Guerlain Iris Ganache 2007 and Guerlain Iris Ganache 2018 +Tale of Two Perfume Unicorns Draw

Tim Walker©

“Then we had the irises, rising beautiful and cool on their tall stalks, like blown glass, like pastel water momentarily frozen in a splash, light blue, light mauve, and the darker ones, velvet and purple, black cat's ears in the sun, indigo shadow, and the bleeding hearts…” –Margaret Atwood; The Handmaid's Tale

Via Galore Magazine

We perfumistas do love our unicorns! A unicorn is of course, any highly desirable perfume that is almost impossible to find due to discontinuation, rareness, or scarcity. The prices are likely to be sky-high, and it’s easy to fixate with near-obsession on the idea of having to find a bottle at any cost; like an addict needing a hit, the perfume unicorn becomes an unscratchable itch, something you jones for above all else.  

 Sylvaine Delacourte & Thierry Wasser via saywho.fr

Thus has it been with Guerlain’s now near-mythic Iris Ganache Eau de Parfum. Originally released in 2007 as an oriental-woody fragrance, Iris Ganache was met with mostly good but slightly mixed reviews; although listed as an oriental-woody scent, Iris Ganache leaned heavily into the Floral-Gourmand court and the concept of a gourmand iris was not only ahead of its time, but predicted the gold rush of gourmands that would follow a few years later. Guerlain’s then-Creative Director Sylvaine Delacourte (who Master Perfumer Maurice Roucel said described as being (“…amazing at guiding the perfumer, bringing her vision and his/he Art to new heights.”) had come up with the idea of doing something quite different with an iris note and approached perfumer Thierry Wasser who was working at Firmenich at the time. Et voila! Iris Ganache was conceptualized and created. The fifth fragrance in Guerlain’s L’Art et la Matière (The Art of the Materials) line, Iris Ganache was up against some very heavy hitters already in rotation in the range; Cuir Beluga & Rose Barbare (2005), Bois D’Armenie (2006), and 2007 would also bring Spiritueuse Double Vanille, one of the most beloved and popular fragrances in the Guerlain Canon. Guerlain Iris Ganache quietly slipped away four years after release, but is now back in limited release and we perfumistas are all the better for it.

Via flickr©

So what is it that makes Guerlain Iris Ganache so memorable and desirable? Perfumes in the floral-gourmand (Flormand? Glormal?) Category had been done previously; Maitre Parfumeur Et Gantier’s Secrète Datura in 1992, Annick Goutal’s Eau De Charlotte in 1982 among others. Perhaps it was the idea of such a highly visible perfume house as Guerlain producing a floral gourmand using two such extraordinary talents as Sylvaine Delacourte and Thierry Wasser. In other words the “right place/right time” syndrome culminating in what we would now call “A perfect storm” in fragrance creation. Fast forward 10 years and the re-emergence of Guerlain Iris Ganache 2018 version even in its VERY limited EU release, has whipped up the fragrance community into a veritable lather, and the bottles are flying off the shelf almost as soon as they’re put up. Are the two versions similar? Iris Ganache 2007 and Guerlain Iris Ganache 2018 are twin siblings of different parents, two sides of the same coin, yin and yang, winter and summer. Both equally breathtakingly beautiful, both replete with healthy doses of Guerlain DNA, both masterfully blended using top-notch ingredients, and both a perfect example of the ultimate expression in the Oriental-woody-floral-gourmand genre. Like many pairs of twins you only see the differences when they’re standing side by side.

2007 Iris Ganache bottle by Robert H. ©2018

Guerlain Iris Ganache 2007 (Sylvaine Delacourte & Thierry Wasser): The original Iris Ganache is a classic vanilla oriental masterpiece with the gourmand addition of white chocolate and cinnamon. Ganache is defined as “A glaze, icing, sauce, or filling for pastries made from chocolate and cream.” Iris Ganache is exactly that. With a spicy bergamot opening and an amber and powdery finish, the original Guerlain Iris Ganache 2007 is a dreamscape for a winter’s night wrapping you in clouds of warmth, like a blast of floral steam from a just-opened Café or bakery door on a chilly evening. And even though it is near-perfection in any temperature, the colder temperatures really bring it to life; the heat from your skin and the ambient temperatures add a smooth and silky finish to the Iris and white chocolate that leaves you only wanting more. Iris Ganache 2007 is all about the tactile experience; rubbing your skin against warming fabrics or a bearskin rug. Unctuous and scintillating, the 2007 version is a semi-sexualized fetish worthy version of Guerlain’s L’Heure Bleue with the pumped-up iris wafting like pheromones off your body.

