Nu Eau de Parfum (2001)
by Yves Saint Laurent

Nu is a glamorous, exotic, spiced amber oriental that manifests depth, complexity, and drama without undue bulk or opacity. It very clearly descends from Opium, Cinnabar, and Coco, but it is more lithe and supple than any of those predecessors. Nu delivers all the cinnamon, vanilla, cloves, and amber you’d expect, but they are offset by a contrasting accord of black pepper and smoky frankincense that slices through all that dense, sweet matter like a scalpel blade. As a result, Nu feels thoroughly modern where the unrelieved mass of Opium or Cinnabar can smell dated. In fact, it smells like a grand 1980s amber oriental viewed in the slenderizing glass of Féminité du Bois, Chaos, and Dolce Vita. The incense and pepper also recall Parfum Sacré, but Caron’s peppery incense oriental centers on a huge rose note entirely absent in Nu.

Like many a dark oriental fragrance, Nu seems to open in medias res, and to the extent that there are any top notes at all it’s a resinous bergamot that comes to my attention. The spices, amber, and incense are quick to follow, accompanied by a vanillic floral accord no doubt meant to represent the pyramid’s “white orchid” and “wild orchid.” For several hours the floral, spice, and resin components interweave in an olfactory pattern that seems to shift and rearrange itself from moment to moment. Eventually the floral notes subside, and then the spices, leaving base notes of benzoin, opoponax, cedar, musk, and perhaps some labdanum to carry the drydown. Sillage and projection are both substantial, even well into the drydown. Yet powerful as it seems, Nu never feels oppressively heavy.

While marketed to women during its commercial run, I find Nu easy to wear, and I really can’t imagine any man who’s comfortable in Arabie, Ambre Sultan, JHL, or Ambre Russe feeling self conscious wearing this. Too bad it’s gone – Nu was a fine scent, and a fully worthy member of the Yves Saint Laurent lineup.

8th May, 2011.

The opening comes on very strong, but I like its spiciness and peppery sting. I immediately smell the incense from the base, and I think for an instant or two that this is a fragrance that I will certainly enjoy. Then comes the orchid note... and from that point all bets are off. I hate that orchid note – to me it is somewhat comparable to a rotten green pepper note. Oh well…

3rd December, 2010.

On me the creamy White Orchid stands out as the topnote then it drops into the blend and a tangyish note comes out -I associate Bergamot with Earl Grey Tea so I assume it to be more from the Vetyver with the Bergamot supporting for a crisp tangy root-crunch .From top to bottom I smell the spices .Nu does remind me of Opium but it also recalls Gres Cabaret .To my mind Nu could be described as a combination of Opium and Cabaret with White Orchids on top.

2nd September, 2010.

I can see the comparison to Oscar Pour Lui, but it's more like the new formulation of it, which is more "compressed," whereas the original formulation had more "space" between the notes. One difference is that OPL has a more earthy quality, whereas Nu EdP feels lighter. However, I can understand why some think it smells synthetic or medicinal. I'm not sure if it was meant to smell this way, or if this was the best they could do to achieve a certain kind of desired effect. You might have to give yourself time to grow accustomed to the scent, which of course some people just don't want to do (as is their right). It has a kind of internal dynamism, but otherwise doesn't change much for hours. One spray to the chest lasts me for a dozen hours or more, and the sillage is just right. Because it is a bit of an odd smell, not as "natural" as OPL, I only wear this one every two or three months at most, but I do enjoy it most of the time.

1st May, 2010.

Nu is seductive, dark, complex, and...very seductive. Nu is strong and longlasting. Maybe it is the mort masculine for men in many feminin scents that I've tested.

Nu is warm, sometimes bitter and dark thanks to the strong incense combine with vetiver and pepper, sometimes smooth because of white orchid. Pure, dangerous... Nu has so many faces.

21st April, 2010.

OK, I confess I'm puzzled. I got a decant of this thinking I'd love the floral/incense interplay. And black pepper and vetiver? Bring it on. But on my skin it didn't unfold in the lovely, layered way others have described. Instead this had two stages on me: first, an in-your-face, super-sweet floral opening (orchid, orchid, orchid: wherefore art thou, bergamot?) that would send the perfumophobes in my office running to phone HR. Then, about 10 minutes later, the woozy floral receded and I got something I'd describe as Opium lite: the same sort of spicy incense, but with much, much less sillage. I'd consider spritzing this one on and keeping all the windows open until the orchid faded, but then again, I could just buy a more straightforward incense frag and leave it at that. Perhaps the edt provides more of the sheer layers others have written about--I'd like that. But for me this manages to be both too much and not enough.

7th October, 2009.