The fragrance itself would have translated these layered references into scent. The cypress note offers a cool, resinous, slightly green-woody aroma, reminiscent of sun-drenched Italian hillsides and shaded Mediterranean groves. It carries a quiet solemnity, paired with subtle hints of herbal and balsamic facets that enhance the natural woodiness. Complementing this, the olive-inspired nuances contribute a soft, slightly fruity-green undertone, adding warmth and richness, evoking the serenity and endurance of the ancient Mediterranean landscape. Together, these elements create a fragrance that is both contemplative and elegant, delicate yet grounded in natural authenticity.
In 1848, France was undergoing political upheaval with the February Revolution, yet high society still sought symbols of refinement and taste. Women of the time would have recognized Cyparisse Elaidon as a perfume of distinction—intellectual, artistic, and subtly emotional. The fragrance’s literary and mythological associations would have appealed to the cultivated elite, offering a means of expressing both cultural awareness and personal refinement. It was a scent to accompany salons, soirées, and the contemplative pleasures of private boudoirs, providing both elegance and a hint of introspective sophistication.
In olfactory terms, Cyparisse Elaidon conjures an image of a sunlit cypress avenue, where the crisp, aromatic foliage blends with soft Mediterranean earthiness and the quiet warmth of olive groves. It is simultaneously serene, meditative, and subtly luxurious, a fragrance in step with the 19th-century trend for single-botanical notes elevated into complex bouquets, yet unique in its profound mythological resonance and refined compositional artistry. It stood apart from simpler floral or sweet compositions of the time, demonstrating Guerlain’s ability to fuse storytelling, symbolism, and natural elegance in perfume form.
Jardin d’Hiver Collection:
Guerlain’s Jardin d’Hiver Collection, launched in 1848, represents a remarkable celebration of botanical singularity and refined artistry. Each fragrance within the collection is devoted to a single floral or plant note, captured with painstaking care to highlight its unique character and essence. The collection’s Latin-styled names—Tilia microphylla, Lathyrus odorans, Mimosa fragrans, Cyperus ruber, and the most recent addition (1853), Mimosa Esterhazya—lend an air of classical sophistication, evoking the scholarly prestige and aristocratic refinement associated with the study of plants and natural sciences. These names, both precise and exotic, signal the high level of craft and attention devoted to each fragrance, appealing to a clientele who valued knowledge, taste, and exclusivity.
At the 1851 Universal Exposition, these perfumes competed not merely as products of luxury, but as demonstrations of technical mastery and artistic innovation. Each extrait is a distillation of a single botanical note, conveying the essence of the plant in a way that is at once vivid, nuanced, and enduring. Tilia microphylla, for instance, would have unfolded with the delicate, honeyed softness of its linden blossoms, while Mimosa fragrans exudes a sunlit, powdery warmth, evocative of early spring mornings. Cyperus ruber, with its earthy, subtly green facets, contrasts with the intensely floral sweetness of Lathyrus odorans, creating a spectrum of olfactory experiences within a unified concept.
The collection was designed for the highest echelons of society, intended for women who were not merely consumers of fragrance but arbiters of taste and refinement. These perfumes were not relegated to the dressing table as casual adornments; they were worn as statements of identity and prestige, perfuming the air with subtlety and elegance. In essence, the Jardin d’Hiver Collection embodies the aristocratic ethos of mid-19th century Paris—a union of botanical scholarship, artistic sophistication, and the cultivated elegance expected of the queens of fashion and fortune. Each fragrance is an intimate portrait of a singular flower, captured with the utmost care, and presented as a jewel of olfactory refinement.
Fragrance Composition:
So what does it smell like? Cyparisse Elaidon would evoke a refined, contemplative, and slightly solemn scent, grounded in natural greenery and resins. Imagine walking through a quiet Mediterranean landscape at dawn:
The cypress (Cyparisse) note is dominant, giving a crisp, resinous, and lightly woody aroma, slightly balsamic and green, with a subtle sharpness that feels almost herbal. It carries a stately, contemplative air, evoking tall, dark cypress trees and sun-dappled avenues. The olive-inspired (Elaidon) nuances contribute a softer, rounder green facet, with gentle fruity undertones, akin to the warmth and subtle earthiness of olive leaves and fresh wood. This balances the sharper cypress resin, adding warmth and a hint of smooth richness.
Overall, the fragrance would be green-woody and resinous, with quiet elegance rather than sweetness, offering a sophisticated, almost aristocratic aura. It’s not a bright floral or fruity scent; instead, it evokes serenity, intellect, and a connection to nature and classical refinement, suitable for a 19th-century salon or a contemplative stroll in a formal garden.
Bottle:
Presented in the carre flacon.
Petit courrier des dames: Journal des modes, 1848:
"By creating the Château des Fleurs, inventing the Jardin d’Hiver, and making flowers fashionable in all the salons of Paris, the trend of perfumery simultaneously returned—after having been somewhat neglected due to the overuse of amber, musk, and vetiver. Yet the perfumes that reappear today bear no resemblance to those bourgeois emanations of old-fashioned coquetry. At Guerlain, 11 Rue de la Paix, however, belongs the right to this thoroughly modern renewal, offering compositions more delicate, more suave, more gentle on the nerves, and more voluptuous to the sense of smell than any other.Ladies of good society are recognized by these perfumes, just as the high lineage of noble families is recognized by their coats of arms; and when a lock of hair flutters near you, when a magnificent handkerchief falls beside you, or when a fresh, coquettish glove happens to brush near your lips, you can judge by the fragrance emanating from that hair, that handkerchief, or those gloves whether the woman to whom they belong has received at Guerlain the mark of good taste, fashion, and refinement.New odors composed by Guerlain:
- Extrait de Lolium agriphyllum
- Extrait de Phlomis asplenia,
- Extrait d'Azalea melaleuca
- Extrait de Cyparisse Elaidon
- Extrait d'Hyemalis anthelia
- Extrait de Cytise sylvaria
- Extrait d'Anthemia nobilis
- Extrait de Cyperus ruber
- Extrait de Tilia micropluilla
- Extrait d'Hymenaea nitida
- Extrait de Mimosa fragrans
- Extrait de Caryophilus album
- Extrait d'Amyris Polyolens
- Extrait de Polyanthe suaveolens
- Extrait de Lathyrus odorans
- Extrait d'Ocymum dulce
By bringing to light these entirely new perfumes, Guerlain points out that they can only be found at home, and recommends to be on guard against the imitations that one will try to make."
