Bandit suffered many reformulations (one even during Germaine Cellier's life) and its truly hard to say which is the first/correct version or to buy the proper one. Last week I had a surprise at Piguet's counter at Bon Marche store in Paris. I was admiring Fracas perfume bottle when suddenly I saw something special on Bandit. You can buy the perfume and its less concentrated version. Both have the certification of the original formula, signed by Givaudan director (but different names on both concentrations), company that merged with Roure, the first producer. On the perfume, the list of allergens is not indicated. It's not a "very fresh" version as the European labeling rule is not so new (I'm not sure if can be sold in UE like this). On the other one I had another surprise. On the fresh reformulated Bandit (no bases, opened formula), in the list of allergens the chemical name of what is known as Lyral (IFF). To my humble knowledge it was not available on the market before 1955 (Arctander says 1959). But who knows… history can be rewritten.
The Bandit that I know and that I like has something deep/animalic/dark like Scandal (Lanvin) under the very potent IBQ note. The latest Bandit, close to it, lacks the roundness and velvet-fur note. My desire is to smell the true Bandit as it was the very first day.
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Fragrance is the 8th Art - Octavian Coifan - Le Parfum est le 8ème Art
