PERNOIRE
OTIMO

2024

PERFUMER
Andreas Wilhelm

quince
cardamom
rum

praline
tonka bean
patchouli
tobacco

cedarwood
osmanthus
vanilla

‘Personality: Pride. After defeat, the phoenix rises as a prouder, more powerful, and majestic creature. Unfazed by obstacles, it soars higher, destined to conquer and achieve its goals. This bird symbolizes pride, resilience, and the indomitable spirit to surpass expectations. Otimo reflects the pursuit of excellence, embodying the highest standards – an olfactory metaphor for the pride felt in every successful achievement.’ – Pernoire

Don’t worry, the photo concept above was surrounding a phoenix rising from the ashes… the scent is actually quite cozy. Pernoire has been slowly moving into sweeter and cozier territory after their initial releases and in 2024 they dip their toes into an actual gourmand for the first time with Otimo.

That’s not to say that Otimo is per se all safe and smoothed out, especially if you’re sensitive to spices. The opening hour is dominated by cardamom on my skin, adding a sharp, ever so slightly green pinch to an otherwise edible arrangement. That tinge reminds me of the vetiver – coffee/gourmand blends, but the Pernoire is less green and more ‘purely’ sweet than any of those.

Otimo has a strong gourmand, nutty, roasted core. Hints of burnt sugar or caramel and pastry come to mind. Like the buttery (popcorn) pyrazines. And that’s definitely the overarching theme for me. Quite powerful from the start and with good longevity.

Initially, I don’t get much of the freshness or fruitiness (quince, osmanthus are listed) in the air, only when I smell my skin up close. When I zoom in I get a fruitiness (think the drydown mostly resembles the Plum in Cognac direction), but also more of an earthy tinge, whereas in the air, it’s a more common sweetness. It has a lot of nuances for a relatively standard scent profile.

I do get some booziness, but I’m notoriously bad with detecting those type of notes. And while I can picture some tobacco here too, that as well feels trumped by the gourmand notes. As mentioned, the big standout addition to me is the cardamom, but that fades into the drydown.

For those familiar with the brand, I guess I would say Otimo is a big step further in the (sweet, lactonic) direction from Amoral. If Kama was its more daring, leathery sibling, then Otimo is the most mass appealing, gourmand direction. Also the Pernoire that I’d be most likely to wear, although there are one or two that I find more interesting.

Sure to be a crowd-pleaser, unlike my forest fire visual suggests.