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!

This is sublime scent and one of my 'signature' fragrances. Nobody wears it in Australia. Even though it is a classic it is still unusual enough to be noticed. I always get compliments wearing this. It has replaced Chanel No. 5 as a simple go-to when I can't decide what to wear and I carry it in a travel atomiser in my handbag because it goes with whatever I wear and at any time of the day.

Beautiful quality perfume. Extraordinary!! I adore it to death!!

This immediately impresses as a good quality floral in its opening notes. It's very powdery though (make-up compact powdery as opposed to scented talc). I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, tuberose is a floral I struggle with in larger amounts, and it's apparent in Number One from the start. But the dry down is lovely - it becomes warmer, softer more buttery but at the same time has a subtle chypre effect (though it retains its warm summer floral feel. It almost heads towards sweet, but unlike Patou's Sira des Indes or Micallef's Ylang in Gold, it doesn't tip over into sweet pudding or icecream! Part of the warmth might the light animalic note of cassis or blackcurrant bud It's well balanced with a warm, intimate, relaxed feel in dry down that I often find lacking in tuberose florals (sometimes they turn slightly bitter on me). Number One isn't loud, strident, trying too hard, nor is it too 'beachy' , tropical or obvious. It's elegant, yet it has the feel of a very relaxed island holiday (though I can absolutely see this worn in the city, or at work, excuding an air of relaxed femininity and warmth. I can see it on a curvacious woman in her mid 30s upwards who's comfortable in her skin and has a lovely warm manner) But I personally won't buy a full bottle as it feels a bit too conventional for me, also it somewhat reminds me of perfumes I remember from the 80s (maybe it was this one!) Nonetheless I think it's a very elegant, soft warm floral and I can see why lots of people love it Sillage and longevity seem light to moderate if not heavily applied

I finally had a chance to smell this one at Excence and I was highly impressed! White flowers as if it was raining, but very stable, never morphing to strange effects and powerful, very powerful! I agree it is slightly soapy and supported by oriental notes, but above all Number One is an ode to feminity, both romantic and intense. The staying is great, even if the scent fades very gradually and it becomes a soft swift of a white rich garden on my skin, not so invading after a couple of hours but still there in its magnificence. It reminds me of Jardins de Bagatelle, but less cloying and more intense. Parfums de Nicolai has really beautiful scents!

This is a simply lovely, expensive-smelling and elegant white floral. White florals are anathema to me because of instant migraine, and this is the only one I can wear without getting sick. It is creamy, gorgeous and long-lasting. I think it would be the ultimate bridal fragrance. I don't wear it very often because I'm no bride, but anyone who loves white florals really should try it.

Very strange animalic urine tones on me- yikes! what happened to my beloved white flowers? Someone peed on them...

I'm beginning to think that me and black currant just can't get along...

Mixed white florals are often either a fusion of the flowery elements (eg. Amouage Gold) or an imagined flower (eg Patou’s Joy, Lauder’s Beyond Paradise.) Clearly the above perfumes tell you that either of theses approaches can be successful. Number One’s trick, though, is to give a bouquet where the individual flowers keep their own identities. There’s a citrusy opening and a nuanced musky vanilla at the base, but 90% of Number One is flowers: jasmine, narcissus, tuberose and orange blossom. Each of them and all of them. The standard, antiseptic blending of white-to-white is expected, but what distinguishes Number One is the line connecting the unwashed. Narcissus to jasmine; a wet greenness. Jasmine to orange blossom; indoles. Orange blossom to tuberose, flesh. Pretty is fine, but Number One shows that pretty with a hint of malice is much more interesting. I can smell the origins of both Odalisque and Le Temps d’une Fete in Number One, yet each of the three perfumes is distinct from the others. They aren’t just serial issues, flankers. Artistry involves the ongoing creative exploration of ideas, and though a family resemblance is an outcome, it is just a starting point for the different directions Patricia de Nicolai’s perfumes take. I have room for all three in my life. In fact, I’m waiting for more.

This is one of the few PdN feminines that didn't scream "BUY ME!" in my ear. That is probably because it is, in my opinion, very close to being a chypre floral, and I like very few chypres. Although it is not listed as such here, it does have a distinctively chypre quality to my nose, and the PdN website lists oakmoss as a component. Very pleasant, nonetheless. The fragrance starts with subtle galbanum and some tart blackcurrant, and then there is a hint of marigold, which is a difficult note for me to wear, but it is not oppressive here. The other florals (orange blossom, jasmine, rose, and carnation) are well-blended and lovely but seem to hide behind the mossy, woody base - just as shy children will hide in their mothers' skirts, peeking out occasionally. The base is, as I mentioned, emphatically chypre in my opinion, strengthened by sandalwood and amber. Beautifully done, and if I were more attracted by this type of fragrance, I'd find it full-bottle-worthy. It is less strident than many a chypre floral I've tried, and has a warmth and softness that entices me.

I have given Number One several tries and it's always the same result. Too soapy! Its very floral, which is fine, but they are not working well together. Something in the mix is playing the role of the naughty child and bringing down the others. I cannot reproach the rose or the jasmine as they are calmly placing themselves in the outskirts. I don't want to cast blame but if I had to I would guess either iris or black current are stirring up the trouble. In the end, all I can smell is a fancy bar of soap not worthy of a floral perfume by a respected name such as this.

Classy floral scent. On me it is almost like two perfumes. At the start I get a very dominant tuberose note which brings to mind scents like Giorgio (though nowhere near as overpowering). But as it wears on it changes and becomes a soft floral chypre and quite soapy, reminiscent of Cartier's So Pretty which I like. Long lasting too. This one gets a thumbs up from me.

One of the few in the sampler that I wasn't really a fan of, only because it reminds me of the nation of islam oils you can get in NYC, and there's one called china musk with the same profile. That being said, it is a feminine scent so me being a male what do I know.

Orange blossom with faint oriental supporting notes. It's okay, a bit more watery floral than I go for, but with sweet lush flower notes. Since I'm not a huge orange blossom fan, I'll pass on this one, but I recommend it to those who are as a light summer scent.

White flowers well done. Reminds me much of Guerlains Jardin de Bagatelle, only lighter and not so easily overpowering that lovely can be JdB. Must have for me.

elegant yet warm, high quality, approachable tuberose & white flowers. . .lasts forever, more like a perfume, and still smells good the morning after.