Reviews of 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.

Essence begins in the spirit of Déclaration, but has a much smoother, slightly less pugnacious attitude. The fresh, crisp opening has been polished expertly to afford it a level of refinement hard to find in modern perfumery. Having been captivated by the initial treasures, one is led into a labyrinthine drydown of nuanced complexity and exquisite edginess. The hollow qualities of the vetiver add an extra dimension to an already outstanding medley of luxurious accords. Rarely have I found a fragrance so able to continue giving until its expiry.

Once in a blue moon, you will be smitten by a scent that completely bows you over. Or simply make you speechless with awe. L'Essence de Déclaration is such a gem. The hypnotic orange opening is just magical. From the tour-de-foce opening to the dry down, every note is beautifully and immaculately constructed. Jean-Claude Ellena admitted that this is among his best work. I have to agree. This masterpiece deservedly belongs to one of my top 5 list in my wardrobe where there are more than 200 contenders.

Not much better than the original Déclaration. Everything is a little smoother, rounder, but the dreaded cardemom note is still there.

No-no for me. Great bottle though.

There is an upside to being a fragrance newb: I just realized I have smelled dozens of shameless copies of Decraration before getting around to smelling the real deal, which is sort of like someone, whose only contact w/ the Beatles' music was through repeated viewings of Beatlemania, finally putting on Revolver--an instant recognition of what the fuss is all about. The intense version is minimalism at it's best. It smells like a big, lush, old fashioned fragrance that has been edited down to just the essentials, which not only increases the impact of each simple accord but also makes the whole seem far, far more interesting than just the sum of its few parts.

This is darker and more balsamic than the original and makes an interesting twist. However, I feel that this obscures some of the clarity of the original and over-complicates things. It is still outstanding though.

Cartier have managed to make a prominent smoky woods accord smell young.
Didn't think it was possible ?
Try Declaration Essence.

At first sniff I thought this was very close to an identical scent of the original Declaration. But the Essence of Declaration is a much superior fragrance. It smells as if someone reengineered all the ingredients of Declaration, keeping the same basic mix, but changing the strengths of various parts. All of the sharp and medicinal elements were decreased while the clear wood and transparent ozonic qualities of the scent have been increased. The earthiness is decreased while the akasha is more present. I notice artemsia is absent from the note list and this may be part of the rebalancing of the notes. The birchwood is less powerful in this one while the cedar is increased. Also, the sillage is hyped up probably with the addition of iso e super, or other chemicals that amplify the more transparent woody mix. I give Cartier Essence a 9.5 out of 10 for a review. A fantastic reinterpretation of Declaration. Declaration was an improvement on older swiss mountain fragrances similar to Magic Helvetica by La Base but Ellena took this birchwood bitter orange and herbal idea in a much more woody direction. The Essence improves on Declaration even further to go beyond the woods with hints of the original but more into the spirit and energy of the notes of Declaration - into L' Essence. Very nice.

Serious scent. I can see wearing this to a board meeting with a deadline that has to be met. Blended nicely.

Unusual citric opening. Different from others I've worn. It's not "light" or "airy", but there nonetheless. I think what I find and smell different about Essence is the Cedar in the top and Rosewood in the base make it interesting and kind of stoic.

This is a "Get 'er done" bottle of juice and not for the playful. Thumbs up.

Birch and Rosewood really stand out in this one. It's an interesting scent that keeps you smelling your wrist just to see what secrets it might whisper into your nose. You can certainly tell the high quality of this cologne, (price tag does accurately illustrate that) but It keeps itself in a class all of its own, very distinct, and poised. One drawback is the constant revolutions going back to the birchwood which is way too sharp for me (like ripe onions), almost headache inducing. The sharpness of the wood settles down a tiny bit during the dry down period at around the 1/2 hour mark. Becomes much more subtle almost an ambient fragrance. All in all Its an alright cologne. I personally can't how bright the wood is, wish it was a darker, richer, and fuller.

-MAX

There is a huge presence given off by this scent however it is still subtle. An outstanding dry and woody fragrance. A much darker yet fuller version of the original. Excellent.

