Top Notes 
Carnation
Coriander
Grapefruit
Aniseed
Bergamot
Mandarin orange
Olive leaf
Heart Notes 
Cinnamon
Ginger
Base Notes 
Patchouli
Cedar
Musk
Sandalwood
Tonka bean
Vanilla
Vetiver
04/03/2015
ColinM
516 Reviews
ColinM
Helpful Review
4
Gold!
The sadly discontinued yet still quite easy to find Must de Cartier pour Homme is a great scent, just this close to phenomenal. It smells irresistibly refined and sophisticated in a less conventional way than usual, it smells rich and deep but also breezy and bright, and it’s definitely quite ahead of its time while showing solid roots into classic perfumery. Basically it’s a fresh spicy-woody scent, but a rather unique one. First of all, a bit like Fendi Theorema for women, the freshness here is cleverly played on spicy notes rather than only – and predictably - on citrusy or green ones; cinnamon above all, and coriander. There’s citrus obviously, but the spiciness is equally bold and clear, albeit incredibly weightless and perfectly “tamed down” (so no worries, not an “exotic bomb”). Sandalwood is there too, supporting both the aromatic spiciness and the fresh side with its “juicy-fruity” nuances. A greenish aromatic note of what I thought may be laurel, while it must that olive tree leaf note, provides a whiff of Mediterranean. A zesty and uplifting blend, but with “flavour” and complexity. Then, the other irresistible aspect that makes Must so special to me is its base; as Turin writes in his guide, and I agree with him, there’s a subtle yet vibrant sort of animalic feel on the base that blends with the crisp refinement of cedar to create a really peculiar sort of “sophisticated dirt”, if that makes sense. Like a dusty, camphorous, musky and even almost moldy base note which provides a fantastic touch of “sweaty virility” to a really clean, almost dandified fresh-spicy-woody blend. I don’t know what it may be due to, I guess it may be a side-effect of musk and woods, but the feel is just perfect. The ensemble is really remarkable, as you get this incredibly harmonic mixture of fresh, fruity, green, spicy notes with woods, musk, “dirty” shades. Terribly classy, but also deep and substantial, even complex and slightly ambiguous. A shiny gem with a dark shade – and a “niche” personality too, as this hasn’t the slightest “designer” look to any extent (well, ok, maybe a conventional woody-amber aroma underneath). Total quality. To me it smells also completely versatile and I hardly imagine someone not liking this, so... grab one if you find it, even blind. It has only one “con” to my nose: the persistence isn’t as good as the smell.
8,5/10
8,5/10
MrTee
Matux
