Ambre Cashmere Intense – refined and delicate and warm

Photo: perfumeniche

I was in Paris when I read that Nicolaï Parfumeur Createur (formerly Parfums de Nicolaï) launched a new unisex fragrance called Ambre Cashmere Intense. I felt a little tingle of excitement, so I made a beeline to the store on Rue de Richelieu to check it out.

Nicolaï Parfumeur Createur is one of my favourite niche fragrance houses. Started in 1989 by Patricia de Nicolaï (the great-granddaughter of Pierre Guerlain) and her husband Jean-Louis Michau, she is still head of the perfume house and in charge of creating its fragrances. To this day, she sources the raw materials for her fragrances.

Over time, I’ve come to trust her vision, her style and her brand. Her fragrances never disappoint.

But my little tingle of excitement was sparked by the word ‘amber.’ I have a predilection for amber-based fragrances; a note de Nicolaï finds inspiring to work with. In the press release for Ambre Cashmere Intense she explains:

“At the beginning of the 20th century, the discoveries of new synthetic molecules allowed the perfumers of that time to lay the foundations of the great modern perfume chords. One of the first chord conceived was the Amber’ chord which is now a strong olfactory convention for us perfumers. Far from the sperm whale animal note, the Amber’ chord is made thanks to the association of vanillin and labdanum. Both smooth, powerful and deep, the chord is an infinite source of creations!”

Ambre Cashmere Intense opens warm and spicy from black pepper cut with notes of sweet, juicy mandarin and tart lemon. The fruits balance the pepper so that the opening is warm yet light, fresh and just a little sweet - the perfect setting for a heart of iris butter and violet. The iris butter and the violet both have earthy and powdery aspects, and they work together beautifully as the violet aspect of the iris butter boosts the delicate violet, strengthening its sweet, woody-floral scent. The woodiness is picked up by warm, woody, aromatic clove. Then there is the base…sweet, creamy vanilla alongside deep leathery labdanum – there’s that amber accord! – and resinous, earthy benzoin. Tonka bean adds a vanilla/caramel dimension of sweetness. The amber is fully present, and it gets woody from earthy patchouli and creamy sandalwood, all smoothened by musk.

With Ambre Cashmere Intense de Nicolaï has masterfully woven potent ingredients into a refined, delicate, warm, cashmere veil of sensuous amber with a drydown that glows on my skin for hours.

Check out Ambre Cashmere Intense in our Shop.