Nicolaï / Parfums de Nicolaï
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
The yuzu and grapefruit burst forth with immediate clarity, accompanied by an unexpected green snap from the petitgrain and grass notes—it's genuinely crisp, almost mineral, like biting into the skin of a citrus fruit just plucked from the tree. The initial impression feels almost cologne-like in its directness, though with greater complexity lurking beneath.
The pepper emerges with quiet insistence, creating a gentle warmth that plays against the citrus's persistent brightness, whilst juniper adds a dry, slightly resinous quality that makes the composition feel more botanical and grounded. This phase is where the fragrance truly reveals its sophistication—it's no longer purely fresh but something more considered, more layered.
Vetiver and gaiac wood establish themselves as the primary focus, the citrus retreating to a gentle whisper in the background, whilst musk and patchouli add a subtle, skin-close warmth that feels almost like a second skin rather than a fragrance. The overall effect is remarkably dry and contemplative, leaning more into quiet woody sophistication than any lingering citrus sweetness.
Eau de Yuzu arrives as a masterclass in citrus restraint—Patricia de Nicolaï has resisted the urge to make this a screaming fresh fragrance, instead crafting something with genuine complexity and backbone. The yuzu sits at the centre, that particular Japanese citrus with its honeyed, almost floral undertones that distinguishes it from the sharper bite of standard lemon. Grapefruit provides structure rather than dominance, whilst lemon petitgrain contributes a green, slightly herbaceous quality that prevents the opening from becoming too dessert-like. There's grass here too—that slightly hay-like greenness that grounds the composition and hints at something pastoral, almost botanical.
What elevates this beyond a simple fresh fragrance is the heart's decisive injection of black pepper and juniper berry. The pepper isn't decorative; it creates a subtle prickling sensation that plays beautifully against the citrus's natural sweetness, whilst juniper adds a gin-like herbaceousness, a dry aromatic quality that transforms the composition's trajectory. By the time you reach the base, vetiver and gaiac wood stake their claim, introducing a woody dryness that prevents the fragrance from ever feeling insubstantial. Musk and patchouli keep things grounded, feminine without being floral, masculine without being aggressive.
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4.0/5 (122)