Question:
I subtitle this "The Sad Evolution of Mitsouko." In it, I attempt to side-by-side compare old and new formulations, samples of my own and provided by various people.
2006 - Formula with no oakmoss. Only treemoss listed. Citrusy opening note. Dry wood heart is extremely resinous (musty in a pretty, haunting way.) Peach emerges from the wood. In the EDT it is discordant with the wood for awhile and takes longer to focus. In the parfum, it emerges faster and stronger. The peach is dominated by the wood for a relatively long time. Base ends with a delicate, sweet peach which is more aromatic than edible.
1980s - No citrus top notes. Wood is still resinous, but the peach is more well-matched with the wood. The peach emerges faster, stronger, and better in higher concentrations, as it does currently. Smells similar to the current version, but the peach and wood are more mellow and integrated, and it is overall better and less harsh.
1970s - Extremely different. This must be the last time that Mitsouko smelled like Mitsouko. Right from the start, this is a creamy, rich, sweet, round, peach. So deep, so lush, so delicious. The wood is integrated into the peach (not the other way around) and it is mild and hardly noticed. The peach evolves by picking up sweetness and a bit of powder, like a box of expensive, old-fashioned makeup. The base has vanilla. This aroma is lacking in later versions. Together with the fruit, the base ends up smelling like vanilla cake soaked with orange or peach liquour. This fragrance is all about peach, not wood.

And this is the EDC from the 1970s. What paradise must the EDT, EDP, or pure parfum have been?
I can see Mitsouko sitting in front of her vanity, wearing her peach silk kimono. She is not sad and musty. She is smiling and sweet.
Why cannot they make Mitsouko like this again?
I am sorry, but if you haven't smelled this, you have not smelled the real Mitsouko.
I am dismayed. This old formulation is beautiful beyond words.
People, Guerlain has pulled a switcheroo. And it happened after the 1970s. The current changes are bad, but the wost change happened decades ago.

Answer:
What an interesting post!
I am sadly mourning the loss of the current Mitsouko (good thing I have a spare 2005 bottle of EDT still in the box).
I was wondering, how did you come across samples of 1970's Mitsouko?

Answer:
I own two Mitsouko extrait de parfum bottles:
the first one is vintage from the early 80's, bought non evaporated, sealed in its original box. The color got darker due to patchouli time alteration (wich doesn 't affect scent), a rich "caca-d'oie" (brownish green or goose poop). This is the most beautiful and mysterious version, smoother and softer lemony opening leading the way to earthier fruity chypre notes balanced out with the most stunning radiance and luminosity of ambregris notes.
I am less less less thrilled with the second one from the late 90's, harsher top notes, green color.
I don 't get the same earthy fruity notes developping in the drydown, maybe a cheaper patchouli? instead a rather unpleasant persisting tar note emanates from the mousse de chêne (oakmoss).
Most unfortunate in this version the original real rare and precious ambregris has definitely been replaced by some synthetic substitute therefore we don 't get the same radiance intensity but overall this parfum rendition remains a unique perfume with 'character' but not as mysterious.

Answer:
Purplebird -- can you tell us which concentrations you were comparing from the different eras? And do you have the latest EDP; if so, what are your impressions? thanks - K

Answer:
It's deceptive but Guerlain has used the terms tree moss/oakmoss interchangeably. I emailed Isabelle Rousseau for more info about that. The last Mitsouko EDT I bought lists tree moss. It was made in 2001. It's good. Same goes for the Parfum I bought at the same time.
I don't own a Guerlain box that lists oakmoss as an ingredient. They all list tree moss. I asked Rousseau when Mitsouko was reformulated. Hopefully she'll supply an answer.

Answer:
Well, well, well. I last had a bottle of the real perfume, extrait, whatever in the late seventies, I think. I'm glad I'm not going crazy. When I bought my bottles of Jolie Madame and Mitsouko EdT a couple of weeks ago I thought there was something wrong with the Mitsouko. The gentleman who was working in the shop said that Guerlain was doing something weird, but Balmain had turned over his ops to his daughter and things were still doing well there. So it seems. The new Mitsouko seems harsher, with less "heart" than the old. Ah....youth is wasted on the young. I wish I had that perfume back now.

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How sad to read this! This means it isn´t any idea to buy oneself Mitsouko, I am afraid. It isn´t any fun to get to know something when one is told it was much better earlier.
Is it the same with L´Heure Bleu?

Answer:
Both my last Mitsouko purchases where in the 90s, edt and parfum. I always wore the edp in the 80's but for some reason the last time I bought this strenght it just did not sit well with me. The aldehyde peach C-14 in Mitsouko is like no other sythethic peach, lush golden. I often wondered if Guerlain copyrighted the C-14 forumla? Every other fragrance with peach smells like one of those plastic fruit bowls!

Answer:
Of all formulations and all concentrations, the only one I've smelled is the new EdT and well, simply put, I love it. Now, I do of course not know what I'm missing out on but I will do my best to find out. But for someone who hasn't smelled the old stuff or any Mitsouko, would you guys who knows their vintage stuff go as far as to recommend not to smell it at all? Sounds like it from this thread... Myself, I don't think I could go back and not live without Mitsouko after I've treated myself with a bottle, it is waay too yummy for that

Answer:
Originally Posted by shifts Of all formulations and all concentrations, the only one I've smelled is the new EdT and well, simply put, I love it. Now, I do of course not know what I'm missing out on but I will do my best to find out. But for someone who hasn't smelled the old stuff är any Mitsouko, would you guys who knows their vintage stuff go as far as to recommend not to smell it at all? Sounds like it from this thread... Myself, I don't think I could go back and not live without Mitsouko after I've treated myself with a bottle, it is waay too yummy for that Thanks so much for your info, shifts! Now I might dare to get myself a bottle of Mitsouko anyhow...