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Sherapop
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Lilac, not Iris or Violet, but still après l'ondée
What would happen if one replaced the iris and violet of Guerlain APRES L'ONDEE with lilac? I believe that the result would be very similar to Miller Harris COEUR D'ETE. This, too, is a complex composition boasting many diverse notes. This, too, has a licorice/anise note, in particular. This, too, is fresh and clean just as the air would be right after a rain shower. However, the purple flowers have been mixed up a bit.
Heliotrope is listed for both APRES L'ONDEE and COEUR D'ETE, but lilac looms large in the latter while being entirely absent from the former, and no iris or violet are present here. The overall effect of COEUR D'ETE is less sweet, but the feeling is very similar to me, as though these fragrances were cousins.
Strangely, the evaluations I've seen of COEUR D'ETE are much less glowing than those of APRES L'ONDEE, invariably hailed as a masterpiece by everyone and his wife. My explanation is simple: lilac is stronger than the many other components of COEUR D'ETE, so this creation can come off as a lilac soliflore. The many other interest-making notes are blended in very subtly, so that one would not immediately guess that banana, cocoa, or even licorice are present.
However, comparing COEUR D'ETE to other true lilac soliflores such as Frédéric Malle EN PASSANT or Ineke AFTER MY OWN HEART (not to mention Yves Rocher LILAS MAUVE and Demeter LILAC, both of which lie on a lower tier), I find that this perfume has more heft and presence. It also varies a lot from wear to wear, depending upon the temperature and humidity. Under all climatic conditions, I find COEUR D'ETE quite lovely and recommend it to anyone who appreciates purple flowers and especially those who find violet at times too sweet.
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