West End c1838

West End by Guerlain was launched in 1838, a year that places it in the early years of the celebrated Parisian house. The choice of name is intriguing: why “West End”? The term itself comes from English, pronounced simply as it is written—west end. It refers to the fashionable western district of London, synonymous with elegance, leisure, and high society. For a French audience of the 1830s, the words “West End” would have conjured images of sophistication, cosmopolitan flair, and the allure of England’s most glamorous quarter. It suggested refinement, luxury, and the glittering social world of theaters, ballrooms, and promenades.

The time of its launch—1838—falls within the early Victorian era in Britain, and the July Monarchy in France under King Louis-Philippe. Europe was in the midst of industrial and social change, but also a blossoming of the arts, literature, and luxury trades. Fashion in Paris leaned toward romanticism, with voluminous skirts supported by layers of petticoats, fitted bodices, and hairstyles adorned with ribbons and flowers. In perfumery, trends favored elegant florals, enriched with amber, musk, or spices, designed both to delight the senses and to assert refinement in a rapidly modernizing society.

For women of the period, a perfume called West End would have carried a cosmopolitan resonance. It was more than just a fragrance; it was an evocation of place, of an elite world of leisure and luxury across the Channel. To wear it might have been to signal sophistication and a fashionable awareness of international culture. The name itself would suggest a scent that is polished, urbane, and worldly, much like the district it references. In olfactory terms, one might imagine “West End” as translating into a perfume of floral brightness, enlivened with citrus for freshness, deepened with amber warmth, and accented by a touch of spice for elegance and intrigue.

Classified as a floral amber with citrus and spice, West End aligned with popular structures of the time while also standing apart through Guerlain’s refinement. During the 19th century, “West End” fragrances became something of a category unto themselves, with nearly every perfumery producing its own variation. Recipes appeared frequently in formularies, and while the basic composition remained recognizable, each perfumer sought to distinguish their version with small adjustments—an added note of orange blossom here, a stronger hint of clove or cinnamon there. Guerlain’s decision to introduce their version in 1838 positioned the house firmly within this trend while also allowing it to showcase its growing identity as a leader in Parisian perfumery.

At this time, formulas were built almost entirely from natural extracts, tinctures, and infusions, with perfumers relying on flowers, resins, woods, and spices. However, by the close of the century, modern synthetics began to revolutionize the art. These new materials offered affordable substitutes for rare ingredients and could highlight or extend natural accords in ways not possible before. Thus, while Guerlain’s West End was born of traditional methods, its longevity into the late 19th and even 20th centuries demonstrates how adaptable the fragrance family was, bridging the world of natural essences and the dawn of modern perfumery.

La Mode, 1845:

"Today, perfume cellars are being made much like those invented a few years ago for liqueurs, which were once served alongside Guerlain coffee. Designed as refined and luxurious gifts, these cellars are finely crafted—some in rosewood, adorned with porcelain or enamel medallions framed with pearls. Their true essence, however, is the spirit of flowers. When opened, they release the sweetest and most enchanting fragrances, filling the room with a delicate atmosphere.

From them exhale the pink lily, the Water of Judaea, the Water of Portugal, the Bouquet de Chantilly, and the Essence of the West End. At Guerlain, too, one finds charming boxes to hold the celebrated four-seed paste, the famous goose fat (which surpassed bear fat in popularity), and the violet rice powder—applied with a tuft of swan’s down mounted on a silver-gilt handle to refresh a lady’s complexion. And then there are the incomparable bottles, where chiseled gold is married with luminous rock crystal.

The transition from flowers to perfume is a natural one. After speaking of spring and Cartier, one must also mention a name synonymous with fragrance: Guerlain. Of all the fashionable shops now frequented, none surpasses the beauty of the great perfumer’s establishment on the Rue de la Paix. Perfumes are among life’s greatest pleasures, and no one has made them more delicate, more refined, or more suitable for sensitive complexions than Guerlain. He understands the fragility of the skin and has measured his creations with exquisite care. With him, it is not only the sense of smell that is gratified—the eye, too, is charmed by bottles of exceptional beauty, elegant vases, and potpourris such as might have delighted Louis XIV or the amorous Louis XV.

Among the many bottles that bring freshness and relief in crowded, overheated places, Guerlain’s flacons of aromatic vinegar are especially renowned. This specialty alone provides endless possibilities for gift-giving. Yet beyond such luxuries, Guerlain also offers countless useful preparations: the most refreshing lotions, the richest soaps, the most emollient oleins, the softest pastes, and cold creams of unmatched benefit to the skin.

As wedding gifts, nothing could be finer than a magnificent Guerlain flacon of rock crystal and chiseled gold, holding one of the world’s most exquisite waters, or a Viennese box inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold containing a complete assortment of perfumes—Bouquet Victoria, Bouquet de West End, Bouquet de Chantilly, Bouquet de Portugal, and more."

