Two perfumers made the three Bleu de Chanels, and they are father and son. Jacques Polge, then Chanel's in-house perfumer, composed the EDT in 2010 and the EDP in 2014. Olivier Polge, who took over his father's job, signed the Parfum in 2018.
One DNA, three weights. Here is how they split.
EDT (2010). The sharp one. Lemon and grapefruit at the top with pink pepper and mint, ginger through the middle, cedar and sandalwood underneath. Bright, citric, slightly aggressive in the opening. It smells like a crisp shirt. In heat it is the best of the three.
EDP (2014). Same shape, warmer filling. Amber and incense move in, and ambroxan adds a radiating hum. Rounder and smoother, with the citrus dialled down a notch. This is the all-year, all-occasion pick, and the one most people should buy first.
Parfum (2018). Olivier's edit. The citrus is trimmed back and New Caledonian sandalwood takes over the base. Creamy, dense and quiet. It is the most expensive-smelling of the three and the one that stays closest to your collar.
What the counter assistant will not say: these three are closer than the marketing suggests. You are not choosing between different fragrances, you are choosing a weight. Nobody needs all three. Test the EDP first. If you wish it were sharper, go EDT. If you wish it were creamier, go Parfum. Then stop.
The sandalwood is the one genuine upgrade in the line. If that drydown does not move you, the Parfum's premium is money spent on a note you will not notice.
Our Bleu Royale is our take on Bleu de Chanel by Chanel, UK-made at 35% concentration. The rest of the Chanel-inspired collection is here, and the best Bleu de Chanel dupes in the UK guide goes deeper.
