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I love Apercu, it is hard to find that is why I am online, I usually get it from Saks in NY. You have to know Fine fragrance to appreciate Apercu.

I can't put a rating as yet because Apercu needs more than one sampling to really appreciate it. My first test of it gave me a hint of "Yvresse" even though there is no really fruity thing going on here. My second time produced more of a dry chypre scent with still some odd fruitiness peaking through, but from where, I don't know. While I don't feel ready to rate it yet, it does keep me coming back for another sniff- that is the sign of a quality perfume- like it or not!

I just pulled this off a dusty shelf at the outlet mall, and find it wonderful, though somewhat sharp in the opening...it will stay all day and will envelop you in that cloud of patcholi laced with florals. this reminds me of Femme Rochas in personality, though not as sweet. read somewhere it had been reformlated in 2000...it still retains the "fustiness" of the classics from the 20s...

Apercu is a wearable, smooth chypre. It's like Mitsouko on training wheels. It's mellow yet spicy at the same time. A nice drydown of cinnamon, musk, oakmoss, and patchouli. Very nice, very underappreciated and underknown. If you like chypres, you very well may enjoy Apercu as well. Apercu was originally released in the 1920s. It may have been Houbigant's answer to Coty's original Chypre. What fun it would be to smell both the original Apercu as well as the original Chypre.

I have never tried Houbigants Patchouli oil but I do love a well done patchouli based fragrance...so sensual. One of my facorite things to do when Garden Botanika was around was to mix sweet Patchouli with extract of plum...the good old days. Might I suggest NU by YSL or Donna Karran's Black Cashmere. You might like them..not a straight essential oil of patchouli type fragrence but warm , incensey..loaded with Patchouli and lovely, in my opinion. Many people have tried and liked Molinard's Patchouli. I would like to try it myself.I currently love Prada, Prada Intense and Cartier's Le Baiser Du Dragon all of which are a bit heavy on the patchouli which to me is a wonderful thing. I hope you find what you are looking for.

This is just not my style. In my opinion it lacks warmth and it bites because it is so sharp. It may be just me but this smells like something I could find in an old pharmacy..covered in dust in the discount bin...sorry for those who care for it...it is definately headache material for me...

needs more cinnamon and patchouly. lacks amiss. could be better . still wearable when desperate.

Houbigant made a patchouli oil in the 70's and 80's and I cannot find it anymore - does anyone still make this or is there another perfume out there that is similar to the old patchouli oil which was beautiful???

somewhere at the bottom of my list. wearable. nice. like a weak cup of coffee in the morning.

very nice but a bit old for me, a nice twist though, wish it were more musky, very goood

I would agree with Stephanie; this is an unusually potent scent. I was seeking a cinnamon scent (not one note) for winter, different from, say, Cinnabar. This a very, very unique. I really like Apercu.

Oh, I like this a lot! A paradoxe, in fragrance, though: quite understated, but very powerful. Very, very nice...

This one is very nice but will stay with you all day. All of the Houbigant fragrances that I have I really like alot. This one is more of a evening fragrance. Romantic and seductive.

Very strong, heavy, full-bodied chypre. You won't need much of this one for a good application. Unique. I wouldn't wear this one for everyday but it's nice if you're looking for a change.