Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense Review (Patricia de Nicolaï)+ Nabuel Tunisia Draw

"You shall submit to the love of three oranges, the love of three oranges!…Day and night…in search, in search of three oranges!  Yearn for them, yearn for the them!" – Fata Morgana from the opera L'Amour des Trois Oranges

In Sergei Prokofiev's 1919 surreal, satirical fantasy opera, The Love of Three Oranges (L'Amour des Trois Oranges), the witch Fata Morgana curses the Prince with an obsession for (of all things) three oranges! 

Details from “Orange Grove of Citrus Trees” ©️ Jane Small

Today lovers of the scents of citrus trees, blossoms and fruits might consider the witch's words more a blessing than a curse.  I, for one, am happy to submit to the love of any number of oranges and yearn for all things citrus.  From the twigs, and the leaves, to the blossoms, fruit and pith, the scents of the bitter orange tree and its neroli blossoms, fill my heart with joy.  When I imagine my favorite and quintessentially citrus/neroli fragrances, three oranges come immediately to mind – Parfums de Nicolai Eau sOleil (2013),  Cap Neroli (2018) and perfumer Patricia de Nicolai's latest and most amplified orange, Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense. 

By Gail Gross©

Patricia de Nicolaï, anticipating the creation of Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense, traveled to Nabuel in Tunisia, to the land of citrus groves, searching for and exploring the diverse facets of neroli and the bitter orange tree. Her experiences with the atmosphere of the harvest and the orange trees of Tunisia informed and inspired the new Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense.

Young Woman in a Garden of Oranges, 1891, Pascal Adolphe Jean Dagnan-Bouveret

The opening of Neroli Intense is like an early morning stroll through a grove of orange trees, just as the fruits begin to ripen in the Northern hemisphere. The immediate cool, fresh green impression, slightly bitter and dry with a zest of green orange peel, is colored by the sweet and gentle anise-like characteristics of tarragon.  There is no mistaking petit-grain, the essence of the leaves and twigs of the bitter orange.  Within moments the fresh, slightly aqueous opening of Neroli Intense becomes warmer and thicker as nearly ripe oranges and mandarins add richness to the blend. The aromas of neroli and orange blossoms are supported and focused by Pittosporum flower, the Japanese Mock Orange that has a woody/musky orange blossom note all its own.  The lush, white floral heart of Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense remains in place for at least six hours, gradually giving way to the smooth animalic beeswax, redolent of honey, hay and pollen.  A breath of patchouli and white musk provide the perfect refined foil and a delicate finish to the initial intensity of the leaves, fruits and flowers.    

Orange Tree Branches. 1889. Berthe Morisot

Creating perfume is often compared to composing music. Harmonic references (and The Love of Three Oranges) aside, my background as a musician and a plant nurseryman leads me to experience Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense as a perfume inspired by horticultural practice and brought to life by a sequence of scented "accords". I have always been fascinated by the fact that the orange fruits we love are rarely produced on trees grown from seeds. Instead commercial orange trees are built, from the ground up, grafted onto hardy rootstock – very often the roots of the bitter orange tree!  Patricia de Nicolai, has taken every aspect of the tree into consideration – leaves, bark, twigs, blossoms and fruit, amplifying each facet by using diverse fragrance materials with unique citrus profiles and building, in scent, her very own bitter orange tree – Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense! Notes:  Neroli, mandarin, orange, tarragon, Pittosporum flower, orange flower, Petit-grain bigarade, beeswax, patchouli and musk.

Disclaimer:  I would like to thank Parfums de Nicolai for my cherished bottle of Neroli Intense.  My opinions are my own.

Gail Gross – Senior Editor

Art Direction – Michelyn, Camen, Editor in Chief

Follow us on Instagram: @cafleurebon, @azarsmith7 and @nicolaiparfums

Parfums de Nicolai Neroli Intense courtesy of ZGO PERFUMERY© who was in Paris visiting the Nicolai boutique last month

Thanks to the generosity of Parfums de Nicolaï we have one 30 ml bottle of Neroli Intense available to one registered reader worldwide. Be sure to register or your comment will not count. To be eligible please let us know where you live, tell us what appeals to you about Gail's review of Neroli Intense, and your favorite from Parfums de Nicolai. Draw closes 10/7/2018

Available at TwistedLily.com and p.nicolai.com

We announce the winners only on site and on our Facebook page, so Like Cafleurebon and use our RSS Blog feed … or your dream prize will be just spilled perfume.

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52 comments

  • minorlionz says:

    I loved Gail’s evocative description of the notes. I have not yet had the pleasure of trying a Nicolai perfume and so have no favourite, but it’s a house i’ve Been meaning to try. I live in Montreal, Canada.

  • Aud604 says:

    Big Nicolai fan here – New York is one of my favorites. This sounds like a wonderful blend of citrus and earth.