Fantasy Blooms: Caroline Trentini for Steven Meisel Vogue Australia 2008

Guerlain Iris Ganache 2018 (Thierry Wasser): Eleven years on, and under Thierry Wasser’s tutelage the new  Guerlain Iris Ganache 2018 presents as equally beautiful as the ’07, but with a lighter and more carefree heart, perfect for anytime, and ideal in the warmer weather. Where the ’07 is sultry and dark, the ’18 has the darkness pushed back a bit and is sprightly, spacious and airy without sacrificing any of the classic DNA. Iris Ganache 2018 is a beribboned straw hat to the ‘07’s cashmere and wool fedora. Slightly younger, but dazzling in its complexity, floralcy and irresistible gourmand notes, Iris Ganache 2018 is the perfect twin to its slightly more melancholy and older, sexy sibling. The ultimate question is…. which would I grab out of a burning building? Both. Notes: Bergamot, cinnamon, white chocolate, iris butter, patchouli, powder notes, musk, amber, cedar, vanilla.

Disclosure: The perfumes and opinions are my own.

–Robert Herrmann, Senior Editor

-Art Direction: Michelyn Camen, Editor-in-Chief

We have a 2ml sample each of Guerlain Iris Ganache 2007 and Guerlain Iris Ganache 2018 for a registered reader in The USA only. It will take two-three weeks to receive. To be eligible please leave a comment with what you enjoyed about Robert’s reviews of Guerlain Iris Ganache 2007 and Guerlain Iris Ganache 2018.  Which sounds more appealing? Draw closes 10/24/2018

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30 comments

  • Catlady4 says:

    I still have a little of the original Iris Ganache and it’s a solid favorite of mine. I love its gourmand darkness. The idea of a lighter and brighter Iris Ganache intrigues me, though. I’d love to try these side by side. I live in USA.

  • skippy.gordon says:

    This was a very interesting and full of knowledge review. It’s so nice when a reviewer truly dives in to the past about a scent line. I was not aware of the 2007 release. I have read a little already about the 2018 release. And now the rest of my questioned have been answered by Robert. It’s would be awesome to win these samples. I live in Phoenix, AZ USA….

  • Alen says:

    Great review. Both versions sounds really good, i would love to win and try them. Thanks for the chance, Oakland US.

  • Daisy says:

    I’d be scared to try the 2018 version, it’s so hard to get! …..I have plenty of the 2007 so I’ll just be happy with that. BUT I wanted to comment on how much I enjoy Robert’s reviews and particularly I’ve waited for this one. I expected it to be different , changed…they generally don’t survive reissue intact. I’m very glad to hear the 2018 isn’t getting left in the fire. 😉

  • BostonScentGuy says:

    Wow–didn’t realize this was being re-released in limited edition, but I guess I should have expected it. I smelled the first one fairly early on in my journey and before really falling hard for Guerlain. At that point it struck me as an upscale riff off Insolence. How I’d love to smell it again with my “evolved” nose. I am by nature more of a “darker is better,” so I think the old one might suit my fancy, but I’d be thrilled to try both. Thanks for the draw! I’m in the US.

  • doowtnehpets says:

    I enjoy the part about unicorns. Never knew it was called that. There’s a few out there I’d like to try, Gucci Envy for men being one. Both of the Iris Ganache versions sound good. I tend to like sweet fragrances.

  • ElizabethC says:

    Slumberhouse Zahd was my unicorn (and I lucked into getting bottle). I love the comparisons – the first one sounds absolutely amazing! Thank you so much for the drawing!

  • AdrianR says:

    This is a fragrance that I never thought I would ever get my hands/nose on. I have read many reviews of the original version. Robert’s reviews bring the two fragrances to life. Even though they both sound gorgeous, I am hoping the 2018 version is even more breathtaking than the first. I am in NY.

  • Nancysg says:

    Iris Ganache is one my most highly prized scents. I love the comparison of a beribboned straw hat versus a wool fedora.
    I live in the US.

  • middleagedandmixed says:

    I loved reading the history behind Iris Ganache. It is indeed a unicorn. I have no doubt the 2018 version is fantastic, but I admit, based on Robert’s review, I’m more intrigued with the 2007 version by Sylvaine Delacourte & Thierry Wasser. I like how it is described as sultry & dark.

  • RinB says:

    It may sound silly, but I’ve never been so excited about the possibility of winning something as I am these 4mls of perfume! Iris Ganache (2007) is indeed one of my unicorns, and it would be so fun to get to try it side by side with its new sibling. I like Robert’s description of the two fragrances as a pair of twins, and the part that sounds most appealing to me is his description of the 2007 version as a “dreamscape for a winter’s night wrapping you in clouds of warmth, like a blast of floral steam from a just-opened Café or bakery door on a chilly evening”. Wonderful! I’d love to sample this pair of scents and am in the US. Many thanks!

