Cruise Collection Escale a Pondichery

Warning: Dior Pondichery is DISCONTINUED. So, I'll be straight with you all- after ordering over 20 samples from PerfumedCourt 2 years ago, multiple wearings, paper strip tests, skin tests- for both my nose and my husbands, this was the winner. Hands down, from everything we tried, this was it. Versace Crystal Noir was somewhat in the ballpark but that soapy drydown- I just couldn't get past it. Dior Pondichery was it! I was excited, I found a new signature scent! And then they F*^%*(*@#% discontinued it. Of the three Escale fragrances, why on earth Dior decided to keep the very boring sea salt and lime Portofino baffles me. Completely baffles me. I can think of at least 10 different fragrances with the exact same scent profile. If you try to find Pondichery online, you're looking at a solid $200 for even a used bottle- it's that sought after. And there's a reason- it's amazing. It has a soft sweet spicy tea opening with a hint of lime and ginger at the back of your nose- but it's delicate. It's intentional. A lot of folks complain about the projection and sillage of the Escale line and to that I say, it's a matter of preference. Some people want to drown in a scent, others want it to be a little more gentle, and it works here. The drydown is even better than the opening- no acidics or alcohol, it uses that soft sweet tea jasmine to carry you through to the end. The end finally reveals the sandalwood with that lingering jasmine and a little tea- it's special. Reminds me of being in a quiet magical bookshop or something. The closest I have found so far is Jovoy's Remember Me, (more tea, softer, closer to skin scent than pondichery) or Aqua Allegoria Ginger Piccante (stronger ginger opening but very similar drydown), and Wulong Cha Nishane (heavier on the tea, no florals). As a side note, in my hunt for Pondichery, I tried Hermes Twilly Ginger- and while they are not that similar at all, I'm buying that too. It was gorgeous for me so maybe if you liked Pondichery you'd like that as well? Very different but in the same zipcode.

Escale a Pondichery is like a summer breeze on a hot day - refreshing, cooling and carefree. There is a class and quality in this fragrance. And though the composition is not complicated, it does not smell cheap or boring. The gentle tea note mixes lovely with a delicate slice of lemon and hint of cardamom. Nothing is overdone here; the scent is light and breezy to perfection. The feeling that I get from this fragrance is of a quiet beach on a clear summer day with strong cool winds coming from the depth of the ocean and hot waves of sun from overhead. Dior did manage to create a lovely coastal landscape with this scent without going into salty aquatic territory. And when I look at gorgeous pictures of Pondicherry city located in India on the Bay of Bengal, I do think that the scent captures the vacation destination quite nicely. I love tea fragrances and Escale a Pondichery is one of my favorites. The tea note dominates the scent right from the start. In the opening there is a lovely addition of lemon and I think a bit of bergamot. The spices are just enough in the heart to give it a slight kick. There is a very gentle floral tone to the heart but if I did not see the jasmine as a note, I would not guess it. There is absolutely nothing indolic about the jasmine note in this fragrance. It is quite refreshing and light here. The wood base is serene and pleasant. The sillage is noticeable but light. The longevity is medium. I like to re-apply throughout a day. Overall score 8.5/10. Lovely tea fragrance with lots of class and excellent quality. I use it a lot in summer time and definitely recommend.

This is one of the best tea fragrances ever created. My favorites have always been Bvlgari and L'Occitane for my tea fix. Actually, I dismissed this on first sniff thinking it was rather common and predictable. I couldn't even believe that it is Dior. My mistake. It wasn't until I tried it out that I came to realize its beauty. It is well blended and it mellows softly on the skin like most tea fragrances do. However, it has something more. It has these luxe nuances that may only be discernible to the wearer but they sure add something special to the experience. It's like taking a warm herbal bath someplace far and exotic. Like a regal "me time". You know the feeling you get when you're wearing a luxurious lingerie? Only you knows about it but it feels indescribable. I can't believe I am about to say this but I think this fragrance is sexy in that subtle way. I get the tea, the cardamom, and the flowers but they work beautifully together. Lasting power is amazing too.

I loved this from the first dip of my nose into the spice box. Way back in 2009 I decided it was time to give up waiting for Chanel to come back to their senses and return Cristalle to her former glory so I struck out on a journey for a new summer fragrance. I recall now having seen an advert for this fragrance line in a Vanity Fair mag so I headed over to the fragrance counter of the nearest department store. The clerk attempted to push heavy florals on me but I knew I wanted something light and fresh. Back and forth deciding between Portofino and Pondicherry but the later won. Yes it has poor longevity and low sillage but it hits the perfect note of balance between spice, floral and wood. Did I have to reapply often? Yes, but I didn't care, this fragrance was perfect light, warm, sultry and memorable. Did I lose my heart? Yes, because Dior discontinued :( Alas it's onto other fragrances but oh how I miss this beauty.

I just managed to get a hold of a 75ml in an obscure small town perfume shop, at half the price of any regular 50ml bottle. After spotting it lost behind all the J'adore bottles, I was in doubt whether to buy this or not, as there was no tester and I could not try it, but I decided to give it a go, as I read online it's been discontinued, and I'm just obsessed with collecting vintage perfumes. The perfume per se is a very fresh, summery scent, although it could work for colder days. it opens very citric and tea intense, like one of those black citrus teas you would find at a specialty store. The cardamom is also quite noticeable, and gives it a nice spicy edge. This is a very nice, every day fragrance, specially for warmer days, I would also wear it to a night outdoor party. I'm glad I found this, and although I tend to go for heavier patchouli based scents, it's a nice addition to my collection.