Chanel - Le Lion

[@joeribt]

Great timing, I sprayed this earlier today. It's still going strong.

[@UnknownChap]

Chanel is a house that rarely works for me , so it's interesting to hear your thoughts on this one 🍀

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Us too!

[@poobin1]

Crikey so I am thinking of buying this and they drop the vid right on time ....thanks so much 😀

[@arthurscargill8010]

I was gifted this for Valentine's so probably for the first time in this channel's history I was able to do a sniff along at home. What strikes me most about this scent is just how much it changes over time with the leather and incense becoming more dominant.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Absolutely. From polite and elegant to raunchy!

[@tinamanske2865]

Was my SOTD yesterday and I absolutely agree!

[@Puddycat00]

I blind bought a bottle because I KNEW I would love it. And I do very much.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Enjoy!

[@gosquatching9401]

Another great video. Thanks and keep it up. We love them!

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Thank you!

[@SgtG3]

Well said glad you guys reviewed this frag. Great job. Have to try this Leon 😸

[@tonyjemz777]

Waiting on my Meleg Fougere to arrive... p.s this has quickly become one of my favorite KZbin channels.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Thanks!

[@youdontknowme9834]

Really excited to see you reviewing fragrances again. As soon as this perfume was released, I had to get my nose on it since the notes in this one are totally up my alley. I agree on most of the things you have pointed out. The juicy bergamot in the beginning contrasting the resinous labdanum in the mid and base, coming together with the smoothness of the patchouli with a tiny hint of funk that never really comes to the surface. Having said that, I truly find this fragrance very one-dimensional after the bergamot begins to fade. My nose can't seem to smell anything else but the labdanum and the patchouli, which, albeit this being a vintage smell, seems very out-dated and almost grandma-y. This is a very well done fragrance with no sharp edges, yet I feel this is neither sexy, nor particularly interesting since there is almost no development in the scent whatsoever. This might not be the best comparison in the world of fragrances, but this Lion, to me, is a muted Tyger Tyger, which pales in comparison the the Francesca Bianchi scent.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

I think the leather as it develops steers this in a new direction. I hadn't thought to compare Lion and Tyger, but now it seems obvious! As olfactory experiences I find them very different. Le Lion is, I suppose, a little simpler and more immediate. Tyger is honey and peach, lion is bergamot and labdanum. Even though we've made a strong Shalimar connection, I'd say Lion feels more modern than Tyger.

[@timwilcox9600]

Waiting for my delivery from the sad closing down sale of Debenham’s. It’s Jicky parfum extrait from the little known niche house, Guerlain ;) It’s where it all started for me. You can buy a work of art that was unveiled alongside the Eiffel Tower a whole 131 years later. It’s an awesome thing.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

It certainly is! Enjoy!

[@realitycomplexitygoo]

This fragrance really connected for me. It’s up there IMHO with ANDY TAEUR’s LDDM. Whilst not a literal interpretation of a lion, I can see one. Perhaps a mythical lion like creature made of smoke that comes out at night to rule. Glad you both stopped to check this one out. Zoom on.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Thanks Jamal!

[@belairscents]

Great review👍 it's gonna be a classic of the house of Chanel for sure! Cheerio🍸🍸

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Thanks!

[@belairscents]

@@WaftsfromTheLoft you're welcome👍

[@jcbucio535]

I appreciate this review because I like your taste guys, this is funny I wore pour monsieur concentree a couple of weeks ago and happens that the day before I wore shalimar EDP, and I realized that both share the same powdery vanilla I Guess, at its different stages it reminded me of shalimar EDT later the EDP I love all shalimars and also as a Man I use a lot of chanel female and unisex fragrances, so this is now a must for me jejeje I trust you guys, great review.

[@MrScottie68]

My father wore Shalimar back in the 60’s and 70’s and he always got compliments.....when my mother wore it, no one seemed to notice...lol It’s a timeless and exclusive scent and I recently began wearing it myself. I also wear Sycomore by Chanel and that’s another over the top fragrance that I get many compliments on.

[@jcbucio535]

@@MrScottie68 jejeje cool story and yes some old lady perfumes are overlooked and mostly nowadays so I wear them a lot, need to try Sycomore, I only have Boy and Bel Respiro, looking to get Coromandel and sycomore, thanks for the recommendation

[@jeremyhinze8837]

Christopher Sheldrake did Coromandel & Sycamore, I suspect he did or had a major hand in this release also.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Thanks for this. I'd love to know more about Sheldrake's involvement with Chanel. Did he start there, leave for a Serge Lutens, Shiseido etc chapter, then return to Chanel as advisor?

[@jeremyhinze8837]

@@WaftsfromTheLoft it's actually kinda neat, as fragrance enthusiasts we sometimes just take the name signd to a composition as gospel ie. From fragrantica or briefs from the brand, but it's not always as black & white as that. Things nobody talks about like Francois Demachy was once in charge of Chanels perfume development laboratories and working underneath him was Jaques Polge when they came up with bois noir later to be renamed egoiste but in the end its only ever credited to Jaques Polge....Anyway I digress, it is from my understanding Sheldrake made almost all of Serge Lutens releases but also worked in Chanels labs and never really left completely.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Interesting, thanks. Is there anywhere in particular you’d recommended reading about this?

[@beesofst.ambrose9306]

@@WaftsfromTheLoft Luca Turin mentioned a lot on this in his review books.

[@MrScottie68]

Well hats off to Sheldrake. Sycomore and Coromandel are, in my opinion, the best in this line. Haven’t sampled LeLion yet.

