Fragrance comparison

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel vs Nishiki

Notes, accords, longevity, sillage, seasons and community ratings, side by side.

Updated 30 Oct 2026 28 ratings analysed

3 wins

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel

Chanel

3.9213 votes

Rank #57,962 WoodyFresh

Full profile Similar & dupes

56%scent match

Closely related

Nishiki

Shiseido

4.0715 votes

Rank #50,071 White FloralWoody

Full profile Similar & dupes

Quick verdict

Which one should you pick?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel takes 3 of 5 categories.

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Choose it for a woody and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, day or night wear.
Nishiki
Choose it for a white floral and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel3/5

Nishiki2/5

Ratings & consensus: Nishiki
Community sentiment: Not scored
Longevity: Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Sillage & projection: Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Value for money: Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel
Versatility: Not scored
Note pyramid (duration): Not scored
Fragranxe ranking: Nishiki

Head-to-head breakdown

Every category side by side, with the winner called out.

Fragrance

Le 1940 Bleu de ChanelChanel

NishikiShiseido

Winner

Ratings & consensus

Average rating and ownership split

3.92/ 5 · 13 votes

Have 3%Had 7%Want 91%

4.07/ 5 · 15 votes

Have 31%Had 6%Want 63%

Category winnerNishikiRating weighted by vote count

Community sentiment

How voters split from love to hate

54%Love

15%Like

8%Ok

15%Dislike

8%Hate

13 votes · too few to score

33%Love

53%Like

0%Ok

13%Dislike

0%Hate

15 votes · too few to score

Category winnerNot enough dataMost positive mix (25+ votes)

Longevity & sillage

0–100 community performance scores

⏱ Longevity73

〰 Sillage72

♥ Love / hate73

⏱ Longevity56

〰 Sillage50

♥ Love / hate77

Category winners

LongevityLe 1940 Bleu de Chanel

SillageLe 1940 Bleu de Chanel

Value for money

How fairly priced voters find it

¤ Price value100

¤ Price value38

Category winnerLe 1940 Bleu de ChanelBest value score

Main accords

Strength of each scent family · outlined = shared by both

woody100%

fresh92%

white floral84%

powdery77%

aromatic69%

green61%

white floral100%

woody92%

floral84%

powdery77%

fresh69%

citrus61%

Scent match56%Closely related · both woody, white floral and fresh

Note pyramid (duration)

Top, heart and base, with how long each lasts when known · gold = shared

Top20-35 mins

AldehydesLily

Heart2-4 hrs

VioletCassisLily-of-the-ValleyCyclamen

Base6-8+ hrs

VetiverCedarSandalwood

Top

BergamotNeroliAldehydesPeachStrawberry

Heart

OrrisLilacLily-of-the-ValleyMay RoseJasmineLilyViolet

Base

VetiverLabdanumSandalwoodMuskTonka BeanPeru Balsam

InformationalShared notesAldehydes, Lily, Violet and Lily-of-the-Valley. Durations are only published for Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel, so this is not scored.

Seasons & time of day

Relative to each fragrance's best season

Spring67

Summer100

Fall67

Winter100

Day100

Night100

Spring67

Summer33

Fall100

Winter0

Day100

Night33

Category winnerNot enough dataMost year-round

Who wears it

Gender appeal votes

Men0

Unisex100

Women0

Men0

Unisex40

Women60

InformationalProfile onlyAudience is not scored

Ranking & credits

Fragranxe overall rank, nose and launch

Overall rank#57,962

PerfumerErnest Beaux

Launched—

Reviews0

Overall rank#50,071

PerfumerNot listed

Launched—

Reviews0

Category winnerNishikiHigher overall rank

In a nutshell

Description & review snapshot

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel opens with an unmistakable burst of crisp aldehydes and pale lily. It is brisk and soapy. Created by Ernest Beaux in 1931, this vintage feminine profile feels completely divorced from the modern men's citrus blue line that later borrowed its name. The heart turns cool and dewy. Green cyclamen, p…

Reviews →

Nishiki by Shiseido opens with a crisp wave of aldehydes and bright bergamot, balanced by a faint hint of sweet strawberry. The scent quickly transitions into a dense green floral heart where lilac, violet, and lily-of-the-valley dominate, creating a texture like crushed damp petals. As it dries down, the greenness so…

Reviews →

InformationalRead bothTaste is personal

How we score: ratings blend public fragrance ratings with Fragranxe member votes; longevity, sillage, value and sentiment are community vote scores, and season bars are relative to each fragrance's strongest season. Categories with too little data are shown but not scored. The scent match weighs accord overlap (60%) and shared notes (40%). More in the FAQ.

Common questions

Straight answers from the data above.

Which is better, Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Nishiki?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel takes 3 of 5 categories. Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel is rated 3.92/5 from 13 votes; Nishiki is rated 4.07/5 from 15 votes. Choose Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel for a woody and fresh character. Wins on longevity, sillage & projection and value for money. Best in summer, day or night wear. Choose Nishiki for a white floral and woody character. Wins on ratings & consensus and fragranxe ranking. Best in fall, daytime wear.

Which lasts longer, Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Nishiki?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel lasts longest (Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel 73/100, Nishiki 56/100), based on community performance votes.

Which projects more, Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Nishiki?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel projects furthest (Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel 72/100, Nishiki 50/100), based on community performance votes.

Do Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel and Nishiki smell similar?

Closely related: a 56% scent match on Fragranxe. Both share woody, white floral and fresh accords. Common notes include Aldehydes, Lily, Violet and Lily-of-the-Valley.

Is Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel or Nishiki better for summer or winter?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel suits day or night wear; Nishiki suits daytime wear. Based on community season votes.

What are the notes in Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel and Nishiki?

Le 1940 Bleu de Chanel has top notes of Aldehydes and Lily, heart notes of Violet, Cassis, Lily-of-the-Valley and Cyclamen, a base of Vetiver, Cedar and Sandalwood. Nishiki has top notes of Bergamot, Neroli, Aldehydes and Peach, heart notes of Orris, Lilac, Lily-of-the-Valley and May Rose, a base of Vetiver, Labdanum, Sandalwood and Musk.