LIDG & LIDGE: Year 2014 Review.

Year 2014 was a turmoil for many perfumes. One of the most disputed was the higly appraised LIDGE by Guerlain, and its "brother" LIDG. Therefore, in this test we sampled different batches to verify if any reformulation(s) occurred.

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LIDGE 

About L'Instant De Guerlain Extreme (LIDGE, EdP), we at "Raiders" already challenged the topic here ( "How to recognize Guerlain batch codes" , see here ). 
Briefly, there was no apparent reformulation between 2009 and 2013. 
However, during 2014, LIDGE bottles underwent a few changes, for example the removing of the "dark glass rim" around the bottle, and almost immediately a lot of voices raised to claim a "reformulation".  
So, we collected five different bottles and I did a "blind" (plus a "progressive smelling") test. 
Here we have the first LIDGE bottle (dated year 2005), others two from 2012 and 2013 respectively, and finally a couple from 2014 (with "dark" and "transparent" rim), see pictures below:

The classic "LIDGE" box and bottle.
Note the "dark glass rim" around the bottle 

LIDGE batch 5H01, year 2005;
it was the first bottle produced.

LIDGE batch 2T01, year 2012

LIDGE at the end of year 2013, still with the "dark rim".

LIDGE batch 4N01, early year 2014
one of the last bottles with the "dark rim"

And finally, LIDGE batch 4T01.
You can notice the absence of the "dark rim",
substituted with usual transparent glass

New LIDGE bottle, year 2014.
Note the "transparent glass rim" all around the bottle,
 and the new inscription "Eau de Parfum" on the front.

What about "reformulation"? Well, a reformulation definitely occurred. 
The old "dark rim" bottles are different from the new "transparent rim" ones. But, and this is the most important thing, differences appear only in the top notes. Intrestingly, longevity and sillage remain the same.
New, "transparent rim" bottles have a blast of citrus and other spices in the opening, while the main cocoa note is very light, in the background (similar to what happens in LIDG). But after a few minutes, the cocoa emerges at full force (similarly to the old "dark-rim" LIDGE), and it remains steadily for more than 8 hours on skin (and even more on clothes) 
To verify this assessment, the technique of "progressive smelling" has been used (see here) .
In a nutshell (see picture below), spray the scent on your elbow (point 1); wait five minutes then spray it again on the forearm (point 2); wait -again- five minutes and spray it on the back of your hand (point 3). 
Now you can smell several times you arm in reverse order: 3-2-1 and you can have an idea, in just seconds, about the evolution of that scent, because: 
Point 3 is the most recent, 
Point 2 is the intermediate, 
Point 1 is the most aged.
Using both arms, you can study and "compare" different scents or batches in the same moment. Similarly you could use paper strips or even fabric, for a more complete test.

What's the results of these tests? Well, there are differences between old and new LIDGE, but apart the opening, the scent is the same.
The opening is more citrusy in the new LIDGE, and more "cocoa-centered" in the old version. 
However, the two version smell very similar in the heart-notes, and absolutely identical in the base-notes. 
Sillage and Longevity are the same, too. 
As a personal note, I prefer the old ("dark rim") LIDGE: I liked the immediate blast of cocoa, instead of waiting for it 15 mins. 
Apart from these considerations, I feel comfortable about year 2014 LIDGE, since the scent was not ruined or heavily changed. 

LIDGE blind test on paper
Years 2005-2014

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LIDG

Since its first apparition in 2004,  L'Instant de Guerlain pour Homme (LIDG, EdT) was an immediate favorite due to its unusual, highly-contrast, "gourmandish" accord between citrus and cocoa, an accord furtherly enhanced by LIDGE. However, Many prefer LIDG over LIDGE due to its more balanced ingredients. What happened after 10 years?
For this test we collected four bottle since year 2007. 

LIDG batch 7M01, year 2007

LIDG batch 9Y01, year 2009

LIDG batch 3U01, year 2013

LIDG batch 4S01, year 2014

LIDG blind test
years 2007-2014

Nothing much to say, in this case: all test performed on paper, skin and fabric show no differences, at any stage.
Unlike LIDGE, it seems there were no changes, so any bottle produced since 2007 appear to contain the same, non-reformulated scent. 

Picture of the day (Dec.15th, 2014)

A nice afternoon at Gianni's House. Vintage "Jicky" and "Eau du Coq" (both minis).

Jicky was created in 1889. It is a classical fragrance and, despite the age, it is timeless and still very modern. According to the legend, the perfume was named after a girl Aime Guerlain was in love with when he was a student in England. It is more likely, though, that this perfume is named after his uncle Jacques Guerlain’s nick – Jicky. This was one of the first perfumes created with addition of synthetic materials (the first was Fougere Royale Houbigant, 1882). The top notes contain lavender and citrus (bergamot, lemon and mandarin), which perfectly match the cold, metallic orris and rose shaded by vetiver. The cold top and middle notes are an elegant counterbalance to the warm base created of patchouli, vanilla, amber and musk.

Eau du Coq, is a citrus aromatic fragrance for men.
"Eau de Cologne du Coq" was launched in 1894. The nose behind this fragrance is Aime Guerlain. Top notes are orange, citruses, neroli, bergamot and lemon; middle notes are patchouli, lavender and jasmine; base notes are sandalwood and oakmoss (from Fragrantica)

Picture of the Day: "Baglietto" (1987)

"BAGLIETTO: The last delivery".

During 1987, now-disappeared company R.P Denis launched "BAGLIETTO", a new Eau de Toilette for Men, inspired by famous nautical shipyards with the same name. Unusually, it was not an "aquatic" scent as you could think, but a very "fresh and green" one. Almost completely forgotten in our days, it was a well crafted scent, elegant, refined, characterized by a high sillage. You can say it,  a "gentle powerhouse".
Starting with pleasant herbal, citrusy notes, "Baglietto" had an amazing evolution, shifting almost completely direction, ending with dry, woody echoes.
In a nutshell, "Baglietto" was strong and delicate at the same time, moving from herbs to woods, as a sort of "landscape traveller".
It was on production for a few years only, before R.P. Denis ceased operations in 1989. Difficult to find nowadays, but it could be worthy if you love strong fresh, herbal scents.