Must de Cartier Gold

It seems akin to a candle, in the best possible way, slightly smokey. Like you're staying at the Ritz and this is the bathroom candle, next to a small teacup of Earl Grey. There's a green note which, on me, smells spa-clean. It's a niche kind of clean. To some, it may be cold and sterile. On me, it is warm and smokey without being sugary. Almost animalic on my skin. Classic but a very perfume-y perfume. It hits you in the face, on my body chemistry. A young woman (<30) might think she smells like her mother or grandmother because the impression is far from sexy, more dignified, but it is clearly femme. Young men might be put off this unless they have exceptional taste. This isn't a girl, this is a woman. Almost too green to begin with, this dries down into an exquisite Victoria sponge cake vanilla on me, the homemade kind where the vanilla is the good stuff. I make them, it's the smell of my late grandmother and childhood to me. People hunt me down in shops asking what this is, however, I believe my body chem is a rare compatibility so sample first. This is all I hoped for from it but again, test it on your skin to see if it works. I wanted to write a poetic review but this is too temperamental (so I'd hate to mislead) and smells 'old' as in established, which I like, but others may as readily hate. It's powdery like gourmet vanilla powder. Do not over-spray, whatever that means to you. It reads, in a word: MATURITY. It does vaguely remind me of church incense. Jasmine almost nil, creamy sense. I want to wear a pencil skirt to match this. Juice may stain clothes, beware. It vaguely reminds me of that faint mustiness in antique shops, in a reassuring way. I wanted something professional for work and this suits. There is no spice to make me sneeze but it seems like a fuzzy soft oriental, like a cozy jumper. I forget about the sillage but others pick it up, moderate density. Grade A, only wish it lasted a few hours longer. Please make a stronger version. I test with one spray and rub my wrists together gently, this was present for four to five hours noticed by myself, longer by others. Quite linear, smooth though. Bravo Cartier. Make it stronger.

Must Gold is a perfume I approached with seemingly impossible expectations: The old Must was, after all, the perfume that got me into perfumes; as a girl, I snuck spritzes of it from a classmate’s mom’s dresser. Must II, incredibly enough, I liked even better; it was the one I got for myself and wore for years; I still miss it and hoard the last few drops. So naturally, when I had my first sniff of Must Gold, I responded with an indignant, “Is this all?” A month later, including a sniff-till-you-drop weekend spree, I realized this was a too hasty dismissal, since no other recent scent stuck in my mind as much as Gold. I gave it another, less prejudiced try, and now it was an unqualified love. Instead of a watered down version of the original (which I might have been desperate enough to buy), I found something better: a new, unmistakably modern perfume, which shares just enough with the old to maintain a continuity of style yet nowhere near enough to be stuck in the past. Like a sleek piece of neo-baroque furniture, it keeps the outline, ditches the sentimental ornamentation, and adds a contemporary twist. As another reviewer said, “This is how you redo a classic!” I recommend it to fans of the old Must, as long as you understand the old days aren't coming back. To fans of Laura Biagiotti’s Roma, since the duo that Must Gold is all about—galbanum vs. vanilla—creates a similarly playful juxtaposition of top tartness and sweet base. To younger women who liked elements of Must and Roma but found them way too heavy on the whole. (This isn’t—it’s the airiest and freshest ‘oriental’ imaginable.) To anyone, really, who likes to smell *just* a bit different but not aggressively so. Must Gold has a touch of glamour, is easy to wear, and far too few people seem to have discovered it. As always, try before buying—noses differ and so do tastes—but don’t let this one slip by you unsniffed. There’s infinitely worse to be had at triple the price.

Update This one has really grown on me over the last few months. Yes it is soft, I still wish it projected more but it is longer lasting than I first thought. I keep it in my bedside table and I regularly use it as my bedtime perfume. I've even happily worn it as my daytime scent. I don't know what mood I was in when I originally posted my review but I think I was was a bit of a bitch really. I stand by the positive things I said but the negative are retracted. I would buy again but would like to try the original as I think that would be more my taste. Original review I really like this perfume. It's green, dry, a little bit powdery and very elegant. It's an oasis in a desert of edible smelling fragrances. Unfortunately it is so soft and is undetectable after less than an hour unless I put my nose to my wrist and inhale deeply. I also got the matching body lotion and this lasts longer and projects better than the EDP. If I was to wear it every day my 100mls would be gone in a couple of weeks as it needs to be reapplied every hour or so. I would recommend wearing it to an interview where you didn't want to offend with a strong scent. Spray it on before you go in, impress with your elegance and good taste and afterwards you can spray on your perfume of choice safe in the knowledge that GMDC will not effect it. I really wish this formed a very small, tasteful cloud around me, it is very beautiful and well blended but unfortunately this lady doesn't like me at all. I will enjoy her company but won't replace once empty.

