Heure Exquise Goutal for women

The first spray is uncannily similar to Chanel No19, slightly less sharp. 15 minutes in and the iris, rose start to surface. It then settles into a soft rose and sandalwood, with a touch of vanilla. Such an exquisite fragrance. I have a large collection and many fragrances don’t come into the regular rotation at all. I will have to bring this one out more often as I can see myself wearing this on many occasions. It finally settled into a soft, feminine and calming caress.

iris and green galbanum with a drop of vanilla and hint of roses. i love the vanilla in here.

i can see the similarities with chanel 19, mainly that iris-galbanum. on my skin, heure exquise is lighter, much less sharp than chanel 19. it has floral rose, and of course that warm drop of vanilla.

adore my chanel19, balmain vent vert and heure exquise. for me iris galbanum lover, all 3 has their own time and mood 💚

Very much like Chanel No.19, but a bit rosier and sweeter. You should definitely try this if you like your florals green and a bit nostalgic.

Heure Exquise (EDP)
(9249Q, December 2019, USD 70)

If you ever familiar with green powdery scent No.19, Chanel 28 La Pausa.
I think you will absolutely love this little beauty easily.

The quality of Fresh cut glass smell (Galbanum) is beautiful here.
Haycinth adding the haziness into the mix, is create fog of illusion.

Iris here, is almost unfold. This is similar iris I found in 28 La Pausa.
The one that dry and Chalky, I like my Iris that way.

While Iris is beautiful, The Rose is come to the party.
Even more so surprisingly beautiful. Although Glbanum, Iris, Haycinth work in harmony.
The rose manages to show me the "Bloom rose" - centered in all environment that other scent create, somehow.

What I do specially like, is while no.19 is leans cold.
This one, is more nuptial. This leans woody (powdery sandalwood) dry down.
A bit thick but much warmer than 19.

Will you like?, I don't know no.19 is something a little harder to like.
But I won't shade a single tear complaining Heure Exquise.. It is beautiful, in her own way.

Score 9.5/10
Longevity : 5 hours
Projection : 1 hours strong before fade significantly
Classification : Leans femme, with all iris - floral aspect

i am testing from what i believe to be a vintage vial. galbanum and hyacinth dominate at first-it's bitter, green and there is something kind of animalic underlying. then it gets dusty and woody with hints of florals. i think iris and sandalwood are the strongest now. dries down to be lovely and understated.

The opening is astringent with bitter galbanum, like the feeling of your teeth after eating spinach. At first, the scent feels unbearably antiseptic and elegant, too refined for a yuppie working in the trenches of a dirty metropolitan center such as myself. Time passes and Heure Exquise becomes soapy and a little sweet with powdery, buttery iris. The lingering bitter florals of galbanum and hyacinth cloak this sweet skin-like soap in a thin and airy veil. This bouquet of flowers feels vintage, but that's not a bad thing. You certainly won't smell like anyone else in the office wearing this, yet I don't do it too often; I've a strange mental block, Heure Exquise feels too easily dirtied as I trudge through grimy urban streets to my corporate desk. I must be in a certain mood to wear this one, but it is elegant and beautiful.

Heure Exquise does indeed smell like No. 19, yet has some soapy qualities found in No. 5. However, she is not an ice queen, nor a glamorous diva. On drydown, Heure Exquise feels like the little sister to both, with her tender beauty frozen in time.

If you sprayed Chanel No. 19 and Chanel No. 5 in somewhat equal proportions you would get something close to Goutal's Heure Exquise. IMO it solves what can be problems in the two Chanel scents: No. 19 can be too sharply green from the galbanum, and No. 5 can be cloyingly powdery. Heure Exquise isn't groundbreaking, but it is beautiful and classic in the way Chanel can be.

Heure Exquise opens with a strong dusty green & yellow galbanum pollen which makes me think of Guerlain’s Vol De Nuit just a little. The galbanum is the sun in Goutal’s Exquisite Hour. It radiates warmth and light. Next a beautiful pink rose color starts to streak the sky as the sun begins to dip below the horizon. Purple Iris begins to powder the accord as blue sky turns darker. I think of Claude Monet sitting outside by a pond and painting a floral landscape. After he cleans his paint brushes he lingers a little to watch the sunset transform his surroundings. There is a stillness to the effect of Heure Exquise that relaxes me. It is the kind of fragrance that I want to wear when I’m sitting outside and taking in the evening. Heure Exquise has an Annick Goutal DNA which is hard to describe but is there even so. I smell it in Songes, Le Chevrefeuille, Eau De Charlotte and even Ninfeo Mio and Chat Perche. I think the Goutal DNA is what truly defines the Exquisite Hour. It is that moment you recognize the fingerprint of Annick Goutal, Camille Goutal and Isabelle Doyen.

When exploring dusky scents, how could one omit “Exquisite Hour”? Iris, rose, and sandalwood (the Goutal website used to call it a rose scent with iris, and now thinks it’s an iris scent with rose, I suspect to distinguish it from the many other rose perfumes they have) — I love these cool, powdery notes. This one is indeed super-powdery (but not baby-powdery) and super-sophisticated. The sandalwood adds an incensey quality, but no smokiness–it’s like an unburnt incense stick. If I had to sum this up in a few words, I’d say “floral incense powder.” Glorious. It does not smell like it was created in 1984, but I refuse to call any fragrance introduced during my lifetime “retro.” Just like a ’65 Mustang cannot be an “antique” car.

I don't agree with the opinion that Heure Exquise is like Safari, and certainly not that if you have Safari, don't buy Heure Exquise, they are two different scents.

