Guerlain L'Abeille: Bee transformed into a Luxurious New Fragrance

It's not just for Christmas that Guerlain had sculptress Géraldine Gonzales decorate their windows with crystal bees dangling and swaying from gold-plated trees in their Parisian boutiques this season. The bee, an iconic symbol for Guerlain, has a history that goes back to the 19th century: 1853 to be precise, with l’Eau de Cologne Impériale for the patrons of the Second Empire. Now it is becoming an extra luxurious, extra exclusive new fragrance as well! Rumour wants it to be called L'Abeille (although no official confirmation has been given this is the code-word to open Sesame so far), and to be a very tightly distributed parfum in the manner of Mon Précieux Nectar previously.

The price tag of 8000s Euros (!) certainly doesn't allow a stampede for its acquisition, especially in times of economic crisis, yet the luxury market hasn't really shown a budge; proving that those who collect these things always have a way to partake of the holy eaux! Expect to see this "bee-centered" L'Abeille fragrance issued in July/August 2010 in a flacon shaped like a bee, sculpted by a Place Vendôme designer and executed in Baccarat crystal. Insider info on the scent itself wants to be along floral arpeggios and very "sumptuous". The celebration of the bee in such a lavish manner unifies the Guerlain tradition: The famous "bee bottles" (flacons d'abeilles) are glass or gilded flacons with small Napoleonic bees on relief, wonderfully referencing French royalty and its history, bees being alongside the more traditional royal symbol, the eagle, the emblems of the First and later Second Empire. Guerlain has used them in their lineup of Eaux including some non-Eaux fragrances (Apres L'Ondee, Chant d'Arômes, Mouchoir de Monsieur), as well as Les Parisiennes more exclusive boutique line, while a more simplified version with plain glass and a golden overlay with a bee on the button spray is being used in the Aqua Allegoria line.
Edit to add: According to Octavian, notes include acacia, soft vanilla, floral honey, ylang-ylang and solar flowers.

Also, for those who missed it last season while talking with Madame Delacourte, the newest L'Art et La Matière fragrance by Guerlain is going to be Tonka Impériale with notes of tonka bean, amber, vanilla, rose, orange blossom and rosemary. A modern rendition yet à l'ancienne (style-wise) of one of the leading Guerlinade notes and perhaps a re-orchestration of some of the elements in Jicky. Olfactorum who sampled it describes it as "if Guerlain is an empire, then Tonka Impériale is one of its recent most beautiful adornments". We will return with a full review soon!

Related reading: The Symbolism of Bee & Honey Scents, Guerlain series (reviews & history of scents), Guerlain News , Upcoming releases


Thanks to Mr.G for some of the info. Pics of Guerlain boutique decoration with bees via Joyce.fr