Bouquet de Faunes

The Verdict

Guerlain's Bouquet de Faunes stands as one of the great mythic creations of classical perfumery. Composed by Jacques Guerlain in 1922 and originally housed in a bottle designed by Rene Lalique, this fragrance belongs to an era when perfumers worked with rich animalic materials that modern regulations and tastes have largely rendered extinct. The few who have experienced it speak of it with reverence.

Community opinion is overwhelmingly positive among those fortunate enough to have sampled it, though the fragrance's extreme rarity means the pool of reviewers is small. It commands extraordinary prices at auction, appearing "once in a blue moon" and selling for sums many times its weight in gold. This is not a fragrance one casually purchases; it is a piece of olfactory history.

What It Smells Like

The opening is light and floral with bright aldehydic shimmer, jasmine, and a citronella-tinged neroli. A powdery suede quality emerges almost immediately, setting the stage for what lies beneath. The heart unfolds as a generous bouquet of carnation, iris, rose, ylang-ylang, violet, and geranium, creating a composite floral impression rather than spotlighting any single bloom.

But the true character of Bouquet de Faunes lives in its base. Castoreum, civet, and leather form an animalic foundation of remarkable density. Reviewers describe it as smelling like fur, with a barnyard quality that is nonetheless harmonized exquisitely with vanilla and tonka bean. The effect is a leathery, furry, vanillic base that one reviewer called "out of this world."

When to Wear It

This is an evening and special occasion fragrance in every sense. Its animalic depth and powdery opulence demand settings where such richness is appreciated rather than merely tolerated. Formal gatherings, intimate dinners, and cultural events provide the proper backdrop for a scent of this stature.

The density of the composition makes it best suited for cooler weather, when the heavy leather and castoreum notes can settle without becoming overwhelming.

Longevity & Projection

As a vintage extrait-strength composition, Bouquet de Faunes delivers exceptional longevity. The dense base of castoreum, civet, musk, and resins ensures the fragrance lingers for many hours, with the animalic-vanillic drydown persisting well into the next day on fabric. Projection is moderate to strong in the opening and heart stages, settling to a rich skin scent as the base emerges.

The Community Says

Those who have experienced Bouquet de Faunes describe it in terms normally reserved for great works of art. One reviewer notes that the transition from powdery suede to floral heart is "simply flawless and beautiful." Another calls it "a delicate, almost watery floral over a very smooth castoreum/civet/leather base" that feels almost fragile in its refinement. A dissenting voice wished for "more Faune and less Bouquet," wanting the animalic elements to dominate even further. Several reviewers compare its character to vintage creations by Caron, Jean Patou, and Chanel rather than to other Guerlains.

Who Should Buy This

Bouquet de Faunes is for the serious vintage fragrance collector who understands and appreciates the use of real animalic materials in perfumery. It suits those who find beauty in the contrast between refined florals and raw, leathery, fur-like base notes. Given its extreme rarity and cost, it is realistically a fragrance for those who approach perfume as a form of cultural heritage rather than daily adornment.

The Bottom Line

Bouquet de Faunes is one of the lost treasures of the Guerlain archive, a fragrance that embodies the fearless artistry of early twentieth-century perfumery. Its combination of delicate florals and unapologetically animalic base notes creates something that modern perfumery rarely attempts and cannot easily replicate. For those who encounter it, it remains an unforgettable experience.