I work 1/3 outdoors and 2/3 indoors without AC, and I am still able to comfortably wear this to work. I don't pick up any notes other than vanilla and a well constructed spice accord that is made up of all the other notes. Currants with vanilla in Cavallier mode: elegant, sophisticated, glamorous and suitable for any lover of succulent Orientals. The vanilla nicely props up the other notes and might be what gives this scent a smoothness with no harshness that makes it so appealing and enjoyable to smell on yourself.

I think I would like this more if the black currant were not so pronounced throughout, but I have a feeling this is one of those frags that smell better in the air around you than when sniffing directly from your skin. Unfortunately, due to my obsession, I was carrying it around and left and accidentally left it out in the car where temperatures dropped sub-freezing over night, and after that the scent was never quite the same—urine like almost :( Had to discard it and I was broken hearted doing it, but I’ve been longing to get another bottle! Now, I haven’t tried the older formulations of this, but even if they are initially more potent they probably wouldn’t last as long due to age.It’s the louche lounge lizard in the velvet smoking jacket, cigarette holder in one hand and a martini in the other. I blind bought this perfume from Mumbai IA duty free while I was on my way for first time abroad for my job to Saudi Arabia. But the truth is, that the vintages have more depth (and I am not talking about half-way filled bottles left in the closet for 10 years) and have a better performance too (I am not saying that latest formulations do not perform!

Unfortunately, in its current formulation (mid 2019 batch), it is incredibly soft both on skin and on clothes. Probably younger men consider it old fashion either because they prefer the new wave of "Bleu", "Nuit", "Dylan" and "Sauvage", or because they never tried this YSL rough diamond just for being a release from the previous century. I can never pull this off unless I'm wearing a suit or am going out at night, and even then, I have to limit myself to one or two sprays max so I don't offend anyone with it's harsh, distinct smell. Cavallier manages not only to create a hit, but to create a new Opium, completely different from the one that originally appeared in 1977. The Black Currant blends well with the Star Anise, and you get a boozy vanilla undertone with pepper.

Scent: the dry down really smells like CK Obsession because it has that unmistakable 80's creaminess to it. It was in the month of march a mild cold morning, I wear this one, I could still remember how it smelt all over the day over me. Oh, boy, spectacular fragrance, i remember from that moment that my perspectives and vision about fragrances was changed, a lot! I own Opium Pour Homme EDT, which I used to hate because it's not an easy fragrance, but after a second chance, I rediscovered how great and luxurious it smells!

Update - if you're looking for a near identical clone of this famous fragrance, try 'Mystery Tobacco' (2016) by Carolina Herrera, it is very, very similar to the original. Envy is listed as an Amber Woody fragrance, but could easily be categorized as an Amber Spicy (with more prominent woods).A masterpiece as a stand-alone scent, something everyone should smell at least once in their life, but more often than not, I try to wash this stuff off before I choke anyone out in it's powdery cloud. I do enjoy the ginger-like galangal note, which helps lift the resins up and prevents the scent from smelling too heavy. Jacques Cavallier, who is responsible for many works of art, both classical and modern, has created here an epitome of French luxury, good taste, a sensual, masculine fragrance that envelops you like a scarf and ventures you through the brightest event halls. So Cortina1981 will have the EDP as do I also I'm very well aware of the EDP vintage too as I have 4 bottles and a refill of this still as well as the more recent reintroduction of the Eau De Parfum.