a sparkling citrus brightness. The neroli, distilled from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree in the sun-drenched groves of southern Italy, carries a green, slightly honeyed floral facet, rich in linalool and linalyl acetate, which softens and enriches the citric sharpness. Bergamot, harvested from the Calabrian coast, is distinctive for its bitter-sweet nuance, tinged with a delicate floral warmth, thanks to its naturally occurring limonene and esters. The cassie, or acacia absolute, imparts a subtly powdery and honeyed nuance, while rose in the top notes adds a fresh, dewy elegance, lifting the composition with early aromatic complexity.

The heart of the fragrance blooms with a rich floral bouquet: orange blossom, rose, jasmine, clove, rosewood, and orris. Orange blossom, gathered in Morocco or Tunisia, brings a radiant, indolic sweetness, imbued with naturally occurring linalool and nerolidol, lending depth and sensuality. Jasmine, often sourced from Egypt or India, enriches the blend with its creamy, narcotic facets, a combination of benzyl acetate and jasmone giving it its hallmark elegance. The clove note introduces a warm, spicy vibrancy, anchored by eugenol, which plays beautifully against the soft, powdery facets of orris root, derived from Italian iris rhizomes, whose delicate floral-woody aroma is heightened by the naturally occurring irones. Rosewood, from South America, adds an aromatic, slightly camphorous nuance, balancing the heady florals with clarity and refinement.

The base notes provide an opulent, lingering foundation: musk, civet, sandalwood, ambergris, vanilla, tonka bean, vetiver, tobacco, and Peru balsam. Musk, originally from natural sources but often enhanced synthetically, wraps the perfume in a soft, animalic warmth, harmonizing with civet, which brings its subtly fecal yet intoxicating sensuality, evoking the depth of classical oriental perfumery. Sandalwood, from Mysore in India, provides a creamy, balsamic, and woody richness, while ambergris, harvested from the oceans near New Zealand or the Caribbean, gives the fragrance a marine-ambery lift with extraordinary longevity. Vanilla and tonka bean, rich in vanillin and coumarin, lend sweet, gourmand accents, melding beautifully with the smoky, resinous facets of Peru balsam and the earthy green spice of vetiver, harvested from Haiti or Java, with its naturally occurring vetiverol and vetivone. Finally, tobacco adds a dry, aromatic warmth, grounding the fragrance in a sophisticated oriental character.

Together, these ingredients create a luxurious, multi-layered composition where citrus and floral facets shine over a deep, warm, and sensual base. Each note, whether exotic or familiar, contributes its own personality, enhanced subtly by synthetics where needed to ensure balance and projection, resulting in a perfume that is rich, complex, and unmistakably Guerlain. The fragrance evokes an era of 19th-century elegance, aristocratic refinement, and the worldly curiosity that inspired some of the maison’s most celebrated creations.

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown.