Qi Parfum Ormonde Jayne 2012

The "big brother" - that is, "Qi Intensivo" - really captivated me during a test at a niche perfumery in Berlin. It was that intense black tea note that excited me so much. The proud price, however, thrilled me less... but the store allowed me to fill a sample. I ended up losing that (typical of me again!) and therefore ordered a 3ml decant from a niche perfume online retailer. Even before it arrived, there was an offer online for a used bottle of the "little brother" "Qi." Okay, fragrance notes according to Parfumo are identical - so I jumped on it.

So how does "Qi" smell and how does it compare to "Qi Intensivo" (mini decant)?
My first impression was confirmed: "Qi" is, just like the intense variant, primarily a black tea scent on my skin, accompanied by bright, almost citrus-like notes that stay very much in the background. It reminds me of those bittersweet - no, to be precise, due to the tannins in the tea, astringently sweet tea candies that were available in tea shops during my youth. Haven't seen those in ages... they were the perfect (and delicious) pick-me-ups for coffee avoiders. Assam tea (or was it Ceylon tea?), sugar, and lemon - those were probably the main ingredients of those candies. "Qi," as well as "Qi Intensivo," feel quite similar to me. An alternative association would be a cup of strong and only lightly sweetened black tea (Assam or East Frisian tea) enjoyed with a bit of lemon juice on a flower-adorned terrace... Definitely summery! Character-wise, it's a bit like a summer version of "Russian Tea," because that pitch-black brew is indeed a whole different caliber and definitely wintery.

From the scent impression, I can (as expected) detect no difference from "Qi Intensivo," except that the tea note is even more pronounced in the latter and you need to spray less.
So viewed this way, the purchase of the more affordable "little brother" was a good solution for me!