  • DespinaVnt says:

    I loved how Gail used her musical background to depict the scent’s harmony and composition.
    My favorite Nicolai creation is probably New-York.
    I live in EU (France), thank you!

  • esz says:

    Another huge Nicolai fan here too. Her scents are understated perfection – so masterfully created.

    I really love neroli too and would love to smell this iteration. The only scent of hers I have is Sacrebleu which was my first ever niche purchase. I treasure the 1/4 of the bottle I have left as I don’t think that original formulation is available anymore.

    Thank you for the draw, I am in Melbourne Australia

  • middleagedandmixed says:

    What I enjoyed most about Gail’s review, is hearing how every part of the orange tree is encompassed in this fragrance from the fruit itself to the zest to the essence of the leaves and twigs. It sounds outstanding. I have only ever tried Fig Tea from Parfums de Nicolaï which I absolutely love.
    Cheers from Seattle, WA!

  • Ivan.napoleon says:

    Best part of the review. It appeals the notes so bad
    First time hear From this house. Id love to try this one.
    MIAMI Florida
    Thanks

  • Just Add Light says:

    Still haven’t smelled anything from the brand, but I’ve always had my eye on Cap Neroli. Such a nice surprise when Neroli Intense was announced, since I’m an immense fan of patchouli and orange, and not so much ylang-ylang. But it’s Gail’s description of animalic beeswax in the base the intrigued me most. Definitely an interesting addition to petitgrain and tarragon. Plus I had no idea that commercial oranges were grown in such a way. From one musician to another, glad to hear that Neroli Intense maintains the proper harmony! From Canada.

  • Onyinye says:

    As always, the pictures are usually amazing and I love seeing them. I loved hearing the background and how oranges are grown and used commercially.

    I live in California.

  • RinB says:

    I loved Cap Neroli and I’m sure I’d love Neroli Intense too (there’s very little from this house that I don’t immediately love!). I enjoyed how Gail explained that every aspect of the orange tree was covered – sounds delicious! My favorite PdN fragrances are the sadly discontinued Maharadjah (please bring it back!!) and Le Temps d’une Fete (which I believe is on limited distribution or possibly also discontinued…why, oh why??). I’m in the US – thanks for the review and draw!

  • yukon1 says:

    I loved Gail wonderful description of the notes,Unfortunately ive not tried any nicolai fragrances but would love to,there are many that sound stunning . Im in Canada ,thnx for giveaway .

  • roxhas1cat says:

    What a glorious description! This is orange through and through!! This takes me back to my teen years of picking oranges for the church run orange groves for the needy. I also had an orange tree in my back yard, even after I moved away my parents always brought me oranges from the tree in the fall. I have been out of my favorite neroli for a year now, it’s time to find a new “orange crush”. I’ve heard good things about Cap Neroli, now there’s 2 to choose from. Awesome! My favorite from this line is Kiss me Intense. Thanks for the chance! USA

  • tooka81 says:

    This fragrance sounds like orange crove heavan! I love Gails reference to the opera Three Oranges which I am going to look up after I finish writing this comment. I love alk things citrus also, and the fact that the oerfumer went to Tunisia to research and experience orange tree grives and used every part of the fruit, tree and flowers to help create a woidy citrus masterpiece is reason enough to pick up this fragrance. I have no fragrance frim this house and I live in USA.

  • Marcus says:

    I’m one of those who often find Neroli too reminiscent to detergents. But this one still sounds tempting, I’d love to try it. New York by PdN I like, EdT preferred to Intense. To win to Germany, thanks for the draw!

  • Monica Beaton says:

    Gail’s description of this scent makes me long for warm summer evenings when I can spray something fresh and citrus with abandon. Nothing cools and invigorates more than a beautifully made citrus fragrance – and Neroli Intense sounds perfect for our upcoming hot weather. I have had the pleasure of sampling Sacrebleu which I found to be stunning. Thanks so much to CaFleureBon and Parfums Nicolai for the draw! I live in Australia.

  • Xie says:

    I’ve never heard of the Love of Three Oranges story. Thank you for that! As a Nicolai fan, I absolutely have to check this one out! My favourite is New York, LTdF, Sacrebleu, and many others…
    Thanks for the draw. I live in France.

  • Timea says:

    I have never had a chance to try anything from Parfums de Nicolai, but I very like orange and neroli scents, and from the base of the review and the notes, Neroli Intense sounds fabulously. Thank you for the draw! I live in Europe.

  • doveskylark says:

    I loved reading that Patricia de Nicolaï traveled to the orange groves in Tunisia as inspiration for the fragrance. I also love that even the twigs and roots are un this fragrance.
    New York from this house is a masterpiece.
    I live in the USA.

