Talisman
Balenciaga (1994)

This is a delightful light version of the re-release of Coty's classic CHYPRE - to my nose, at least.

As with that re-issue, it has a light, warm, caraway seed scent. Perfectly nice as a subtle cologne.

I give it a neutral review, simply because it is a copy of a classic, not an original.

Other reviewers here who find it a fruity floral oriental with lychee, rum, dried fruit notes, jasmine, rose, hyacinth, beeswax, patchouli, sandalwood, amber, etc. have remarkable noses. I detect not a single one of these notes, simply the subtle suggestion of the caraway seed, as in the Coty creation.

I think Talisman is quite potent – it certainly knows how to project off my skin. Talisman is a strong fruity floral refined / sensual accords, and excellent longevity. It's a beautiful oriental that opens very fruity with an excellent lychee note and the sweet dried fruits accord. The accord is lusciously abundant and I think that I can enjoy such fruitiness because it mainly comes in the form of dried fruit which give off a sort of fruit-cake aura, but not to the point where I would call it “gourmand.” The fruit cake aura is helped by a rum note that makes the accord sparkle with more depth than just fruit notes. The fruit / rum has a rich and unique ambiance that I find very sniffable… Why is it that liquor notes are so enjoyable in fragrances? After fifteen or twenty minutes, the heart florals begin taking control of the fragrance, and I get especially a clear warm jasmine and a touch of rose and a sharper little floral that I think is the hyacinth, but the whole heart is abundantly and richly floral – full, but not heady. The drydown is my favorite part, though. It is an ingenious amber / patchouli and a soft leather. It gradually reveals a sandalwood that eventually reaches equality with the amber and patchouli in the accord. The base gets a bit powdery which seems a little out of place. The whole fragrance has a special feel to it – it smells so much better than something this fruity has a right to, IMO. The fragrance has no problem producing adequate sillage. This is a beautiful fragrance, which could, I believe, be easily be seen as appropriate for a man

If Dior made this, it might be called 'Poison Gourmande'. I tried the parfum... more to come.

IN MY OPINION IN THE SAME FAMILY OF FANTASME TED LAPIDUS, THOSE FRAGRANCE CALLED POLAR HATE IT OR LOVE IT! IN THIS CASE I LOVE STRONG AND VERY SWEET PARFUMS LIKE THESE (ANGEL AND TOCADE TOO)

Love it. Definitely one of my Fall scents. It's soft patchouli is well hidden. The sandalwood balances out the Jasmine and there is a hint of spice that reminds me of a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon. Surprisingly, at first it teases the nose in an alluring way but, the scent at the end of the day kisses your nose very softly-powdery?

Sipping on a juicy lychee cocktail in a rosegarden. Rather nice, but still too much of a sweet fruity/floral for my taste. I expected something darker and more exotic from a scent named Talisman, this is a very bright and shiny Talisman, like a mock jewel trinket found and revered.