[@marshcrew]

Just tried a sample today phenomenal stuff

[@cosmicgirl2761]

This is on my buy list

[@justaddlight]

Flashbomb! 🤣 A wonderful name for a current designer release! Blinding mediocrity for a second and then gone. 😄 🎆 Leaving the buyer with sodden limbs and bitter disappointment. Le Lion a natural exception. I think you're right about the important distinction between material quality and craftsmanship Dan. For me, the perfumer is usually where the buck stops.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Ha, love the Flashbomb description

[@coltenhank8114]

you prolly dont care but does anybody know a method to log back into an instagram account..? I stupidly lost my login password. I love any tips you can give me.

[@coltenhank8114]

@Miguel Chris Thanks for your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff now. I see it takes quite some time so I will reply here later with my results.

[@coltenhank8114]

@Miguel Chris it worked and I actually got access to my account again. Im so happy! Thanks so much, you really help me out !

[@miguelchris6374]

@Colten Hank happy to help =)

[@acquasea]

Vintage Egoiste is a must try gentlemen!

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

My bottle is about 12 years old, but I'd love to smell the older stuff again.

[@LobisAnthony]

For me it was love at first sniff that I ending purchasing the 200 ml bottle but other underrated fragrance is one from kenzo called jungle elephant is for women from ropion omg is amazing is not new but anybody talk about it

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Ah! Thanks for the tip. Will check it out!

[@poobin1]

Wanted this one ☝️

[@Maciek_Scotland]

Hey Wafters! Where can one purchase a sample of Le Lion?

[@Puddycat00]

On eBay. But u risk getting a watered down version or a fake. But if u live in the US, my friend I will send you a sample for free. I have so many perfumes, I don’t mind sharing. I bought a bottle of Le Lion right before Christmas as a gift for myself. If you want I can also send you a sample of my other favorite, Areej Le Dore Grandenia. I didn’t like any of the others from the collection . Oh and Chanel Coromandel is another amazing one that I can send u a sample of, if u like. Ok well, I’ll check back tomorrow to see if you get back to me. I don’t know how they private message here on KZbin, I’ve never done it. I guess I could give u my email address and then delete it quick before everyone sees it and I get a million ppl asking for free samples...lol

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Elisabeth has a great answer for you! Chanel don't sell samples, but they do give them free with bottles. You could try a decant on eBay, but (as E. points out) you take a bit of a risk. People often sell on the official Chanel samples, so that might be a good bet. I bought my decant through a Facebook group, from a seller I know.

[@ricdynasty]

I can’t seem to get past the signature Chanel aldehydes in all of the Les Exclusif line. The one exception is Sycomore, which I love. The others are too aldehydic and feminine for my taste.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Yes, I suppose this, like Shalimar, does lean slightly feminine. But then, Channel No 5 (cologne version) and Mitsouko (extrait version) are two of my favourite fragrances.

[@musicsavage]

The picture you're showing at the beginning is Chanel with french dancer Serge Lifar, not Boy. As for the perfume, it's still unavailable here in Paris. Go figure.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Ah, thanks for the correction!

[@TheTopNote]

This one is great but that leather is just way too much for me on my skin so it’s not for me. The opening though 👌

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

It's pretty big, bold stuff!

[@TheTopNote]

@@WaftsfromTheLoft for sure! So glad to see you guys back! Hopefully you can both be back in the loft soon 🙏 keep well

[@dorf2070]

Shalimar is a feminine fragrance. Is Le Lion on the fem or masculine side of the scale?

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

What is feminine about Shalimar? I love wearing it, and don’t find it feminine.

[@dorf2070]

@@WaftsfromTheLoft ok. Thanks.

[@betreutesRiechen]

For me its an Ambra Aurea "clone", sounds strange, but Chanel "never" copied sents...

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

I definitely see the comparison. Ambra Aurea is another labdanum bomb. But, I get tonnes of ambergris with AA, as well as myrrh, I don’t get that from Lion

[@gergoaranyosi6887]

@@WaftsfromTheLoft do you prefer it over ambra aurea?

[@Tommelise]

haha I disagree for me it's coromandel 50% especially in the dry down:)

[@scentrailstation1780]

What about Gucci?

[@marcofsw]

Consider getting this but it gives me strange references to wet wool and airplane toilets… curious.

[@radeque]

Flash bomb 😆

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

It has to be made!

[@dmr9767]

A Chanel that smells like Guerlain... Interesting. Do you prefer this or Bengal Rouge?

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Interesting. They feel very different. Lion is a little bit more raunchy, Bengale Rouge more cuddly.

[@dmr9767]

@@WaftsfromTheLoft I hope to try it one day, for 50 euros less than it costs Le Lion I bought a Shalimar parfum toilette from 1987, 75ml too

[@robertelder5770]

My favorite house! They do no wrong! Niche perfume is a major hit or miss for me. More times then not Niche stinks! There I said it. Xerjoff, Amouage etc you are nothing compared to Chanel!

[@blackcatchat]

I was disappointed in this one. The opening does remind me of Shalimar but then it goes very dry and smokey on me . Doesn’t remind me of Coromandel at all. Where both Shalimar and Coromandel are full rich orientals this one is much drier and thinner...kind of an ‘Oriental Lite’ version. Not FB worthy for me.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

Each to their own!

[@1973833]

Yes,quit that niche snobbery:))...lots of great not niche out there:)

[@CokeWithIceAndLemon]

Egoiste and that’s it from this house.

[@WaftsfromTheLoft]

That's what we thought!

[@1973833]

I would strongly disagree.Many many great scents,even just from Les exclusifs.