Balle de Match (2002)
by Parfums de Nicolaï

Balle de Match, I must say, was ordered as a sample based on name alone. Balle de Match, ball of the match, match point. As a tennis nut, I had to sniff this one.

And I am very glad I did. I'm not a fan of grapefruit notes, as they often come across as synthetic feeling and too acidic. Not this one. This is the truest grapefruit smell I have ever encountered in a fragrance. It is sharp, tart, juicy and very true to the citrus it emulates. Perfect. For any grapefruit lover, this is a must try. For those of us who hold the note in less esteem, do try this. This one may change your mind.

But of course, there is more. A hint of incense, a soft cedar note, even a hint of pine. But make not doubt, the grapefruit is the star of this excellent match. It lasts far into the drydown, even if fading slightly.

Lovely, easy, sporty but yet maintaining a sense of class. Reminds me of the history of tennis, and of how I would like to smell after each match and a good shower. Goodness, this is good. Game, set, match. A winner here.

20th September, 2011.

This is indeed a true sports scent. I'm thinking parkland cricket or lawn tennis club when I smell Balle de Match. Now I own and enjoy several mainstream 'sport' scents but few bring to my mind sunshine, closely cut grass and athletic pursuits quite like this. Given a fresh scent with a touch of leather and I might think sports-car, a touch of civet and perhaps I might get 'athletic support', but this PdN makes me want to get my tennis balls out and have a hit. Sadly some ‘sport’ scents have all the appeal of diluted water, more apt descriptors might be ‘diet light’, or ‘casual stroll’. Nothing I've smelt so far says Sport quite like Balle de Match.

1st August, 2011.

While I do appreciate the use of grapefruit, I didn't get any of the zesty tang commonly associated with the citrus. Instead, what stood out rather irksomely for me in the modest sillage was a melony sweet, fruity vibe that I really don't care for. It's not a bad scent, but as personal preferences go, this gets a 'Neutral' from me.

9th February, 2011.

A truly exceptional woody citrus, a lot like GFT but with grapefruit instead of lemon; this to me is the benchmark for all grapefruit scents. It's slightly cedary in the top, with neither any unnecessary sweetness, nor any harsh bitterness, nor too much of any aggressive herbs. Sorry, Mr. Cilantro, but we've had quite enough of your attitude elsewhere! It's not as soapy as Horizon, which keeps it from falling into heavy soap or shampoo territory, but there's just enough citrus blossom in there to keep it unambiguously clean; this reminds me a bit of the sneaky florals in Acqua di Gio, which I think are a nice touch. It's got just a little teaser of the super-cold astringent green ivy of Sisley Eau de Campagne, but not enough to burn out your sinuses. As time goes by, the cedar becomes more noticeable without being that awful sour, raspy cedar that some scents can have. It's still a bit weak overall like most of her other "summer" men's scents, but not as much as the others, and it retains its citrus component longer. I could absolutely douse myself in this, from a refrigerated bottle, on a hot summer day and be in utter heaven. Those little 1.0 oz bottles are starting to look like a great buy!

16th January, 2011.

I know this is a man's fragrance but I like this house and wanted to try it.

BdM smells 'pale yellow'. I usually get images with scents, and the one that sprung to mind with this one was a middled aged blond haired man (in his 50s) wearing a pale yellow sweater at a baseball game; eating a twinkie and drinking an Indian pale ale. Yellow.

it's interesting, this isn't a bad scent at all, it's quite nice actually. But when I think of my SO wearing it I feel agitated. Balle de Match does not sing 'I'm too sexy' in any note. So, while my nose thinks 'this is OK', my emotions think 'certainly not.'

Such is the fun of perfumery.

2nd October, 2010.

I love grapefruit scents when they are done well, and when they are not they can be torturous. Balle de Match is not only done well it actually has some legs to it. Nicolai does very well on straight-forward fresh scents, and this is no exception. There is enough going on here to keep things interesting yet elegant and well mannered. The notes have been discussed already (Lime, Grapefruit, Pepper, Olibanum, Musk, Cedar). This perfume is quite seamless and long-lasting. I know I sing the praises of PDN often, but here she goes again. This is a fantastic scent. Perfect for warm weather, and daytime wear. This truly is a "sport scent." Tennis anyone?

4th March, 2010.