Heya Perfume Posse Peeps, Portia from Australian Perfume Junkies with sad news of the demise as three Parfums de Nicolai suffer discontinuations. They are being put out to pasture due to sad sales figures and have been reported over the last month on BaseNotes, MakeUp Alley (MUA) and Perfume of Life.

Bois De Jasmin UPDATE: Le Temps d’une Fête will be available on demand. Vanille Tonka will remain in the collection. Sacrebleu Eau de Toilette will be removed from the catalog, but the plush Intense version will remain.

Parfums de Nicolai – Discontinuations

Le Temps d’Une Fete 2007

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Galbanum, opoponax
Heart: Narcissus, jasmine
Base: Oakmoss, sandalwood, patchouli, woody notes

I have long read about Parfums de Nicolai; Le Temps d’Une Fete on The Muse In Wooden Shoes blog, it is one of her favourites, even in its current form which changed slightly through reformulation not so long ago. When I read that they were discontinuing it I ran and panic blind bought 100ml with a 20% coupon I had from Parfum1. PHEW!!!

Boy, the opening green, green, green is warmed through with resinous, sappy, creamy goodness that gives me a real sense of cutting soft stemmed flowers from the garden, but also the smell of freshly cut hedge after the gardener has left and everything looks so neat and perfect that I have wander around and enjoy it. We currently have the prettiest narcissus flowering in the sun/sitting room and for the first time ever I can tell which bits are aiming to replicate them and which other bits are the naughty, indolic, sensual jasmine which may be also being given an extra push by the opening resin and closing patchouli. This is not a strong scent but it is fragrant and so other from anything else I have, I don’t find much correlation between its often compared CHANEL #19 or Guerlain Chamade, which it is sometimes referenced to. I do like some green in my fragrance and there are so many lovely ones, this is in my new fave Top 3 greens alongside Nikki de Saint Phalle and CHANEL No 19. I am sad that I’ve come to Le Temps d’Une Fete so late but now I have 100ml, life is pretty good.

Further reading: Bois de Jasmin and The Muse In Wooden Shoes

Vanilla Tonka 1997

Fragrantica give these featured accords:
Top: Basil, lemon, mandarin oils
Heart: Carnation, orange blossom absolute, pepper oil, cinnamon oil
Base: Incense, vanilla absolutes, Tonka bean

I am not sure of what I was expecting with Parfums de Nicolai; Vanille Tonka, no, that’s a lie. From it’s name I was expecting Vanilla and Tonka, and while both are represented and shown in lovely soft focus swirling through all the other notes it is not what I got. I am not complaining really but why would you call something Vanille Tonka and then put them mainly in the background? Could this basic misnomer be the cause of Vanille Tonka’s unpopularity?

The herbaceous and citrus opening is unusual and makes me smile every time. So unexpected even when you are expecting it. It smells lush and luxe to me. The heart is spiced white flowers, I love the orange blossom in Vanille Tonka, matched with the citrus opening and the spices it becomes flirty and playful and I am not sure if it’s the orange blossom or the arrival of Tonka but the whole fragrance takes a left at sweet, fleshy, human and breathy street. All of a sudden all flirtiness is gone and we are into sensual pleasures. Curled up with a lover on a flokati rug in front of a smokeless fire and eating soft caramels, it’s early evening after a day of go go go and finally you can just relax. Vanille Tonka is as comfortable as MdO’s Vanille, as wearable, welcoming, sensual and interesting but around half the price. I am left with a wash of sweeter smelling me after 4 hours, it is soft but noticeably better than my regular scent.

Further reading: The Non Blonde and A Perfume Blog

Sacrebleu 1993

Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Mandarin orange, fruits, red berries
Heart: Carnation, tuberose, jasmine, cinnamon
Base: Olibanum, woody notes, vanilla, patchouli, sandalwood, peru balsam, tonka bean

So Parfums de Nicolai: Sacrebleu will still be available in its Sacrebleu Intense form. We are losing the original. I have been lucky enough to get one of the last bottles of Sacrebleu from Neroli Budapest, whostill have some.

The opening of citrus and fruit is zingy and fun yet already they are couched in a resinous bed that gives a warm and interesting heft to Sacrebleu, surprisingly I get more pepper in Sacrebleu than I can find in Vanille Tonka. As the opening burns off white flowers come on in both prim and sensual, like accidentally sexy. They are joined by some spicy carnation and cinnamon but I can only really tell they are spicy, not what is what. The woodsy sweetness of the base plays elegantly through the heart and weaves through the flowers and sometime the citrus pops its head back in like a recurring theme.

Memories of wandering through Pacific Island resort gardens with jasmine, frangipani and tiare blooming, the dew wet woodchips warming in the morning sun as you stroll towards the breakfast buffet under the thatch roofed, highly polished wood walkways. Sacrebleu is cozy and intimate, perfect for the cool of Sydney winter but i could also imagine it being beautiful in the heat and really blooming. I get around 4 hours before I lose all ability to smell Sacrebleu on myself.

Further reading: Now Smell This, Perfume Posse and Olfactoria’s Travels

 WHERE CAN YOU FIND THEM?

Neroli Budapest still have Sacrebleu and Vanille Tonka
Parfum1, LuckyScent and FishPond (in Australia) still have Vanilla Tonka and Le Temps d’Une Fete
Surrender To Chance has Sacrebleu (Intense), Vanilla Tonka and Le Temps d’Une Fete from around the $4 mark

I hope you have enjoyed wandering through my fragrant musings, if you liked this then trot on over to Australian Perfume Junkies. we love visitors.

Portia xx

All Photos Stolen Fragrantica