Sometimes we forget.. 3 by Parfums de Nicolai
I am sometimes forgetful. I apparently ordered and received these samples from Surrender to Chance back in March, probably since I had just then reviewed a couple three of others from Parfums de Nicolai. And then promptly forgot about them until I just went through cleaning my desk off. So better late than never, here we go:
Maharanih Intense: Fragrantica says: Top notes are Bitter Orange and Orange; middle notes are Cinnamon, Carnation and Rose; base notes are Synthetic Civet, Patchouli and Sandalwood. Yes. it’s orange in the opening, but never photorealistic like Demeter or even like Lutens MM. It’s identifiably orange, but a perfumey orange. In a very, very good way. Unfortunately for me that opening didn’t really lead anywhere and the scent just sort of got eaten up. What was left was very pretty mind you, but hardly intense and nothing like the 7-veiled dance of the opening. Oh well. I don’t see it for sale at LuckyScent so perhaps its for the best I don’t pine for it.
Odalique: Fragrantica lists the notes as: Top notes are Tangerine, Citruses and Bergamot; middle notes are Jasmine, Oakmoss, Lily-of-the-Valley and Orris Root; base note is Musk. Oddly enough I get a lot more of the middle in the opening. Especially LotV. Now I am a big lover of muguet in all it’s many forms so this isn’t exactly a bad thing. The citruses and bergamot add a tang and grassiness that is wonderful and reminds me of the fields the flowers inhabit at home in New England: long stretches of grass between the houses and the LotV carefully mown around- cutting them would be criminal. Then it adds in a lovely, powdery musk. The day I am writing this is especially enervating and I might need to spritz the whole sample of this one to keep me from climbing a tower.. $82 for 30ML at Luckyscent, and I don’t see it at any discounters.
Violette in Love: Snarky me wants to write “Violette might be, but I sure ain’t” just for the cheap laugh. With the notes (again, Fragrantica) Raspberry, Lemon, Cassis and Coriander; middle notes are Violet, Orris and Rose; base note is Musk. You would think I wouldn’t be: On paper is simply doesn’t compute. The lemon/cassis/raspberry would make a great sorbet, but coriander? The dreaded Cilantro that it’s as fashionable these days to hate like it was gluten? And added in with the powdery violets? Yet it does, and how. I am finding a thoroughgoing theme in this houses wares, at least on me. The middle notes want to take the place of the top ones, and usually to very good effect. I get a few seconds of the sorbet (which makes me want to hit the gelato bar like a speeding car) but the powdery violets come right in. They vary between sweet and candied and heartbreakingly like the real thing. The musk is a soft, powdery skin musk and the whole thing is as gentle as a caress. If there was any day to review these, this was it. Sadly this is another one that seems to be unavailable. Want to start a petition to bring it back?
Have you tried these? Any favorites, or better, any dupes for the ones you can’t get anymore? Let us know in the comments. My samples were from Surrender to Chance
Photos: My iPhone, Pexels.
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