This is a soft green floral that I’m instantly in love with. Impressed with the sillage which is not aggressive yet is continually reminding you that you smell incredible. The powder is not overwhelming and I do love iris perfumes that don’t have a violet note - they often go hand in hand. Excellent stuff.

A true beauty.

Been a fan of Goutal since the 90s yet somehow I had never tried this on skin. It’s really special and I cannot wait to add a bottle to my collection.

Rose, galbanum, iris, sandalwood and vanilla, all present and accounted for; it’s pillowy soft and wonderful.

Heure Exquise is softer and more floral in comparison to the colder more austere green scents like Silences. Heure starts out with a blast of bitter /harsh galbanum an opening very similar to Safari or Silences but after awhile it softens to the the most delicate powdery Rose/Iris you can imagine. A very dreamy romantic scent, absolutely gorgeous. Pretty good silage

I have a sample.

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While it starts different, more bitter, as it dries it strongly. strongly reminds me of Calandre. I'll have to compare them and add the comparison here!

Heure Exquise is my go-to fragrance when I want not just a scent but an experience. I'm one of those people whose chemistry turns everything sweet and I don't like sweet. I've spent my life chasing the clear, bright greens of my 70s childhood. I also love Chanel no. 19, but HE is more complex and changes more over time. HE begins very powdery, almost too sweet for a green lover like me. The dry down is where HE really shines. The iris and sandalwood are closer to the skin and both warm and dry.

Definetely smell like Ralp Lauren's Safari as I own that n thought why it smell almost the same. If you already own Safari maybe it's not worth buying HE unless you are a collector

I feel an instant “hit”, of an opiate type dreamy blissful haze that surrounds me when I wear this splendor, as if I’ve entered the mystic domain of a twilight divinity. Immanent and glittering with a golden green iridescence, and an enveloping plush of verdant galbanum and flowing warmth and there are curtains all around me, dusky silken veils of iris and powdery scales of manifest, and velvety rose petals, and the soft caress of a creamy sandalwood. Heure Exquise, to me, is an ethereal yet ferally earthen creature, evocatively beautiful, romantic, sensual, and a bit “mussed”. She is a divine conveyor— of sanguine longing that I delight and soar upon for up to 8+hours.

*I have the edp in the new bottle

For those that wonder about similarities between Heure Exquise and Chanel no19... they are completely different entities. They share certain notes, yes, but theirs is a divergence in how the notes play out. Chanel no19 is precise, “everything in its right place”, while Heure Exquise is “fall where they may”.

I just received a new bottle of Heure Exquise and it is still as beautiful as in the past. In all honesty I was a bit worried the fragrance would have changed together with the new packaging and house rechristening. I'm sure I am not the only one who was skeptical. The only difference is that the sandalwood seams less pronounced, but that is something I always notice when I start with a fresh bottle. The sandalwood does mature further with time.

It is a bit a of a cliché but Chanel N°19 and Heure Exquise are definitively sisters. Both are elegance personified, yet N°19 is austere and Heure Exquise is the maternal one.

Thought I have hundreds of perfumes, I think I could live on with only an Annick Goutal fragrance wardrobe: Eau d'Hadrien, Eau du Sud, Sables, Passion, Grand Amour and of course Heure Exquise.

Less iris than I was expecting, at least at first, the galbanum comes on quite strongly at first, thus the many references to two great greenies that I shall not mention - yet. Once it recedes slightly, a dry iris appears, and creates an accord that smells a bit like leather on my skin. This is a shape shifter, and it's decent longevity (relative to other Goutals) allow you time to enjoy the various changes. I'm actually detecting and enjoying the rose note - a soft rose, not harsh or green, and no need for that because Mama Galbanum and Ms Hyacinth have that angle covered.
So, yes, definitely reminiscent of No. 19 at first, but Heure Exquisite takes you to a different end point. For fun, I layered it with Cristalle EDT on one wrist, and No. 19 Poudre on the other, with great results. HE seems to amplify the things I enjoy most about the other two, and definitely anchors the ephemeral quality of Cristalle. Three DIFFERENT fragrances, each stunning in their own right, and beautiful layered! It is pure elegance. Now I'm tempted to try it with two other Goutals - Passion and Grand Amour! I'm not much into layering, but this is fun!

I agree with JMSG a couple reviews below: this is a "green oriental." It reminds me of another green oriental of the same era: Deneuve by Catherine Deneuve, which came out a couple years later in 1986.

Heure Exquise does have more of a "powder cloud" effect due to the massive dose of iris. But the green notes and iris, which garner so many comparisons to Chanel 19, are undergirded with sandal & sweetish vanillic, balsamic basenotes which place a toe into oriental waters, diverging from Chanel No. 19's base of vetiver & IsoBQ leather. There is also civet in Heure Exquise (I confirmed this with Annick Goutal), giving it a very sensual and French impression.

Chanel No. 19, Deneuve, even Aliage: I can smell similarities to all of them. A stunning creation, balancing greenery, iris powder, romantic rosey florals, sandalwood, and slightly orientaized basenotes, all in perfect harmony.

I find certain vintages difficult to wear, so it was with some hesitation that I purchased this perfume. More than anything, I was drawn to the beautiful image of the perfume here on Fragrantica, though I knew mine would arrive in just the pretty bottle and white box... I had previously tried only one Annick Goutal perfume, Tenue de Soiree, which I bought instantly after receiving a sample because it is that amazing. This one however, was a slightly risky blind buy. That said, Heure Exquise is surprisingly very easy to wear (even for me) and I am truly enjoying it. I worried it would have a bitter, heavy, quality after reading the reviews, but it is very different from what I was anticipating. There is a vintage vibe, but at the same time this is a perfume anyone can wear, it is a beautiful fragrance, reminding me somewhat of several perfumes I tried recently from the house of Dorin, also very classic, but not difficult to wear for people like myself who are challenged by heavy bitter florals. Heure Exquisite is growing on me the more I test it. Very happy to own this incredible perfume...

