Showing off my LOVE -- Crown Jewels of Caron
Hello everyone — first time posting here, and I’m thrilled to share three absolute jewels from my collection, all from the one and only Caron.
First, my bottle of Narcisse Noir: a pristine, still-sealed 60 ml from the 1920s (almost certainly post-1924 Pantin Crystal). The evaporation is minimal — something almost unheard of at this age — which makes it a true rarity. I keep a 1960s bottle for daily wear, and the scent is pure heaven. Indolic jasmine and orange blossom swirl with a delicate breath of narcissus jonquilla, all resting on a creamy sandalwood base laced with the warm, animalic pulse of civet and musk. It’s like stepping into a moonlit conservatory where the flowers are just beginning to open, heavy with night and desire.
Next is Le Tabac Blond, another flawless sealed 60 ml from the 1930s according to Caron’s own records. I simply couldn’t bring myself to break the seal — it’s too precious, too rare. Instead I rely on a few precious 1960s samples, and every time I wear it I’m reminded why this is one of the most intoxicating fragrances ever created. The fragrance lights a spark right off the neck with its overdosed carnation and clove and quickly smothered by the dark leather and the powdery orris root. Framed by the Mousse de Saxe base, it comes down from the fiery tip of the pyramid under the setting sun to the cool, atrovirens basement, packed with jars of honey sweet vanilla, buried in the golden sand.
Finally, Nuit de Noël — an easier find, but no less beloved. Mine is sealed and almost certainly from the 1930s; I already owned a smaller opened bottle before acquiring this one. Also built around Mousse de Saxe, it is the perfect counterpoint to Tabac Blond. Where Tabac Blond is dry, fiery, and intimidating, Nuit de Noël is soft, cold, and quietly distant. It smells of winter wind slipping through the cracks of an old house while the fire crackles in the hearth and children hurriedly hide candy wrappers before they get themselves into trouble. There’s a hushed magic to it — festive yet melancholic, intimate yet slightly out of reach.
These three Carons are the ones I return to again and again. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.
And now I’m curious — what’s your favorite Caron?