Perfume Review: Escada Collection

Escada Collection has been released in 1997 and seems to have been discontinued, but still pops up in the stores here and there, with its ever-changing limited edition bottles. Escada is a warm, rich woody-oriental with the notes of manadarine, cola, tuberose, jasmine, sandalwood, musk and vanilla. It is one of my favorite comfort scents, in fact, it is my ultimate comfort perfume; whenever I am cold, tired and miserable, I put on some Collection and instantly I am soothed and warmed by its sweet, smoky, velvety aroma.

I was quite surprised to see mandarine among the notes of Collection, this note is not at all apparent on my skin. Different lists of notes tell different stories, some have a plum note and some don’t, I believe that it is there, because Collection has certain lush, ripe, sweet fruitiness that smells nothing like mandarine. That sweetness perhaps can also be explained by the presence of the “cola” note, though I am not entirely sure that I can distinguish that accord in Collection. Tuberose adds wonderfull creaminess to the scent, and the blend of sandalwood, musk and vanilla in the drydown is soft and smooth. I do not know where it comes from, perhaps there is a tobacco note here as well, but there is a delectable sweet smokiness in Collection, not unlike that of Cherry Shisha Tobacco used in hookahs (waterpipes, narguiles). Collection is a delicious, sensual, rich scent, very different from Escada’s other rather forgettable offerings, it is a must have for the dreary winter days and nights.

Collection is right now available at Nordstrom, $100.00 for a Limited Edition 1,7oz bottle. The same bottle can often be found on eBay for almost half the price. The rumour has it that Collection has been seen in some TJMaxx and Marshalls stores for as little as $19.99, I have never had such luck and suspect that it is just an urban myth.

*The picture is Caterpillar Smoking a Narguile by John Tenniel.