"Dave Eggers has a theory that we play songs over and over, those of us who do, because we have to ‘solve’ them, and it’s true that in our early relationship with, and courtship of, a new song, there is a stage which is akin to a sort of emotional puzzlement." -- Nick Hornby

Hornby was personally referring to his experience of Nelly Furtado's "I'm Like a Bird". But this "emotional puzzlement" reflects exactly what I felt about Heure Exquise the first twenty or thirty times I wore it. I couldn't 'solve' it.

At the beginning of my fragrance awareness, I was in thrall to L'Heure Bleue, and then a few years later I also fell in love, from a height, with vintage Vent Vert (not 'vintage' at the time). My love for both stymied me, since they so clearly came from opposite sides of the fragrance tracks. Happily wearing Heure Exquise over the last year, I felt I had one foot on each side of those tracks. Mystifying. How to define it?

Eventually, the best I could come up with was: "This is a green oriental." I don't know if there really is any such thing to the wider, wiser scent world, but that is how I think of it now. Heure Exquise is a green oriental. Contradictory in terms, and so far the only one I know, but that's all right; it really is in a refined class by itself. I wear it often, in all weathers and seasons, and its contradictions, intelligence, and loveliness delight me every single time.

@Gyda12 i completely agree with you!
i own, love and wear both HE and the aforementioned (but wont mention) perfume, which i concur is present in 99% of HE reviews. their similarities do not warrant such rampant and relentless comparisons.

Heure Exquise is a dry, green, earthen, rosey, otherworldly, iris, vintage fragrance to my nose and it is just that - exquisite. she is more than a floral or even a floral green.

on me, i enjoy her at her best, worn during cool evenings (applied it seems, during l'heure exquise) and sprayed lightly.

in the heat, she exudes a ladylike aura of magic that cannot be missed by any passing nose i am sure.
today i ve just been mooching around the hot streets of Kendal and the wafts i received were varied and sometimes surprising. green and bright to begin, "I'm wearing proper perfume today". she made me walk taller and breeze along like the world and me were one.

rosey in the middle, warm and cosy at the end, each stage has iris surrounded by the flowers who occasionally take main stage, rose and hyacinth (just like the hyacinth in Bas de Soie actually). 3 hours in, the rose envelops one's aura, but the hyacinth is up close wrapped in the iris. all 3 dancing and twirling, while galbanum holds all the notes in this magical potion in her green embrace.
i have the been testing the EDP.

I immediately fell in love with this scent. That rarely happens meanwhile.
Let me first say that it really bothers me that most reviews here are 3/4 texts about Chanel. Heure Exquise certainly is a scent that stands for itself, why do people haggle hours about Chanel or not Chanel? This is not Chanel, end of. (sorry, but it really bugs me)

About Heure Exquise: an old-fashioned, yet not "old" scent for sure. It starts with an almost spicy freshness, clearing the mind. Shortly after I get even more spicy, but still fresh notes of garden clove (not listed but defo in there) and very light sandalwood. A soft Iris, only slightly powdery, joins in and gives a warm (but not at all stuffy!) touch to it. In the base a get a very soft, unsweet vanilla, the spicyness and the clove remain though and make this a very harmonious, soft, spicy, superfeminine scent that, for my nose, is so perfectly composed it's comparably out of this world.

After I got my hands on a 4ml sample of the old edition (the EdT in the older, pretty bottles) I immeditaly tried to get an original bottle and was lucky to find one on ebay.
One of my favourites in my collection, and no, not comparable, no need to steadily compare this to other scents, it really stands for itself and in a very good way.

If I'm Goldilocks and my three choices are No 19, Silences, and HE.... It's HE that is my perrrrrfect fit!! Love this!

19 in my EDT bottle (pump built into "cap") is light, airy, dry, powdery green. It's elegant, classic, lovely but not showstopping.
Silences is louder, sharper than 19 but doesn't last that long.
HE is right between them, and it's perfect. The right balance of sharp green, powdery florals, lasting power, and divine sillage. I get more rose than iris, and I find no connection to Guerlain LHB.

Another wearing opened with a cold iris. Smells totally different! Deep, quality scents are so fun because they do change! In the best way, of course.

Not a review yet...

I blind bought Goutal's Passion EDT for $29 (100ml! One of those 95% full Fragrancenet deals on ebay) and it blew me away. I love it. Lush, creamy, thick florals on a bed of greenery. I even popped right over to ebay and bought the EDP of Passion.

Then I saw this listing, and I love every fragrance Heure Exquise has been compared to.... so I've blind bought this EDP too, and I can't wait!

This is very beautiful and an easy add to the "want" list.
I agree with those who say it is similar to vintage Chanel 19. It has the same good bones and effortless chic, but where the Chanel was composed for Coco Chanel in her 80's, this has a younger, warmer and altogether happier woman in mind.
The fragrance itself is rosier, softer and without the harsh galbanum edge. I would say the balance is tipped more to the iris than the galbanum.
I feel bad basing my review on comparisons to no. 19 because it kind of misses the point. This is a beautiful, complicated fragrance that can stand on it's own - a soft, powdery, rose tinted iris draped over a classic, green galbanum chypre structure.

