Hi there Crew, CHANEL Cuir de Russie EdP was released in 2016. It’s a modern riff on Ernest Beaux’s 1924 leather & smoke bomb. A soapy reinterpretation of even the 2007 EdT. It’s still better than most things produced today, in my completely subjective opinion but a far cry from the original. What was a lion is now a perfectly trained, gorgeous house cat. My bottle was bought on a FaceBook Sale Doc from a person who was devastated at the change from EdT to EdP and couldn’t get rid of this bottle fast enough.
Cuir de Russie EdP CHANEL Les Exclusifs
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Orange blossom Mandarin Orange Bergamot
Heart: Ylang-Ylang Jasmine Tobacco Rose
Base: Leather Birch Resins
You’ll notice how little has been used from the bottle. It’s strange because I love this soft focus soapy leather. TBH every time I think leather it’s 1980s Trussardi, Cuir d’Ange or Gentry Jockey Club. So strange also because I have to go find them and Cuir de Russie is on my grab tray, right next to the desk.
Today I was thinking to wear leather. With it being shoulder season I knew it had to do warm and cold time. The sunshine is absolutely gorgeous right now in Sydney but once you’re in shade it feels bitterly cold. Yes, I know. Sydneysiders are wimps because we have the mildest weather. Still, we also try and wear Polo shirts year round, on their own. So you see the conundrum. I did have my ever present Gap hoodie with me though just in case there was also breeze.
How does CHANEL Cuir de Russie EdP smell? It opens with aldehydes and an orange blossom so reminiscent of fatty soap I smile. There are flowers but it’s a bouquet, nothing rises above to make itself know. There is no star turn. Even the leather is not a huge stand out. There but part of what is a reserved, elegant wash of fragrance. I don’t understand why iris isn’t noted, it sure does smell like there is some here puffing up the rest. It’s like all the sharp corners and interesting combative parts of the original Cuir de Russie have been shorn away. Beautiful, low key, lightly sparkling fragrance with a hint of well loved leather goods and some smooth resins. I can’t even tell you what the resins are, amber and maybe some elemi?
Totally unisex and utterly inoffensive. The lasting power is very good though. I keep smelling this gorgeous wash for hours, there will probably still be a whisper when I wake. I’m going to respritz for bed and sail away on a cloud of Cuir de Russie.
Are you a fan?
Portia xx
Undina's Looking Glass 
Huge fan, and you have made me want to dig out my mini now. Weren’t you lucky that that bottle seller had fallen out of love? Your gain!
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Totally my gain Vanessa, and it was a really good price too.
Yeah, get it out and twin with me.
Portia xx
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I cannot twin with you-I’ll have to be a cousin cause I only have it in parfum. It’s so special I find it hard to use it lol. but it’s gorgeous. Somedays it goes completely barnyard on me-I’m right back at my grandfather’s with work horses, hay, manure, and a huge block of blue salt with an iron piece stuck through it-I think it’s called a salt lick, here. Portis I’m glad the bottle went to a good home. Il oved the vacation pictures you posted-Jin’s family seem really nice. I hope you have a good day,
carole
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Heya Carole,
Cousin-ing! That sounds pretty good too.
What happy memories. For many years as a kid I would go do horse riding lessons. Afterwards we had to go pick up and bag horse apples that the equestrian centre would sell for manure. So those wonderful smells are part of my memory too. Wa your grandfather near?
Thanks. Jin’s family are amazing. So progressive and open. We are really lucky.
You have a good day too.
Portia xx
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I have a large decant of EdT from a split hosted on BN about a decade ago. I haven’t sniffed the EdP but it sounds more plush than the EdT, which I find quite dry & birch tar forward. More saddlery than than supple handbag
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Hey Alityke,
The EdT had more light and shade for me. Yes, it was dryer and a little more animal. I’m a little bummed at myself for not grabbing a bottle but what can I do?
The EdP will do me just fine.
Portia xx
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Keep your eyes peeled on resale sites but my guess is Cuir de Russie on eBay is as rare as rocking horse droppings. Back to horses again
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X
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For me it’s never smelled as good as it did when I tried it in Saks. “Cuir” anything is hit or miss with me even though I love leather. Like you, I also don’t think of it when I look for a leather fragrance, even though it’s in easier reach (not that any of my perfumes are hard to reach, as I don’t have that many compared to most people here. 😊) Last year I scented a bunch of holiday cards with it right before putting them in their envelopes, but I’m not sure the recipients could smell it as nobody mentioned it.
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Hey NoseProse,
I love scented mail. Our wedding invitations were sprayed with Prada Amber. Just the smallest amount was so strong, quite a few people asked what it was.
Portia xx
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Popping in to say two things..first, I dreamt about you last night. Second, I love CdR, especially in the summer…the orange blossom pops on my skin…
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YAY for me turning up in your dreams Brigitte!
Aha! Yes, that orange blossom is a lovely soapy one. I’ll be thinking of you when I pull it out for summer spritzing.
Portia xx
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I remember trying CdR is EDP form way back when Surrender to Chance and The Perfumed Court were still selling Chanel decants. For the life of me, I can’t remember what the EDP smelled like. Still fave the massive bottle of the EDT and a minuscule amount left of the parfum. CdR is a mood for me and not an every day thing.
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Lucky you with the 200ml EdT Alityke.
Yes, I totally get you on it being a mood.
Portia x
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For the life of me, I can’t remember what the CdR edp smells like but I know that I did try it and wasn’t enthused by it. I love the edt and have a huge bottle of it and love the parfum even more.
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