We are conditioned when we hear or see the word “passion”, especially in the context of a perfume, to think of strong sexual desires and being perceived as sexually attractive. Without sex the perfume industry wouldn’t exist (and neither would we). I think many people get thrown off when they smell a bottle of Passion; they expect something different. Annick Goutal Passion, to me at least, doesn’t represent romantic or sexual passion, but passion in the contemporary philosophical sense of the word, our raw responses to the world, Unger’s nine passions: lust, despair, hatred, vanity, jealousy, envy, faith, hope, and love. Passion has experienced life.

Passion opens up as a mossy jasmine and tuberose. And I think to myself “Even Mrs. Goutal wasn’t shielded from the gigantic big-hair and rouged scents of the 1980’s”. I’m reminded of hairspray aldehydes and sweet florals of the 80’s but Passion is more of a debutante. The tomato leaves are bitter, sharp, herbal and green, remind me a bit of galbanum. It’s like memories of summer from your youth – carfree but slightly hazy, you can’t remember the last time you felt that lighthearted. Passion begins to smolder with a tropical vanilla orchid and heady banana-ish ylang-ylang added to the moss. This reminds me of a long lost sister of one of those epic pre-1980’s Estee Lauder feminines. The tuberose and jasmine in this is sweet but not like Fracas-sweet. It’s closer to Patou Joy than it is Fracas. The dry-down has always reminded me very much of Clinique Aromatics Elixir – mossy patchouli.

Passion is very much a “mature” fragrance, for a person that has experienced life, the joys and the hardships. The dryness in Passion has always made me think that this fragrance is a bit melancholy or maybe apathetic. It’s always been difficult for me to explain. It’s a warm fragrance, but not really “inviting” and I would never call it “sexy” (but I hate that word). Instead, I think of Passion as a somber white floral. This may sound sick, but I don’t mean for it to – I have always thought of Passion as a widower fragrance. Not necessarily the loss of a true love, but experiencing loss, all of the losses in our lives – lovers, friends, family, youth. This is a fragrance for a person that reminiscences the beautiful, lively times and is now looking through a photo album (remember those? with digital media, those are now extinct). I see this a fragrance of remembering…looking back at a picture of yourself as a baby being held by your mother, a picture of yourself on holiday, a picture of yourself on your wedding day, the picture of yourself holding a baby that is now grown. It’s happy and warm but so dry and distant, like sepia-tinged photos. This is the feeling I get from Passion…a fragrance with a past filled with joy and sorrow. Being the nostalgic and emotional person that I am, this is is why I love Passion. It’s like looking through a family photo album; seeing the faces of people no longer with us (despair, love, faith), seeing the lack of lines around our eyes (vanity, jealous), smiling with a lover that we are now so happy to have out of our life  (lust, hatred, hope and love)….It’s memories of all of the people that have been in our lives. It’s a rush of these emotions, the positive and the negative. Our responses to living.

Notes listed include jasmine, tuberose, ylang-ylang, vanilla, tomato leaves, patchouli and oakmoss. Launch 1983. PERFUMER – Annick Goutal

Give Annick Goutal Passion a try if you want a sophisticated perfume with layers. Give it a try if you like fragrances like Giorgio , Clinique Aromatics Elixir, Estee Lauder Jasmine & White Moss, Estee Lauder Estee, Shiseido “Classic” Zen, Tom Ford Private Collection Arabian Wood and/or Tommi Sooni Jinx. I perceive Passion as a feminine fragrance, but any man that wears feminine classics can wear Passion.

Passion has above average projection and longevity. It’s one that I try to not “over do”, 2 sprays and I taste it all day.

The 3.4 oz EDP of Passion retails for $165 at Nordstrom. You can occasionally find it at discount at Fragrancenet. Keep in mind there is a difference between the EDT and EDP. I prefer the richness of the EDP.

Victoria’s Final EauPINION – A sentimental, emotional fragrance that reminds me of looking though an old photo album. Passion layers bitter green, sweet florals, patchouli and moss. Life is ever changing and we go through so many phases especially if are lucky enough to have a long life. Passion reminisces, recollects the positive and the negative, unavoidable passions that we have all felt while living.

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*Product purchased by me. Product pic from Nordstrom. Photo album pic from KUPL. Post contains affiliate links. Thanks!