The Trained Nose

Shalimar Philtre de Parfum against Eau de Shalimar

One number per era rather than one number overall — two fragrances can be near-identical at the opening and different things by the evening, and an average hides exactly that.
Guerlain

Eau de Shalimar

· lasts about 6.6 h

How close, and when

Across a whole wearing, Guerlain Shalimar Philtre de Parfum and Guerlain Eau de Shalimar are all but the same thing. They hold the same distance from each other all the way through, rather than converging or parting as the hours pass.

88% opening · 0–1 h
92% heart · 1–3 h
91% drydown · 3–8 h
Measured across all twenty-four facets, from the notes below — not from the families on the boxes. They share 4 of 13 materials, which is worth holding beside the figures: a pair can share almost nothing and still converge, because different materials can smell of the same things.

What AKIN predicts

AKIN predicts these two are alike, and the evidence behind that is substantial.

Two signals sit on this page and are never averaged: what the note pyramids measure these two to share, and what AKIN’s resemblance graph predicts. Where they part, that is the finding rather than a fault.

The pyramids, side by side

Compared by material rather than by spelling, so a note recorded two ways is not counted as a difference.
top
both — Bergamot
Shalimar Philtre de Parfum only — Lavender, Lemon
Eau de Shalimar only — Lime, Orange
heart
both — Jasmine, Rose
Shalimar Philtre de Parfum only — Iris
base
both — Vanilla
Shalimar Philtre de Parfum only — Patchouli, Tolu Balsam
Eau de Shalimar only — Iris, Resin

Other comparisons worth reading

Pairs involving one of these two where the notes are fully recorded on both sides and AKIN has enough evidence for the pair to be worth reading.