This is the type of fragrance from my past where I couldn't get a handle on what I was smelling, or why I loved it so much.

It is so sunny and aesthetic, where I feel as if I am riding on a carousel during the turn of the 20th Century, experiencing an onslaught of senses, hearing, smelling, seeing different wonderful sensations. Laughter, the sun, the smell of popcorn and donuts frying, the smell of sour lemonade, the smell of the flower gardens in the distance carried by a light breeze. The sound of cacophonic merry-go-round organs, distinctively wafting in and out of the smells, with cheerful, glossy painted animals and glistening, sparkly brass rails and mechanical arms up in the carousel rafters. The cherry on top would be the smorgasbord of colors--shiny green, glittering gold, soft pastel pink, dark blue, children in red coats, white and natural muslin cloth-- and textures weaving through: a butterfly's patches, a glittering dragonfly, crisp organza with starkly contrasting flowy taffeta, and a light hearted feeling inside where you are aware of how happy you are, and wish you could stay like that forever.

Fast forward: I still feel that sensation (though fleeting), and respectfully wish I could make out each component in Heure Exquise, but what I seem to get is a floral powdery cream drydown from a harsh green opener. The base note is supposed to be rose? Hm, I don't think so, unless the cream is rose instead of vanilla. Still elusive but still so light and happy.

Rosy Chanel No. 19. 70's style green fragrance; tart and strongly aldehydic with florals floating underneath. The opening is LOUD. Others have said this and I have to agree; if you like 19 but find it too cold and haughty, try this for a more comfortable and approachable green fragrance. As it dries down it softens and becomes progressively more powdery. Boss lady in a business suit, but a nice boss lady.

Imagine the scent somwhere between N°19 and N°5 both edp. It is very serene and cosy, comforting and easy to wear. A real vintage beauty with no aldehydes I could find or sharp edges.
Think of aquarelle or a impressionist painting. Stays relatively close to skin and has nice longevity. It also evokes that cocooning effect. Velvety.

And absolutely lovely.

I love Annick Goutal fragrances, and this is no exception. I can see the similarity to Chanel 19 and L'Heure Bleu, it starts off quite strongly with a floral blast, next comes iris, and finally it dries down to the most ethereal powder.
It's such a soft, angelic feeling lady like fragrance, lasts a good 6-8 hours.

I can see the comparisons of Heure Exquise to Chanel No. 19, but to me, Ralph Lauren's Safari with its generous notes of galbanum and hyacinth, comes to mind. But where Safari comes off slightly sweeter and more polite, Heure Exquise is saying the same thing Safari is saying, only it is saying it more confidently and forcefully. Ultimately and Ironically, Heure Exquise is more animalic deep and mysterious than Safari. This review was for the EDP.

Usually I'm not a fan of vintage perfumes, but this one wins me over, it's different. I love the combination of Iris and Galbanum in the opening, which immediately invokes some of my childhood good memories.This is a classic perfume without being of the granny smell. It's quite elegant and beautiful. My personal experience shows that the projection is good but honestly the longevity is moderate, it evaporates faster on my skin , the only slight imperfect aspect of this perfume. Worth trying for vintage lovers.

This is utterly exquisite in the top. It is all iris and hyacinth with a rich texture. It is like an aldehyde with that crispness. Yes, the rose and sandalwood play a supporting role. No noticeable vanilla, thank god. As it dries down it gets a bit drier (sandalwood sucking the moisture out of the flower) and bit harsher/brassyer. I still love it but wish it stayed the powdery sweet perfect iris/hyacinth combo. I have the EDP. Projects and lasts.

I have just finished a sample of this and it is beautiful! It's starts off green then softens to the scent of iris interplayed with rose. Very spring like perfect for grim January days. I find it reminiscent of Chanel 19 (which I also love) but this is softer, due to the rose I think. I find it delicate but with a presence. I want them both basically!

The name may nod to Guerlain's classic L'Heure Bleue, but the true inspiration behind Heure Exquise is Chanel's No 19. Annick Goutal's scent reprises the galbanum and iris accord of No 19, but divorces it from Chanel's key conceit - that powdery, resinous notes can be rendered icy and aloof with judicious use of aldehydes, moss and woods. The result is a warm green scent, rendered even richer by the creamy sandalwood and vanilla base.

Heure Exquise certainly is exquisite - it is verdant and enveloping. The concept worked so well that Chanel even launched their own take - No 19 Poudre, which plays up the powdery iris of the original while downplaying the crisp coldness.

If you've already found your favourite among the No 19 line, you can safely skip Heure Exquise. But if you're after a green, powdery iris scent for considerably less expense than No 19 Poudre, it's a sure contender.

I bought this because of the reviews. I really enjoy this fragrance. It does smell a little vintage, but it also has a very classy lady smell to it. At first sniff, I get a lot of Hermes 24 Faubourg to it. Does anyone else? All in all, it is quite unique.....in a good way!

Fragrance Review For Heure Exquise Annick Goutal

Notes: Rose Iris Hyacinth Galbanum Sandalwood Vanilla

This fragrance has been called a watered down L'Heure Bleu by Guerlain. I don't see the connection. This is a lovely iris fragrance which has the same kind of powder effect as L'Heure Bleu but it's greener. The galbanum gives it a chypre quality but it's not as intense as other chypres. This is mostly flowers. I can smell each floral note which has time to reach your nose because this fragrance doesn't follow the top middle and base note formula. It opens with a rose, very perfumy and not at all a realistic rose, just powdery rose. Then there's iris and a distinct hyacinth. These flowers are beautiful when paired together. The galbanum begins to release it's nocturnal mossy type of scent and it's my favorite part of the performance of this perfume. The dry down becomes softer after the heavy flowers subside. It's a lovely sandalwood and vanilla. A lovely perfume but it has a simplicity and brevity that I don't care for. If you want a L'Heure Bleu Light this is it but it's nothing to go nuts about. I find it easy to wear, it's inoffensive and perfect for spring and summer as a casual floral, maybe something for church maybe something for a meeting. Very nice.

