Nicolaï / Parfums de Nicolaï
Nicolaï / Parfums de Nicolaï
115 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
A sharp, almost aggressive burst of mandarin and black pepper cuts through the air with citrus brightness and peppery snap, creating an initial impression of vitality that feels almost discordant with what's to come. The lemon adds clarifying sharpness, a momentary freshness that keeps the opening from becoming too heavy.
As the citrus recedes, orris butter emerges with a soft, slightly soapy density, whilst clove adds a gentle spice that harmonises beautifully with the violet's subtle powdery character. Here lies the fragrance's emotional core—a quieter, more introspective phase where sweetness and floral elements create a refined, almost vintage sensibility that smells like quality.
The base notes settle into a rich, creamy amber-vanilla blend with labdanum providing a subtle woody-resinous counterpoint that prevents the tonka from becoming too dessert-like. What remains is an enveloping, almost imperceptible scent that clings to skin and clothing with understated sensuality, emphasising musk and patchouli for a final whisper of sophisticated warmth.
Ambre Cashmere Intense is a fragrance that seduces through restraint and sophistication rather than bombast. Patricia de Nicolaï has crafted something that feels like wrapping oneself in expensive knitwear—there's a tactile warmth here that extends beyond mere olfactory pleasure. The opening burst of mandarin and black pepper provides a deceptive brightness, a feint that quickly gives way to the fragrance's true purpose: the construction of an amber-based cocoon.
What makes this scent genuinely compelling is how the orris butter and clove in the heart transform that initial citrus into something decidedly less cheerful and far more introspective. The violet doesn't sing prettily; instead, it adds a subtle dustiness, powdery and slightly medicinal, which plays beautifully against the creeping warmth of benzoin and labdanum. This isn't a crowd-pleaser built on obvious appeal—it's a scent for those who appreciate complexity that unfolds slowly, almost reluctantly.
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4.0/5 (233)