Reviews of Parfum Sacré (1990)
by Caron

Poor Quarry! Maybe this is one of those scents that must be sprayed rather than dabbed to get the most out of it.

On me, this is truly beautiful. Uplifting and soothing. Citrus flits around, but not enough to classify this as citrusy. Beautifully blended florals. There's smooth incense, but it's not dominant. All of these facets mingle together to produce an elegant comfort scent. I also might be getting what others be call the "Play-Doh" accord. I'm reminded more of hot candle wax, however. Since I enjoy burning fragrance candles, this isn't unpleasant to me. It seems to add a layer of mystery to a stunning scent that is already so many things at once.

I've long suspected there were notes that escaped my detection, and here's further proof. Parfum Sacre? What parfum? I don't smell anything. Hmmm. Must need to apply more generously. [Tips vial and coats back of hand, leaving a shiny pool larger than a silver dollar.] If I put my nose within one-half inch of my skin and concentrate, I can catch a hint of something, but nothing distinct enough to describe it. I know I've been given the properly labeled juice--it's the edp, courtesy of Twolf. C'est mon nez, c'est la vie.

WOW. Perfection is what i smelled the first time and everytime. this is a vintage scent for sure...i think of molasses, warm honey, sweet tobacco, jordan almonds, cream and musk. When i breathe it in all the way i can smell the lemon and peppercorn at the very end. i think of 1930's paris at evening, soem sexy young girl dressed in black at the corner of the bar drinking port and smoking a skinny cigarette. Romantic, sensual yet also mysterious...like Mona Lisa's Smile. LOVE--LOVE---LOVE this perfume.

I like this very much. It feels warm and comforting. I do have the sense of smelling some kind of holy incense. It seems pretty strong, a few spritzs go a long way! Love it! This is another fragrance that is great for bedtime.

I wasn't too sure about this one when I tested a spray of the EDT on my wrist at the store. I liked it, but wasn't sure. But the EDP was not very expensive, so I thought "why not?" and splurged. About 3 sprays to my chest and I was wondering what I had done! It was rather feminine. But the top notes burned off and left a gorgeous dry floral with warm, slightly sweet incense notes. I realized I really quite loved Parfum Sacre. Gentlemen, it actually works well as a unisex perfume. Just wait about 20 minutes for the somewhat feminine opening to burn off and you're good to go. The EDP lasts a good long time. It's not too sweet and very unique.

Top notes: lemon, pepper, mace, cardomon and aldehydes;
middle notes:orange blossom, Rose, Jasmin, Rosewood, Ylang-Ylang, Orris and Carnation
Base notes: Vanilla, Mhyrrh, Olibanum, Amber, Musk, Civet and Cedar.

I shouldn't like Parfum Sacre, but I do. I like it very much. In fact, it may be one of the most beautiful scents I've yet encountered.

One of the things that has always hindered my appreciation of women's perfume is that so many carry a hint of that generic chemical "perfumy" stench that always hits you when you walk through the fragrance section of a department store. That smell is present in Sacre, but somehow Bethouart transforms it into the scent of opulent luxury.

My grandma's messy closet was full of dried, dusty roses. Yet what seemed stale in the closet evokes feminine royalty in the purfume. There is incense in Sacre as well, which typically recalls me of stuffy churches and cheesy dorm rooms. Yet the incense in Sacre seems to belong in a sunlit cathedral with impossibly high ceilings, a space so vast that the smoke merely curls, rises, and disappears.

Sacre is perfectly named. If I ever marry, I hope my bride wears this fragrance to the alter. If she doesn't, I may have to.

I have a small partial bottle of the EDT and I agree totally with Purplebird7. This is so beautiful when it first goes on, but I can't really enjoy it as much when that black pepper note kicks in. At first I was thinking that the problem may have been something in the make up of the EDT and was about to purchase a a bottle of the EDP, however, after I read Purplebird7's review it made sense that it was a pepper note that I was having a problem with. I keep wanting to push it out of the way so I can enjoy the other notes. I can respect that the perfume's creator made a creative choice to add this note, and judging from all of the positive reviews, it works for a lot of people. It just doesn't work for me.

I had to edit this review becaue I am having bad experiences with the black pepper note in perfume. It seems to me that this particular ingredient "blooms" over time, and often overtakes other notes. When I first bought my Parfum Sacre, the lemon, mace, and vanilla were dominant. It was spicy-sweet, lemony, and delicious with vanilla. Several years later, hot, woody black pepper permeates this perfume into its heart, preventing me from enjoying it until the drydown, when it finally becomes sweeter. I had a similar experience with Bulgari Omnia: my first bottle was from Sephora and was beautiful, but my second bottle was an old one from a small store, and it was unwearable. I will avoid this note in the future, as it has ruined two of my favorite perfumes. I still want to give this one a positive rating based on how it used to smell, but I can't anymore.

