Perfume Review: Parfums de Nicolai New York

New York is yet another example of an excellent fragrance that seems to be overlooked and under-discussed. This lack of appreciation is strange, given the fact that, as Luca Turin points out in Le Guide, New York represents “the first total and durable success of the modern unisex perfume”. In fact, Dr Turin goes as far as to call New York “un des grands parfums des vingt dernières années”, one of the grand perfumes of the last twenty years. New York is an elegant, spicy, earthy scent that is guaranteed to appeal to those, who like me, like their citrus fragrances to have depth and a certain something indefinable that I like to call a kick, a twist, or a bite. Vetiver and thyme are apparent straightaway, the former earthy and green, the latter herbal and green, both très chic and coolly elegant. Then the citrus accord of bergamot and lemon kicks in, adding a fresh, bracing quality to the composition. After that- the best part- red-hot pimento spices up the blend; at that point the scent is so enjoyable to me, I want to bathe in it or drink it, or both. The olfactory miracles are not over yet, however, because in a little while cloves enter the scene, offering their own, subdued and chic, version of spiciness. New York dries down to a discreet yet warm blend of vetiver, oakmoss and amber, made interesting by a still-evident pepper accord and a slight hint of patchouli. If I had to find one (petty) thing to complain about regarding New York, it would be the name. To me, the scent evokes the landscape and the general spirit not of a big, busy city, but of relaxed, slow-paced life in an elegant villa somewhere in the Italian countryside. New York is available at Bautyhabit, $79 for 100ml . *Window View of Assisi Countryside is from sxc.hu.