Best of 2018

Picture: Cap Néroli
Photo: PR Parfums Nicolaï (c)

Picture: Néroli Intense
Photo: PR Parfums Nicolaï (c)

As 2018 should be the year wearing from my own perfume wardrobe, I only tested a few perfumes launched during the year. Therefore I couldn't announce a winner in "Best of 2018" even if there where some that I enjoyed and will write about below. Of course both the nérolis Cap Néroli and Néroli Intense from the reliable quality house Parfums de Nicolaï were great.

I also enjoyed Atelier Cologne Iris Rebelle very much, the Rebelle is my favorite from the AC line together with Café Tuberosa which was launched in 2017.

Picture: Iris Rebelle
Photo: PR Atelier Cologne (c)

Picture: Rose Rouge
Photo: PR Van Cleef & Arpels (c)

Picture: Gucci Guilty
Absolue pour Femme
Photo: PR Gucci (c)

Gucci Guilty Absolue pour Femme is in the dark patchouly contemporary chypre genre that I appreciate much, here with a juicy blackberry touch. Even if good it's not reaching  the level of Gucci Guilty Absolue pour Homme. Rose Rouge from Van Cleef & Arpels was another nice addition this year which also has some dark tangy fruit involved. The new variation of Coco Mad,  Coco Mademoiselle Intense  (which I wear today) is the winner (of the few I've sniffed) in the dark patchouly, contemporary chypre genre, at least for me, an  admirer of the Chanel style.

Picture: Coco Mademoiselle Intense
Photo: PR Chanel (c)

Picture: Nomade
Photo: PR Chloé (c)
  

Picture: Flerur d'Argent
Photo: PR Miu Miu (c)

Picture: Ombré Leather
Photo: PR Tom Ford (c)
 

Other good releases in 2018 were Miu Miu Fleur d'Argent  a musky, cold, grand floral and the quiet and floating Chloé Nomade slight mossy and suedelike. A 2018 release   that Mr Parfumista appreciate much is Tom  Ford Ombré Leather even if he likes Tuscan Leather better, the dept, strenght and longevity of TL is better than OL.                   
 


Picture: Eau de Citron Noir
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

A fragrance that confuses me among the  launches is Hermès Eau de Citron Noir. On  me it smells as sort of a peppery hell, on my son it smells really good, like a sundried, salty, lime infused piece of wood on a sandy seashore.

 

Addition on 31 December 2018: I knew there was some good launch I've forgotten when I wrote this entry and today I'm remember which one, when reading the best of 2018 on Bois de Jasmin. It's Hermès Cédre Sambac which is actually no 1 of the ones I've tested 2018. Probably I forgot about it as there was only a only a brief test, a single spritz and a scentstrip at NK departmentstore. So maybe I can't include it as properly tested but who cares when it comes to this beauty, a clean woody jasmin that somehow reminds me of an upscale variation on Cacharel Scarlett a fragrance that i didn't like in it's heydays.

Picture: Hermessence Cédre Sambac
Photo: PR Hermès (c)

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019!  

Parfums de Nicolaï - Néroli Intense

Picture: La Carmencita (1890)
Painting by John Singer Sargent  (1856-1925)
Musée d'Orsay

Néroli Intense (NI) is an elegant nérolicentered fragrance, created by perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï. NI is not a stronger version of Cap Néroli from this summer, it's a variation (just as with the different concentrations of classic Guerlains and Chanels) on the néroli-theme with less higher and lighter citrus notes and more of warm, sweet, dense and dark oriental notes. If NI had a color it's would be like the muted orange color of the dress of La Carmencita above. If it had a texture it would be like bitterorange marmalade

Néroli Intense starts like a massive warm glowing wall of orange néroli and other inteacting sweet and bitter citrus essences with a clever contrast of a dark green, "fat" herbal tarragon note. If Cap Néroli is the sunrise and the scent of a summer morning, NI is the golden sunset of the late afternoon.   There is an almost bloody, metallic accord that seems to rise from the depts of the fragrance and serves as an intriguing contrast to the elegant and well behaved notes of néroli and orange. This accord make me think of a similar twist in Serge Lutens La Fille de Berlin. Maybe this impression is created with a combination of the beewax absolue and the herbal tarragon. The musky base with patchouli is not like a separate stage of the fragrance, it's blended in the fragrance to support the other notes in a very well balanced way.  Another PdN fragrance that NI reminds me of is the discontinued dark hebal-néroli  Eau sOleil, an Eau Fraiche with good longevity. Even if I remember that one as creamier, almost soapy, with less néroli, with more other with flowers and a note of fresh mint accompained by other herbs.


NI is dense like velvet in it's structure but not at all cloying. Timeless in appreance, it has a clever retrotouch. NI is a top notch nérolidominated perfume with high quality ingredients, there absolutely no syntetic vibes about it. To me NI is leaning more to the feminine side of unisex, but just as with Cap Néroli, wearable for both. NI is an elegant fragrance and just as with Cap Néroli it goes well in the boardroom but for autumn and winter instead. NI would also be a perfect companion to our

patient, committed and beautiful Queen Silvia when celebrating her 75th birthday today. Long live the Queen!

Go for Néroli Intense if you wan't some glowing, warm, elegance for winter.

Rating: 5

Notes:

Picture: Olfactory pyramid of  Néroli Intense
Photo: PR Parfums de Nicolaï

Thanks to Parfums de Nicolaï for the opportunity to test Néroli Intense. Néroli Intense is also avaible by Fragrance & Art.