As a centerpiece, Parfum Sacré makes the classical choice of rose, but this is no soliflore—a masterly, multi-faceted treatment that vacillates from a brassy, tacky 80s floriental complete with shoulderpads, to the lingering aroma of an exquisitely creamy soap, the ethereal luxury of the finest cashmere.

The opening is a relentless assault, lemon and pepper and aldehydes and jasmine and neroli, and its brashness is only further accentuated by the intensity of cloves and mace. The spice rolls naturally into a smoldering resinous myrrh, and cutting through the haze of smoke a queenly, blood-red bloom enters, and the cacophony subsides into a sudden hush. From this moment, Parfum Sacré takes on its most literal form—PER (through) + FUME (smoke) + SACRO (holy/accursed, a word that takes on antonymous meanings)—a dry, leathery, spiced rose not unlike potpourri. The incense acts as a crucial buffer between the top notes and the heart; by the time rose makes its presence known, the clamor has faded into an echo and left only a refined and elegant scent. As it moves into the drydown, Parfum Sacré makes yet another unexpected evolution, albeit a quieter one: the incense becomes merely atmospheric, and in a seeming reversal of time, the rose comes alive again, not quite the freshness of a garden, but petals strewn onto a downy bed of vanilla and musk (at which point it resembles Arpege). Compared to the stage lights of the opening, the drydown is just a subtle glow, the rosy fingers of dawn, lying very close to the skin.

Mmm, rich, varm, spicy-sweet-floral, with a distinct Caron touch. It does have that little metallic/soapy/sharp/dry edge that most of the vintage Carons have, but that only adds to the experience and makes it stand out among similar "winter evening by the fire" type scents. It also has a touch of kinky musk to add some interest.

15 reviews so far and ALL are thumbs-up! With good reason, Caron's Parfum Sacre' is absolutely gorgeous. I'm in complete agreement with every single commentary already posted. I can only encourage any perfume lover to sample this treasure, Parfum Sacre' will not disappoint!

Parfum Sacré is one seductive potion. Its rich, heady opening includes well-blended notes of jasmine, rose, citrus, and crisp spices. A warm, yeasty note and a touch of incense emerge quickly to add sultry depth to the heart accord. The dark spices and incense become more apparent as the scent develops, joining the rose, jasmine, and vanilla to weave a sheer, exotic veil around the wearer.

This is an unapologetically heavy sent, and no apologies are needed! Some say it’s old-fashioned, but Parfum Sacré is far too dark and dangerous to rate as stuffy or Victorian. If grandma wears this, grandma is one sexy lady. Mrs. Robinson, anybody?

This fragrance requires both maturity and confidence of its wearer. Not for little girls, but on a woman of thirty or more, with presence, poise, and plenty of personal style, Parfum Sacré can be devastating.

Parfum Sacré has tremendous sillage and projection, and a spicy incense, musk, and vanilla drydown that carries on for several hours. A great composition, but not your sweet, safe, casual daytime fragrance. Don’t wear it to the office if you’re not looking to attract undue attention.

Without a doubt one of my favorite Caron's. Warm, light, spicy and sensual. After using up my sample in a couple of days, I purchased the full size EDP. I had to have it! One of the most beautifully blended fragrances I own, and a masterpiece from start to finish. Elegant, classy and exceedingly rich.

Aphrodite might wear this magical potion.
Seriously.

Lush and elegant and complex and SO divinely Oriental. I really deeply love this one -- it's Bellodgia's older and wiser sister.

Great stuff!

Divine Sacre! Evokes the hush of a spiritual place yet is very sensuous, finding its way into my soul and under my skin. I can smell a beautiful blend of roses, gentle spices and a note/s I am not so familiar with, is this the myhrr? I used to think Chanel No.19 was my favourite French perfume but this one wins hands down.Wow!

If there is a rose in this juice, I'm missing it. Parfum Sacre, like most Carons, is less a fragrance and more an *experience*...but what an experience it is! To be fair, I fell in love with this scent shortly before trying Tabac Blond, which has since eclipsed every other fragrance I could imagine liking. (Then again, I still have an undying devotion to Aimez Moi; it is a different scent for an entirely different mood.) My point: I think my nose's judgment may have been compromised by Tabac Blond. Parfum Sacre is a lovely breath of sweet incense, clove, and old library. Come to think of it, it reminds me quite a bit of Demeter's Paperback PMU-- sweet, musty, a tad heavy, but nice. (OK, so now that I pick up Paperback to check my comparison, the two are quite similar, sans the eau d'alcohol-- but I *do* notice the dusky floral note, which I have to assume is the rose. Then again, it could be that mysteriously sweet and heavy "play-doh" note that others have noted in many Carons.) Overall, a very nice composition that may yet prove to be full-bottle worthy, if I can overcome the Tabac Blond obsession.