This is an outstanding fragrance - both sheer quality -wise, and in it's nature & composition also. It instantly yells-out "this is something truly distinctive ... and distinguished !". At my first draught of it my instantaneous thought, sprung partly from some degree of frustration at not being able to decide what to get, was "now we've really got something here! ". So the secret is galbanum , is it? I tend to think osmanthus plays a bigger rôle here than the notes-votes here would have it. So let's say then that galbanum is a big-player in it at least ... so this is a galbanummy-osmanthussy fragrance then. I'm sure that idiom cannot have lain undiscovered for so long (this is no vintage fragrance afterall (2015 wasn't it?)); but the question as to what else rocks it is academic, really, as this sets so very high a bar I cannot see whatever else there might be vaulting it! Ah yes! Jasmine as well. I was coming to the conclusion here that there is jasmine in this ... really - I was ! ... I am getting slowly better at this notes-analysis lark. What a synergy it is then! Update Having now given this a really thorough wearing, I've come to the conclusion that osmanthus is very substantially under-represented in the notes scale on this page. Not as much as I first thought when I looked at the ordering only, before I checked the numbers; but still a lot. This stuff just gushes the osmanthus note!

My mom is in love with this perfume everytime I wear it. I have 3 samples and I love it, but the price is higher than I usually spend. My mom says it smell different from my other perfumes and would be a nice add to my collection. It smells vanilla sweet, very sweet with a earthy after smell that I like. It's warm, creamy, luxurious. I'm surprise at the reviews, for me, it's heavy and long lasting, still smell strong after hours and I could still sniff it on my decollete the day after (which I don't really like because I wear different perfume everyday). This is my personal experience, but I have a weird summery sad nostalgic feeling wearing this perfume, like when I listen Sketch For Summer by The Durutti Column. I don't know if this is because I'm trying the perfume in spring. What I don't like with the samples is the orange colour of the perfume and the liquid seems dense too, I wear my perfume in the cleavage and I'm always afraid it will stain my bra / clothes, I don't know about the full bottle, but I would be careful. I will use my samples more before making a choice, but I can see myself buying it in the future. Edit: I bought it! It's one of my favorites.

Later edit: I rated both sillage and longevity as "moderate" BUT I feel there is a serious difference between the top notes - that have strong sillage - and the base notes that are extremely discreet - so to speak. Also, I was tempted to spray over Gold the Cartier Baiser Vole (on one wrist I had the pure "Gold" and on the other the combination with "Baiser"): the top, middle and base notes became much stronger, while the longevity improved dramatically. After 12h the "pure" Gold almost doesn't feel, while the "combination" feels clearly. The surprise is that Baiser Vole actually "served"/"fixed" Must Gold, as the dry-down after >12h is very much like Must Gold (and NOT a bit Baiser Vole). Original Edit: The top notes are very oriental-woody, but the dry-down is gorgeously creamy and balmy and very similar with the dry-down of Roma by Laura Biagiotti, in my opinion. (And Initial by Boucheron?)

I bought Must EDT for a song (recent formula) and liked it. However, it's just a "crisper" Obsession (not as creamy/thick). So when I saw this, I put it on my radar. Bought a bottle off ebay, and I really really like it. This is my preferred Must. It still smells like Must EDT/Obsession yet it doesn't.... it's simple and cleaner/crisper and I ADORE the greenery in the beginning. Galbanium and Vanilla? Those may be my two fave notes! Fans of Lalique Le Parfum (the herbal/pine vanilla) would like this I think. I would like a backup of this. For sure.

This fragrance reminds me of the 1970's fragrances. I love it! I have the EDT, and it is pretty long lasting on me. It's just so rich and beautiful. Good value and wonderful fragrance for the $$. Give it a try, it's a vintage smell to me. My bottle looks exactly like the one shown here. I have tried any Cartier fragrances before, but of the two, Must and Le Panther, I prefer Must. I guess to me, it just means I MUST have this...lol....give it a try if you want to smell rich and feminine. If it works on your chemistry, you will understand.

