Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur Riviera Verbena courtesy of the brand
What could be finer than to repose in the capacious shade of an ancient olive tree while sipping a cool glass of pastis au bord de la mer? For me, this delightful scenario could only be improved upon by nestling in a hammock slung between two olive trees. I am grateful for such memories, but if travel of this sort isn’t in the offing, then the next best thing is to enwreathe yourself in a cloud of Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur Riviera Verbena. It’s a veritable tonic for body and spirit which floats about one, enveloping you in a state of citrus-herbal bliss.
Scene from 1955 To Catch A Thief with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly along the Riviera
Patricia de Nicolaï has created an olfactory haven for us along the Mediterranean, light-filled and breezy in hues of green and gold accented with blazing white jasmine. This is Riviera Verbena’s palette, hyper-realistic and effortlessly elegant. Their garden borders the sea, replete with the oceanic ozone of Calone®, fresh herbs, spearmint and lemongrass. The lemon fruit and leaves (petitgrain de citronnier) figure prominently: distillation of lemon leaves results in a zesty, woody natural material which is equally at home with flowers as it is with culinary greenery. Those who may be skeptical about spearmint needn’t fret – being a less spiky scent than its cousin peppermint, it is subtle and marries seamlessly with all the other aromatics in this eau de toilette. The thyme which grows along the maquis (scrubland) is hardy and strongly perfumed; to crush it underfoot or rub it between your fingers releases an inimitable fragrance.
Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur Riviera Verbena Promenade de Parfum courtesy of the brand, apped by Michelyn with key ingredients via Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur
When introduced to an intense verbena, we experience that which is intuitive in the kitchen – a lemony freshness which smells of sweet newly mown grass and delicious terpenes, a touch medicinal in nature. When Calone® mingles with thyme it sings of the sea, briny and beautiful (this, from a woman who is not a fan of Calone® in general). Egyptian jasmine contributes an indolic murmur, very soft – and rose appears as a universal playmate who softens and rounds out the heart while flattering everyone. Each fragrant material has purpose; nothing included is superfluous.
Vintage Rene Grau 1960
Citrus adores vetiver – and the grounding notes in Riviera Verbena possess a lightly smoky vetiver wed to another popular member of the mint family: patchouli. The particular patchouli employed here is relatively delicate, which suits the overall fragrance; a chorus of white musks confer a sweet soapiness with only a smidgen of animalic bite. Riviera Verbena is nothing if not well-balanced and graceful – universally comfortable and chic. You can certainly wear it at any time of the year – but its hesperidic allure will prove a boon during those sweltering summer months. I envision chilling my bottle in the refrigerator so that it will sizzle over my summer-parched skin. There is a downside, however: you must not drink it. Other than that small inconvenience, Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur Riviera Verbena is practically perfect.
Notes: petitgrain from the lemon tree, lemon, lemongrass (citronelle), spearmint, thyme, snipped herbs, verbena, Calone® (Firmenich), Egyptian jasmine, rose, vetiver, patchouli, white musks
My bottle was generously provided by Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur – many thanks! It’s delicious. My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Deputy and Natural Perfumery Editor
Art direction: Michelyn
Please read Michelyn’s interview with Patricia de Nicolaï here
Collage by Michelyn
Thanks to the largess of Parfums de Nicolaï, we have a 100 ml flacon of Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur Riviera Verbena for one registered reader in the US or EU. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please tell us what you most enjoyed about Ida’s article and where you live. Do you have a favorite Nicolaï Parfumeur-Créateur fragrance? Draw closes 5/12/2022
PLEASE JOIN DAMIEN FLYNN, BRAND AMBASSADOR FOR NICOLAÏ PARFUMEUR-CRÉATEUR AND NIR GUY OF PERFUMOLOGY FOR AN INSTALIVE TO DISCUSS RIVIERA VERBENA 5/11/22 APPROXIMATELY 3:00 pm EST @PERFUMOLOGY
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