  • Tomsia says:

    I had never heard of love of three oranges but now i will definitely try to.
    Gail I loved your own photo and your description that of hör Mrs Nicolai went to Tunisia and seemed to put aspects of the entire tree into neroli intense. Floral, green and honey sound great. I like many from Parfums de Nicolai with the original New York,maharajah and eau mixte among my favorites. I lve in the USA

  • Cynthia says:

    I love the description of the opening and petit grain is a favorite. Special mention for the photos. So often these drag me into your posts and I feel more educated after reading the review. Love the operatic reference. Cheers, enjoyable review!

  • cwoody says:

    What appeals to me about Gail’s review of Neroli Intense is how she describes the fragrance like an early morning stroll through a grove of orange trees, just as the fruits begin to ripen in the Northern hemisphere. I’ve actually been to Tunisia so it would be a special fragrance to own. I don’t have a favorite from Parfums de Nicolai but I think I would like Neroli Intense and Cap Neroli. Arkansas, USA

  • Zibbyz says:

    Ooh, I would love to try neroli intense, as I love all things orange as well, and enjoying the descriptions of the airwaves is the scent, and the personal meaning. I promise to check back every day so as not to miss the deadline of I am drawn (darn it when life takes over one’s love of scent!). I’m in the us, and and thank you so much for the generous draw.

  • Dosva says:

    I liked Gail’ s description: very nice and so realustic, that I began to felt bitter flavor of orange, freshness of neroli, mandarin and tarragon.
    I like Nicolai perfumes very much, especially Eau d’Mixte.
    From Armenia

  • Steve A. says:

    Wonderfully described by Gail. From this house and perfumer I have always liked New York. US

  • cressit says:

    Gail’s review was wonderful to read. I am intrigued by the Pittosporum flower as I’m not familiar with that note. I have liked many of Parfums de Nicolai fragrances but so far Rose Oud is my favorite. I live in the US.

  • audesko1 says:

    I am from the US. Loved the review! You can almost smell the fragrance from the description, orange groves in Tunisia, tarragon, and a woody musk blossom. Sounds heavenly. Thank you for the chance.

  • Diana D says:

    This was a really good article. I’ve never smelled any fragrances from Parfums de Nicolai.. But neroli is one of my favorite fragrance notes. I’d love to smell this.
    I live in the USA.

  • Annatar says:

    The Love for Three Oranges is a special work of art: I love its literary incarnations (the original fairy-tale, a version by Carlo Gozzi and a Russian play by the same name which is both romantical and satyrical, and Gail’s review has reminded me to reread it) and the opera.

    As for Neroli Intense, what I like most judging from the review is that Mme de Nicolai has used different materials to create her version of an orange tree. Win or not, I’ll be sure to try the perfume.
    My favourite scent by de Nicolai is New York Intense, Rose Pivoine being the runner-up.
    I live in Russia

  • kwick says:

    This line from Gail’s review drew me in: “The opening of Neroli Intense is like an early morning stroll through a grove of orange trees…” My favorite Nicolai scent so far is Juste un Reve, though ever since Cap Neroli came out, I’ve been eager to try another! Writing from the US – thanks for the drawing.

  • Alen says:

    Great review from Gail, as always . From Nicolai i’ve tried only Rose oud and New york and liked both, especially New York. Anyways since i’m a big neroli fragrances fan, this one must be really fantastic and i would love to try it. Thanks for the draw, i am in the EU.

  • aurora_ru says:

    Some years ago I disliked the smell of neroli and I felt very confused about it being so clean that it could feel dirty, yes, in that sense I think neroli is similar to musk (less is more). As I started to use neroli more in my aromatherapy rituals, it took time, but I started to appreciate and enjoy it. I am a bit afraid of that “intense” part in the naming, but at the same time I am inspired by the brand – they really know the different aspects and profiles of the citrus scents.
    Thank you for introducing us with this parfum and for the draw,
    I live in the EU.

  • SandiL says:

    Awe, the power of a scent which is constructed much like the tree itself. I love Gail observation of this scent possessing each aspect and element of the tree.. From bark, to twigs to blossoms, to the juicyness of the fruit.
    Neroli has a very special place in my scent memory bank, as it will forever.
    Thanks for always sharing from your heart and creative mind Gail your reviews. Thanks also to the generosity of Parfums de Nicolaï for the draw. I have another favorite (several actually) from Parfums de Nicolaï. Experience SacreBleu intense if you not yet have. One that never fails me.

  • Vahagn says:

    Thank you Gail for this beautiful review- it seems to me your review have citrusy-neroli aroma!!!
    It is difficult to me to find interesting, unusual fragrance for summer.
    This fragrance sounds really lovely, fresh: citrus, neroli, bitter orange, orange flower and in the end patchouli and musk.
    My favorite P. Nicolai fragrance is Cedrat Intense.
    I am from Armenia.