This beauty was added to and removed from my want list several times as I didn't have the opportunity to test it and was unsure about the green notes. On some level I knew that it was something special. I can certainly see how it may be off the beaten path for most vanilla lovers, but it is absolutely as smooth and luxurious as other reviews have described. While the opening has an obscure smokey quality that first presents as musk, the dry down is worth the short wait with that deeply rich vanilla-jasmine finale. Loving it.

Must de Cartier Gold is a wonderful balance of warm and green, it smells the best on a cool and windy autumn/winter day, it warms me up without becoming cloying or heavy. I respect what Cartier has done with their classics, I like their new La Panthere and even more so, their 21st century Must. They kept the old school vibe, but made the scents more modern, easier to wear in a world which is no longer filled with cigarette smoke. There's so much nostalgia for all things vintage, but good modern can be really good 😊

This is a perfume I would call daring, but which people in the main do not call that. To me, this is an animalic bad girl, whatever you might tell me about it having no animalic constituents - which I'm not sure I would believe anyway. (By 'animalic' is here meant substances having the animalic odour profile, regardless of whether their source is the organs of an actual animal.) I do think the naming of this fragrance is after the 'must' or 'musth' that is the rutting of the male elephant.

Gooddd...this is wonderful...but really! I liked it more than the original, which for me it ́s a little bit strong and smells like Obsession. This smells rich, fresh, feminine, strong...it has a 80 ́s vibe but at the same timme an airy-fresh touch, which makes it very modern and wearable. I Picture a Woman from the 80 ́s Ads, wearing an Armani suit conquering the world...very classy and powerful...my next purchase for sure. Congratulations Cartier! Masterpiece!

@h_fallata Yes it is the same. Vanilla darkens naturally over time, as do certain other perfume ingredients without having a significant impact on the scent. When I originally bought mine the juice was a warm gold color, but now a few years later the juice is dark red. Still smells great - lovely tart galbanum, sweet vanilla and subtle floral nuances. A safe blind-buy without being too generic or derivative.

Now this is a green vanilla. No cake, no sugared cream, no marshmallow - a grown up green vanilla with a bite of spicy galbanum. A bit resinous, some sweet but that's from the osmanthus, a fruity velvet peachy, leathery smell. I don't get CK Obsession, but maybe the resin and spice? The list of notes doesn't explain this one, you must smell it. A bit pricey nowadays because of the secondary market.

It boggles my mind why this is never mentioned when vanilla fragrances are mentioned. The green tones with the rich almost honeyed vanilla gives way to a smoky tea Olive and Jasmine heart that updates the iconic Must brand for Cartier. Much like Tom Ford updated youth dew with his Amber nude Must Gold echos the past while streamlined for modern era. A great updated idea on a classic.

Gorgeous! Classy! Aromatic and warm. Just like real parfumes should smell like. Galbanum entwines with vanilla and osmanthus perfectly, never too bitter, never too green. Gold, green and chocolate brown colors mixed to become a scent. Highly recommended, especially to people looking for a grown-up scent that is classy but not dated. Great job Cartier!

Gorgeous blend of bitter and sharp galbanum with a spicy vanilla drydown. Very green and aromatic but has a nice balance of warmth that makes it perfect for autumn and winter. Sits just at arms' length for me though it's quite strong coming out of the bottle. I go noseblind to this at around the 5 hr mark, but I get compliments throughout the day.

The sumptuousness of this opulent fragrance on air my sensory. Fabulous. Triumph of galbanum and fresh green notes in accord with jasmine and a declared osmanthus. Green and floral riot of great caliber difficult to match. The base notes become enveloping and sweet with the complicity of vanilla. Distinctly green sillage, excellent durability.

It smells so goooooood. This is a Must younger sister for sure. This frag doesn't want to please all (in comparison to many new ones on the market , that are so shy and polite). My association is a young sothisticated lady wearing this scent, she knows her assets and is not showing off. It is clean, fresh, very recognizable and unforgettable.

I used MUST and I couldn't wait to end it. Extremely strong, suffocating, dominant fragrance that I liked only after 5-6 hours after spraying. Unlike it Must Gold surprised me extremely pleasant. Very luxurious, dense perfume, highly resembling the original, but much more softened, smoothed, warm and muted. I love it!