Aromatics Elixir is the oldest perfume from the house of Clinique, created in 1975. It’s classified as chypre-floral, following the steps of similar sharp and strong classics. The creator of Aromatics Elixir, the renowned perfumer Bernard Chant, must have been inspired by Christian Dior Diorella, because he used a similar hot-cold accord of patchouli and hedione to weave the structure of this perfume. The end result is very different in character though, with Aromatics Elixir possessing a languid, voluptuous darkness contrasting with the honeyed sweetness of rose and ylang ylang. It opens up on a bitter herbal note laced with lemon, which immediately evokes both Chinese medicinal concoctions and Indian beauty preparations.