Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice

There are a two problems with the very delightful Winter Delice. First, the fact that it was discontinued four or five years ago. Second is that this fragrance was reissued in 2008 as part of Guerlain's ultra-exclusive and mind-blowing expensive Four Seasons set. I saw it in Paris in the summer of 2008 and was utterly annoyed by the idea that they pulled Winter Delice from the Aqua Allegoria line (at the time they were priced just under $40, which is hard to believe in today's market) so they could put it in fancy crystal bottle and sell it to heads of crime organizations looking for glitzy gifts for their mistresses.

The other issue with Winter Delice is that it smells so much like an environmental scent- a very posh reed diffuser, maybe- that it hangs around me in a lovely aura but never actually melds with my skin. It's a little hard to explain. After all, it smells so nice, but it just a bit cold and impersonal in a way I never experience with other Guerlain perfumes. It might be the delicate pine-incense note. It makes me think of spa products and atmosphere more than of the actual snow covered evergreens. The spicy gingerbread notes suffer from a similar problem. It's not the real cozy kitchen where cookies are baked and rosy cheeked children lick the bowls, only an impression of it, like lighting a scented candle to instantly create an ambiance.

I still like Winter Delice. It smells good and is fun to wear this time of the year, like a red cashmere sweater.

Guerlain Aqua Allegoria Winter Delice can sometimes be found on eBay. Several online retailers still have the mini bottles priced around $15.

Photo of Rita Hayworth from stirredstraightup.blogspot.com