After feeling like spring yesterday, today I’m all about fall and winter thanks to the fragrances Pavlova, Macaron Bourbon and Saint Honoré by Nicolaï. The foodies and those with a sweet tooth among you will no doubt immediately recognize which fragrance family the three creations today revolve around. It’s delicious, delicate and gourmand, so it’s no surprise that the olfactory trio is part of the brand’s newly launched Gourmand Collection. As the icing on the cake, I also have something to give away, which will surely make these three all the more irresistible for me and you. So let’s jump straight into the gourmand fray and start testing.
Pavlova – dessert from down under
Pavlova is actually a cake made from meringue and decorated with fruit and sweet cream, which – unbeknownst to me – originated in New Zealand and Australia. The dessert was invented in honor of a Russian ballet dancer of the same name, whose first name was Anna. She performed in both countries in the 1920s and her fluffy tutu and light dance style are said to have been the source of inspiration for the cake.
The olfactory Pavlova from Nicolaï is described as a “daring, innovative fragrance inspired by the lightness and delicacy of the famous dessert of the same name”. Perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï combined the ingredients pineapple, passion fruit (maracuja), rum, coconut, peach, raspberry, sandalwood, vanilla and musk for the creation.
“Of all passions, the only truly respectable one seems to me to be gluttony,” Guy de Maupassant used to say. A passion that Patricia de Nicolaï and her team share. They asked themselves which fragrances could really stand for pleasure. The answer: three new gourmand creations that Patricia would like to share with you.
The Eau de Parfum Pavlova is creamy and fruity, starting with tropical-sweet pineapple and milky coconut. Passion fruit provides subtly tart accents that beautifully underline the exotic, fruity impression. A dash of rum brings a certain liqueur-like warmth into play, while the notes of velvety peach flow into the blend with great relish. This is gradually joined by the crystalline, sugary nuances of musk and vanilla, which are rounded off by soft sandalwood. Heavenly!
Very airy, light and delicate, this exotic, fruity and sweet mix definitely lives up to the dessert from Down Under. This sunny, summery and transparent fragrance is perfect for fans of pineapple, coconut and creamy, smooth creations. I would classify the presence as medium and the longevity as very good. A tropical, airy, feel-good composition that should be just the thing for olfactory foodies and fruit fragrance lovers. 🍍🥥🎂
Macaron Bourbon – Colorful delicacy
Nicolaï describes its Macaron Bourbon eau de parfum as an “ode to sensuality and sophistication”, which revolves around the popular and colorful meringue bites with a filling. Unlike the pavlova, I have eaten these macarons several times and can therefore consider myself a connoisseur of the subject. The ingredients almond, davana, rum, rose, cinnamon, clove, patchouli, tonka bean, vanilla, caramel and musk speak a thoroughly gourmand language and I very much assume that the olfactory emphasis of the composition is on the vanilla.
Macaron Bourbon starts off a little tart and fresh thanks to the spicy pungency of cinnamon and clove, which meet the boozy, herbaceous notes of davana and rum. The rose brings lucid, airy and honeyed facets to the creation, which gradually becomes creamier and softer. The fine nuances of roasted almonds gradually combine with dark vanilla, clean woody patchouli and caramel musk, while the tipsy accents of the opening are still perceptible. The sweetness picks up again in the finish, rounding off the eau de parfum beautifully.
Airy and very transparent, Macaron Bourbon is also not a classic, heavy and sugary-sweet gourmand fragrance as is commonly known. Rather, it is an extraordinarily finely composed, very harmonious mix of spices, liqueur-like and woody-powdery notes that is very light and yet expressive. Here, too, I would classify the presence as medium and the longevity is also convincing. This is not an eau de parfum that can only be worn in fall/winter, but can be used across all seasons. I also see Macaron Bourbon as an all-rounder in terms of occasions. ❤️
Saint Honoré – French pastry
The source of inspiration for Saint Honoré is admittedly unknown to me, but of course I did some research. There is a French pastry of the same name, a kind of cake that combines shortcrust pastry with a creamy custard and cream puffs. That already sounds rich when you read it, so I’m curious to see how the eau de parfum reflects this culinary delicacy olfactorily. The ingredients hazelnut, bergamot, black pepper, orange blossom, milk, vanilla, sandalwood, musk and ambergris are intended to evoke a fragrance that is an “invitation to happiness”.
Warm, roasted hazelnut notes combine with cinnamon, peppery and fruity nuances in the opening of Saint Honoré to create an incredibly exciting blend. The creation is very soft and creamy, dark rather than light, and it also has that very special transparency and airiness that already inspired me with the first two fragrances in this collection. This shows once again that a gourmand composition does not have to be an opulent, heavy and sugary firecracker per se. It can be different and perfumer Patricia de Nicolaï has proven this in an artful, elegant and extremely modern way.
The sandalwood immerses the creation in velvety, warm and cozy woody nuances, which are accompanied by fine fruity orange blossom creaminess and the still very clear hazelnut notes. The eau de parfum gradually fades to a milky, powdery finish with a gentle vanilla undertone. A crowning finale to this very special line, which will not only win over fans of nutty fragrances, but also anyone else who prefers refined, unusual and absolutely relaxed compositions. 🌰
Giveaway
We are giving away the following Nicolaï treasure, for which we would like to thank the distributor Onbrand Beauty:
- 1 x Gourmand Collection set with the fragrances Pavlova, Macaron Bourbon and Saint Honoré (15 ml each)
How do you get into the lottery pot? Very simple! Leave us a comment below this article by Sunday, 15.09.2024 and tell us which fragrance from the Gourmand Collection appeals to you the most. On Monday, 16.09.2024, we will inform the lucky winner by email.
You can find the conditions of participation here.
We wish you good luck 🙂
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