Fragrance Composition:

So what does it smell like? West End is classified as a floral amber fragrance with elements of citrus and spice.

• Top notes: lemon, bergamot, cassie, limette, verbena, neroli, cloves, rose geranium, lavender
• Middle notes: jasmine, tuberose, violet, rose, orange blossom, orris, ylang ylang, benzoic acid
• Base notes: bitter almond, storax, ambergris, musk, cedar, tonka bean, civet, benzoin, vanilla, sandalwood

 

Scent Profile:

At the very first breath, West End opens with a sparkling citrus brightness. The crisp zest of Sicilian lemon brings a radiant clarity—its sharp, almost effervescent tang cutting through the air like sunlight striking glass. Calabrian bergamot, softer and rounder, lends a green, floral sweetness that balances the sharper lemon; it is prized above all other bergamots for its complexity, with a delicate interplay of citrus and tea-like facets. Then comes the aromatic snap of limette, or lime, more bitter and resinous than lemon, adding both vivacity and a slightly bitter greenness. Verbena, with its lemony-herbal character, contributes a fresh, grassy brightness, while neroli from Tunis or Morocco—distilled from orange blossoms—adds a delicate honeyed floralcy, its silken sweetness softening the brisk citrus.

The top accord is then warmed with spice and florals. A breath of clove from Zanzibar or Madagascar enters, dry and piquant, lending a shadowy depth beneath the brightness. The green, rosy sharpness of rose geranium adds a metallic sparkle, while the herbaceous Provençal lavender weaves its calming, aromatic character throughout, rounding the top with a touch of pastoral serenity. Cassie absolute from France—extracted from mimosa blossoms—adds a powdery, almond-like sweetness, its subtle animalic undertones hinting at what is to come. Together, these notes create a lively, cosmopolitan introduction: both elegant and assertive, like a walk through a London garden at the height of bloom, but enlivened with exotic spice.

The heart of West End reveals a lush bouquet of florals, sensuous and romantic. Jasmine from Grasse or India unfurls first—heady, narcotic, its velvety sweetness radiating warmth. Tuberose, creamy and voluptuous, joins it with its intoxicating blend of honeyed white petals and soft mentholic coolness. The soft powder of violet lends a shy, tender quality, evoking silk ribbons and pressed flowers. The ever-classic rose, likely of Bulgarian or Damask origin, is rich and opulent, weaving its deep, honeyed sweetness through the composition. Orange blossom, more luminous than neroli, amplifies the floral heart with a radiant, sunlit sweetness. Beneath them, orris root from Florence brings its violet-like powder and earthy creaminess, an expensive material treasured for its ability to give perfumes a velvety texture. Ylang ylang from the Comoros contributes its exotic creaminess, at once fruity, floral, and slightly leathery, lending sensual weight.

Supporting the florals is benzoic acid—a nod to perfumery’s early use of chemistry. Though it occurs naturally in balsams, here it heightens the balsamic, almond-like sweetness and serves as a fixative, anchoring the heart and extending the life of the delicate flowers. This was among the earliest examples of a natural isolate used to stabilize and enhance perfumery, bridging the gap between pure naturals and later synthetics.

As the perfume settles, the base emerges—warm, resinous, and enveloping. Bitter almond, with its sweet, marzipan-like aroma, adds a gourmand touch, blending into the balsamic depth of storax resin, dark and smoky with leathery undertones. Ambergris, the rare treasure of the sea, lends a salty, animalic smoothness, softening and radiating all the notes above. Musk, originally from Tonkin deer, would have added a deep, sensual warmth, almost skin-like in its intimacy, while civet—pungent and feral—brought an animalic bite that heightened the floral heart, transforming it into something more carnal.

Wood and spice anchor the base further. Cedarwood from Lebanon or Virginia offers dry, resinous clarity, while sandalwood from Mysore—the most coveted—imparts its creamy, milky sweetness, unmatched by any other origin. Tonka bean from Venezuela or Brazil, rich in natural coumarin, adds a hay-like warmth with facets of almond and vanilla, harmonizing beautifully with the sweet smoothness of benzoin resin from Siam. Finally, vanilla from Madagascar or Mexico, lush and gourmand, ties everything together with its golden sweetness.

The interplay of natural and early synthetic elements makes West End a bridge between tradition and innovation. The naturals—flowers, woods, resins—convey richness, complexity, and terroir. The isolates—benzoic acid, coumarin (from tonka), and eventually vanillin—added stability, longevity, and refinement, extending the life of volatile florals and enhancing their beauty. Together, they created a perfume that was not only fashionable in its day but also adaptable across generations, explaining why West End remained beloved well into the 20th century.

Bottle:

Presented in the elegant Carré flacon (parfum).

Fate of the Fragrance:

Discontinued, date unknown