Nicolaï / Parfums de Nicolaï
A unique visual signature based on accords, character, and seasonality
Orange bursts forth with crisp, almost tart vitality, immediately tempered by osmanthus's honeyed whisper. The combination feels simultaneously bright and subtly dusty, as though you've opened a window onto a sun-warmed spice merchant's shelf rather than a conventional citrus fragrance.
Coriander and davana transform the composition into something considerably more nuanced and austere. The spice becomes almost incensory, whilst davana's resinous sweetness adds an unexpected earthiness that borders on slightly animalic—the jasmine provides necessary floral anchor without ever becoming dominant or perfumey.
Amber and gaiac wood establish a warm, woody foundation, but mat absolute ensures this never tips into saccharine comfort. What remains is a subtle, skin-scent phase with pronounced woody-herbal character and a faint, persistent sweetness—intimate rather than projecting, contemplative rather than clamorous.
Fig-Tea arrives as a peculiar proposition—a fragrance that resists easy categorisation, which is precisely its charm. Patricia de Nicolaï has orchestrated something genuinely unconventional here: the marriage of citrus brightness with a distinctly savoury, almost herbal sensibility that refuses to genuflect to floral prettiness.
The opening gambit of orange and osmanthus absolute sets a luminous stage, but osmanthus here doesn't perform its usual apricot-jam theatrics. Instead, it functions as a bridge between the citrus's cheerful effervescence and the fragrance's more cerebral heart. Coriander and davana enter next—and this is where Fig-Tea reveals its true character. Davana brings a dusty, almost tobacco-like sweetness, whilst coriander contributes an almost savoury spice that leans slightly towards incense rather than cooking spice. Jasmine threads through without dominating, offering floral support without sentimentality.
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3.8/5 (301)