CARTIER
PASHA DE CARTIER EDITION NOIRE

2013

PERFUMER
Nathalie Feisthauer

citrus notes
Cedar
Amber
Mint
Watery Notes
Black Pepper
Iris
Violet
Heliotrope
Clove

I haven’t properly tried the original Pasha De Cartier at the time of this review (I will surely get around to it one day). The more recent Parfum flanker is excellent, but I’ve only smelled it briefly. Instead I was left with this Edition Noire sample that I had and although it’s solid, it didn’t impress me.

Edition Noire was released in 2013 and it’s supposed to be a mixture of green citrus and amber. That’s spot on with what you’re getting. The citrus is quite sharp and prominent up top and it does smell greenish, which I’m not a big fan of. It’s not the brightest, freshest opening and more of a heavy handed citrus; the minty edge is a nice touch though.

Somehow they also added in some ‘watery notes’, but I can’t honestly say that I see how they came into play here. It is instantly quite woody and peppery. There’s cedarwood and the aforementioned amber accord gives this fragrance body and depth, although I don’t think it’s quite the warm vibe that you often get from amber accords. The sweetness is very subtle as well. There are floral nuances and they are powdery, however they do not overpower.

It sounds like there’s a lot going on, but it doesn’t translate into a complex fragrance. The spices give this an overall more masculine, traditional vibe and I have to say, I found the scent to be a little dated. That’s not to say that it’s bad, but I think most men in my age group or younger and most women will not get excited about this scent.

It’s a pretty versatile scent and I don’t think matches the ‘Noire’ nomenclature (I guess it’s because it’s a darker/ambery take on a citrus heavy scent).