BLEU ULTIME
 
In September 2024, our perfumer set out to compose the ultimate Bleu fragrance: Bleu Ultime.
 
Trials for the optimal composition began with Fresh Pink Grapefruit oil, recently released captive molecules including Givaudan's Nympheal, 20 times stronger than Lillial and IFF's Operanide, the recently released captive molecule in Paco Rabanne's 2016 Invictus Aqua. Three different orange oils were chosen for their intense aroma and longevity. Noteably Orange Oil “10 Fold", Sweet Orange oil Capua (supplier to Creed, amongst others) and Brazilian Orange Oil form the luminous aldehydic top to balance the aromatics listed below. Alpha Sinensal, an important natural isolate of Orange oil was procurred as it ensures a long-lasting zesty-ozonic shimmer.
 
Bleu Ultime features a smoky marine nuance derived from Choya Nakh, a hydrocarbon process of Onycha Seashells which extracts a light brown intensely aromatic oil with a smoky, oceanic, woody natural ingredient. This decision to incorporate a smokey note into a historically fresh composition is a bold one, however, Choya Nakh formulated at the correct dose, only possible after several trials, harmonises perfectly with the fresh grapefruit leaning composition. 
 
It is a sheer coincidence that the newly released Bleu de Chanel L’ Exclusif features a smoky note, remarked by several reviewers. 
 
To create the optimal Bleu composition, Bleu Ultime features a richer blend of heart notes, including Haitian Vetiver, Labdanum, creamy Indian Sandalwood, and Iris Butter (with 15% Irone). These selections pay homage to the modern woody iris sophistication of previous Bleu EDP and Parfum releases, which were characterized by linear yet robust woods and musks that enhanced longevity, a quality that the initial EDT Bleu release lacked.
Additionally, several Firmenich, Synarome Grapefruit bases and a custom base by our perfumer were selected to ensure citrus backbone, homage to the fresh vibrancy of Bleu EDT. The long lasting citrus core allows for balanced Iris notes that do not overwhelm the composition, allowing the citrus accords and bases to shine with the woody heart. Several hours into the composition, beautiful musks gracefully emerge in the base of the fragrance rather than the mid. 
 
For Bleu Ultime, trial number 7 exhibited superior qualities with the inclusion of Fresh Côte d’Ivoire Ginger oil, considered the finest in the world and sourced from master distillers Payan Bertrand, brought a bright, lively warmth. Several Incense oils and CO2 extractions were selected from one of our favourite artisanal distributors in Italy. The Bleu Ultime composition was made for the inclusion of Galbanol Natural Isolate and Black Spruce oil compliments Black Mitchum Peppermint oil, sourced directly from the Colman Mustard family estate, added a sweet, creamy gourmand freshness in contrast to the crude camphorous notes of lower grade peppermint oils. These specific selections, among others, elevated the structure firmly into niche tier along with LMR Pink Pepper oil which is a sublime example of how a single natural ingredient can exhibit so many notes that it is almost a perfume in itself as the balsamic quality adds to the woodiness of the heart. The peppermint oil tied the citrus, floral, and woody elements together as it did in the most important of the classic fresh compositions such as Pierre Bourdon's Creed Green Irish Tweed. 
 
The final composition of Bleu Ultime was compounded in January 2025, matured for five weeks, then blended in Ethyl Alcohol at Eau de Parfum strength. As with all Parfums Vintage compositions, no release date was penned. A casual 2025 reference on the formula sheet denotes that the fragrance will be released after evaluating the blend itself. It has been aging seven months, allowing every note to reveal itself exactly as our perfumer intended, befitting of the ultimate Bleu fragrance.
 
Unlike the industry norm, where many clone companies depend heavily on their suppliers, who rely on their initial GC-MS analyses, Parfums Vintage takes a different approach. These oil companies often face pressure from sales representatives to produce something merely "good enough" to supply to clone companies so that their fake master perfumers can try to take credit while placing little emphasis on the quality of individual ingredients, all in the race to be "first to release".
This rush typically leads to a lack of attention to essential factors like harmony, structure, and wearability. Exacerbating the lack of quality, many clone companies blend every oil they receive from their suppliers at Extrait strength, mistakenly believing that simply increasing concentration will enhance a fragrance. In reality, this often disrupts the balance of the individual molecules and hampers overall performance. 

At Parfums Vintage, we prioritize sourcing top quality ingredients, often exceeding the budgets typical of the legacy designer houses. This is a result of our perfumer being the founder, free from constraints of accountants and shareholders. We obtain grades of materials that many clone houses cannot access due to their reliance on suppliers focused solely on getting to market quickly and the daily compromise by using whichever ingredients are in stock.
Our compositions are never rushed and are the result of months and in some cases years of trials introducing different grades from various suppliers to select the optimal odour profile utilising high-impact distillations, consistently allow our Eau de Parfums to outperform hastily assembled Extraits made from inferior components.

Bleu Ultime is limited to a few hundred 50ml bottles, designed for versatility and year round wearability. 
Pre-orders will begin shipping on August 26th.
Enjoy 20% discount with code: PV20
 
If your order includes Bleu Ultime along with any other products, the entire order will be shipped together starting from August 26th.