L'Essence de Déclaration (2001)
by Cartier

I can't knock this fragrance on its construction and blending, but like it's older brother, I just don't like the scent. It's difficult to explain, but is seems overly synthetic, cold and empty.

An excellent fragrance by Jean-Claude Ellena for Cartier: transparent, minimalist, and substantial.

On the basis of the excellent reviews here on basenotes I ordered L’Essence unsniffed. L’Essence is definitely worthy of all of the good reviews it has received.

The first thing that grabbed my attention when I sprayed L’Essence on my wrist was the beautiful almost bitter orange note. This is orange done right: clear, light, and persistent. As the fragrance develops the orange melds with the rosewood to form a central slightly sweet accord, which enhances both notes. The orange gains depth and persistence from the rosewood, while the rosewood gains lightness and brightness from the orange.

The cumin and cardamom add depth and a subtle animalic tone to the slightly sweet accord, and all of the citrus, spice, and sweet notes together add up to a simultaneously substantial and ethereal effect.

Even though woods play such an important part in L’Essence, they never overpower the rest of the notes. The woods are presented as an essence rather than as logs or as sawdust.

The oak moss and vetiver maintain this transparent theme, and give a sense of being of the earth rather than in the earth to the fragrance.

L’Essence is not an attention seeking fragrance, but it is very easy to get lost in the pleasure of charting its progression.

Cartier L'Essence de Declaration

Jean-Claude Ellena created Cartier Declaration in 1998. He has said in interviews since that it was his homage to Edmond Roudnitska's 1951 Eau D'Hermes. There are many similarities between the two the most obvious is the use of cumin. The other one is they are both fairly light-wearing creations and the notes in Declaration always had me looking for ways to get a little more intensity out of them. Thankfully, for me, M. Ellena must have wanted something similar and in 2001 created a flanker to Declaration, L'Essence de Declaration. The un-talented would have just probably upped the concentration of a few notes and re-released this. M. Ellena, of course, is not that kind of perfumer. He realized that if you were going to turn up the olfactory volume much like when you turn up the volume on your speakers you can't make it too loud or the bass line distorts the sound. The same holds true here. In Declaration there is a beautiful sheer core of medicinal woods comprised of birchwood, wormwood, and juniper wood. Intensify these ingredients and this would smell like a pharmacist's experiment gone bad. Instead by skillfully choosing some different woods he is able to take Declaration and quite beautifully create a more intense version of it without making it feel distorted. The top of L'Essence is nearly identical to that of the original as the bergamot and slightly bitter orange start it off with an astringent, tart accord. It is as we move into the woody heart that M. Ellena makes his first choice of cedar added. There is cedar in the base of Declaration in L'essence he pulls it forward into the heart. This has the aspect of drawing clean bold lines around the mix of woods here and then he adds some sweet rosewood to balance this out. The birch is still present but the juniper has been replaced with cardamom and this adds some softness to the heart while allowing the birchwood more presence. The cumin is also present but with the woods leading the way it comes off more muted and in some ways less forward than in Declaration. For those who are really cumin averse this might still be too much. For those who are intrigued by the note but don't like the sweaty accord cumin usually adds this might be just right for you. The base is the same base as in Declaration as a mix of vetiver, oakmoss and the continued presence of cedar end this almost identically. L'Essence de Declaration has great longevity on me, more than Declaration and more sillage than the original, too. If it wasn't for the aquatic misfire of Declaration Bois Bleu I would call M. Ellena's Declaration family the best group of original scent and flankers out there, as it is three out of four isn't a bad batting average.

To me, this is a perfect scent.

It is not my number one favourite fragrance of all times, but there is only few other fragrances in which I feel equally comfortable and good. Declaration Essence really is a match made in heaven with my personality and desire.
Fresh and warm, an outstanding pleasure to wear. Cardamom is obviously a starring note in this. Together with slightly smoky woods, waxy green tone and traces of fresh citrus fruits it makes a brilliant and flawlessly blended composition.

Like with the original Declaration, I get this pulla smell out of it very clearly; it really does smell like a plate full of pullas was about ready to be served freshly from the oven. (Pulla is a traditional Finnish cinnamon bun-like pastry that has a good doze of cardamom in it)

When doing a side by side test with this and the regular one, it is easy to see some small differences, although after all they are very similar, especially when it comes to sillage. (When smelled more closely they differ more, but they really put out quite similar smelling sillage) I really don’t understand if someone likes about other one but detests other version. It really would be odd because eventually they are so close to each other.
The main difference is in structure: Essence version is way much more full-bodied and smooth as the original juice is quite much sharper with its cardamom/caraway/citrus edge.

If you already have the regular and not that this Essence one (or vice versa), then I can warmly recommend for you to get them both. Although they are siblings, the differences in shades make that much of a difference that it is easy to justify the purchase. In fact, I think these two different takes on Declaration belongs together in the same wardrobe. They are very enjoyable to layer with each other, too.

What a wonderful creation, this.

Well, I was too enthusiastic about this one at first, possibly because I considered it an improvement over the regular Declaration, which it is. But after all is said and done, it's good office wear with a solid quality usually lacking in citrus scents.

And that's about it.

The initial blast reminds me of Terre d’ Hermes & Ferragamo, F. It is smoky & earthy as both of them and I do feel an intense citric aroma with peppery affects as well that goes to a perfect woody dry-down.

For me it’s a formal wear in office and informal wear (casual & romantic) otherwise. No complaints for lasting and sillage.

It can be flagged as a “classic” fragrance and it is highly recommended from my side.

PS. I have tested Cartier, Declaration Essence - 2001 & Kenzo, Jungle Pour Homme (zebra) – 1998 in a single instance and I am quite sure that they are fairly similar but with my senses and in my opinion Cartier is a winner as for fragrance composition, lasting & sillage.