Mon Precieux Nectar Guerlain- of Jordan almonds and honeyed white florals.

Desirability: Full bottle and a back up

Source: Fragrantica

Mon Precieux Nectar is all honeyed white flowers and dragées amandes on me. Make that the most luxurious and lush bouquet of white flowers and candied almonds that money can buy. Whilst staying within the realm of tasteful. 

There are many variations available on the honeyed white florals like Ginestat's Botrytis (super super thick almost cloying animalic honey on dried fruit and flowers), The Bodyshop's Honeymania (translucent white honey and wildflowers), Elie Saab's Le Parfum featuring Francis Kurkdjian's work with white honey and orange blossoms, Chanel's Beige (a lovely tender hearted tropical beauty of honey and tiare), La Chasse aux Papillons Extreme by L'Artisan (the most ethereal tuberose on a background of sweet white flowers) and many others I can't think of right now.

Whereas Guerlain's L'Instant is vanilla and white flowers, L'Instant Magic pushes it more to the gourmand side with the almond note. I love the smell of almonds in perfumes from bitter almonds like Mazzolari's Alessandro (bitter powdery almonds but alas it's so short-lived on me), my chilly bitter almond beauty Louve by Serge Lutens and two Jordan almond types that I'm longing to try, Confetto by Profumum Roma and Conaffetto by Hilde Soliani. Some of my fragrant friends put Dior's Hypnotic Poison under the jordan almond label but it's pure creamy almond milk on me with a irritatingly artificial vibe about it(my bottle was bought in the past two years so reformulated, I have not tried the vintage versions).

Loukhoum-wise I prefer L'Artisan's Traversee du Bosphore (smells like pomme d'amour and Turkish delight on me, really yummy) and Keiko Mercheri's Loukhoum Eau Poudree (like having a powder puff of sugary goodness right in the face). 

Mon Precieux Nectar has the ethereal white flowers of La Chasse aux Papillons, the tenderness of Chanel's Beige, more candied than bitter almonds like in L'Instant Magic and the touch of class all Guerlains possess from the indisputable majesties to the new breeds. She's part child part woman. It's a soft scent that plays hide and seek with you for the better part of the day, becoming bolder in the heat and withdrawing again in the cold. 

As ambrosial a nectar as Mon Precieux Nectar undoubtedly is, I am still hesitant to fork out the exorbitant amount of money required for the juice in the exquisite "bee bottle" it comes in(couldn't they sell a version in a less divine bottle for us people who don't mind so much about looks?). However I am very fortunate to have been gifted a bottle and this gorgeous flacon has a place of honor in my perfume closet. Tip: I misguidedly threw out the stopper that came with the flacon and kept the vintage sprayer attached. This however causes the perfume to evaporate (alarmingly) so I would advise to keep it stoppered when not in use.