Le Baiser du Dragon (2003)
by Cartier

This was given to me by a friend who had received it as a gift from a student's mother, and who hated it on the grounds that it "smelled like a funeral home." I would probably not give this fragrance as a gift, but I do wear it. I agree with previous comments about its coherence: somehow, all the notes don't seem to be working together--the florals in the heart are marching to a different drummer than the rest of the notes. But it's not offensive to me in any way: just a nice, warm fragrance to wear lightly on cold winter days.

23rd November, 2011.

Am I the only one who smells a burst of sulfur when this scent is first applied? I've never experienced this before - perhaps my mind is playing tricks with my olfactory nerves and it's the actual sulfurous burning breath of a dragon that overwhelms me.

It's as if I'm at the entrance of the dragon's lair and the first scent I smell is it's sulfurous breath. Will the other notes begin to appear as I get closer to the beast itself? After all, according to the name, I must get near enough for 'le baiser' . . . Will I be taken in by the golden eyes with their vertical slits gleaming emerald? Light glinting off the edges of his scales, hear the sharp click of claws upon the stone floor . . .

Indeed the sulfur is abating, or perhaps I've become accustomed to it by now so that I no longer feel it's sharpness in my nose as I venture closer into the lair . . . I know his treasures contain gilded bottles of rare oils and perfumes . . . yes, I am starting to sense their flowery vapors wafting forth on the hot wind of his breath

I wonder if he has had lunch yet?

1st October, 2011.

The kiss of the dragon (the name fits perfectly with the fragrance) begins almost like a puff of fire. Ferocious, dark, sharp and strong!

The fragrance opens with a chord that resembles the smell of resin, but a resin resulting of burning wood mingled with the smell of liquor, an aroma that persists for about 30 minutes.

After this time, the fragrance acquires the intimate and affectionate character of a kiss. The scent gets a sweet aroma, almost creamy, thanks to the bitter almond that rests on a resinous/smoky base, accompanied by the floral smell of gardenia, giving an aroma that persisting until the end of the fragrance, which by the way lasts for hours and hours, on the skin!

Finally, a true work of art. Complex in every way. But not my type.

21st August, 2011.

I got a lot of incense, LOTV, and lemon.

27th May, 2011.

In the chaotic and intoxicating initial dust of this woody oriental i smell splinters of vetiver, almond-orange liquor (coming from initial bitter-sweet accord of amaretto and neroli) rose and amber. These are the key elements of the Dragon which is a resinous but pungent nutty whisky with rosey and creamy undertones.  The beginning  is flowery liquor very aromatic and already embraced from earthy tentacles of vetiver, cedar and patchouli lifting from the background, the roaring kiss of the Dragon. Vetiver is detectable at the end of the game (at least in my opinion) and is the soul of a fragrance which systematically waves the whiff of rose from the creamy liqueur to the earthy dust of vetiver-pathouli. This scent is a play of balances and ambivalences and the confusion in the perception not always is a drawback. In the middle of story the musk hardly try to counteract the woodsy roughness of cedar while the womanly iris and earthy rose run side by side in order to settle the unisex trait of the scent. The base of Dragon reflects the game of the opposites and blends the earthy dust of vetiver-patchouli with the smoothness of resins in order to set a shelter for the flowery liquor. The final outcome is warm and smoother although the animal is not tamed at all. I must say that this scent, pleasant for winter evenings, works decently even in daily time and in the hot nights out of summer, it's strange but this was my last impression. Unfortunately, as usual for many Cartier's, longevity and sillage are weak on me and
on this datum is based the reason of my neutral rating for a fragrance whose dry down, evanescent and
speedy as a meteor, remains a real gem for all the lovers of fragrances.

31st January, 2011. (Last Edited: 15th March, 2011.)

The opening is nowhere near as strong as that of the EDP. I get subtle hints of rose hidden in the ambery rather powdery woodwork, with a little edge to the vetiver-cedar partnership giving it a more unisex appeal. Somewhat similar in structure to the Fendi EDT, this Cartier release is quieter but no less sensual - a hint of burning passion held in check perhaps. But Kiss of the Dragon?

I must admit it is a terrific name for an oriental fragrance. But focus not on the Dragon nor the fiery ferocity such a mythical beast evoke. Focus instead on the Kiss - not the hot lip-locked action in the throes of lust but more of the lighter yet smouldering goodbye marking a reluctant end to the evening's romantic date.

*** This review is of the EDT ***

7th April, 2010. (Last Edited: 8th April, 2010.)