Number One

Ahhhh, Number One, you are a stunner!! Years ago, while visiting Las Vegas, I walked into one of the big casinos on the Strip (I really cannot recall which one now, sorry!), and was struck by the most gobsmackingly gorgeous scent wafting through (all casinos have a unique aroma created for their space). I thought "if only I knew what this was!!" Years later, I visited The Perfume House in Portland for the first time, on the hunt for a big white floral. Never having smelled anything from the house of Nicolai, I was invited to try Number One, aaaaand ...swoooooon!! It was that exact rich, deeply floral gorgeous scent I'd smelled in that casino (I'm sure it was not that exactly of course, but it was the closest I'd ever smelled to what I remembered). The jasmine, tuberose, orange blossom, all turned up to eleven and blended so masterfully together. While I adore this perfume, I rarely wear it, sadly, as it is in the vein of the 'big 80's white floral' style and so many people in today's world are so sensitive to the heavy hitters of yesteryear (eye roll). However, I've decided I'm going to wear the remainder of my bottle loud n proud and when the last drops run out? I'm gonna buy another bottle of this beauty! Those sensitive little snowflakes be damned! ;-)

The most distinguished note of the fragrance, namely, “Number One Nicolai Parfumeur Createur”, would be that of the early Spring flower, namely, “Galanthus”, to my perception. I, also, have had the impression of a base made as an infusion from the plant, namely, “Viola tricolor”, that we have as a soil covering plant at the front of the garden, in Sofia, Bulgaria. This fragrance has scents that I could find as being naturally derived. This nature could be responsible for its modulated projection that I prefer more than the subtle air of my favorite scents that are based on the plant, namely, “Iris”, and its earthy aspect as, namely, “Orris root”. I think there could be found a trace of some salt in the overall impression of the fragrance. I find that the impression of the clean late Winter air and the sound of the drops of the melting snows could be an accurate one that the use of this fragrance would give.

Fantastic! A pure breeze of delicacy and strident scents at the same time. At first testing, I thought the opening bizarre, sour, and almost painful, at second stroke I find all the flowers here in harmony. White flowers, petals, nothing more mixed in but pure essence of flowers. It has no green notes, but, it feels so natural that I can only think of the blossoms and their stems, and leaves- waxy, fleshy, or thin. So extremely fine, distinct, I wonder if it can be truly classified as a perfume...if not...botany in a bottle. The perfume itself lasted 2.5 to 3 hours. The base lasts another 2 to 3 hours. As it dries down, it becomes sweet, with a hint of "powder" After this phase, it changes. It changes twice. The sugar coating fades, the flowers return..then..it becomes..the most ultimate Mysore Sandal I have ever experienced.

Number one by Patricia de Nicolai is a beautiful bouquet where flowers and amber seem to embrace one each other in a lovely, sophisticated, scented hug. It is mainly composed by white flowers whose notes are particularly dear to the Nose behind it, the presence of tuberose is not towering - with its overwhelming presence - among the other components . From the beautiful opening up to the dry down its harmony never betrays you. Long lasting on me, BUT I can keep on smelling it on my cats even after a couple of days! (For instance: I DO NOT EVER SPRAY PERFUME on them but living together and holding them in my arms 'contamination' is a risky business!)

One of the most exquisite perfumes that has ever existed. But not in hot weather. Above 80°F (25°C) it is too overpowering on me. Fortunately, our Parisian climate is nearly always on the cool side! I wear this perfume to feel better about life. I wear it to remember that there is more to life than the little niggly details! I wear it to remember who I am deep down. It is so much more than a terrific perfume - it's a way of life!