Heure Exquise EDP, Revisited 5 years later

In 2010 I had already bought "Petite Cherie" from the mall, and I liked it. I was also reading "Perfumes: The Guide" at the same time. I compiled a list of perfumes that I wanted to try, based on my reading, and this was one of them. Fragrancenet had a 50 ml bottle of this in EDP for like $45 or something, and only now do I realize how lucky I was to snap this up at that time. First off, it is in Eau de Parfum concentration. Secondly, it was old. The ingredients list is only Water, Perfume, Alcohol. I have already had 3 AG bottles turn on me, and truthfully I would not seek out "Vintage" Annick Goutal because their perfumes have such a short shelf life. Shockingly, this, for some reason, still smells great (my bottle of Petite Cherie from the mall went bad in a year.) Maybe there really is Mysore Sandalwood in my bottle--the sandalwood in here smells awesome, and we all know that no one puts that kind of sandalwood in there perfumes anymore. So I'm lucky.

When I reviewed this over 5 years ago, I had no idea what I was smelling, I only knew what I felt. Now, with my 'trained' nose, I still feel the same overwhelming emotions--a weird mixture of sadness and hope, wistful? when I wear this, but I can better appreciate what is going on.

The overriding notes in here are dry, dusty, and antique. The galbanum is not so much green as aged, like greenery in the woods that have ripened all summer, and now it is fall, and they are becoming concentrated and dried up. That and the powder--the iris in here is SUPER rooty, SUPER dry, and SUPER powdery. The galbanum may be the earth, but the iris is not earthy at all, it is rather ghostly. The other floral are muted and hard to smell unless you are looking for them (but this may be because my bottle is getting old.) As HE wears down it becomes almost skanky and dirty, dark notes that creep in, and the sandalwood base helps it along--woody and a bit creamy underneath those dark notes. The intense iris powder never goes away, it is evident through out the entire wear. Vanilla? Not on my skin.

I totally love HE. I have still have never smelled another perfume that makes me feel the way HE does. I love iris, and the combination of slightly scary dark notes along with the sandalwood is just golden. Unlike most AG's this does have good tenacity, just don't expect too much silage.

So now that I realize that I have a super old bottle of AG that hasn't gone bad yet, I am in a hurry to wear it as much as possible--until now I only wore it a few times a year (and I wore it when I got married!) but now I'm terrified that it's going to turn. I've never smelled the EDT, and at least they didn't discontinue this when the company got bought out. Still I am a little afraid of what it smells like now, it has to have been reformulated.

Smells like Nivea creme.

This is very striking. It's a beautifully formulated modern version of an 'older style' fume. I think it might be perfect for those who crave traditional fragrances more than modern sweet ones, but don't want to contend with the harsher notes sometimes found in true vintage fragrances that are past their best.

This to me smells clean, fresh, bright, a little soapy and cologne-like, as well as very settled, feminine and classy in that traditional way. It has the charm of a young modern woman with the graces of ladies past - the best of both worlds. I agree with Sandra below that it sits right in the pocket of a 19th century romance novel.

Personally, it's not right for me, because nothing with both 'green' and 'woody' in the accords list suits my personality, but I am very impressed with the quality of it. On the right person it will be great.

HEURE EXQUISE is evocative of the innocent, budding romance of 19th century romance novels. A respectful, anticipatory courtship where the lady eagerly awaits her would-be-suitor under a weeping willow in her parent's estate garden, sitting on a bench, holding her parasol with white lace, gloved hands.

This EDT is a powdery iris and yellow rose that is warmed by a whisper of sweet vanilla and freshened by a drop of citrus. Albeit a warm, close to the skin scent which invites approach, the sandlewood and galbanum add a very pleasant greenness. Unfortunately, this fragrance only lingers on my skin for around 5 hours.

Highly recommended; I will never be without the fragrance.

If you love Chanel No 19 the titillating comparisons between 19 and Heure Exquise might sway you to buying blind. Don't. HE owes more to Madame Rochas than it does to 19 and whilst it has undeniable loveliness to it, if it's Chanel for you then stick with it. Annick Goutal is represented in my perfume wardrobe by many stunning perfumes. Nuit Etoilee in the EDP is my favourite but I own Grand Amour, Mon Parfum Cherie, Eau du Sud, Quel Amour! Musc Nomade, Passion and others.
I have the EDP version of Heure Exquise and even as a woman of a certain age I acknowledge the powdery rose galbanum can be a bit 'olde world' Try before you buy.

This is an incredibly dry, green galbanum. I certainly has hyacinth and a dose of iris, but is predominantly a galbanum scent. Briefly at the outset, I smelled a hint of sandalwood winding through, but that faded. Jacamo Silences is a classic green galbanum, and this is a very similar fragrances. But while Silences was cool, green and damp, HE is quite dry. Still green, but almost parched. It carries that powdery note of galbanum, which may feel dated to some; and I think it has an aldehydic quality making it tight and transparent, the gauziness that comes from aldehydes.

Sillage was modest to strong, and sillage fading very slowly to last about 8 hours. I recommend to galbanum and hyacinth lovers.

