MITSOUKO year 2013: does the Empress strike back?

ABSTRACT
Mitsouko, the "Mysterious", the Empress of Perfumes.... it's one of the true "legendary" perfumes, produced by Guerlain since 1919.
Superb, immediately recognizable, Mitsouko was subject to many reformulations, including a particularly critical one that took place around 2007-8, which significantly changed the perfume.
For more detailed information about it, I always recommend the extraordinary "Monsieur Guerlain" blog, especially the page about Mitsouko ( here ).
Although the acclaimed critic Luca Turin judged positively this "year 2007 reformulation" (made by Eduard Flèchier), however, a lot of criticism raised, since Mitsouko was no longer "the same as before".
During 2012, perfumer Thierry Wasser claimed to be able to "build" a new version of Mitsouko pretty much like the original, although with great difficulties, due to the even more stringent restriction rules.
In this review we consider five different versions of Mitsouko launched during 15 years, starting from the traditional vintage "Yellow and gold" boxes ( years 1997 and 2003) and three traditional "Pastel" boxes (2009, 2012 and 2013).
All versions are "Eau de Toilette", except the last one (year 2013), which is an Eau de Parfum.

The goal of the "blind test" is: will the stronger (EDP) version be able to stay "on par" at least with the "vintage" EDT?  It's a very difficult task, since restriction laws really butchered a lot of perfumes.....
(SEE PICTURES)

(  note: to understand Guerlain batch-numbers, see here  )

Year 1997: presumably still
 a Jean-Paul Guerlain's version.

The Eduard Flèchier's version

The Thierry Wasser's EDP version.

Mitsouko 5-batches blind test (1997-2013)

RESULTS:
There are no significant differences between year 1997 and year 2003 samples: it's original Mitsouko.
On the contrary, there is significant difference between the one from 2009 and all others.
The 2009 version is "darker and dirtier"; it's not a bad one, but it seems a sort of "flanker", instead of  the "original" Mitsouko.
The 2012 EDT version  *could* resemble the vintage one, but it seems a bit lighter.
Finally, the 2013 EDP is very similar -although not exactly identical- to the vintage EDT.

CONCLUSIONS
Positives: year 2013 Mitsouko can stay on par with the before-2000 version. Although not exactly identical, differences are minimal. If the most important thing for you is to obtain a "like-vintage" version, the 2013 EDP probably will not disappoint you.
Negatives: to stay "on par" with the old EDT, you need to buy the EDP.

Extra consideration: since perfumes "mature" with age, the vintage EDT could have aged and got even stronger.

Final: as usual, never blind buy an expensive perfume: try yourself before, since your nose will tell you the truth.
In my opinion, a big applause to Guerlain for having nearly restored an immortal classic from the past.




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Year 1997: presumably still
 the "Jean-Paul Guerlain" version.

The "Eduard Flèchier" version

The "Thierry Wasser" version.

Mitsouko 5-batches blind test (1997-2013)