Maharanih

I find difficult to call this potion a 'fragrance' in a strict way, for me this is a charming feast, obtained while mixing together normally, contrasting aromas. Those who regard Patricia de Nicolai as a classical Nose, should look at Maharanih with more attention as in this frag I cannot find any classicism apart from the presence of good ingredients (today not always so available, even in prestigious brands), the typical 3 phases is here skipped and I cannot see any evolution after you spray it but.... you find a quite different aroma after it has settled down: indeed it takes a while before expressing itself at its best, let's say some hours (I find it so typical both of de Nicolai and of A.Tauer's production) Really long lasting and 'maharanihsh' sillage!

This is very nice fragrance. Perfect for spring, very comforting and cozy. There is a lot going on when it reaches your skin. First, an explosion of dirty citruses, mostly very juicy oranges. I couldn’t imagine before that citruses can be somehow dirty but it is happening. Second white flowers and a little bit of roses with carnation. Then the earthy patchouli and cinnamon but not too strong and not dusty at all. The civete is always present giving slight dirtiness and kind of metallic sting. Really I never had experience with other fragrance like this one. Worth try. But you should avoid it if you like mass-market typical fragrances. This is for people who is maniac :-).

This is very weird. There is an animalistic and sharp blood orange with bits of cinnamon at the opening. At the first moment I enjoyed this, actually, very much. When the carnation starts to appear the perfume gets REALLY weird, the carnation is very green and smells more like leaves not flower, so this green note kinda ruins everything for a moment. The civet starts to appear more and more, and it's no animalistic any more, now it's urine. Sharp urine that someone tried to cover with some sweet freshnerer. Did not work. UPD: But I might add that I steel feel tempted to sniff my wrist all the time. Did not know that I like stinkers.

Kinda meh for me at first application. But give it a few minutes and it warms up. I can definitely smell the orange and zest then while the immediate opening seems to be all flowers. Carnation fleets by too. Alas, it doesn't stay as interesting since it seems to be mainly oranges and I find myself wanting a little spice to well, spice it up. Soft sandalwood more evident in the drydown. Average staying power.

Oh dear. I just received a blind sample of this and threw caution to the wind and sprayed it straight onto my skin. This was not a good move for me. Do you know cats? The animals, small, furry, weird yet endearing, often kept as pets. Well you know that smell when cats spray to mark their territory? Imagine your cat has sprayed inside your house for some reason, and you have tried to clean the smell with orange scented disinfectant and when that hasn't fully removed the smell you have sprayed cinnamon scented air freshener in the vicinity. It really wasn't good on me or to my nose. Admittedly after about 90 nauseating minutes it was beginning to soften into a citrus sharp cinammon musk that although really wasn't for me I could see how some people might like it. But, and this is a bit rude so I apologise, it just was reminding me at that stage of, ahem, well imagine if vaginas could smoke cigarettes. And this particular vagina had spent most of the day hidden away under some polyester knickers, but on finishing work takes its polyester pants off, lights up a cigarette and reaches for some orange juice (from concentrate) but accidentally spills the juice over itself. Orange juicy cigarettes over tired sweaty lady garden.I mean, that isn't a good smell! Sorry for the vulgarity! Well I have had to do something I seldom do, and scrub. 3 times. With soap and then with shampoo and then with body scrub. Civet seems to be a complicated note for me. In perfumes such as Coco Chanel, Shalimar, Obsession, 1000, First etc it is wonderful and really lends something extra to the scent. But in other things it just goes so so badly wrong on my skin. If your skin loves civet and you like tangy spicy and slightly sharp smells then this could be wonderful for you. But please exercise caution and sample this first because on me it was an utter disaster.

I am under strict instructions from my dear friend Ash to quit malingering in my newlywed status and write more reviews, lickety-split! So lets begin with Maharanih, a fruity little number with an slick demeanour. Opening in a ghoulish 80s manner, vicious aftershave-esque tendrils reaching through time to bitchslap one wide awake, it is a most shocking sensation. Snapped grudgingly into hyper-reality, I am soon perturbed by unbidden emotions of indiscriminate nature. How can such a simple sweet oily orange spinning like a top on a cinnamon stick manage to bypass my cynicism and get me right in the goolies (so to speak)? I suspect the queen Maharanih is a Succubus, evoking emotion and feeding off it shamelessly, leaving only the dross of seediness behind - a sandalwood tree having been violated by a civet cat. Maharanih - the world's naughtiest blood orange.

I can definitely understand some of the other reviews. I like animalic smells and musk smells fluffy rather than dirty on me. But Maharanih? It opens with a dry herbal smell, which then gives way to orange juice with a dash of cat urine. I can still smell it the day after application, and I'd like it to go away now, please.

Big no no for me. I smell bitter orange and not much else. Boring and in no way sexy or even nice.

Civet is one of the notes that doesn't work for me. I have ordered this sample out of curiosity and in the hope that Nicolai with their interesting, often mesmerizing creations could manage to ease my dislike of this note in some way...and I admit that the civet here has a modern twist, "contemporary" and fresh somehow, but the truth is that the note also smacks you in the face from the very start and never really leaves the centre-stage. Thus on me this fragrance reads like a very "clean" (if that makes sense), herb-y, lemony, little floral wee. :-) Still, I think it's an interesting scent for those who like or tolerate civet and as judged by the other reviews, pretty controversial too, which is not necessarily a bad feature. Not that bad at all, I must say :-)

Not my taste, started off pleasant enough if a bit heavy on the patchouli, passed through an incense phase that was acceptable, but has dried to the vintage face powder accord that I have learned to fear in more classic fragrances - didn't expect it in this modern niche fragrance but there you are, it lasted about 7 hours doing various "OK but not my taste" things, and then turned into the same face powder smell I get with Habanita after 4 hours and with Tabac Blond after about 10 minutes. But at least the Habanita is really exciting for those 4 hours!

I recently tried Jean Pascal, and in that one, the civet was too strong. Here, it is just right, though of course some don't like it at all. The thing is that the orange cuts the animalic and floral elements, making them bearable. I find it to be unisex, though I can't imagine the fresh/aquatic/sport crowd liking this. There is great balance among the florals, orange, and "dirty" oriental base, and it's so strong a small bottle will last a long time. This is for someone who knows exactly what he or she is seeking.

There is something about this fragrance that comes across as gothic, Victorian, antique, but I'm not sure why. I can't distinguish notes easily; they are well-blended into something else. Interesting, I need to sample this again...

I was unsure at first about the very bitter and to my nose almost savoury top notes but it quite quickly softened to a lovely warm, slightly spicy citrus scent which by the end of the day I was completely in love with.

This is like if someone would try to marry Theo Fennell Scent with Guet Apens, plus add huge amount of sweet orange which is totally out of place here. Confusing scent, there are much better orientals.