This fragrance stands between Chanel No.19 and Chamade Guerlain..... Int the same vibe somewhere in the middle of the two, in the lines of Silences Jacomo but softer powder edges......

I was uncertain about this perfume; I had heard fabulous things about it, but I have a sensitivity to sandalwood (makes me sneeze if there's too much). Like most of my current collection, I scored a bottle on eBay, with the understanding that it may end up being an expensice mistake.
The initial spritz was worrisome; I found it to be a bit powdery (transl: "mature") for my tastes. I was not effected by the sandalwood. The dry down, however, is something else. Somehow Heure Exquise ends up as this delicately floral scent that is just soooo romantic. The sandalwood is noticiable only in so much as it lends a lovely warmth to the complamentary blend of iris and rose. I have found that if I can get through the initial phase of smelling like my grandmother--not bad, mind, just "fussy"--(which on me thankfully didn't last very long), the dry down makes the wait totally worth it.
The more AG perfumes I smell, the more this House appeals to me.

This was my signature scent for about a decade. To me, it's a cool late spring evening, weather for a jacket and high-heeled boots. It's distant and clean and despite being romantic, it can take care of itself.

Absolutely beautiful. I love Annick Goutal perfumes, and I ordered a bottle blind-a serious gamble at these prices. After my first sprays, my immediate impression was of classic perfumes from the 1940's....when perfume was womanly and much more intricate than the "fruity sweet fresh floral" fragrances everywhere today. I was hesitant; what if it turned out to be a dated, old lady fragrance after the topnotes faded? Did I make a very expensive mistake? I went about my day, and several hours later I caught wafts of a breathtakingly beautiful scent......notes of powdery dusky iris and rose, with delicious smoky,warm notes ...and I smelled my wrists and fell completely in love with L'Heure Exquise. It's totally different from my other perfumes; I can't always wear iris scents, and powdery scents can be tricky; if done badly they smell cheap and dated to me. This is in a whole different league; it's a masterpiece. Heartbreakingly lovely; this is honestly the first fragrance I have ever worn that truly feels romantic to me. It conjures an image for me of a classic old movie, a gorgeous Gene Tierney or Lauren Becall , in a ladylike, but sexy dress, on a date with a handsome stranger. I love it.

This perfume is like a lighter version of L'Heure Blue from Guerlain. It has less nostalgia and a bit more sensuality. It's not headache inducing like HB. A true masterpiece! For those who like HB but can't stand it's power this is your solution. It is so romantic, deep and conjures old hollywood!

I am a few hours into testing HE against No19. Results are as follows: Nearly identical with the first spray; As their respective notes develop; NO19 persists with a sweet green phase for a good hour or so. No19 is the epitome of freshness and It will continue to be my favorite Chanel. The sandalwood and Iris dominate in HE in a very feminine almost nostalgic way, same "vibe" as H'Leure Bleue , only in that it evokes nostalgia in me. It does not smell at all like HB. When I was a young girl I used to ride my horse through this meadow that was laden with new spring grasses and purple crocus to get to my gran's house. Before lunch I'd wash up with this wonderful powdery purple flower soap that my grandmother actually made herself. Heure Exquise is a snapshot into the past of my horse "Blossom", Gran's beautiful soap, and scents and sounds of that spring meadow.

UPDATE: HE is the bouquet the bridesmaid's will carry. Subtle, yet charming, doesn't cause a stir in a crowd, but will charm those close by. NO19 is the Bride's Bouquet, it will be noticed and will command center stage as it should.

Melancholic and hauntingly beautiful fragrance which is soft, quiet and gentle.
This fragrance most certainly is the epitome of that quiet time just before dark as the sun goes down and we head into that dusky red hue. Alone with our thoughts, the sun slowly sets into evening and we turn to go home.
A truly stunning scent by a genius perfumer, this reminds me of L'Heure Bleue but is less musky, less sad.
It took me years to appreciate AG perfume, but finally I am there thank goodness I have lived to appreciate this house.
Silage; hugs the skin tightly, this fragrance is very private.
Longevitity; average
BEAUTIFUL!!!!

Very classic, grown up and not too powdery. I like it but wish it lasts longer radiates stronger

Annick Goutal perfumes aren't what you wear if your'e the HEY LOOK AT ME! type of person... Although I do love that type of perfume. They are beautiful little treasures best enjoyed worn on those special little "moments" to yourself. That's how I see Annick Goutal perfumes. Beautiful treasures. Bond_girl 1979 describes Heure Exquise perfectly.It is an enchanting fairytale fragrance that is best enjoyed when you want that 'me time" moment. For me it's watching one of my old black and white romance movies and one of my favorite cups of tea.

Heure Exquise rides on a powdery cloud of enchanting irises, soft and velvety, rose petals that seem to be falling from the sky. It is exactly what it's name implies...exquisite.

A cool, green opening of iris and delicate rose. Galbanum gives it a lovely green quality that tempers the sweetness from the violet. Sandalwood provides a creamy softness that becomes more dominating along with the iris as the fragrance develops on my skin. It stays on the cool side for me, but pleasantly so, the fragrance brings out the cooling quality of sandalwood (it is often commonly used for its "cooling properties" in India)
It remains sheer on me, though as I find this quality in Annick Goutal's scents is what makes them so addictive. They don't smother you and I can't get enough of this one.
It does indeed share similarities with Chanel No.19 as other reviewers have noted.

This is a delicate, dusky, almost ?smokey rose. On it's own it sits very close to the skin and is a whispering scent rather than a noticeable, outstanding one. It is the kind of scent which would mix well with other scents to create something a little more dramatic. On it's own, it is a subtle, thin to the touch, endearing skin scent. Delicate and feminine. It reminds me of a dusky black silk veil doused in rose and gently wafted through woodsy smoke. She is elegant and graceful, but fleeting. Blink - and she has left you with a soft caress on your cheek as day enters dusk.

