Patricia de Nicolaï © celebrates her 30th year as an Independent Perfumer with Baïkal Leather Intense
Madame Patricia de Nicolai commemorates her eponymous house’s 30 years, a singular achievement for anyone with a vision. Few perfumers and niche brands can claim the level of longevity and excellence for which Madame is justifiably renowned – or her formidable expertise. For her 30th anniversary nothing less than intense would suffice, and that is her current gift to us: Baïkal Leather Intense.
Parfums de Nicolaï Baïkal Leather Intense image by Parfums de Nicolaï©
Madame Patricia de Nicolaï claimed my heart in 2006 when she released what I consider a Holy Grail fragrance: Le Temps d’Une Fête. 1989’s New York blew me out of the water; I still keep it in my collection (for Despina’s marvelous review of the 2014 New York Intense, please read here). I’ve adored a great many of her compositions over the last 30 years and pray that she continues to flourish artistically for years to come.
Siberian forests near Lake Baïkal (Vladka on the Road blogspot)©
The Baïkal Mountains are located in southern Siberia, home to dense forests populated by Downy birch, Siberian fir, spruce and Scots pine among the mixed species (wooded areas hosting both deciduous trees and conifers) which thrive in that climate. Madame de Nicolaï envisioned a trans-Siberian journey during the creation of her 30th anniversary fragrance, particularly the birch employed in the composition of traditional cuir de Russie (Russian leather). She chose to utilize a smoked pine note and guaiacwood instead – the latter possessing smokiness combined with creamy lactones which soften the charred character of these woody tones. This culminates in a velvety singed woody floral, long-lasting and memorable. Madame references suede, (which does not figure among my wardrobe – so I substituted a richly textured russet-tinged leather instead to frame my lovely flacon).
Viktor Vasnetsov “The House of Tsar Berendey”©
Yuzu and pepper garner attention; a soupçon of spearmint as olfactory seasoning flits across your consciousness with butterfly deftness before saffron radiates its metallic warmth. Yuzu for citric bite, pepper which both spices and ‘dries’ a composition – a lovely counterpoint. Saffron foreshadows leather and illuminates all the elements like a bronzy/copper brushstroke. Baïkal Leather Intense’s heart combines several of the florals which often accompany leather, but rarely as a complete cast: rose, violet and orris butter. They provide aromatic interplay and modulation of the smoky base, further tempered very gently with its touch of tonka and white musk for added douceur. Hours into the drydown one is haunted by wafts of delicately scorched skins laced with blossoms, and this phase of development lingers indefinitely. It would be a lovely addition to opera-length suede gloves, don’t you think? Baïkal Leather Intense is a fin de siècle Russian ballroom leather translated for contemporary tastes: soigné and dashing.
Of interest, I discovered (via an historian of the era) that Russian soldiers in the 1800s would rub birch bark against their boots to waterproof them. When you consider birch tar’s use in shipbuilding, it makes good sense…
Notes: yuzu, pepper, saffron, spearmint, rose, violet, iris butter, guaiac wood, smoked pine, tonka bean, white musk
Pre-release flacon generously provided by Parfums de Nicolaï – I’m very grateful! My nose is my own…
~ Ida Meister, Senior Editor and Natural Perfumery Editor
~ Art Direction: Ida, Michelyn and images provided by Parfums de Nicolaï
Ida’s bottle of Parfums de Nicolaï Baïkal Leather Intense©
Thanks to the largess of Madame de Nicolaï, we have a 30 ml flacon (available for preorder) of Parfums de Nicolaï Baïkal Leather Intense for one registered reader anywhere in the world. You must register here or your comment will not count. To be eligible, please leave a comment saying what you enjoyed most about Ida’s review of Baïkal Leather Intense and where you live. Please join us in congratulating Madame on the 30th anniversary of Parfums de Nicolaï ! What Parfums de Nicolaï fragrance are your favorites? Draw closes 9/7/2019
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Stay tuned tomorrow for our interview with Patricia de Nicolaï about the creative process “Behind the Bottle”of the creation Baïkal Leather Intense.
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