Deadly Nightcap

A grown up orange sherbet with herbal touches and green undertones. Opens with a creamy and zesty orange cocktail smell accompanied by warm and earthy cardamom. The heart is where the herbal and booziness pick up, it’s a dry cocktail garnished wirh cypress and sharp juniper. The dry down becomes much woodier, dry and herbal, but with soft remnants of that creamy citrus lingering.

Beautiful creamy composition. The Campari has a beautiful sweet orange note that is turned into a creamy, almost orange creamsicle accord along with the vetiver. The heart is herbaceous and aromatic, yielding a romantic, mysterious, and seductive fragrance. I feel this is very unisex and could be a daily driver.

I got a tester of this and the smell is so intoxicating. It smells like an orange cream soda with some woody notes in there. I can't wait until my full size bottle comes in.

At first when I opened it it smelled like men’s cologne. Upon first spraying it, it smelled like soap. After I smelled it a third time I realized it smelled like a sort of smashed berry gin and tonic. I do enjoy it but it took some getting used to.

Approaching the culmination of my Curatrix journey, today I turn my attention to Deadly Nightcap. This particular sample wasn't actually a purchase; it found its way to me serendipitously, sent by accident with another order. Upon examining its note breakdown, I was immediately struck by some truly interesting inclusions, notably the gin and campari—a note I've never encountered in a fragrance before. My curiosity is piqued, eager to discover what kind of unique concoction Curatrix has created. Let's get into it and see what awaits. Opening The opening is a complex interplay of sweet warmth, intriguing spice, and vibrant citrus zest. The primary notes that immediately register are cardamom, orange, campari, and gin, with cardamom and orange standing as the most prominent. The cardamom immediately greets my nose with a spicy, camphorous, and subtly sweet accord. This isn't the typical cardamom one might find in a fragrance like D&G's The One; it presents as sweeter, carrying a distinct "medicinal" undertone, yet not so pronounced as to be challenging or off-putting. It reminds me of the cardamom in Creed's Centaurus, but without the "Vicks Vapo-Rub" quality. Trailing closely behind the cardamom is the orange, imbuing the opening with a bright, rindy citrus accord underscored by inviting sweet nuances. Next, campari and gin weave into the composition. As I mentioned, campari is a note entirely new to my olfactory experience, and here it unfolds as a distinctively herbal, subtly bitter accord with underlying sweet and floral tones. Lastly, the gin lingers gracefully in the background with a boozy accord remarkably similar to that of juniper berries—spicy, piney, and aromatic. Some have drawn comparisons to an "orange cream" with this opening, and I do indeed pick up on that nuanced suggestion. Dry Down The dry down settles into a harmonious blend of lingering sweetness, warm spice, and grounding woodiness. The primary notes I continue to discern are cardamom, campari, gin, and cedarwood, with cardamom and campari holding the strongest positions. The cardamom remains the central focus in the dry down, maintaining its familiar sweet and camphorous accord; little has changed in that regard. The campari, however, has gained in strength, delivering a more robust dose of its unique herbal, floral, and bittersweet tones from the opening. This evolving core is then joined by gin and cedarwood. The gin continues to provide its distinct boozy and juniper berry-esque accord, albeit now slightly more subtle. Lastly, the cedarwood emerges to create a base of gentle but persistent woodiness, serving as a steadfast foundation for the other notes to perform upon. The "orange cream" accord is still somewhat present in the dry down, though less pronounced than in the opening. Performance The initial projection is remarkably strong, effortlessly filling a room. Sillage matches that intensity with an intensely noticeable scent trail. At approximately the four-hour mark, the projection remained robust, still holding at around six feet, and the scent trail was still easily discernible. By the seven-hour mark, the projection had lightened considerably, settling to about arm's length, and the scent trail was only faintly noticeable. The fragrance ultimately receded to a skin scent shortly thereafter. When to Wear Deadly Nightcap reveals itself to be a surprisingly versatile fragrance, capable of being worn year-round, day or night. Its balanced character also lends it well to a variety of scenarios—anything from casual to formal occasions, special events, or even office wear if applied with a light hand, showcasing its adaptability. Blind Buy I would not classify Deadly Nightcap as a safe blind buy, primarily due to the unique nature of its campari note and the distinctive, almost "medicinal" quality of its prominent cardamom. However, if you possess an appreciation for cardamom in all its diverse manifestations and enjoy exploring new and unconventional notes, this could certainly be a compelling experience for you. Final Verdict Deadly Nightcap proved to be a rather interesting wearing experience. As my first encounter with a "campari" note, I harbored uncertainty regarding what to anticipate. I had initially imagined a very overtly boozy scent, especially with the inclusion of gin. And while there was indeed a discernible booziness, it didn't quite evoke the sensation of an alcoholic mixed drink as I had thought it might. Instead, the fragrance maintained a strong focus on the cardamom, from its opening moments through to its dry down. Furthermore, the performance, while not poor, wasn't quite as robust as the other Curatrix fragrances I've experienced. It didn't last as long as their more tenacious offerings. Overall, I would frankly say this is my least favorite Curatrix creation thus far. The scent profile simply doesn't quite align with my personal preferences; it leans a bit feminine for my taste, and the performance, while decent, left me wanting more compared to the impressive longevity of their other scents. Needless to say, I won't be purchasing this because of the poor customer experience I had with the house. But even if that weren't the case, I'd still probably pass on this one. Tomorrow, I will be reviewing my final Curatrix sample, and I am earnestly hoping to conclude this journey on a more positive note. Scent: 6/10 Longevity: 7/10 Sillage: 8/10 Versatility: Excellent Mass Appeal: Low Gender: Unisex, leaning feminine Value: Overpriced