I love this scent it is my signature aroma! I hated it at first, I thought it was awful. You have to give this scent time. Once you get to know it you'll love it too. The sharp green bitter dryness softens into a mysterious, powdery dream. I find this scent highly original which adds to the mystery. My favorite aspect is the softness that soon follows the somewhat chocking dryness. It is such a pronounced softness.that is hard to do. But there is no other scent like it.
It fits my personality so well I feel like myself with it on more than any other scent. So dreamy and floaty and whispery. Gently coaxing you into it's depths, feeling no need to shout or demand and asking you to accompany it to ethereal regions.
And it has depths, trust me. As a person who may seem shy at first has depths, so does this scent.

Lady like perfume, very proper with something mystic in it. It summarizes lots of other perfumes from the 70s and 60s. And it is a masterpiece. You can feel some Chanel 19 some Chamade, even some Madame Rochas. Wear it to a brunch with friends , to a meeting in your childrens school, to the opera, to church and everybody will be sniffing around wondering who the hell smells so good!

I've had this waltzing on my wrist for about 3 hours now. I'm so totally in love! Heure Exquise is warm, spicy, gentle, powdery floral magnificense. I can't even pick apart what it is I'm loving so much but it's like everything beautiful in the world has been captured inside this bottle. Elegant, sexy, sparkling. Everything I ever dreamed of in a perfume! ♥♥♥♥♥

The powder on butterfly wings. Angelic.

Nice enough. Rose and iris with something green and brown(I'm not the best with specific notes, although I like to think I'm getting better as I sniff more and more). Starts off kind of cool and then warms up. On occasion I get a almost sourdough smell from this. This was the sample that finally convinced me to purchase a full sized bottle of no 19. I much prefer it and given my small collection, I see no need to own both.

The following review is related to the E.d.P.

Although I cannot find many similarities with Guerlain's l'Heure Bleu (perhaps both the names refer to the same time in the day so it can be misleading), whereas I think it vaguely reminds me Chanel 19.... I believe that this is (for me) probably the best created by the same Annick G. together with Isa. Doy. L'H.E. is a rather simple frag almost 'minimal' but pretty remarkable! It's a flourish frag, but it doesn't speak the language of 'flowers' - in a strict way - as I also find something 'animal' in it, though I cannot say why. It shows the typical balance and elegance which is a landmark in A.G.'s creations, it makes me think at the old fragrances, being it a little retrò, but despite old perfumes tradition, it doesn't have any particularly evolution and the classical 3-phases here are missing . Beautiful sillage and better longevity compared to that of the other 'brothers' of the same Maison.

I normally use it in winter.

I don't get it! How is it possible to compare such a wonderful fragrance as Chanel 19, with that harsh synthetic smell? On my skin, is awful! It reminded me once more, of hairspray as Caleche and Rive Gauche have done recently. Fierce sharp galbanum, bitter and annoying with a twist of roast orientally spiced meet! My husband smelled my wrist saying Ugh!! it smells urine.

Well, Divinity has arrived in the building.
Everything else, previously called divine, is looking a bit faint and dusty.

Being not too much in the habit of idolising flowers in a perfume, let alone idolise a 'flowers-only' scent (I'm an overall 'woody oriental' (Lutens!!) worshipper), I am confused by the fact that this perfume compels me to "throw heaps of praise upon it"..

So I question myself:
Would I want to smell like a goddess?
Would I want to own the stature of an empress?
Would I want heads to bow in awe and recognition?
Hm.

Do I bow for Heure Exquise?
Yes.

I have loved this for years .its smells divine and is I think my favourite however my husband tells me it smells like baby powder which is not quite the effect I am after! I love soft powdery scents No 19 smells synthetic to me or rather on me so any suggestions?

For wearing on a summer's evening, as twilight falls. This used to be my "reading historical novels" perfume, and I associate it with some kind of courtly elegance. I am not usually a fan of heavy powder in fragrances, but this one somehow transcends the note. If you love Guerlain's L'Heure Bleue, you will probably love this one too.

Sophisticated... this perfume screams Belle Epoque;
Powdery sensuality that comes from afar, elegant sensuality and not primitive, ethereal, mystical... And expensive Iris. Not for the amateurish and lighthearted. It's hazy deep purple... You are caught in the twilight zone, but you are confident enough to delight, and not get scared. Don't judge it from the first few seconds... Let it rest on you, and envelop you in its magic. I love it. I possess it, and I'm possessed by it...
(EDP)

I have tried this in a series of "If you like Chanel No. 19, the you'll like...."

Well, I like very much, but it should not to be mistaken for a No 19 doppelganger!

Yes, the opening is sharp,green and shimmery like 19. But whereas 19 rings out with the clarity of a note from a crystal gong, Heure Exquise soon resolves into a warm flourish of harp strings.

I think it must be the soft rose note that gentles the galbanum.

I have been learning that when the adjective "interesting" comes up for me in relation to perfume that it is probably an indication of an iris presence--and following the rose I detect "interesting."

This is a subtle, graceful scent: a sharp, sophisticated start (kterhark said "wealthy"), but a soft resolution. As if No 19 kicked off her heels, stripped off her silver bangles, and slipped into a velvet dressing gown.

i thought chanel no. 19 was very close to what i wanted, but maybe a twinge too sharp. i read this one was "similar", which it is, but it's too far on the other side of the spectrum -- very powdery/soft. no. 19 is better for me.