  • Shawn says:

    I have heard so much about Iris ganache and hope I win. I think the 2007 version sounds more interesting
    Great reviews

  • roxhas1cat says:

    I’ve heard of this fragrance, but didn’t give it much attention because I heard it was hard to find. I’d love to try these side by side to see what all the fuss is about. Comparing the quest to find this fragrance to a unicorn brought a smile to my face. I don’t own any Guerlain, all the ones that interest me the most are the most difficult to find or only in the big cities. Thanks for the chance!! USA.

  • Harbinger says:

    I have been curious about the original as I have heard so much about it so I really appreciated this review. Honestly, both versions sound interesting and I would love to try them both! Thanks for the opportunity. USA

  • Saúl Peña says:

    I have a small decant of the 2007 version but I don’t even want to wear it, knowing how hard to find it has been
    Would like to smell the new version
    I am in Dallas, Texas

  • Onyinye says:

    I prefer Guerlain Iris Ganache 2007 because it’s the original and nothing can ever replace the original in my opinion. This quote “The original Iris Ganache is a classic vanilla oriental masterpiece with the gourmand addition of white chocolate and cinnamon“ is what I really loved.

    I live in California.

  • Zibbyz says:

    Ooh, ooh, the warmth and coziness of the 07 version sounds absolutely wonderful, tho if it were to be a HG version for me that would be disappointing since it’s discontinued. But I also like the idea of a lighter, more versatile version, and I vote for “glormal”, tho I run the risk of it becoming a perfume version of Boaty McBoat Face. Thank you for such a wonderful draw, and all the draws, what a fabulous chance to compare both! I will have to set my reminders to be back and reply within the deadline (I admit that I have missed some, due to job hunting and summer colds, darn that real life for interfering with scent journeys! Again, thank you! I’m the us

  • Lori Laws says:

    Great Review Robert! Guerlain is one of my favorite fragrance houses. I LOVE the 2007 version of Iris Ganache and that it’s the so called “darker version.” I look forward to trying the 2018 reissue. From this review, it sounds like I need to stock up on the reissue when I can find it. Which do I take out of a burning building? I take both of course….it’s Guerlain! Thanks for the draw and I live in the US! 🙂

  • audesko1 says:

    Wonderful review! Loved all of the beautiful photos. Guerlain Iris Ganache sounds like a winner. I would love to try. I love Spiritueuse Double Vanille. I live in the US. Thank you again.

  • Teresa says:

    How fun it would be to try these two side by side…a rare opportunity. Whether or not I get to do that, Robert’s review gives me a glimpse into his perfume unicorn. I am in the US.

  • Michelle says:

    I find it so cool that you’re offering samples of both versions to compare. I have fallen for many a Guerlain but have not had the opportunity to try Iris Ganache. Being a twin myself, I can appreciate the analogy of the two fragrances being alike in outward appearance but having different personalities and strengths. One of them not being better than the other, just different. I also love when reviewers include textural references – as a person who sews & works with fabrics often it really helps me to get a better feeling of what a scent is about. Thanks so much from Cleveland Ohio!

  • Robert H. says:

    Thanks for the great compliments! The 2018 is available in the 2 flagship stores in Paris, so if you know someone who can “mule” it for you, it’s totally worth it. The 2018 is exquisite in and of itself!

  • doveskylark says:

    I love the idea of unicorn scents. The notes on the original Iris Ganache sound so lovely–vanilla, white chocolate, and cinnamon…wow! It’s wonderful that Guerlain has introduced a 2018 version that is a bit lighter and carefree.
    I think I’d probably prefer the 2018 version.
    I live in the USA.

  • Cynthia says:

    I remember trying the original and liking it but not enough to spring for a bottle. This lighter version might sway me. I enjoyed the in depth rev iew and the scrumptious photos accompanying. Thanks for the draw. USA

  • Kenneth Redmond says:

    Thank you Robert for pointing out some of the differences between the vintage and the 2018 formulations. I feel like I would so much more appreciate the scent altogether now than I did years ago. I feel like my nose has greatly matured. I am in Niagara Falls NY and would love to win any sample of Iris Ganache because I do have a mule who could get it for me ! Thanks for the opportunity!
    Kenneth Redmond

  • NiceVULady says:

    Robert makes them both sound so appealing that it would be almost impossible to pick one over the other. I always love Robert’s reviews. Thanks for the draw. I’m in the US

  • Yasmina says:

    I think I would like the original iris ganache more based on the description of each here. In general I really like this line from Guerlain especially SDV. In the Us

  • jeremyn87 says:

    The white chocolate note sounds really appealing. I’ve had cocoa butter lotion underneath a fragrance before, and it was a really nice combo, even though it wasn’t intentional. And white chocolate usually smells really similar since it’s basically cocoa butter, if I’m not mistaken.
    The 2007 sounds more appealing since it seems to have a stronger white chocolayte note; or at least it was more notable to mention
    Im in the US. thanks for the draw