Chanel No 5 Parfum

Chanel No 5 Parfum is a floral aldehyde for women, composed by Ernest Beaux in 1921 for Coco Chanel and the first fragrance built around aldehydes. It opens bright and faintly soapy, aldehydes over bergamot and neroli, then settles into a powdery heart of iris, jasmine and rose held on orris root. The base is where it lingers: sandalwood, vetiver, musk and vanilla with a trace of civet. One story has Beaux's assistant overdosing the aldehydes by accident. It lasts a long time and projects strongly, and it suits autumn and winter evenings.