Jomas

A cyclical perfume. It opens with a soft, light, citrusy, slightly milky amber, which we already know from the Merveilles line (Hermes), and pretty much ends like that, except for the citrus part which disappears along the way.

In between the beginning and the end, however, there is a green-aromatic phase that would be worth all the money if it lasted longer. The scent indulges us for a few minutes with lemony-peppery coriander, fresh basil leaves and a slight galbanum-like bitterness. Alas, all good things are fleeting, so we're back to where we started, the Hermes amber of whose quasi-clones we've had enough.

Pleasent and forgettable.

I'm squinting at the fragrance pyramid, trying to figure out why I perceive it as so overwhelmingly animalic. Cashmere, yes, agreed, but not the fluffy sweater, but the hair straight off the goat.

It's possible, even probable, that the labdanum, in an interpretation not exactly to my taste, is responsible for the animalic whiff, because what I smell is neither civet, nor castoreum, nor even leather. In fact, it evokes for me the same image (more faded, though) of captive wild animals as Le Lion (Chanel), a perfume clearly dominated by the note of cistus ladanifer - at least until the almost querlainesque vanilla takes over.

Eventually, the animalic smell dissipates and a vanillic and powdery, slightly metallic amber is left behind. It slightly resembles Shalimar in the drydown. It's not up my alley, that's for sure. Let's say it would be okay, but I can't erase from my olfactory memory that goat smell with which it struck me in the beginning. I just can't unsmell it.

I can't decide whether I like this one or not. There's not much to complain about, maybe just that in the first minutes there's something coniferous besides the citrus that sends me room freshener vibes. But it passes quickly.

The scent is well made, that yuzu smells to me like a sweet and juicy tangerine had a baby with a green and astringent lime, from a certain point on it sweetens up a bit and I get something vaguely floral, like apple blossom, maybe magnolia, something in that direction.

The technical qualities are quite exceptional, especially since it's labeled as an Eau Fraiche. It lingers longer and projects stronger than many of the eau de parfums I know.

It's just, I don't know, somehow impersonal, soulless. I feel exactly the same way about the various Aqua's (Universalis, Vitae and whatever, I lost interest at some point) from MFK. Objectively, I can find some good qualities in them, but subjectively, they leave me totally indifferent. At least Mrs. Nicolai's Eau's are not that outrageously, painfully overpriced.

It's quite nice, but under no circumstances should you order it blindly, expecting some Phylosikos tea! :)) While the green fig is evident in the opening, it quickly disappears, and it wouldn't have even crossed my mind that the fragrance is supposed to be about tea if I hadn't read its name before.

For me, Fig Tea is mainly about osmanthus, with all its aromatic and fruity, even leathery aspects: velvety apricots, a drop of honey and an eucalyptus tree.

What bothers me a bit is that whiff of cleaning products that I notice in almost all of Nicolai's citrus scents. It's not very pronounced here, but still. Average performance.

Absolutely impeccable! It probably wouldn't make it into a personal "Top 10 for life", but on a list of the most well-made perfumes I've ever smelled, it would be assured a top spot.

The name is somewhat misleading, because I would’t call it a patchouli-centred perfume. It should be named "Ode to Geranium" (Pelagorium, in fact). A pelagorium like no other, natural but still perfume-y, extra spicy, with deep, velvety red petals, fleshy leaves and roots that sink into the damp earth. Classic and modern at once, elegant yet displaying raw sensuality.

The only "flaw" is that I don't feel it's meant for me. It is the scent of a bank executive at the peak of his career, who goes to the gym every morning and dyes his graying hair, with a gorgeous wife, perfect children and a hot mistress, and who, under closer scrutiny by the National Bank, would get into big trouble. Well, what can I say, may he wear it in good health! :))