Mémoire Chérie
Long Lost Perfume (1949)

MEMOIRE CHERIE – Elizabeth Arden (1949 – disc. 1980)

This is a review for the original vintage Arden formula, from a sealed dram.

Memoire Cherie is a remarkable and highly original scent. It is rich with a subdued sweetness, dry with a honeyed, autumnal voluptuousness, at the same time full-bodied and yet translucent. There is a hint of pepper in the background, similar to that found in Shocking. An impression of a honey drenched carnation/clove note lies at the center. It is very warm and subtly spicy.

The dryness is the result of combining chamomile, tarragon, violet and apricot, all full-bodied autumnal scents, but each with a particular character, and all working in harmony with each other. The richness at the center is the opoponax, known for its sweet, honeyed, vanillic, myrrh-like note.

The incredibly original formula, unlike any I have come across in 75 year plus of olfactory observation, would deserve a hats off, regardless of the outcome. The blending of the various oils is masterly.

This is a scent for the mature man or woman and one to be best worn, I should think, in the autumn and early winter.

Thanks to a dear friend who is offering two bottles of this on her web site. I should never have known of it without her making me aware, and would have sadly missed one of the most delicious and original perfumes ever created. A true masterpiece!

(This is for the Long Lost version-- not the vintage original).

I ordered this because it was a bargain, having no experience with the original, and therefor, no expectations.

What a delightful surprise. Yes, there is a mossy/chamomile quality that I'm always a sucker for, but a bit of warmth as well; honeyed, but softly, not cloyingly so. The floral notes give the impression of the friendly wildflower variety as opposed to the more formal feel of a white flower blend. I detect a bit of marigold also, lending its herbal sweet/slighty peppery feel.

Overall, it reminds me of a spring version of vintage Halston (one of my all-time favorites). Lasts about four hours on me, in a pleasantly linear fashion. A keeper.

This review is for the original Elizabeth Arden version, not the Long Lost version. The bottle is frosted glass with carvings of a lady in a long skirt all around it.
This is a cool weather scent; indescribably pretty. A little goes a long way.

NOTES: Sicilian bergamot, Mexican neroli, fresh apricot, Romanian chamomile, tarragon, soft honey rose , violet, opoponax, Moroccan oakmoss, amber, musk, Haitian vetiver.

This original version was awarded the grand Coupe D'or in 1960 as "the finest fragrance ever created and acclaimed in France."

Described as " a cool floral with green undertones."

l had a bottle of the original Elizabeth Arden version as a child, & l remember it as a delightful, fresh yet warm floral. l haven't tried looking for it since then, but if you see it, snap it up, it really is a forgotten treasure.

I first started using Memorie Cherie when I was 17. It became my signature scent until they discontinued making it arounf 1980. I was heart rsick as it was the most beautiful scent I have ever worn. I have not found a replacement scent that I adored as much as Memorie Cherie

I used that perfume years ago and it was so romantic. I cannot buy it now and I can tell you the world is missing out on a wonderful romantic perfume.