OK: as a guy, I do strange things with women's perfumes... but try this one: spray (or dab) a tiny bit on a lamp shade of a dimmed light in the corner of the room at Christmas time - Everone (and I everyone) will go crazy trying to find out what that incredible smell is and where its coming from! So many levels, so many shades and nuances... all warm and by-the-fireplace-like, and very festive and rich!

The very first impression was - The Baby Powder from my Soviet childhood!
Then - relaxation... Slightly powdery and woody musk and rose. I can not wear it on public - just have no such a wardrobe to match. At last - what was brought to Jesus newborn child? Myrrhe, Olibanum and Gold. That`s a part of bottle of Caron Parfum Sacre... Just add some rose, orris and spices! ;)

To those who think this is old-fashioned given its relatively recent release date, I believe Parfum Sacre was originally created decades ago and then reformulated in 1990. (The Caron Boutique site lists it as a contemporary fragrance, though; if you know the real story, please tell us.) A classic with lots of character and complexity, both assertive and soft: a peppery floral with a warm, powdery drydown.

This perfume is full of surprises, very rich and multilayered!
It's one of my favourite perfumes of all times.
It starts off with what you may describe as a classical oriental:
Olibanum (Frankincense), Myrrh, Cinnamon and Spices, with a dark, voluptuous dried rose as the main reconciler between all.
This is not an overwhelmingly strong oriental, though; the overall feeling is soft, warm, sensual, very calming in fact.
Just as you settled into this oriental dream and thought this is it- the rose decides to change her mind and become a young and fresh flower again!
The green impression is achieved by the notes of orris root and violet leaf, added in just the right amount.
This floral heart sings with a full spring-like glory for hours, and than comes the dry down:
The orris root and violet notes decide to take over, and you may think for a while that there is no more rose... It is mainly a powdery, soft impression, with a tiny bit of vanilla to make it even smoother... And if you pay attention, yu will hear the rose still singing in there, very quite and blended in witht he rest of the notes, as if it is there just to give company to the orris notes...
The dry down is interestingly combining the soft and violet-like, powdery aspect of the orris, as well as the woody, clean and somewhat fresh face it can put up.
It has an amazing lasting power, without being even a little bit intrusive or overwhelmingly strong. It makes a statement without shouting it, and blends beautifully with your own personal scent.

Wonderful! A surprisingly sultry, perfectly blended, smooth floral that is almost un-floral! A bit of a play-doh note hovers throughout the composition, which is overall, never bright or sweet, but manages to create an almost second skin sensation.

Parfum Sacre does smell a bit dated, which is odd considering its release date. It’s a spicy and powdery rose based fragrance. Parfum Sacre is a very heady fragrance and commanding fragrance. I felt this was a little potently feminine for me to wear.

Released in 1992, Parfum Sacre’ is unique in that it is a subtle oriental-spicy frag. Unlike its many predecessors, Parfum Sacre’ is never an “in-your-face” scent, but stays close to the skin very elegantly and subtly. In other words, it doesn't enter the building before you do!! The spicy top notes of pepper, cinnamon, and clove segue into a rich floral heart anchored with a base of precious myrrh, musk, amber, and vanilla. Timeless. A true classic.

This perfume is full of surprises, very rich and multilayered!
It starts off with what you may describe as a classical oriental:
Olibanum (Frankincense), Myrrh, Cinnamon and Spices, with a dark, voluptuous dried rose as the main reconciler between all.
This is not an overwhelmingly strong oriental, though; the overall feeling is soft, warm, sensual, very calming in fact.
Just as you settled into this oriental dream and thought this is it- the rose decides to change her mind and become a young and fresh flower again!
The green impression is achieved by the notes of orris root and violet leaf, added in just the right amount.
This floral heart sings with a full spring-like glory for hours, and than comes the dry down:
The orris root and violet notes decide to take over, and you may think for a while that there is no more rose... It is mainly a powdery, soft impression, with a tiny bit of vanilla to make it even smoother... And if you pay attention, yu will hear the rose still singing in there, very quite and blended in witht he rest of the notes, as if it is there just to give company to the orris notes...
The dry down is interestingly combining the soft and violet-like, powdery aspect of the orris, as well as the woody, clean and somewhat fresh face it can put up.
It has an amazing lasting power, without being even a little bit intrusive or overwhelmingly strong. It makes a statement without shouting it, and blends beautifully with your own personal scent.

Parfum SacrÈ is a (relatively) new scent that smells much older than it actually is. It's a spicy rose scent, powdery and peppery, with lovely old-fashioned orange blossom notes. It has a feel of a bubble bath followed by dusting with rose-scented talcum powder. It's comforting and relaxing but seductive. Makes me think of embroidered silk shawls and dressing gowns inspired by the Orient.