Nicolaï / Parfums de Nicolaï
Nicolaï / Parfums de Nicolaï
107 votes
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The aniseed-liquorice accord crashes forward immediately, sweet and slightly licorice-leaning, shot through with lemon brightness and a cool mint that tingles at the back of the nose. It's almost candy-like in its initial sweetness, reminiscent of fennel seeds or pastis, with zero leather visible yet—purely spiced, herbal, and strangely appetising.
The spice settles into something greener and more refined as lavender, sage, and coriander emerge from beneath. Magnolia blooms through the middle with creamy, almost soapy softness, whilst geranium adds a subtle rosy-green undertone; the florals here are controlled, never overwhelming, and they dialogue beautifully with the persistent aniseed rather than contradicting it. Tobacco absolute begins its subtle arrival, warm and slightly sweet rather than smoky.
The fragrance becomes increasingly woody and earthy, with cedar providing structure and hay-patchouli creating a dried, almost herbarium-like base. The tobacco absolute lingers as a warm, slightly sweet whisper rather than a dominant force, and the leather accord (finally prominent) sits comfortably alongside the hay and cedar without attempting dominance. What remains is intimate and powdery—more library shelf than leather jacket.
Cuir Cuba Intense announces itself as something rather unconventional: a fragrance that treats leather not as a dominant force but as a supporting character in a spiced, herbaceous narrative. Patricia de Nicolaï has crafted something that feels more like a sophisticated apéritif than a leather powerhouse, despite the titular promise.
The opening bristles with aniseed and liquorice—glycyrrhiza glabra adds genuine sweetness rather than the bitter medicinal quality you might expect—cutting through with bright lemon and a peppermint snap that recalls aperitif bitters. This herbal-spiced foundation immediately establishes the fragrance's personality: intellectually curious, slightly austere, unapologetically European.
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3.6/5 (152)