Le Dix
Balenciaga (1947)

Le Dix (I recall a Youtuber affectionately, or rather, inadvertently refer to it as "Lay Dicks"—bless his heart) is surely an acquired taste in this current age. I stress, "age," as this is a true oldie but goodie, a bygone era treasure that is testament to the fact that a fragrance connoisseur may wear something to revel in its beauty all by oneself. Any idea of wearing a perfume out to garner attention is dismissed, as it may very well be that an impolitic someone may be so bold as to throw out the "smells like an old lady/old man" offense. This is a "them" problem for a fragrance connoisseur, who's moved beyond caring or trying to impress. If you are this kind of fumehead, then you may very well be enraptured by Le Dix.

It starts with skyrocket aldehydes leaving lilac powder contrails, settling into C. Howard's violets and lily of the valley white glow. There's one facet that reminds me of the scent of certain species of bearded iris, both orris-rooty but also violet-purple-cool. It feels like Apres L'Ondee has suddenly dried its eyes and is dancing in the rain, donned in her nighty. Waltzing around, AL encounters a man in a top hat and cane, wearing a rose boutonniere, waving a civet-scented hanky. "Near You" by Francis Craig starts playing, and they foxtrot into soft and creamy sandalwood sunset. I personally find it all to be simultaneously joyful and hypnotic. Sadly, Le Dix has long ceased production, but if this sounds insatiable to you, it would behoove you to seek it out. I honestly don't think you'll have a ton of competition.

If I need to feel calm and embraced and beloved and that the world is a beautiful, wondrous place, I wear Le Dix. In the vintage extrait, there is not another fragrance that makes me feel as if I'm dreaming and drowsy in a warm summertime hammock. This is the most gently, tenderly luscious fragrance I own, and I wear it not to impress or seduce, but to reassure and nurture myself in an interior way. There is something about the creamy sandalwood and musk in its base notes that brings me closer to a state of grace than I can ordinarily come. It smoothes my hair and rubs my back and tells me that even in a dark and dingy world there are quiet places of beauty and serenity that can be entered, if even for brief seasons.

P.S. Imagine a MUCH more beautiful Antilope that dries down to a slightly more balsam-y Bois des Iles.

I had a 3mL sample that I picked up at a garage sale. I have no idea how old it was, or under what conditions it had been kept. I used the whole thing, and it was...OK, I guess. It was not the rapturous experience that many have had with it. I get some flowers, and some aldehydes, and a certain plumminess that I often get with these throw-in-everything-even-the-kitchen-sink perfumes. It could well be that my sample was no longer good, but I would not seek this out, and probably would not repurchase if a small bottle came my way again.

After over a year of musing over my sealed antique full ounce of Le Dix, I finally gave in and opened it a few nights ago. I am recovering from the swine flu, and realized that my swollen olfactories could not fully appreciate what I would behold. I decided to wait until now so I could devote an entire day to a trial. What an absolute delight! Many of the other complimentary commenters have done justice to the analysis of the notes and how they operate together. It is such a wonderfully crafted masterpiece that it is difficult for me to distinguish any particular notes, leaving me no other option but to focus solely on my emotional response to it. After basically "bathing" myself in Le Dix, I found myself surrounded by a veil of smooth deliciousness. Initially, I felt transported upon a magic carpet through time and space to an early 20th century Mediterranean island, surrounded by lush vegetation, fragrant blooms, and citrus trees. Then suddenly, I was flying over endless rows of perfume fields somewhere in France on a beautiful sunny day, while inhaling the soft mix of all that is divinely floral. Finally, I felt a warm embrace as my feet touched the earth. There I was enveloped by all that is right in my world going back to childhood; sweet spices in the kitchen, something delicious cooking, wood next to the fireplace, the wonderful way it smells when I stick my face into my dog's fur, a day in the saddle, my skin after a long day at the beach, and something very sexy.
On me, (even in the pure parfum) Le Dix is a skin scent. I don't get much sillage, but at this point in my life I do NOT want or need a perfume to announce my arrival. I have already arrived, and want a perfume that compliments and enhances what is already here. Le Dix does that. She just makes it all a bit better, like any good fairy godmother.
I daresay she might be quite nice on men as well.

A peachy, warm, very aldehydic opening beautifully balanced with a gently citric lemon and a fresh bergamot - gorgeous is the opening indeed. A hint of spice - coriander mainly with orris - is added and leads over to a floral drydown of rare beauty, where lily takes the centre stage, with a rich, velvety rose - Bulgarian comes to mind - combining sensationally with a superb jasmine. Around this time a pleasant elegant powderiness emerges that is never dusted or dull, but provides the dance of fragrance notes with a suitable stage to shine.

The base, so often a letdown, keeps up the same stupendous level of quality, with a natural sandalwood balancing beautifully with a fairly light and bright vetiver, a rich slightly musky vanilla, and a truly convincing great Amber note - glorious!

The performance is excellent: I get good sillage, nice projection and over twelve hours of longevity - fading out gently in very discretely powdery ambery-vanilla delight. Very good for my old vintage sample.

A grand classic and a great masterpiece of the house of Balenciaga. 4.25/5

Created by Francis Fabron and released in 1947, it was the first of Balenciaga's five classic women's scents (Quadrille, La Fuite de Heures, Prelude, Cialenga being the others).

The perfect violet floating on a cloud of soft, powdery orris is the overall impression of this classic scent. Interesting it was created the same year as another orris masterpiece, Fath's Iris Gris.

It shares nine notes with another Fabron classic, Piguet's Baghari, according to Barbara Herman.

This is a sweet, powdery and soft scent. It compares to Guerlain's Apres L'Ondee in its ephemeral beauty. The oil concentration as with all Balenciagas is stunning. The weakest of perfume concentrations, the eau de cologne, is with Le Dix completely present 24 hours after applying.

Top notes: Lemon, Bergamot, Peach, Coriander, Cilantro
Heart notes: Orris, Violet, Rose, Lilac, Ylang, Jasmine, Muguet
Base notes: Civet, Musk, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Benzoin (Vanilla), Amber, Tonka, Balsam, Ambergris

One of the all time greatest scents of the 20th century. Buy vintage only - it predominates on Ebay.