What on earth has gone in to the top notes here? I'm guessing a heavy dose of galbanum coz there is something so bitter,dry, earthy, and to my senses, well repulsive frankly going on in the first 10-15 minutes that I am not sure I'll be keeping this one

That said, I like those notes in a perfume, I just don't like to be able to smell it so distinctly it overpowers all else initially. I literally recoiled in disgust both times I road tested this. However I find the opening of a few Goutals odd and almost out of place, but generally love them once they move to the heart - and this was no exception.

The heart is a lovely blend of rose and iris, and for me, with the rose the more prominent. The iris (and dare I guess orris too) lends a slight powdery quality to the composition, yet it is not so powdery that it would automatically be a first impression. Powdery-ness (is that a word?) usually mutes other notes in my opinion, but this whilst somewhat softened, is still an unusually clean and clear scent. I dont mean as in fresh or green - but each notes is in itself a very true to nature scent.

I must say despite my misgiving about the opening, I can really detect with this perfume the skill gone in to creating it and for that alone I have upped my appreciation of this house being something a bit different to the flock.

It only lasts a few hours on my skin (edp) and I am not sure I could go in for re-application whilst out and about coz I find the opening so off putting but I am going to test drive this a few more times and see if we can make friends.

This is absolutely beautiful. I won't go over the notes, but this scent made me wistful and hopeful at the same time it was so gorgeous.

Admittedly I wear Chanels with my scrubs to work, and Guerlains with a sweat shirt. But this is the first perfume that I would only wear at night in the spring or fall, in cool damp weather, when I'm outside but have no where in paticular to be.

A truly intense creation. The best AG I've come across.

EDP-Many changes in intensity and character, will last about 8 hours.

For those that like the idea behind L'Heure Bleue but maybe have a hard time with it, I suggest trying this instead.

Okay, now I get it. Now I really get it. Annick Goutal HEURE EXQUISE is such a complex and compelling creation, constructed of such high-quality components, that it could easily have come out of the house of Guerlain in the early twentieth century, back in the good old days, long before the devastating coup staged by industrial chemists and venture capitalists. Wow, I'm impressed.

Unbelievably, HEURE EXQUISE actually lives up to its name. This exquisite chypre-like floral approaches the stratum occupied by the likes of MITSOUKO and ARPEGE. You won't find any sour, synthetic sandalwood here. Du vrai parfum, this is just stunning! Rose and iris mingle with a variety of unlisted chypre notes to produce an intoxicating composition with excellent longevity and big, beautiful sillage. On my wish list!

Thank you, Celina, for introducing me to this work of art!

An iris fragrance in my mind, and based upon what I've experienced, is often counteracted with a distinguishable soapiness, heavy powder or an array of other floral notes. Heure Exquise is very different from what I'm used to. This is no Iris Nobile, Le Labo Iris 39 or Chanel 28 La Pausa.

I was actually surprised to see iris listed as a note here. When I first smelt this fragrance the dominant iris did not occur to me. I was too fascinated with the overall composition rather than determining particular notes.

Upon further reflection, Heure Exquise does have a lovely iris accord. This fragrance is stunningly simple. Somewhat dry, spiced powder with smokey undertones.

To me this fragrance is almost animalistic. It has many sensual qualities and it exudes confidence and an element of class. When the iris blends with the turkish rose, sandalwood and subtle spices, the result is almost ethereal.

Heure Exquise almost surpasses my undying love for Passion, also by Annick Goutal. Combined with great lasting power and an iris that shines above and beyond many iris scents on the market today, Heure Exquise is a sure winner in my eyes.

I cannot wait to get my hands on a bottle. The wait is almost too hard to bare.

A big 'thank you' to SedNon for a sample of this, it is truly an unexpected surprise.

I get (and agree) with the Chanel 19 comparison. Bergamot and friends aren't listed here, but something is giving this a big green boost out of the bottle. I would even bring in Nikki de St. Phalle as a comparison for the opening.

The opening is loud, clangy and 'wealthy'. I started getting images of New York high society ladies; but before it gets too stuffy lovely iris kicks in, and the magic happens.

I LOVE a powdered iris dry-down, and here I am reminded of Chamade.

A gorgeous scent. I'm not familiar with this house, but this makes me want to learn more.

This is a perfect Iris scent in my opinion. It is done in the classic manner, yet has such a delicious warmth to it; this does not always happen with iris, sometimes it can seem a little cold and unapproachable. As others have said; it is very similar to No 19, yet it is warm where the Chanel is cool, the green is inviting, whereas the Chanel is sharp, it is well rounded and flowing, whereas the Chanel is all angles and power-play. Do not get me wrong, No 19 is a work of art and I also adore it, but a work of art is not always comfortable to wear. L'Heure Exquise is a masterpiece that envelops you, and comforts you like a warm snuggle/hug and is very comfortable to wear. It is the fragrant equivalent of sleeping in a lavander hued bed-chamber and snuggling under a velvety throw, then catching a waft of a plant on the bedside table.

The most gorgeous Iris scent I have ever smelled. Even Iris Poudre can't beat it. It makes me feel like I'm wearing my favourite jumper and yet all dressed up at thr same time. Few scents make me feel like that but the ones that do all contain Iris or violet.

I never thought I'd love another AG scent the way I love Ciel, but this little scent is winning me over. Imagine chanel 19, but softer and powdery. This smells very green like new leather and earth. The combination of florals w/ a dry down of sandalwood is most addicting. I've pushed my other perfumes to the side the past few weeks. If you love iris or chypes at all you must give this a sniff.