I've reviewed this before. Vintage Byzance resides in the pantheon of great fragrances from the late 80s that were part of my coming of age. So it's not necessary to again assert how utterly beguiling and mysterious I feel when I wear it.

There’s supposedly cedar, which I haven’t encountered yet, but it certainly would call to mind the middle east. Babylon stretched all the way to present-day Lebanon, so that makes sense. Of course, the Byzantine empire at its height also encompassed that region, so…potatoe potato. I still prefer imagining myself passing through the Ishtar gate when I smell it. Byzance, by Rochas, was launched in 1987. Its fragrance was floral-oriental, full of aldehydes, and with a classic personality. A great success! Later, in 1995, the brand launched a flanker called Byzantine and, in 2017, an Eau de Toilette version, which fell into public oblivion. I found a mini today online. The bottle is like those "evil eye" charms so popular in modern Istanbul. Cobalt blue is used all over the Mediterranean basin. It was common to see it on Roman warships. The origin comes from ancient Egypt and the Eye of Horus. Its strange how time changes the meaning of things. Indeed, Byzance is now legendary as its bottle. Its exotic, yet oddly familiar and ever endearing. When it first hits, I think of the word “White” for some reason. Some people on here compare it to a marble statue. I guess, but it wafts and swoops in a way that statues DON’T. It’s more like white incense. There’s something dry about it, like a white sand desert.Apparently, it takes a ton of impressively well-blended notes to create this kind of force. I'm pretty sure I smell tuberose, a little sweaty from all the warmth given out by the spices, melting into the smooth and inviting base of sandalwood, amber and musk.

And I found very interesting moment - despite the vanilla and the attractive juicy, and creamy character, the scent keeps a long time the clean-musky accord which makes me crazy about Rochas Byzance (2019)! This is definitely someone’s Signature Scent. Not mine, but someone’s! Some people are saying it’s cold. I don’t get that AT ALL. It smells warm to me, hot even, like fire. White Opulence is all I can think of. At first, I wasn't sure about her obvious retro mode, and that special rich and steamy, almost head-spinning, quality it seemed to have. Now I like all of those things. I was also able to figure out early on that Byzance is much more than just a random oldie; rather, it's like a piece of classical art, grand, majestic and timeless. I remember this fragrance... my mother used to wear it in the early 90s, when i was a few years away from my beginning of puberty. In the drydown though it transits from that angelic fluffiness, typical of what some people may associate to baby products, to a sultry sensual undertone with some more carnal flowers, the almond and the sandalwood notes, moving into a rather makeup/boudoir scent territory and becoming a true oriental.

It makes me think of a mosaique whose numerous tiny pieces used with great skill turn into a perfectly composed image ... yes , a Byzantine mosaique ! I was really baffled when I smelled it and the notes listed here were completely different from what was on my arm. It starts with a cinnamon carnation, some sandalwood and vanilla, it is strong and sweet and dark. It develops a little bit, becomes lighter and powder that compliments the vanilla comes through. It doesnt lose the spiciness completely, but it gets easier on the nose. I love this stage because it has the bold character of the opening but with more balance. It gradually fades to a sweet powdery carnation after 6ish hours, and i sometimes catch a whiff of it the next morning. As the heart settles, the florals, most notably the jasmine, become cleaner and slightly soapy. Due to this fragrance's ever-changing nature, I'd say that Byzance is quite complex.

After a month of (infrequently) applying it, Byzance has started to grow on me. At first i thought it is way too loud and heavy, but now that ive had some time with it, I think it brings something lovely to my perfume shelf. I am an Istanbulite born and raised. This indeed is "Istanbul in a bottle" as one gentle member put so well. However, it is clear that the brand chose Byzance for its strength and history. And the connection with the past is evident from the moment we set eyes on the bottle. The new fragrance was created by Maurice Roucel and Alienor Massenet. The composition includes the following notes: bergamot, neroli, and pear (head); rose, freesia, and heliotrope (body); absolute of vanilla from Madagascar, blond woods and soft musks (base).I can hardly pinpoint anything else, but somehow it doesn't make me feel incompetent:) Byzance is one of those outstanding perfumes I don't have to approach with my mind. I simply let it lead the way, and it always takes me to good places, if maybe a little too mythical, entrancing, and out of my character.