  • NiceVULady says:

    Gail’s review certainly invokes the sense pf walking through an orchard. This sounds like a marvelous fragrance, and I love oranges. I like Vanille Tonka from this line. Thanks for the draw. I’m in the US

  • Catlady4 says:

    I really enjoyed the imagery in this review; I could picture (and smell!) the orange grove. I live in the USA. I love this perfume house, so it’s hard to pick a favorite. Temps d’une Fete would probably win by a hair for me, though.

  • helenlam says:

    I love Neroli and really enjoyed the reference to the opera! Also i like how thia perfume is inspired by all parts of the orange tree. I haven’t tried anything by this house yet. I live in the US.

  • mariannep says:

    I can almost feel the scent reading the text. My favourite Nicolai is Kiss med tender. So beautiful. I live in Sweden.

  • MMKinPA says:

    As a musician I love the reference to harmonies in the review. I am a big fan of Nicolai perfumes and own several, Sacrebleu Intense was my first love. I live in the US.

  • Tveta says:

    I think I will like this one as I read that Patricia put everything in and tooking every little thing from the tree into consideration. To my shame, I have tested nothing from this house yet.

    I live in EU. Thank you for the draw!

  • ElenaChiss says:

    I am always excited to try a new, neroli-based perfume. I felt vividly the description of the morning stroll through an orange grove. Perfect and poetic. I am in the boat of those who have not experienced any of Patricia de Nicolai’s creations. I am from EU as well. Thanks!

  • Yana_Tommelise says:

    Wow I am so interested in this fragrance because I enjoy citrusy – floral scents and the fact they carried so much about that orange part makes me all excited because I hope to see/feel/smell the difference! Germany, EU

  • WaltherP99 says:

    Neroli based fragrances are a bit of a hit or miss for me-some i adore , but some i strongly dislike.
    My first encounter with Parfums De Nikolai brand was when i sampled New York Intense in mid 2015…yes i know i was super late to the party .As a HUGE Bois du Portugal fan for many years i was blown away by the smell,quality,longevity,projection,sillage …. fantastic fragrance and a must have for me.
    I presume Neroli Intense will be pretty good too , plus i very much enjoyed Gail review.
    I do follow all @cafleurebon, @azarsmith7 and @nicolaiparfums on Instagram.
    VA USA or London UK at least 97/100 times.

  • Hasib says:

    Enjoyed this article and well described. Haven’t smelled many much Neroli fragrances. Been hearing good things about Parfums de Nicolai
    Would like to try this out. Thanks
    California

  • jeremyn87 says:

    Im in IL, in the US.
    What appeals to me is the emphasis on the neroli. I love it when neroli notes actually smell like true orange blossoms and captures the smell expected of the mediterranean countries.
    I don’t have anything from this house, unfortunately.
    Thanks for the draw

  • KWMonty says:

    As described in this review, Neroli Intense should be an amazing fragrance. I am not usually a fan of Neroli,but with all the other ingredients I think I would really like this one.My favorite Nicolai fragrance is New York Intense. I reside in Canada.

  • JozefJak says:

    I love this house. IMO Patricia is one of the best classic perfumers creating nowadays. There are now weak scents in the collection, I love the ouds trio, but my favourites are Patchouli Intense, New York Intense and Cap Neroli. This new release sounds amazing. I live in Poland.

  • Mujo says:

    “… has taken every aspect of the tree into consideration – leaves, bark, twigs, blossoms and fruit, amplifying each facet by using diverse fragrance materials with unique citrus profiles and building, in scent, her very own bitter orange tree” sounds very alluring. My favorite PdN scent is Number One intense. I live in EU. Thank you Patricia and Cafleurebon for this wonderful draw.

  • dx says:

    I live in eu. the only nicolai i know is tonka vanille. i like the description of the whole orange tree experience.

  • giantree says:

    I live in the United States. I liked the focus on describing the other aspects to the scent other than the obvious orange, to emphasize the entire orange tree in the fragrance. I quite like the Vanille Tonka my friend wears, but personally have never owned anything from this line.

  • bumbuliuki says:

    I loved Gail’s evocative review. The comparison of the perfume creation process with music is spot on.
    I adore bitter orange and I’m glad Neroli Intense has it all, twigs, leaves, blossom. I would love this one. Will definitley give it a try.
    My favorite from Parfums de Nicolai is New York.
    I live in the EU.

  • Lori Laws says:

    A wonderful review by Gail! I love that all aspects of the orange tree were considered when creating this fragrance. This is a great fragrance house and I look forward to trying this one. Thanks for the draw and I live in the US! 🙂

  • Gail says:

    Thanks to everyone for your thoughtful comments and for entering the draw. Please check back to see if you are the lucky winner.One more thought – Parfums de Nicolaï Néroli Intense is a totally unisex neroli. My dear husband has been wearing it everyday (liberally) since this review was posted. We are both enjoying Néroli Intense!