Histoires de Parfums - Vidi

Picture: Mount Ararat, photo by Elegant's, 

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Vidi is the second installment in the Julius Ceasar conquest inspired trio where the houseperfumer/founder  Gérald Ghislain examines different facets of cardamom. The Veni, Vidi, Vici fragrances are a part of the Edition rare line.

Vidi, I saw: When smelling Vidi I could (maybe) image Julius Ceasar looking out from the high mountains over another Asia minor country to conquer. The air in the mountains is high and clear, the sun has just warmed up the flowers, grass and herbs which pleasant smells are carried with the wind. Of course this image appears just because I have read about the inspiration to the cardamom trio, but the image is quite reasonable. Just as Veni, Vidi starts with a true cardamomnote that is present during the whole development of the fragrance. But as Veni is darker, sweeter and almost gourmand, Vidi features smooth ozonic notes ie supporting, ozonic notes of the contemporary style, not the dominating, sharp ones of the 90s. The ozonic notes accentuate the cardamom and fresh flowers with a light herbal touch and Vidi feels brisk and sprightly in character. The flowery, cardamom, ozonic accords are prominent in different variations during the whole dry down. One variation is that somewhere in the middle of the day, saffron suddenly take the center stage for a while. In the basenote  the pleasant "plasternote" appears, the note that is distinct in for example Musst de Cartier Edt 90s version and Comme des Garcons Jaisalmer.

Vidi is a wearable and comforting fragrance that is suitable for both professional and casual, daytime wearing year around. The fresh impression makes Vidi suitable also for summer, unlike Veni which I can image will be a tad to sweet when the weather is warm. Projection is somewhere between low and medium and longevity is good, more than 12h.

Rating: 4

Notes: Cardamom, cucumber, ozonic notes, rose, cyclamen, saffron, immortelle, musk, amber, vanilla, blonde woods