White
Spice, not citrus, is what people remember about Lalique White Eau de Toilette 125ml, and it is the reason this one still gets bought when far noisier men's fragrances from the same period have disappeared.
The start is brief and bitter. Bergamot does the usual lifting and elemi gives it a peppery, resinous, faintly bitter rind quality that is more interesting than plain citrus. Within ten minutes the spice has taken over. Nutmeg is dusty and warm, cardamom is cooler and greener with a slightly camphorous edge, and the two are a well known pairing because they pull in opposite directions. Violet runs underneath them, powdery and cool, and it is the unexpected element here, softening the spice into something almost gentle.
The dry down is dry in the literal sense. Cedarwood gives a sharpened pencil quality, oakmoss adds damp, bitter moss, musk keeps it on the skin, and amber brings a resinous warmth that stops the cedar and moss from turning harsh. Christine Nagel is the perfumer, and the release year was 2008.
As a toilette it is moderate: five hours or so, with the spice fading before the cedar and musk do. That makes it an easy daily wear rather than a statement, and the 125ml size makes generous spraying affordable, which is how a fragrance of this strength is best used. It suits autumn, it suits the office, and it is aimed at men, though the violet gives it enough softness that it does not read as aggressively masculine.
The firm was established in 1888 by Rene Lalique, whose Art Nouveau and Art Deco glass turned the family name into a collector's one. Perfume bottle commissions for other houses began in 1907, crystal flacons are still produced, and the first fragrance sold as a Lalique was not released until 1992.
Please note: images are a guide only. Packaging and bottle design may occasionally differ from those shown due to manufacturer updates or promotions.
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