Whoa. I think this my be my current favorite. It is the deepest most woody frag I have tried, though my experience is admittedly limited. However, I have built a decent collection in the past few months, and Declaration Essence definitely stands out.

The bottle is definitely cool, although I have a tester which has the "not for sale" text printed all over the front (as opposed to a sticker, which can easily be removed).

Declaration Essence opens with a round and gentle citric rush, but the woods are apparent along with the top notes immediately. The citrus fades into a subtle hint and the spicy woods take over. I think I might detect a bit of amber in there too, and Fragrantica shows amber in the pyramid. I don't know what their source is. The notes on the bottle don't match the Basenotes pyramid either. Drydown is extremely woody and warm. But it has lots of class, bringing to mind more fine furniture than carpentry workshop.

This frag has both projection and longevity in spades. It hangs around for a few hours on my skin, and for me that is a long time.

Now I'm interested in trying more Cartier frags, particularly the LE Declaration Essence. This has been described as lighter than the original Declaration, so I probably won't go there, as this frag I think is as potent as I'd want to get. Any heavier would be overpowering.

Declaration Essence will definitely have a permanent place in my wardrobe.

outstandingly good - absolute class

This is my favorite of all the Cartier fragrances. At first, it reminded me a lot of Armani Pour Homme, but it's definitely not as citrusy as Armani PH. I definitely smell the birch in Declaration, as well as the underlying cumin note (similar to Jungle by Kenzo). I really love Declaration, and have purchased the shower gel and deodorant stick as I am quite hairy and the scent lingers well in my forest of chest hair. I prefer the Essence to the original. This is a fragrance to be worn by the traveler, the wealthy man who is constantly on the go traveling between countries on business trips. Definitely a Jet Set fragrance.

Here is why it gets a neutral from me when I gave declaration a thumbs up...unlike my comerades...I can't tell the difference. I was disappointed in the lack of creativity in this one, maybe a subtle difference...so subtle that it hasn't hit my nose just yet. Eh, it is softer though, but the lack of creativity, what was the point?

I find L'Essence to be a softer, kinder version of Déclaration. The tester at the store listed Ciste as an ingredient which is not listed above. I feel this cistus is what makes the mellowing difference. I appreciate cistus greatly, especially in Eau de Hongrie by Fragonard, but I still prefer the more in-your-space joviality of Déclaration (original).

This has lot of silage, but still strikes me as a "quiet" scent, it doesn't shout but it does make its presence known. It smells very cultured, refined and composed. The notes are all very clear, defined and balanced. They coexist as well as blend.

The orange opening is mellowed by the cedar which quickly drops into the woods, moss and a strong cardamon note. I am not usually a fan of cardamon, but here it works well, I think there is a little cumin in there too. The orange persists throughout, never too much, and as it drops lightly down to the base the rosewood (really natural smelling) comes forward somewhat. I don't really find the vetiver here, but otherwise the scent seems unusally close to its given pyramid.

A fine fragrance, and available in 15mls. It is potent, so that should go a fair way.

The opening of Essence is similar to the opening in Déclaration, but fresher, clearer, less smoky, more attainable. It is an elegant orange opening that doesn’t have the sharpness of many citrus accords: a bitter orange note that gets a special refinement from the cardamom and the woods and moss.
The middle notes are basically a discreet wood / moss accord supported by cardamom and orange. And the base is a nice vetiver and rosewood and orange. The prominence of the bitter orange note throughout makes the scent somewhat linear, but there is real movement behind the orange note. I like solid base notes in my fragrances, and the base here, even though it has excellent accords, is a little too subtle—underplayed—for my tastes. There are not very many differences between Déclaration and Déclaration Essence, but those marginal differences make up a huge difference in my judgment—Déclaration is not very interesting except that is flirts a bit with repulsiveness, while Déclaration Essence is a winner. Very good longevity—wonderful, elegant fragrance.

very strange, very attractive. magnificent bottle.
if you tried this perfume then you will get addicted to it. splash wisely.

very subtle elegant evening scent with some citrus, some spicy, a lot of flowery gentleness trying to mask the masculine mosses and greenness

Please tell me where to get it, it's the best (artificial) smell you can sniff on your mate

I like declaration essence(fresh,woody) more than declaration (too woody)